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School and Career Surprises: Tips From People on the Job

Career: "I never realized how much waiting for jobs to come in I would do. I was also surprised to learn how much of this job is selling the company to potential clients"

Career: "I was most surprised that being a mechanical design engineer involves all aspects of engineering, not just running calculations to determine whether or not a design will perform as needed mechanically. Electrical engineering practices and standards are also part of my career, as well as some civil engineering needs required by building sites and geographical locations. Dealing with other people who have almost no engineering expertise is something that you won't learn in school, but I'm faced with on a daily basis. I also have to be skillful in working with those who make parts for my designs, and I have to build a good relationship with them to make sure I get what I need."

Career: "I was surprised by the amount of communication in my profession. Being an engineer, I thought I would not have to write or present anymore but my job requires me to write persuasive letters and give speeches."

Career: "I was surprised at how much documentation and presentation work I have and am required to do. I often have to give findings presentations to our board of directors and division chiefs. I had no idea the amount of public speaking and just general face time this career would bring with the highest ranking officials at my organization."

Career: "I was surprised to find that having good people working for me would have as great an effect on my career. Being a mechanical engineer requires having good common sense relative to design of machinery that is not really taught in college. They teach theory, but lose out when it comes to practical applications."

Best & Worst Things About This Career

"The best part of my job is getting to work with the newest and coolest cars coming out of Japan and Europe. The worst part by far is doing all of the emission standards testing and various other certifications that are required for some of our parts to be sold legally within the United States. But this is something that all manufacturers producing performance goods must do."

"I enjoy eliminating, or at least mitigating a client's problem with its gas facilities. Investigation of causes of incidents, such as gas-related fires and explosions, can be rewarding when the recommendations I submit to prevent a recurrence are instituted by my client. This may decrease the probability of injury or loss of life to their customers and general public. The worst part of my job is defending my position with opponents to my recommendations. It can be a trying experience to stand up for what you believe is right."

"The best part is seeing our new products get out of the research lab and go to real customers. I'm lucky to have a job that advances technology and makes the world a slightly better place. I go home almost every day feeling like I did something important. The worst part is when it's hard to solve an argument between engineers on the team. I like to find a solution that makes everyone happy, but it isn't always possible."

"The best parts of my job are the freedom I have in deciding how I want to design an experiment and the problem solving skills I get to use. I am able to apply what I learned at college, things that no one ever thought would be helpful, such as calculus and statistics. I also use what I learned in my engineering classes. Each day presents a new, but rewarding once the job is done, challenge. The worst part of my job is that it is not a set work schedule. Sometimes I am able to work 8 hours a day, but often the tests I am performing require me to stay later."

Tips for Succeeding in This Career

"1. Go to college. It's the most important thing you can do to ensure success in this field. If you don't have a degree you won't go very far in this industry without years of experience. 2. Try to seek out a job that applies directly to the part of the automotive engineering field that you enjoy. This job is a lot easier when you like what you are doing. 3. Bigger employers offer better benefits, but often don't pay as well to start because they have greater access to a wider range of candidates."

"Find a mentor whom you respect. It helps if you also like the individual. As much as possible, keep current with the latest practices in the industry you have chosen to work in. There may be many government regulations to be followed. Track them and understand them. Ask so-called experts for their opinions. Challenge them if you believe them to be wrong, but make sure you have adequate support for your position when you do so. Maintain a network of peers and show appreciation of their abilities. Join and actively participate in associations related to your career. As an engineer, make sure you develop very good writing skills. Without this ability, you'll be falling behind the pack."

"Tip 1: Learn how to solve problems. Any kind of problem is good practice--math problems, chess problems, logic puzzles. Often having a good approach to solving a problem is even more important than technical knowledge. Tip 2: Take math and science--and understand how the math courses help solve problems in the science courses. For example, calculus is crucial for solving physics problems, while a good grasp of statistics is necessary to understand manufacturing quality. Tip 3: Study things besides engineering. You'll thank yourself for understanding literature and the arts, and you'll be a more well-rounded person."

"Work experience can never be overrated, even if it's an unpaid internship. Companies recognize related experience, and it pays off in the long run. Take classes in a wide variety of related topics. My advice is to not be an expert in just one area, but instead try to be a jack of all trades. "Know just enough to be dangerous," as they say. During college, learn from your mistakes. Understanding why you got a question wrong, versus just memorizing the solution, is more beneficial in the long run. Although the glamorous jobs in engineering are the design jobs, starting off by testing the designs is invaluable, and helps you create better designs in the future."