Successful engineers follow strategic career path advice

An engineer has multiple choices of career paths and multiple fields to work in during a journey to become a successful engineer. There is not one single road to travel, but many different trails to pursue. So, what strategic career advice do successful engineers follow? Here are 6 strategic tips the best engineers use to become successful:

1. Define and establish measurable personal goals.

Successful engineering projects do not happen by luck or by hope. Successful engineering careers do not happen by chance either. It is important to define medium and long-term goals to achieve a successful engineering career and conduct a regular review of progress in meeting the goals.

2. Commit to being a lifelong learner.

An exponential rate of change is occurring in today’s world and it is critical to keep up with the changes. An engineer must be aware that the engineering profession is changing and being disrupted by new technologies and improved old technologies. Engineers must engage in continuous professional development to enhance their value to their employers and any project team.

3. Embrace change. Technology currently is experiencing the most accelerated rates of change ever seen. These changes bring many opportunities, especially for engineers involved in software, automation, and similar fields requiring innovative engineering solutions. An engineer must never succumb to the old attitude of “we always have done it that way.” Instead, it is critical for the engineer to be ready to adopt new thinking, new ways of thinking and new technology.

4. Develop soft skills to complement and enhance technical skills.

Successful engineers need more than technical skills. Today, soft skills are becoming more valued and required. Engineers often need to discuss plans or designs with non-engineers and need to clearly communicate in collaborative work environments. The engineer must take technical information and convey it clearly to those without advanced technical knowledge.

5. Be agile and flexible. Engineering is a very broad field with many different engineering disciplines. Keeping an open-mind about a career path displays strong strategic thinking. Some jobs that exist today did not exist five or 10 years or maybe even one year ago. An engineer’s job today could be obsolete in the near future. Industries that an engineer may never have considered in the past may present significant opportunities. Successful engineers are agile and flexible and look for future opportunities.

6. Focus on the long-term. The path to becoming a successful engineer is a marathon rather than a sprint. Someone may become a good engineer in a short period of time, but achieving measurable personal goals takes time, persistence and a positive attitude.

“I think it’s very important to have a feedback loop, where you’re constantly thinking about what you’ve done and how you could be doing it better. I think that’s the single best piece of advice: constantly think about how you could be doing things better and questioning yourself.” — Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, engineer, industrial designer, technology entrepreneur and philanthropist.