Over the past few weeks I had the pleasure of speaking on career development to the ASCE Chapters in Syracuse, Buffalo and Rochester, New York. It was a great experience in which I met some very interesting, talented and motivated engineers and engineering students. The seminar attendees included a combination of student members, younger member groups and local chapters.
Career Development in Syracuse
I started out in Syracuse at Syracuse University where we had a crowd of about 20 or so, mostly engineering students. The attendees asked a lot of questions about the interviewing process. We talked about how, during an interview, you should question the needs of the employer and then explain to them how you can satisfy those needs. Don’t go in there and talk non-stop about yourself and all of your experience. They only want to hear how you can help them! There were also some excellent questions about internships. One student asked if it was okay to leave an engineering internship if they didn’t enjoy it. I recommended that they only leave the internship if they are taking another one where they would gain engineering experience. If not, I recommended fighting through it for the summer and making the most out of the opportunity. Develop some contacts and soak up as much knowledge as you can.
On to Buffalo next, where I presented at Buffalo University. We had a crowd of about 30 and this was more of a mix between students and practicing engineers. The Buffalo crowd seemed to connect more with the Networking and Communication portions of the seminar. There were some questions and discussions about communicating with clients and if you are ever really “off the clock.” This issue can be very specific to the job description. Some engineers are required to answer the phone at all hours if they are working on an active construction project, while others may be able to check their cell phone at the door when they get home at night. Many of the student engineers were thankful for the networking portion of the seminar as they said they learn nothing about this in school. Should classes on networking, communication and organizational skills be taught in school?
Buffalo ASCE Chapter Board Members
Buffalo ASCE Chapter Student Members
Career Development in Rochester
Last but not least, Rochester, where I presented for the local chapter at the office of one of the local firms. This was a smaller crowd, less than 10, however it consisted of only practicing engineers, no undergraduate students. The crowd makeup always drives the length and interest of the different points that I speak about. We spent the time discussing delegation and how important it is to your career advancement. We also discussed the process of obtaining your P.E. and discussed the differences between licensing requirements in different states. One of the attendees, Clement Chung who was recently appointed to the ASCE Committee of Younger Members (CYM), spent the early part of his career in London. Clement talked about the difference in the licensing process between England in the United States. In fact, he mentioned that in England, they don’t really get licensed, they become “charted” which really has no legal stature. Do you have any opinions about the differences in the application process throughout the country?
All in all it was a fun trip. Growing up in southern New York, I have always wanted to see some of upstate New York and now I have! I had a blast meeting you all and I look forward to seeing you at future seminars and conferences. I sincerely thank the officers of each of the chapters that helped coordinate the trip. Continue to Take Your Career Wherever You Want to Take It!
Anthony Fasano, P.E., LEED AP, CPESC, CPSWQ, CPC
www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyjfasano
www.facebook.com/anthony.j.fasano
www.twitter.com/anthonyjfasano
Join my Linkedin Engineering Career Development Group
Related posts:
Anthony Fasano, P.E., aka Your Professional Partner, founded Powerful Purpose Associates after he realized that it was the development of his soft skills that helped him to become an associate partner at a reputable engineering firm at the young age of 27. With history as a civil engineer, Anthony is now a nationally recognized executive coach and inspirational speaker, specializing in the areas of engineering career development, as well as leadership. He uses his highly effective coaching and speaking techniques through affordable programs to help engineers develop their soft skills, work through blocks, prioritize effectively, set clear goals and achieve their maximum potential.
Connect