7 Tips For Growing Your Engineering Career

Working as an engineer is a highly lucrative and challenging career path. This complex and varied sector touches most corners of our lives. And the engineering job market is booming as a result. Even after post Covid.

Engineering jobs are in high demand and universities are struggling to put out enough qualified engineers to fill the roles every year. This has led to a shortage of qualified engineers, which has caused salaries to rise and created a positive outlook for the future of this profession.

But while engineers might be in demand, this doesn’t mean that you can sit back and wait for the lucrative job offers to pour in. Taking a proactive approach to your career will position you ahead of the competition and allow you to take your pick of the best opportunities.

7 Tips For Growing Your Engineering Career

There are many ways to grow your engineering career. You could expand your skill set, gain experience with different companies, or undertake volunteer work. But there is one thing that you should do at every stage of your career: learn.

Learn about the latest technologies and techniques so that you can apply them in your current role or use them as stepping stones to get to where you want to be next.

Instead of thinking about what skills you use right now, think about the skills that will be useful in the future. Here are 7 ways you can grow your engineering career in 2022.

Never Stop Learning

We are living in a time where we can learn anything online, anytime, anywhere. The internet has made it possible for us to learn at our own pace and time.

Learning doesn’t have to be a formal thing you do in a classroom. There are learning opportunities all around you. Try listening to podcasts or watching tutorials on YouTube, reading blogs or eBooks, or joining online courses to expand your knowledge of the sector.

Focus On The Soft Skills

Engineers are not only responsible for the technical side of their projects. They also have to have the soft skills to be able to communicate with other team members, stakeholders, and clients.

These skills include being a good listener, being able to empathise with others, and being able to understand what others are saying.

Engineers should be able to build rapport with their teammates in order to get the best results from their work. A good way for engineers to improve on these skills is by practising them in real-life scenarios.

Find Out What Makes You Different

It is very easy to get lost in the crowd. Especially if your skills are not unique or you don’t know how to stand out. But there are ways to do so. You can think like a marketer and learn how to sell your skills. And yes, it does take some time and effort but it’s worth it.

You should also be aware of what your competitors are doing and what the job market looks like for your skillset. This will ensure you never undersell your experience.

Find a Mentor

Finding an engineering mentor can be a daunting task. Here are some tips to find the perfect mentor for you.

• Find someone who has the same interests as you. For example, if you are interested in front-end development, then find someone also interested in front-end development.
• Find someone that has a similar background to yours. That way, they will be able to relate to your struggles and know what you are going through when it comes to certain challenges in your career.
• Find someone with a lot of experience in what you want to do or study so that they can provide valuable advice and guidance on how to get there.

Work With a Recruiter

Recruiters are experts in their field and can help with job search and application processes. They can also help prepare for interviews and make sure that you are a good fit for the company.

A recruiter will work with you to find your perfect job. They will guide you through the process of finding a new position, from researching companies to preparing for interviews.

Think About Chartered Status

To become a chartered engineer, you will need a PhD in engineering and extensive work experience.

It won’t happen overnight, but it is an excellent path to follow to enhance your career. Setting the wheels in motion to become a chartered engineer can help to bring focus to your career development.

Ask Your Employer For Feedback

Your employer might have some pointers that you have overlooked. Employees should not wait for their annual review before hearing anything about how they are doing at work.

Asking for constructive feedback on your work and what you could do to improve is a surefire way to enhance your career.