Commuting

I would love to take public transportation to work, but it has not worked out for me in MA. I do try to carpool when possible, and it's nice to have someone else in the car sharing the drive. That is something to consider with any new job. Some companies organize car or van pools, so be sure to look at all your options. If the company does not have this available, maybe you can take the initiative to see who is interested.

Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Hoping you have a happy and safe holiday season, especially everyone that will be traveling. It is nice to spend Christmas with family and friends, especially since I do not see them much during the year.

Happy New Year!

Exercise your mind

The importance of building your vocabulary and keeping your mind sharp is something I hear a lot about these days. There are books, puzzles, and even video games to improve your memory, vocabulary, and reflexes. I haven't had an English class since high school, so it is important to me to keep up my knowledge of the language. I noticed I am having a harder time spelling words that would have come easily to me a few years ago. I want my writing abilities at work to improve, so that is part of the reason why I volunteered to write for this blog. The games, puzzles, and crosswords I work on will also help to exercise my mind. If you find yourself in the same situation, it might be worth buying a book of mind teasers (and it will be fun, too!).

You are in charge

I am grateful to have been able to share my journey with you, and hope my advice has been helpful.

Each person's experience after college is different, and it's up to you to drive the direction your life takes. Don't expect to find your dream job right out of school, but learn from your experiences so that you can guide the development of your career. It will be you and you alone that is responsible for your career, so take charge and be proactive. Continually assess the pros and cons of your job so that you can make informed decisions when new opportunities arise.

And don't forget the importance of balance in both your life and work -- work will be always be there tomorrow. Sometimes it's better to step back and really think about what is the priority in your life.

Good luck!

When a crisis attacks

Work is not always fun; it usually comes with stress and pressure. Crises come up and that is the nature of engineering. It is our job to solve the problems that arise. I have realized that you should not get upset if you encounter an issue at work, whether large or small, since the world is not a perfect place. Things happen. People are looking to see how you deal with the situation. Do you stay calm and focused, or do you have a nervous breakdown? What is your plan of action to find a solution? Can you find the solution within a reasonable amount of time while presenting the evidence to justify it? All of these things should be considered, and you should try to deal with the problem rationally while respecting those people on your team.

Today I celebrate my two year anniversary at my first engineering job, how exciting!

Make connections

When I went back to Michigan for Thanksgiving, my Wednesday flight was delayed until Thursday morning. I recognized a fellow Michigan alum and was able to chat with him during our wait. It is important to make connections, whether it is at your job or someone you meet through other ways. I got my first engineering job through a classmate at U of M, so you never know who will be the one to help you in your career.

What is also important is not to burn bridges. If there is someone at work whom you do not get along with, that's fine but don't say or do things that could come back to hurt the advancement of your career. That person could become your project lead or your boss, or vice versa. If you are planning to leave the company, you may need these same people to be your references. I have heard stories of people that have not made good decisions related to their relationships with coworkers, so just think before you act because you don't want to damage your image and career.

Your resume

Keeping your resume up-to-date is an important thing to do, even if you are not currently looking for a new job. Large companies like to retain their new hires, but if you find you do not like where you work, you will be able to quickly send out your resume if it has been updated. You can add training you have taken both on and off the job, volunteering you have done, and responsibilities you were given. If you stay at your first job at least 3-5 years, you will be able to add meaningful projects and responsibilties to your resume. I do know a few people that started at one company out of college and quit less than 2 years later to work at a new company. That seemed to work out for them, but everyone is different. Do what is right for you, and be sure to look at all of your options before making a major career decision.

Team Building

Team building is an important activity to do with your coworkers. Whether it is talking during lunch, going out after work, or being part of a planned activity, it is nice to get to know the people that you work with. You don't necessarily have to be buddies with them outside of work, but sometimes it helps to know their situation so that you have a better understanding of who they are. I participated in a retreat with my coworkers at my last job, and it helped me get to know them as people with real issues and life experiences.

