An engineering graduate must know the 7 things!
An engineering graduate must know the 7 things!
"The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom" (Deut 28:13-14).
Young outgoing engineers should know that the future is uncertain and we have to face it in a bold and charismatic manner. In the quest for tightening screws for four years; engineers sometimes lose their own screws. They're sometimes rather absent-minded and somewhat self-absorbed; a rare species in their own right. My analysis is not technical. It's about those things that engineers might miss or ignore while struggling to be technically sound. So when you are about to step out of the nutshell of your engineering college, there are a few things you must know:
1) SWOT without the T* (S- Strength, W- Weakness, O-Opportunity, T-Threat)
After four years of studying, an engineering graduate must know his strengths and the exact nature of the work he/she is looking for. Because there are some who can't really figure out what they want to do even at the end of four years. Following are the four types of engineers that usually exist. (If you belong to the fifth type, kindly write back to me.)
a) Tech guy
If you are confident enough of your technical skills, then apply at an engineering-oriented organisation where practical work is required. Simple and trouble free!
b) Grammers with good grades
Not any good in the lab? But you can cram things easily and were lucky enough to pass your exams with flying colours? Then you can go for teaching and the academic side of engineering.
c) Researchers
If you love to write, then the best thing you can do is to fuse your professional studies with your passion. You can go for technical report writings, research paper writings and also end user manuals writings.
d) Communicator
A rare breed but they still exist. If you are good at communication and your convincing power is strong, then you can opt to be a sales engineer (highest paid are the ones who bring business for the organisation) and also go for the technical support side. Whether it is technical side or administration side, your should know how to communicate with business and other people.
e) *T - without the 'T' because I think at the start of our professional lives, we shouldn't consider anything as a threat.
2. Switching careers
Honestly speaking, after the third year, some of us are completely sure that this is not what we actually wanted to do, but at this stage completing the degree is the only option left. So yes complete your degree and then do a self-analysis. If not engineering, then what exactly is your cup of tea? It's high time to muddle through the outside pressure.
3. Job role
Before landing any kind of job, you must know the progressive role of the job and its hierarchy. You just can't let anyone take advantage of your skills and degree. In the current situation, organisations are hiring engineers where they used to hire laymen. So keep your ears and eyes open!
4. Trust me, I am an engineer
Act like an engineer. As you have the most influential bachelors degree. Your body language, dressing, confidence and attitude should articulate before you speak. No 'Harry Potter' specs and no baggy jeans. Look tough and smart. Do you know that on August 18, 2010 the Guinness Book of World Records chose 'ENGINEERING' as the TOUGHEST course among all other courses! And you nailed it. Your appearance itself tells that you are an ENGINEER.
5. Human resource
Engineers must know the role of HR, so that their rights are not oppressed. If you can't afford to do a Professional practice or HR course then at least Google it. Engineers should know humans are assets for a firm or an organization. Respect the human value. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14.
6. Sexual harassment
Engineers are too busy making circuits work all four years. When they step in to practical life and see the behaviour of people around, they are completely shattered. They actually know nothing about how to survive in such situations. So understand that flirting, dirty jokes and abuses (text, call and verbal) are sexual harassment. This is a serious threat for a naive engineer and affects his/her professional and personal life. Here in this context, if a person/engineer is loyal to his wife and vice versa, their family will be a role model to the society and their children. So, an engineer should become a good society in the next era. In order to reduce divorce rate, it is necessary to pray with wife and children everyday and spend your huge earning money in the way God likes and the remaining should be saved for your children and your family who suffered for your life.
6:1 - It is necessary to spend your money that God gives should be used to fed for the poor and needy nearby you. It is better to spend your free time and money with an Orphanage, Old age home, hospitals and childcare centers. IT IS THE BEST WAY TO RELEASE YOUR STRESS. You can find happiness on the faces of poor and needy and ultimately you feel your stress released. Most of the easy earning money is going to bars, pubs, sexual affairs, etc. Hence, avoid such temporary happiness places.
7. Social responsibility
Not only engineers but every graduate in this country should understand his/her social responsibility. Student life was fun but it's OVER. Now it's time to pay back in any way you can but more important is to realise that. Don't try to implement any logical approach here. Think positive because sometimes the most useless circuits work! Understand the people near you and make use of them to lift from your position without disturbing others. Hardwork and God’s grace is the father and mother of the son “success”. Don’t deviate the way of your social responsibility in order to reap the future harvest. When you get a good and comfortable amount as salary, use this for your future and your family. Saving is the main source of social responsibility to save for your next generation. Your expectation to spend the huge money for your pleasure will lead to so many complications in future. Steady and careful spending of money is the right attitude when you get a comfortable salary all on a sudden. It is the responsibility of every Engineer to build an un-corrupted and un-polluted India or a nation. Children (though you are an engineer you are child of your parents), obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother - which is the first commandment with a promise - that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth" (Eph 6:1-3).
Last but least, as said in the Bible in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” So, a person or an engineer should have the above qualities to get rid of the evil stress related affairs.
For carrying out the SWOT analysis, you can ask the following questions for each element:
SWOT Analysis Example- Strengths
- What are my strengths? – “I have strong communication skills, efficiency with technology”
- In which subject do I score well? – Physics and English
- Which is my favourite subject? – History
- What do others see as my strengths? – “They feel I am very artistic and open to new ideas.”
- What are my hobbies and interests? – “I love to paint, draw, sketch or I play the guitar.”
SWOT Analysis Example- Weaknesses
- What is my weakness? - Easily distracted and get nervous at interviews
- Which is the subject that I struggle with? – Maths
- Which is my least favourite subject? - Geography
- In which areas, do I need more education or skill-based training? – “I need to learn coding and computer programming languages.”
- What are my negative traits or habits? – Impatience and procrastination
SWOT Analysis Example- Opportunities
- What opportunities are open to me? - “I have studied science in class 12 which opens career avenues for commerce and arts too for me.”
- What are the emerging trends in my chosen career field? – “As a designer, I have to be up to date with the digital world.”
- What are the strengths that I can turn into opportunities? – “I like to stay fit and would like to be an officer, so I could appear for Defence services exams.”
SWOT Analysis example- Threats
- What are the threats that could affect my chosen career field? – “The number of seats are limited in the university that I am applying to.”
- Are any of my strengths holding me back? – “I like things to be perfect, so it takes a lot of time to finish a particular task.”
- What threats do my weaknesses expose me to? – “I get easily distracted so I am not able to focus on things properly.”
- What scares me the most and is the demotivating factor? – “I have to appear for entrance exams which I am scared of, but it's the only way to get admission into good engineering colleges.”
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Knowing what your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are, puts you in control of your life and helps you sort out what you have achieved so far and what you are aspiring for in the future!
As a student of Engineering and as a HR for recruiting Engineering students should know the SWOT of Enginnering students for better performance and better understanding for the growth of their career and the institutuion. 1
Word drop by S.Paul Sureshkumar, MBA(HR) +91-9842971959
Reply to : sureshshanth15@gmail.com or sureshshanth15@yahoo.com