Each profession has its own particular challenges and requires different skills. Journalists need writing skills, which the accountant, for example, does not need. A teacher must be able to manage people, this is a technique that a salesperson can even have, but they do not have it as a requirement.
In engineering isn't different. With its own particular challenges and requirements, it allows a wide and varied possibility of specialization, the engineer can be civil, mechanical or environmental, for example, making each professional work with what they like.
Regardless of the subject you like most, some skills and competencies are essential to the professional success of the engineer. Here are three skills that every engineer needs to develop - and why you need to master if you want to be an engineer:
1- Ability to calculate
The calculations of the area can be very complex for those who don't like numbers, something that is very common. Numbers are as present in engineering as bones in medicine or cars for a mechanic, so if you want to be na engineer, you need to like math and, especially numbers.
2- Communication and teamwork
In engineering is impossible to do things alone. You may even have one or another task isolated, needing only the preparation of calculations and spreadsheets, for example, but in case that you want a successful career you will need to work on teams and, consequently, people. That's why being a good communicator is essencial to make tasks easier to understand and perform
Besides that, being a good listener is an important attribute for na engineer. You will always be a part of a team with different characters, thoughts and education. It is necessary to know how to handle the differences and to respect all the opinions, including from people with positions below your own.
This ability is so important that, when not mastered, can make a project collapse due to poor management of those involved. Someone who has trouble communicating and working in a team can make the project participants unmotivated and ruin a good execution.
3- Observation and market vision
The engineering position allows many opportunities and the possibility of growth within a company. Assuming a management position is very common, but it requires a great capacity of observation so that the professional can detect opportunities of innovation that can give the company a competitive advantage in the market.
Not only thinking about growth, engineering has several details that sometimes go unnoticed and that can make all the difference. Having a critical and accurate look will certainly be decisive for the success in the area. This characteristic is indispensable for anyone who works with with buildings, for exemple: an error in a project can cause serious accidents and being responsible for them can end a promising career.
