5 Ways to Advance in Your Engineering Career

Would you like to take control of your engineering career and advance to management and leadership? COVID, according to industry reports, has acted as a catalyst for change in the engineering world. We will likely see a shift in working patterns in the coming years and acceleration in several critical technology areas.

These changes will significantly impact engineering skill requirements and career paths, making 2021 an excellent time to retrain and upgrade. Do you feel like, in your engineering career, you have reached a halt? If the answer is yes, you may wish to consider career advancement. Although it is easier to say than to do, you can lead the way to gain an advantage on the job. If you want to get advance in your engineering career, here are five tips for you:

• Choose roles that are a good fit for your interests

Are you more adept at abstract details or practical tasks? Are you more productive on the job or in an office? You may have decided whether to pursue consulting or contracting work, but other decisions are still to be made.

A professional life in engineering can involve designing or implementing modifications to the airport pathway, transforming buildings to meet standards for sustainability, or redesigning a road to reduce traffic. Because you must choose one of these areas to concentrate your efforts on, your decision must be based on your overall interests. Do not take a position in unsustainable energy if your passion is environmental consulting.

• Concentrate on your soft skills

While technical skills are critical in the engineering field, soft skills such as communication, active listening, and emotional intelligence are also critical. Companies prefer to hire employees who possess a balanced set of hard and soft skills, and if you want to stand out from other applicants, you will need these skills. Communication skills are also critical, as employers seek employees willing to listen to others and work in a team environment.

• Working with a mentor

Let’s say you’re serious about taking your engineering career to the next level. In this case, a mentor can help choose the right career and provide valuable career advice, mainly if you are not sure where you want your career to lead and need support and guidance when determining your career. Choose a mentor you enjoy working with and who you can learn a lot from, and meet with them regularly to discuss your career, receive counseling, share engineering experiences, and learn valuable lessons.

• Create a resume that shone brightly

With a career plan in hand, an engineer’s chances of remaining with a single company for the duration of their career are highly slim today. Changing jobs regularly is an efficient way to climb the career ladder (and pay scale) and achieve career goals sooner. To make these leaps, it is critical to developing a resume that shines and captures employers’ attention. There are numerous resume writing tips that one can and should follow.

• Pursue a certification or advanced degree

Pursuing a certification or advanced degree is another way to demonstrate expertise and help engineers rise above their peers. These can include PMP certifications, traditional university degrees and modern alternatives to the MBA (masters of business administration). Depending on the field of engineering, there may be industry-specific certifications available, such as the MBA for engineers certification, which enables engineers to demonstrate their expertise in a particular area.

Finally, give yourself some time to build your portfolio and establish a presence in the engineering industry. Consider starting a blog or website to share your engineering skills and knowledge with others that will help you to establish yourself in your field as a recognized and authoritative voice.

Take advantage of any speaking opportunities in local schools or engineering functions – this will be a departure from your day-to-day work. Still, it will help you establish yourself as a powerful force in the engineering community. The counselor is constantly looking for experts and advice, and if you can provide this and build a reputation for it, you will be a highly valuable candidate. Engineers make significant contributions to the world – and you can make numerous significant contributions to your engineering career.