Team Dynamics

Working on teams for school projects really helped me to work with teams at my company. All the same rules apply: be respectful of others, stay focused, and communicate. You may not like someone's personality, but you should try to look past that to accomplish the task. Emails and instant messages can be misinterpreted easily since you do not know the person's tone, so it is best to talk to people face to face or on the phone. When you have an opinion on something related to the project, be confident and voice your thoughts. Many of the people I work with have been at my company for ten years or more, so it can be intimidating to speak up, but that is the best way to get noticed. Even if you make a mistake, that is how you will learn.

Work attire

In terms of work attire, I have seen a whole range of outfits in my line of work. Everything from shorts and flip flops to a suit and tie, it seems that everyone has their own style. I personally like to dress business casual: grey or brown pants with a nice top. I usually like to wear a short sleeve top because it is warm in my area, and I have a button up sweater or jacket over that. Fridays I wear jeans because most everyone wears them, and it is a nice change. Personally, I would not wear flip flops or things too casual. You want to show that you put some effort into what you wear, and that you are confident.

I do not like to overdress, but to fit in with everyone. Looking professional is important, and you may have to attend a last minute meeting or talk with a higher up. Invest in a few, well-put together outfits that are versatile, and you will not have problems choosing what to wear.

I know in the past, women had to wear skirts or dresses, and if they wore pants it had to be part of a matching pant suit. Those days are gone (thankfully), and there are many ways for those beginning a career to make a good impression by what they are wearing.

Manufacturing vs. Design

It is official -- I have been in the manufacturing world for a year now. This manufacturing experience comes after one year in design. I can say that manufacturing is a more stressful place, where things are always needed "yesterday." Processes are continually being updated for clarity. But, manufacturing can also be more exciting than design. It all depends on what you like, but for me it has been more fun in manufacturing. I suppose I can take the knowledge I get in manufacturing with me if I move back to design. It is the hands-on experience that I am really enjoying right now.

On a side note, congrats to the Red Sox for winning the 2007 World Series!! It's so great to be in Boston right now!

Responsibilities

In the working world, there are many daily tasks you can have. In addition to your own individual work and projects, this includes meeting with your teams and internal customers. There are about 3-4 meetings I go to each week, one being a staff meeting with the other engineers, in addition to daily meetings. You can expect to work with Quality, Test, and other Process Engineers, as well as people that are not engineers. That is why it is important to be able to communicate to different audiences.

I have been working as a process engineer for two months now. It is different from what I did before and is not something you learn specifically at school, but it is a nice change of scenery. I think rotations into different areas are a benefit, both now because it helps you learn more now and for any future jobs. The knowledge I receive from this job will be beneficial for my career as a Mechanical Engineer.

Benefits

My mom and stepdad will be visiting me on Thursday. They love coming out here to see me because I can show them around Boston. I have been exploring the city these last few weeks, partly so I can show them new things while they are here. I hope to show them a little of Harvard Square, including Harvard Yard and Harvard Stadium. There is a lot of history to learn about in Boston, especially near Harvard.

I am fortunate to work for a company that allows modified time so that I can take Thursday off and work a few hours other days to make up the time. Right now I am saving up my vacation days for December, as I will have to take a week off before Christmas to see my sister graduate from Northern Michigan University. It is a good idea to weigh benefits (dental, medical, vacation time, etc) when you are looking for a job because they are important in your balance of life and work. Even if you don't have a family of your own right now, it can't hurt to look closely at the benefits a company offers.

Exploring Boston

Lately I have been exploring the city of Boston more. I used to rely on my roommates to show me around but would like to go see it on my own now. The MBTA subway ("T") is great, especially since it is a short drive from where I live. It costs $1.70 to ride the subway, plus up to $5.00 for parking. There are also commuter rails, buses, and ferries in the public transportation system. Overall, it is worth it because you save money (no expensive garages to pay in Boston and less gas used) and avoid headaches (from driving into a congested city where even GPS gets confused!). When my family visits, I learn more about the different areas of the city because we explore on foot.

I would love to work in the city just so I could use the T to commute there. My current commute is 70 highway miles per day, and that is something I could do without. At my last job in Ann Arbor, MI I took the bus every day, and that was so great. I hope that is something I can do in the future!

