Thomas A. Anderson, P.E.
Mechanical Engineer | Best-Selling Author | Public Speaker | Blogger
About Me
Welcome to my website. The content on the website is provided to help other engineers learn and achieve their career goals. Want to give back to the engineering community? Need help with your career path? Do you want to learn more about engineering? You are in the right place!
Here we are, a couple weeks away from one of the biggest tests of your life, the Principles and Practices of Engineering Examination (P.E. Exam). Is it your 2nd, 3rd or greater attempt?
“How did you find your first job?” It’s a tough question to answer because it isn’t just one thing. After months of filling out applications and hearing nothing back, I decided to take a step back and evaluate what I was doing wrong.
Retention rates among students studying engineering are among the lowest of all majors. Around 60% of students that study engineering will either drop-out or change majors and 40% of those students will do so in their first year. So why is it that so many students drop-out?
Mental strength plays a key role in any engineers’ career. Particularly those in leadership positions or those who want to achieve a leadership role. Often engineers spend time contemplating factoids and past methods for solving particular problems and miss key attributes to their personality.
There are a ton of myths about engineers. Often, not-so-flattering. Try a search result for “engineers are” and see what comes up
Certainly, anyone with advanced education has added potential to achieve more. However, many tend to get their master’s degree for the wrong reason. Here are some examples of the wrong reasons:
A technical recruiter is a valuable asset, even if you’re not looking for a new position right now. Technical recruiters are focused on specialized industries—like IT or engineering—and are hired to match the brightest talents in technology fields with the companies that need their expertise. How do I find an work with technical recruiters? The employer pays a technical recruiter once they hire a candidate. Recruiters don’t work for job seekers. Recruiters… Read More
The official definition of what an engineer does is to apply science and mathematics principles to develop technical solutions to complex technical problems. However, the truth about engineering is that we are at our core are “Problem Solvers” and “Fixers”.
Often, I hear the question, “Does ____ industry have opportunities right now?” And, while I don’t say it, I want to answer: “Who cares?” Is this the deciding factor on where you will take your career— what’s available now? Sounds like a great way to find a career you may hate. Your career choice is an important decision that will have a significant effect on your life. (Remember that there is little… Read More
In my conversations with young engineers, one question prevails over the rest: “I’ve filled out hundreds of online applications, and I have only gotten a few responses. How do I land my first engineering job?” It’s too common. Young engineers often do not know how to obtain contacts in the engineering industry. So how do you network for an engineering job? Networking Networking can be intimidating—and to some, debilitating. It doesn’t matter… Read More
What makes a great engineer? Why did Edison go on after 1,000 failures? Similarly, why did Ford pursue his idea of a motorized car while everyone was satisfied with horse-drawn carriages? What led Leonardo Di Vinci to become the biggest visionary of all time? Great engineers are responsible for many of the best inventions and technology that makes our existence possible. Do you have these traits? Strong Analytics – Analytical skills are… Read More
They spend a tons of time figuring out how to do something the “easiest” way. Smart engineers are lazy. That’s why they automate. When we are lazy, we look to do things in the most efficient way possible, so we don’t have to redesign, and we have time for other things. In a sense, being lazy is being efficient and productive.
Future Skills Outlook 2022 Declining 1. Manual dexterity, endurance and precision 2. Memory, verbal, auditory and spatial abilities 3. Management Of financial, material resources 4. Technology installation and maintenance 5. Reading, writing, math and active listening 6. Management Of personnel 7. Quality control and safety awareness 8. Coordination and time management 9. Visual, auditory and speech abilities 10. Technology use, monitoring and control Growing 1. Analytical thinking and innovation 2. Active learning… Read More
Fake job posts are everywhere. They anger, discourage and disappoint job seekers. As a result, job seekers become discouraged about the job market, their capabilities, and may change their career track. Why? Because job seekers believe that the lack of responses to online job applications means there are no jobs in their field. For recent graduates, fake or unfilled job posts can be even more discouraging. They apply to hundreds of online… Read More
This podcast is a discussion around everything that affects women in STEM fields and hosts interviews with women in STEM. The purpose of this podcast is to support women in their STEM careers and provide a community for them In this episode, Elisabeth and Jess discuss “10 qualities that get young professionals hired.” The post they discuss was originally made by Thomas A. Anderson on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-qualities-get-young-professionals-hired-thomas-a-anderson-p-e-/
Your engineering career and professional reputation can take year’s even decades to build. It can be tarnished very easily and difficult to salvage. Below are my best tips to keep you career a fruitful one. Back Out of a New Job Once you make the decision to accept a position, stick with it. Keep your word. If you burn that bridge, your employer will chat about you among their industry. Be sure… Read More
An engineering coach is proven to work when two factors are present: You are willing to grow There is a gap between where you are now and where you want to go. That is all that is necessary for you and me to solve problems, create a new life, turn your career around, increase sales and profitability, and design and implement a plan of action. or, whatever else is called for to… Read More
Have you ever wondered what engineers do? Engineers answer the question how. How do we get to the moon? How do we cross a river and how do we fly like a bird? Engineers design, create, and innovate. We solve problems using the scientific method; a set of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring or correcting knowledge. An engineer works between scientific discoveries and the applications that meet societal and consumer needs. We… Read More
In order to obtain a PMP certification you must first adhere to the educational requirements. A four-year degree (bachelor’s or the global equivalent) and at least three years of project management experience, with 4,500* hours leading and directing projects and 35 hours of project management education. OR a high school diploma with 7500* hours leading and directing projects. Experience may NOT go back more than 8 years. https://www.pmi.org/ https://www.pmi.org/learning/careers/project-management-salary-survey https://www.pmi.org/certifications/types/project-management-pmp/update *experience must… Read More
Engineering is the most common undergraduate degree of Fortune 500 CEOs. It has been for some time. Approximately 1/3 of CEOs majored in engineering and only 11% from business school. The Harvard Business Review has a list of the 100 best-performing CEOs on the planet. So why do engineers make great CEO’s? Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos topped the list. Bezos earned a Bachelor of Science in computer science and electrical engineering from Princeton… Read More
First off, let me say that if you are considering or already enrolled to take the P.E. exam, good for you. It will help your career tremendously. Your potential for advancement will increase and you will find avenues for career growth you never considered before. For more on why you should take the P.E. Exam visit my article here: My Top 5 Reasons to Get Your P.E. To pass the P.E. Exam,… Read More
LinkedIn Presentation
LinkedIn Presentation
Do you remember the telephone game? In school, you and your classmates try to pick a phrase and “pass it on” by whispering it to the person next to you. Then the phrase is passed from person to person until the last person announces the phrase. How much did the phrase change during the game? As people relay message from one person to the other the message will often be distorted. While… Read More
The meeting dedicated to the Big River Steel facility in USA has been the chance to present the excellence of our Material Handling System and to outline the details of the project developed for this complex.
Recent Comments
 | DaveM2 on 5 Reasons Why Engineering Stud… |
 | Thomas A. Anderson,… on 11 Ways to Become a Mentally S… |
 | bob on 11 Ways to Become a Mentally S… |
 | Myths About Engineer… on What Skills Will You Need in t… |
| Toastmasters. Is it… on Engineering Networking Opportu… |
Thomas A. Anderson, P.E. 
Recent Comments