Dear Diary,

I’m back for another entry of “Am I Doing This Right?”. This week we’re talking about technical difficulties and young engineers. As most of you could have guessed, I’m not some brilliant engineer reflecting on the obstacles that made me into the person I am today…I’m just brilliant, and witty. So, while I don’t have any embarrassing engineering stories of my own to share this go around, I’ve got the next best thing: (1) engineering stories from my coworkers and (2) Game of Throne references. Keep reading.

Lesson one: Know that you know nothing.

Over the last several years, you worked your tailfeather off for your first adult job. You flourished in the classes you enjoyed, pulled all-nighters in the classes you couldn’t wait to finish, and alas, you’re a master of your craft…or so you think. To quote, Ygritte, a wise woman of the Free Folk, “You know nothing.”

Shannon Rumage, EIT in Maser Consulting’s Water/Wastewater Division spoke with me about her first year on the job so far. “Coming in, I wasn’t certain what to expect,” she continued, “But I was confident in my abilities.” She laughed and said looking back, she really had no idea what she was in for. “You learn the most from working with seasoned engineers and firsthand project experience, which you probably don’t have much of, so I basically didn’t know anything.”

Lesson two: Weather the storm.

There are two common types of teaching methods you will experience throughout your life: (1) direct instruction and (2) sink-or-swim. If you’re lucky, you’ll never have to adjust to the learning curves simultaneously.

However, my gal pal, Shannon, was not so lucky. Her first few months at the Firm was a balancing act. One day she was getting acclimated to new waters and receiving clear instruction on small tasks. The next, tides shifted, and skies darkened. She was thrown into rough waters where winds were howling, “Winter is coming.” Okay, okay, to be fair, the Firm’s project managers would never let an EIT crash and burn. But, when appropriate, this method promotes self-reliance and problem-solving skills. “It was challenging, but it didn’t last forever. More importantly, at the end of the day it made me better and more prepared,” she said.

I’ll let Rocky bring my point home: tough times don’t last, tough people do.

Lesson three: On the job learning is where it’s at.

Reflecting on her college experience at Clemson University, Shannon expressed gratitude in the amount of preparation she received. However, when I asked her what advice present-day Shannon has for undergraduate Shannon, she replied, “I’d tell myself to ask my professors more questions. Also, if you have the option to take a course with a professor who has field experience, do it.”

“For myself, the best way to explain engineering is you learn the basics while getting your degree, which is obviously important, but the information you learn on the job is unparalleled,” she said. Shannon explained there are elements to engineering you can’t necessarily prepare for. For example, in college there didn’t appear to be an emphasis on learning codes and regulations, but on the job, she deals with them frequently.

Additionally, her tasks now are project specific: what type of projects, what are the clients’ needs, what products should be used, and the standard of output. Specifications like these can only be learned through experience.

Pro Tip from Shannon: You know those general engineering classes you’re not quite sure why you’re taking them? They are WAY more important than you think…especially in a multi-disciplinary firm!

Lesson four: Be versatile.

So, you know that you learn most on the job. Can you guess Shannon’s next piece of advice? Expand your horizons. “Branch out. Ask for a variety of projects in different disciplines,” she urges. By doing this, you not only gain experience from a variety of project managers, but you also gain a support system from fellow engineers. There will never be a day you don’t learn something new!

The Golden Rule

Shannon left us with one very important (universal) piece of advice, “At the end of the day, this is your career, and you alone are responsible for it, so you’ll only get as far as you push yourself.”

Conclusion

So just like that, you now know something! Let me know your thoughts on the lessons we explored. Alternatively, if you just want to talk about Game of Thrones we can do that, too! I’ll see you next time I ask, “Am I Doing This Right?”.

You know who would be great at helping you learn something? A mentor. Read about them here!