About

This site is a resource for young Professional Engineers seeking strategies to improve their careers.

The Problem

I graduated with a degree in civil engineering and went to work as a part-time roadway designer. I struggled in my early career. At my 90 day review, after expecting to be offered a full time position, I was told there were still things I needed to work on before I would be offered a full-time job. I found out later that I was actually on the verge of being fired. That was crushing. I just felt like a bad engineer.

I needed to improve or risk putting my future in jeopardy. Instead of blaming my employer, I sat in silence on my drive back home that Friday. I thought hard about what I was doing wrong, where I’d end up and what I needed to change.

The Solution

I went from being a bad engineer to a good engineer after learning to keep a journal. Keeping a journal is now an everyday habit for me. Once I had a system I couldn’t believe how it improved my life.

When I was a bad engineer I had little hope of:

• Becoming a project manager.
• Getting good raises.
• Working on the best projects.

Becoming a good engineer means that:

• You become a sought-after resource for technical and leadership roles.
• You earn more because your time is more valuable.
• You have more freedom to choose your hours and the projects you work on.

Becoming a good engineer requires good habits. Keeping a journal is the single best habit for engineers. It maintains your organization and productivity. The act of writing also helps you solve problems.

The Method

When you describe a problem in writing you’re forced to be more objective, more factual and more realistic. Writing creates a space between you and the problem. This space provides the room for solutions to grow.
The journal becomes a textbook for your career development.
As I improved my skills, I slowly turned the tide of my early faults. I proved I could handle bigger assignments, I volunteered for cleanup work on emergency projects. I did the hard task and showed my worth.

The Results

The rewards were worth the effort. I was given bigger raises and bigger roles within my teams. My schedule became more flexible as my supervisors learned to trust my abilities. I began to have more influcence within groups and was able to affect positive outcomes for everyone on the team.

These transformations could be your own. Do not leave your career to chance.

Onward.