By now, it’s pretty common knowledge that there’s a big difference between a job and a career. A job is something to keep you going for the present, making sure that you have the resources in place for everyday living. Careers deal with the long haul, and they entail more effort, time, and energy to not only start, but also to keep it going. Careers and stagnation are mutually exclusive.
Careers of every type can benefit from a bit of a boost, and engineers are no exception. Here are five ways that you can shift that engineering career of yours into a higher gear.
Shameless Self-Promotion
Well, okay, you can hold on to a little shame if you really want to. Self-promotion today means going online and establishing a social media presence since that’s where most everyone is these days. Create a blog dedicated to your field of engineering, and show the world how savvy you are. Make a profile on various social media networks and point back to your blog, as well as any other accomplishments you’ve achieved.
Schmooze Freely
Sort of related to the first tip since the online world figures heavily into it, you need to get out there and network. Bolstering your career means bolstering your visibility. The self-promotion idea involves you doing it by yourself; networking employs other people in raising that visibility. Congregate with other professionals; get their contact information and stay in touch. People can’t give you a career-boosting assignment or position if they don’t know you exist.
Change Your Attitude
If you change your outlook, it’s amazing how many other things in your life change as well, and for the better. But how does one go about changing their attitude? After all, it’s not like your attitude is something that can be switched on and off with a remote.
The article “Boost Your Engineering Career” advises you to become a morning person, and fill that morning with positive actions such as breathing and meditation, picturing what you want to do today and how you will do it, exercising, and reading. Round it all off by keeping a journal or blog where you write down things that you’re thankful for, goals, and other observations.
Now, it does all sound rather New Agey and touchy-feely. But there’s something to be said about the adage of starting the day off on the right foot (or conversely, getting off to a bad start). The morning is when you take stock, get yourself psyched, and go forth and tackle the day. Consider making this change.
Become A Joiner
“No man is an island,” it is said. Fine then. Consider joining associations and organizations that complement your career path. This idea sort of ties in with the networking suggestion, but there’s more to it than that. Groups usually have events, meetings, conferences, and such, so consider volunteering to help out. It raises your profile and visibility and gets you in good with your peers.
Of course, the organization itself may have ways and means to help you polish up on your skills and continuing education, so don’t forget that little perk!
Find A Teacher
One of the best ways to learn is to have a working relationship with someone who knows more than you do. You are the young Padawan looking for your Jedi master, in other words. But seriously, engineers who’ve been around and have seen it all are a valuable source of information and wisdom. If you have a good tutor-pupil dynamic going, you can benefit from his or her years of experience, and thus boost your own career’s viability.
No matter which ideas you end up using, remember that a career should always be moving forward. Good luck!
