Articles from Today's Engineer www.todaysengineer.org
| …On
the "You Train, I'll Hire" Philosophy |
December 2001 - January 2002 | |
| Learning
Outside of the Box Vern Johnson |
March - April 2002 | Whether you're just starting your technical career or are well into it, education plays a key role in professional success. How do engineering professionals progress from being merely students to being self-directed independent learners? [more] |
| Job
Search Strategies — Planning for Results Amina Sonnie |
April - May 2002 | Finding your ideal job takes considerable time, effort and concentration. But with careful planning and undivided attention, you stand more than a good chance of landing your dream job. Here's one plan... more |
| Engineers
in the Business World: The Things They Don't Teach You in School |
May - June 2002 | |
| Financing
Your Life Dreams: |
Aug - Sept 2002 | What is your dream for the future and what do you need to support that dream financially? The key lies in where you invest your dollars and effort... more |
| Engineer
to Entrepreneur: Making the Career-Enhancing Transition Mike Arnold |
Sept 2002 | Engineers are entrepreneurs; they are responsible for gaining returns on their company’s investments — they must justify their compensation — and for gaining returns on the projects they manage. Those who deliver the best returns on investments put themselves in the best positions to advance... |
| Assessing
Career Competencies and Gaps — Measure Your Progress Regularly Vern Johnson and Judy Edson |
October 2002 | Working professionals all need to assess their performance regularly. When is the ideal time to do this, what must we assess, and how? |
| A PC is No Longer a Stand-alone or Personal Device L. Nick Nelson and Vern R. Johnson | December 2002 | Personal computing has changed dramatically since the first keyboards and monitors were placed on workplace desks. Then, PCs were truly 'personal,' but is there any 'personal' left in your computer today? |
| Engineering
Careers Come in Four Varieties |
April 2003 | During the past half-century, engineering career types have evolved from lifelong corporate engineers to today’s global engineers. Many engineers today probably identify with the characteristics of more than one type. Which combination fits you? The 4 Flavors of Engineering During the last half-century, engineering jobs have evolved from lifelong corporate careers to today's global engineer-for-hire. "Many were not ready for the career changes that happened to them, nor were they trained in the skills needed to cope with these changes," notes Vern Johnson in Today's Engineer. "However, change is always present in all career fields." To succeed, he says, "engineers need to be independent learning professionals who can determine gaps in their learning, plan career and education activities, and proceed independently." |
| Networking:
Getting to Know You ...
Amina Sonnie |
April 2003 | Partly because of today’s prevalent use of email and our increased mobility, many of today’s professionals lack the skills necessary to handle the challenges associated with traditional, face-to-face networking. Part finesse, part discretion, part basic manners, networking is a learned critical skill for all engineers... |
Finding a Job in an Unstable Economy: Coping with the Fears Jennifer Hartranft |
May 2003 | Despite the current
economy and dim employment outlook, it's possible to land a great engineering
job. Find out what you need to know to stand out in the job market. |
The Career Change Process: Five Steps to Better Professional Stature Vern Johnson |
July 2003 | If you're looking to
improve your professional stature within your organization, consider following
Vern Johnson's flexible five-step career-change process, which incorporates
a set of values; a well-articulated purpose or mission; an understanding
of competencies, gaps and resource limitations; your ability to develop
a tactical plan; and your willingness to implement that plan. |
| Evaluating
Job Offers — Is This the One?
Kem Blanchard |
July 2003 | You've gotten a job
offer, but is it the right one for you? Even in today's tight labor market,
it's important to evaluate job offers carefully before you accept, decline
or begin negotiating terms. Career counselor Kem Blanchard provides some
important criteria for gauging whether or not a particular job is suitable,
and then how to proceed once you have made a decision. |
| Lifelong Learning Is Necessary for Career Success, According to Survey Vern Johnson | August 2003 | IEEE-USA Today’s
Engineer ran a survey earlier this year to determine engineers’ opinions
of and preferences for continuing education. Find out what the respondents
had to say. |
| Satisfying a Hunger for Knowledge Through Experiential Learning
Vern Johnson |
February 2004 | You’ve heard the expression, “If you give a man a fish, he will have a single meal; if you teach him how to fish, he will eat for the rest of his life.” The natural progression of maturity involves moving from dependency on others toward increasing self-reliance. How can engineers progress from focusing on survival to focusing on endurance to become self-reliant learners. |
Contract Engineering: A Viable Career Alternative Paul Kostek |
March 2004 |
While many engineers still seek permanent, full-time employment, others are turning to contract engineering as an alternative. What is contract engineering; what are the benefits; and what are the challenges? |
Are Career Events Worth Attending? Jennifer Hartranft |
April 2004 | While more and more jobseekers use the Internet to submit their résumés to prospective employers, career events such as job fairs still have their place in the job-seeking market. What can you do to make the most of job fairs and get your foot in the door — in person? |
Kick Your Career Up a Notch — Become a Licensed Professional Engineer Cameron H. G. Wright |
May 2004 | P.E. licensure isn't just for civil and power engineers, anymore. A P.E. license can improve your job security and your chances for advancement. |
|
Jim Jindrick |
July - August 2004 |
Many modern-day technological advances are remarkable, to be sure, but modest innovations get introduced to the marketplace everyday. Whether simple or complex, several general rules of thumb apply to all innovations. |
| Self-Assessment: A Required Skill for Lifelong Learners Vern Johnson | November 2004 | When you were in school, you had teachers to guide your learning. Even after graduation, we must consider pursuing learning for the rest of our professional lives. Now, though, we must be both teacher and student. Here's how. |
Managing Conflict in a Small Team Setting Vern Johnson |
January 2005 | In a small-team setting, unresolved conflict can hamper productivity and deflate morale. By recognizing the drivers of conflict and learning how to communicate concerns, team members can work toward resolution and get their project back on track. |
Understanding and Assessing Team Dynamics Vern Johnson |
March 2005 | Technical professionals are very good with tasks. But when it comes to successful teaming, tasks are only half the equation — the other half is about fostering relationships. Find out how to select team members and assess your team's development to maximize productivity. |
Gaining Intellectual Maturity and Becoming an Independent Learning Professional Vern Johnson |
May 2005 |