Re-engineer yourself
If you are an engineer and want to move ahead in your management career, you need to be constantly re-educating yourself in other disciplines. Here are some positive ideas on what you can do to re-engineer yourself.
* Make sure you re-invent yourself on a daily basis. Start digging into things that affect your job and your company, beyond just engineering. If you are proud of the products you helped develop, find out what it takes to make those products successful.
* Read the corporate business plan. Make an effort to understand other departments’ goals and objectives. Dig into the things that help to make your company successful. Most good companies will welcome your broader involvement. If they do not, go up the chain till you get to the leader who will encourage you to understand more.
* Do not get stuck on narrow details. Go beyond your own projects, and see how everything contributes to the company’s goals. Success involves identifying the results required and knowing the right steps, which includes recognising the wrong steps. Ask questions to gain a clear understanding of what it takes to accomplish the overall objectives effectively.
* Become more proactive by finding productivity improvements and selling management to implement those changes. Take time to talk with marketing on product requirements and specifications; work with manufacturing to optimise production methods and costs; come up with ways to minimise hardware inventory by developing selection options; be pro-active in the specifications, to beef up the advantages. There are dozens of ways to dazzle the customers, so keep looking for them.
* Get to know your customers. These are the people (inside or outside your company) for whom you are doing the work. Go with sales people to visit customers to find out what they are buying and why. Satisfaction will bring customers back to generate success for your company.
Re-engineer yourself. You will enjoy the growth and success that this will bring.
10 steps to finding the right job
Here are my 10 steps to landing the right job for you:
1. Looking for a job is a full-time job (40-hour week)? Do not 'feel' unemployed. Recognise your own value.
2. Determine where (location) you want to live and work. Slowly expand the area to easy commuting distance.
3. BEFORE you apply, study an employer’s website. Pick companies you like. Measure yourself against their needs. Do not stretch just to get an interview; if you do not fit, you may be wasting your own time.
4. Do not mail your resumé to 'Human Resources', or to a title. Find an individual’s name; first phone that person to introduce yourself. Mail, fax or e-mail your 1-page resumé (summary) directly to that individual. No one will read two or three pages till the interview.
5. When you connect, talk about your specific knowledge of the company (gleaned from their website). Talk about specific jobs and how you fit. Do not force-fit.
6. When you visit, do not just give passive responses. Be assertive. Ask specific questions about the company, the people, products, markets, growth plans.
7. Ask people you are talking with about themselves. Ask to be shown around – take interest in the people, the culture, the facilities. They will respect your interest.
8. When asked what you would like to be paid, do not act greedy, or anxious. Do not give that lame, old response, “This is what I make now.” Ask what the position pays? What are the prospects for advancement? Look for things like employee ownership and performance incentives. Look for a position that suits your plan for yourself.
9. Do not agree to anything at the interview. Ask for a formal offer, and suggest that you will think about it. And think about it. Is this a company you can be excited about? Is this a job where you can spend the next five years?
10. Do not accept the first offer that comes along. Respect your own value. Ideally, you should choose between two or three good offers. Do not go to the highest bidder. Pick the company you can be happy with in the long term, the people that value YOU the most.
Hey, you experienced job-seekers out there, if you can suggest improvements for these '10 rules' please send me some feedback at jim@jimpinto.com
Jim Pinto is an industry analyst and founder of Action Instruments. You can e-mail him at jim@jimpinto.com or view his writings at www.JimPinto.com
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