During my eight years in the engineering workforce, I have had three jobs. Because of my moving around, I have spent a fair amount of time as “the new engineer on the team”. Through my time spent as the new engineer, I have found several strategies for coming up to speed as quickly as possible. Below are six recommended actions to take when starting a new technical role.
It is common for an experienced engineer to use colloquial engineering terminology which might not be known to someone new on the job. Early in my engineering career, spool piece, PLC and SIS were terms I didn’t understand or promptly ask about. Had I asked and understood sooner, I would have been able to add value to discussions containing these terms. Experienced engineers are thrilled to answer any question, basic or complex.
Trade shows are loud, packed with experts and overwhelming. These conditions can be particularly taxing on someone new to the engineering industry. Two keys for success at a trade show are communicating your level of knowledge and approaching the event with a partner. When approaching a trade show vendor, they may assume you have a substantial level of knowledge about their product category. They may launch into their rehearsed shpiel about their products. It is best to inform them of your level of understanding and ask for an introductory level explanation. Everybody wins in this scenario. They are able to provide information you’ll understand, and you’ll be able to do some substantial learning because the information is presented at your level. In addition to communicating your knowledge level, having a partner to walk around with is helpful. It is less intimidating to approach a vendor as a team, your partner’s questions may evoke your own questions, and it is generally more fun to have this new experience with someone else.
These are six items I’ve found helpful through my various new jobs. I hope they will be helpful to anyone starting a new technical role.
About the Author
Noah Singer is a process engineer at Hallam-ICS with experience in utility scale liquified natural gas and large-scale petrochemical processing. He has a B.S. in mechanical engineering from SUNY Binghamton, an M.S. in engineering management from Tufts University and holds professional engineering licenses in MA, RI and PA. Outside of work, Noah can be found mountain biking in New England, skiing in Utah and strolling around nature preserves near Boston.
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About Hallam-ICS
Hallam-ICS is an engineering and automation company that designs MEP systems for facilities and plants, engineers control and automation solutions, and ensures safety and regulatory compliance through arc flash studies, commissioning, and validation. Our offices are located in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Vermont and North Carolina and our projects take us world-wide.