Starting off your career can leave you with some self-doubt about your performance and how exactly you should be looking to develop as a new engineer. This list identifies some of the top traits we have observed over the years from several high-performing engineers, so look to develop these skills and you will be on your way to success!
Clear and Concise Communication Skills
All of the best engineers we have worked with shared this trait. Engineering teams are dynamic environments and can move at a fast pace, this makes it very important to be able to highlight where things went wrong, might go wrong, and where they have gone right in a clear manner so that there is no ambiguity. If you want to get a head start on developing this trait, your email communication is a good place to start. Avoid long paragraphs and vague emails without tangible actions or next steps as an outcome. Structure your email with a brief intro as to the issue, bullet points regarding the key information, and then a brief statement on what you require from the recipients or what you are intending to do and when it will be done so that everyone is informed.
Solution Focused Mindset
Another great trait we have observed is working with people who are solution focused. Occasionally people can be bogged down by the difficulties of the problem at hand, or pressures from timelines. It’s easy to wallow slightly in times like this but solution-focused people don’t. Instead, they address the issue head on, create buy in regarding an approach for the issues and set to work on overcoming issues in a direct proactive approach. This mindset is great to develop heading into technical leadership roles where you would frequently be presented with new issues.
Continuous Learning
You never know everything, something that is great to bear in mind throughout your career and something that some people epitomise through continuous development and seeking new opportunities to learn. Good engineers identify gaps in their knowledge and seek to address them as much as possible. Look to build your understanding of the business, the therapy area you work in, and the other company functions outside of your department.
Generosity
Not with money, but rather with time and knowledge. The best engineers to have on your team are ones who are not afraid to share information, who will gladly dedicate some of their time to teaching something to less experienced members, and who always lend a helping hand to others when they are under pressure. Of all the things listed on this list, this is possibly the easiest one to implement from day one and also one that we feel is most important. Aside from the benefits to your team and project, this sharing of time also leads to the development of your own knowledge too. The best way to really develop your understanding of a subject is to teach it to someone else, so it is no surprise that engineers who give generously with their time also happen to be some of the most knowledgeable.
Teamwork
The engineers who go the furthest will typically be the ones who excel as part of a team. This means having good interpersonal skills and being able to get along easily with different types of people. These kinds of people are usually quick to share credit for a job well done rather than look to take this credit themselves. The language they use is often team-orientated as well, using words like we, us, etc. rather than I when speaking about tasks. You will also see them assist new team members in getting up to speed and look to get them integrated into the team quickly by introducing them to people and ensuring they are included over the first few weeks. Some of these items are small and easy to do, but they can have a big overall impact on the team environment as people buy into them.
If you are looking to learn more about this exciting industry please feel free to reach out to us and check out our blogs which are available on our website.
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