5 answers
Ki'yon
Student
Hopewell, Virginia
12
Questions
Asked
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What are some soft skills needed on a daily basis as an engineer?
As of right now, I am working on my soft skills to improve my employment rate for when I apply for jobs in the future. I also want to show that I am more capable of doing well on the job.
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5 answers
Cody Gaspar
C.I., Quality, and Reliability Engineering
30
Answers
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Updated
Cody’s Answer
When I'm working on designing or enhancing processes, one key soft skill I employ is attentive listening.
Remember, the operators are your experts in their respective fields. By treating them with dignity and striving to comprehend their challenges, you can create a significantly more substantial effect.
Remember, the operators are your experts in their respective fields. By treating them with dignity and striving to comprehend their challenges, you can create a significantly more substantial effect.
Trisha Borme
Talent Acquisition - Hiring
28
Answers
North Kingstown, Rhode Island
Updated
Trisha’s Answer
There are a lot of soft skills to be an engineer. Often you will have to write or present on your work. It's very important to develop your writing skills and presentation skills. Another one I might mention is the ability to work on teams. If you are doing projects in school, be sure to focus on the ability to work with a variety of people collaborating on a project. In engineering you can have technical or non-technical partners. Having the ability to speak well to a variety of technical levels is a great skill. Good luck. Trisha
Elizabeth Thesing
Engineering
13
Answers
Springfield, Ohio
Updated
Elizabeth’s Answer
A skill I've found very important is the ability to work in a cross-functional group and be able to explain technical information to all levels of the business. I've mostly worked as a manufacturing engineer and had to work on groups spanning the hourly worker up to management. Being able to explain ideas, proposals, and technical jargon to all of those levels of the business have been vital to my success and, quite honestly, my acceptance into the various group levels.
Always remember that the person building the part, watching the line, or handling the material is going to know a lot about the day-to-day issues and you should be willing to ask them for their ideas for improvement. But then you'll need to know how to relay that information up and get approval for continuous improvement projects from someone who may not understand that level of detail (or may not need to).
Also, don't be afraid to ask for advice! This is a soft skill I think many of us forget about.
Always remember that the person building the part, watching the line, or handling the material is going to know a lot about the day-to-day issues and you should be willing to ask them for their ideas for improvement. But then you'll need to know how to relay that information up and get approval for continuous improvement projects from someone who may not understand that level of detail (or may not need to).
Also, don't be afraid to ask for advice! This is a soft skill I think many of us forget about.
Kat Guthrie
Program and Project Senior Manager
3
Answers
Greenville, South Carolina
Updated
Kat’s Answer
Communication: Clearly conveying technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences, active listening, and providing concise and understandable explanations.
Teamwork: Collaborating effectively with team members from diverse backgrounds, contributing to shared goals, and navigating conflicts constructively.
Problem-Solving: Analyzing problems, breaking them down into manageable components, and developing creative and effective solutions.
Critical Thinking: Evaluating information objectively, identifying biases and assumptions, and making sound judgments based on evidence.
Adaptability: Adjusting to changing priorities, learning new technologies and methodologies, and thriving in dynamic environments.
Time Management: Prioritizing tasks, meeting deadlines, and managing workload effectively.
Teamwork: Collaborating effectively with team members from diverse backgrounds, contributing to shared goals, and navigating conflicts constructively.
Problem-Solving: Analyzing problems, breaking them down into manageable components, and developing creative and effective solutions.
Critical Thinking: Evaluating information objectively, identifying biases and assumptions, and making sound judgments based on evidence.
Adaptability: Adjusting to changing priorities, learning new technologies and methodologies, and thriving in dynamic environments.
Time Management: Prioritizing tasks, meeting deadlines, and managing workload effectively.
Brian Swain
Mechanical Engineer
24
Answers
Modesto, California
Updated
Brian’s Answer
The skills mentioned already are a great place to start. I've included a couple that have been broadly useful.
1. Attention to detail in both reading ( and writing, but I'm terrible at writing hence why this response may not be very well organized). Often times I have had to consult manuals/guides on how specific parts work/how certain parts are configured.
2. Note taking: be able to take legible/readable notes that you can look back on. At work I type out my though process and try to put down as much detail as I can to reference later on ( for instance how a problem with component X that we may need to fix again in the future) . Putting down notes in a word document really helps since I can do a ctr+F to search for specific words.
I probably could list some more, but I can't think of them right now.
1. Attention to detail in both reading ( and writing, but I'm terrible at writing hence why this response may not be very well organized). Often times I have had to consult manuals/guides on how specific parts work/how certain parts are configured.
2. Note taking: be able to take legible/readable notes that you can look back on. At work I type out my though process and try to put down as much detail as I can to reference later on ( for instance how a problem with component X that we may need to fix again in the future) . Putting down notes in a word document really helps since I can do a ctr+F to search for specific words.
I probably could list some more, but I can't think of them right now.