Q&A/ADVISE

Learning how to motivate your engineers is the best way to increase profit margins. Because most all people naturally lose motivation over time. This includes all types of engineers! To maximize an engineer’s full potential, I’m going to go over 18 tips. These tips will help maintain an engineer’s focus, and keep their productivity high. … Read more

Learning how to hire great engineers is an essential skill. Because the alternative is a weak engineering team, that’ll crush your business. I’m talking about hiring a 10x engineer. An engineer who is ultra-productive, and who is amazing in every way possible. They can do the work of 10 average engineers. Sounds like a far … Read more

Are engineers underpaid? No. Engineers work in an unregulated free market with highly different skillsets. To get paid more, you need to level yourself up. To point out, I hear this type of talk in almost every profession. Even in the highly unexpected National Basketball Association (NBA). Non-superstar NBA players harp about their low play … Read more

Are engineers underappreciated? Most are. But it heavily depends on various factors that hinge on the profession and the engineer. As a whole, in the past few decades, engineering has lost its magic in the eye of the public. I would go as far as to say professions that require years of studying have lost … Read more

Engineering work experience always trumps formal education. Getting your hands dirty in engineering work right away is the best thing you can do. Of course, I’m speaking about working in the industry over academics and research. There’s a reason why employers prefer 5 years of experience for entry-level positions. Even when it comes to overlooking … Read more

Leadership in engineering is more difficult than it sounds. Especially for engineers, who are trying to evolve into great leaders. For one, many engineers have the tendency to be more introverted. At the same time, they can treat people like machines. And that’s the crux of the matter. Many engineers treat people like they would … Read more

Simple engineering solutions are always best. They may not always be the most obvious, but they’ll save you money and future headaches. When it comes to engineering, there’s never just one solution to a problem. In fact, many different solutions exist. As an expert, YOU need to decide on which solution you think is the … Read more

Are engineers introverts? Most are, but engineering is a very broad field. Some engineers are introverts and others are extroverts. I don’t find this to be too surprising though. In fact, growing up this was the image the media bombarded me with. In movies, engineers kept to themselves in a secluded office. All the while, … Read more

Learning from engineering failures is how technology advances. Because when engineers push the boundaries of technology, failures become inevitable. Now, the key is to spend as much time studying failures, as you would designing. Especially when you’re operating on the bleeding edge of technology. As the implementation of certain design elements won’t always appear clear … Read more

An engineering site visit checklist is critical in most engineering projects. I’m going to go over how you can maximize each of your site visits. I find site visits to be the best way to understand a project and client. Not going to a project site is like only seeing the end score of two … Read more

Learning how to train new engineers can make or break a company. Without the right processes in place, both engineers and the company will suffer. Because like every profession, rookie engineers also need handholding. No one ever hits the ground out of the gate running. So, I’m going to go over 5 key items when … Read more

Engineers switch jobs often. I’m going to go over 8 reasons why engineers leave their jobs, whether at a large company or a startup. Of course, this is a very personal question. A lot hinges on your personality and your life goals. But from my experience, it’s always one or more of these reasons why … Read more

Do engineers invent things? Yes and no. Inventions are problems solved. And some engineers solve problems of all types, while others don’t. For example, some engineers invent new equipment and programs. Just like you see in your favorite movie where an engineer is hard at work in a desolate office. While other engineers build new … Read more

Are engineers considered scientists? Some people would classify engineers as scientists. While others will adamantly say they’re not. So, the answer will swing depending on who you ask. To try and get a definite answer, we’ll answer this question using some logic. This way we can better pin down a single answer. To start, let’s … Read more

What are the undiscussed qualities of a great engineer? I’m going to go over 5, which, unfortunately, engineers rarely discuss. These qualities go beyond what I’ve discussed on how to be a great engineer. They’re qualities that attract other technical and non-technical people to you. This is important, as it gives you a strong voice … Read more