Higher education

There are many opportunities to obtain a Master's degree in MA. I was overwhelmed by how many schools there are in this state! I have a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and am often asked if I want to go back to school. Right now I enjoy working and learning about my job, but I do feel that I would go back to school sometime in the future. I am a strong believer in continually learning because it helps you develop skills that you may not be using while working. Even if it has nothing to do with your job, such as the calligraphy class I took at the beginning of the year, you are developing new skills that you might not otherwise learn on your job.

The U-M alumni club in Boston puts together and advertises different events that are helpful for someone considering their options in higher education. They recently held a Business school information session for those interested in starting an MBA. I plan to attend an upcoming one that talks about the law school admission process. Basically, the deans of admission from four universities (including Michigan) will be answering questions about how law school applications are reviewed. These types of events are valuable resources if you are considering going back to school.

Even if you are not in a big city setting, look for these types of events going on in your area. You can gain valuable knowledge and network with faculty and other prospective students.

Meeting people

After college, it seems harder to meet people. Coworkers are good connection points, but it can be hard if there are not many people your age. It is especially difficult if you move away from the place where you grew up, like I did. I was lucky because I knew two people really well and I moved in with them. They were able to teach me a lot about MA, including places of interest, how to use the subway, and driving techniques for this part of the country. I am so grateful for the help they have given me these last two years. I am also fortunate to have many people at work that are close to my age.

Recently, I have started talking to people online. Many people email me to say they are from Michigan or went to U-M, too. It is a great thing to have in common! Also, I have been involved in events put on by the alumni club for Boston, including watching the football games at a bar in Boston. It is second best to being in the Big House! I have found that being open to meeting new people and just making it a point to meet others is the key to widening your social circle.

Mentoring

The company I work for suggests that we find mentors to talk about how our career and life are going. The mentoring can be formal or informal, but it should be done on a regular basis. Usually, new hires are assigned a mentor when they first start, but somehow I was not given one. I am looking for one that can provide me with career advice, possibly someone who has experience in an area in which I am interested. Some ideas for my mentor would be someone in business, law, or another area of engineering (in case I want to move laterally within the company). With everyone's busy schedules, it seems like it would be hard to work regular mentoring into the week, but it also sounds like a worthwhile endeavor, both for the mentor and the mentee.

I will be doing some weekly mentoring of my own starting tomorrow. My company sponsors mentoring for students at the local high school. This is something I have always wanted to get involved with, and, with almost two years of work experience, the opportunity has come at a good time for me. I am sure I will learn just as much as the students! It's back to 10th grade math for me, wish me luck!

My journey's beginnings

I graduated from UM in August 2004 with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. Since I did not have any internships during school, I knew that I would probably have to use networking to get my foot in the door. It's that whole vicious cycle of "you can't get a job without experience, but you can't get experience without a job." If I had to do it over again, I would get a summer job as an engineer so that I would have that experience to add to my resume. I would suggest using networking to get the summer job because it is very competitive.

I had been working at a church on campus for all four years of college, and was able to continue working there while I looked for mechanical engineering job. My friend and classmate from the Boston area was able to get a job in the defense industry after graduation. After a year, the company was hiring a large number of people and she was able to get me a job there.

In senior year of high school, we were told to write where we saw ourselves in 5-10 years after graduation. I wrote that I would be an engineer living in New England, and that is exactly what I am doing! For me, it was a big decision to pick up and move to Boston after only having visited the state of Massachusetts once. My friend who got me the job was a large influence on me because she had lived in Italy and California and wasn't afraid to travel. When I was growing up, travelling was not something my family did. I have an uncle in California, but my family basically was in Michigan and never talked of moving. It helped that I knew people in the Boston area (the friend and her family), and that I would be moving into a furnished house that she rented very inexpensively. Everything was set up for me, and all I had to do was move my stuff, which the company paid for (bonus!).

I had also interviewed in western Massachusetts, but it was for an application engineer position that I was not really excited about. Plus, I would not know anyone and I didn't know how I would handle that. In the end, it is really good that I did not get that job. It's funny how things work out like that.

I grew up in a town 30 minutes from Detroit, and now live 30 minutes from Boston. I have found that living close to a large city is very important to me since there are airports, concerts, sports, theater, etc. near big cities. Boston is a great city with a lot of history, and I am so glad that I made the decision to move here. My rationale is that I am young, energetic, and have no desire to settle down yet, so why not see what's out in the world?

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