Congratulations on the first civil engineering job. You are passing out from the college and taking a step forward to start a career as a civil engineer.
The civil engineering industry is entirely different from what we learn in the classroom. This is because of the development of new technologies and frequent changes in work culture etc. The college studies and syllabus that you covered is just only a base for your career development. So finding the right job and your performance in that job is very important in building up a good career as a civil engineer. The real learning starts from the experiences you gain from work.
Here are 7 Advice for starting the first Civil Engineering job:
1. Do not pretend that you know everything. Ask Questions
It is quite natural to have many doubts when you start your career as a civil engineer. At the construction site, you will see many things that experienced before and a thing that never learnt in the classroom. So always clear the doubts and ask questions to the site in-charge or senior engineers about the method of works, designs, and about planning etc. You are not supposed to know everything. Learning starts with your doubts.
2. Accept challenges and Responsibilities
Accept the challenges. The way you tackle the challenges is very important and it will help in the skill development. Also, it will create a good impression about you in the company.
Various responsibilities come in your first civil engineering job. You will have to manage and explain drawings to workers, brief work status at your boss, client management, monitoring work and safety etc. are some of the key responsibilities of a civil engineer. Once you get into the job you should maintain proper communication between your manager or seniors, client, workers. This will really help to develop a smooth workflow. The career growth of a civil engineer primarily depends on his/her responsibilities taken in workplace and management skills.
3. Do not commit to a specific discipline too early
Civil engineering has many disciplines such as structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, surveying etc. Before settling in any role, try as many as many different aspects of civil engineering as possible.
4. Develop Skills
Workplace always a place for your sill development (both soft skills and technical skills). The first civil engineering job is also a platform to find out your strength and weakness, skill shortages and other various abilities and inabilities of yours. So, find out that weakness and overcome it. Also develop core skill sets which you needed in the entire career and as a civil engineer project management skills (time management and ability to work under pressure) and communication skills are essential.
5. Learn as much as possible
A first job is always a good place for learning. The passion for learning makes you a better professional and also leads to better career growth. As we know, a lot of new technologies and methods are coming to construction industries. So you need to be updated about all these technologies and this knowledge will help better career growth.
6. Attitude and commitments
The workplace is always a competitive field. Your attitude towards the job (and also among colleagues and seniors) and commitments towards the responsibilities given really matters in this professional career.
The performance of an employee in a company is scaled mostly by these two factors. So you must be focused and motivated all time, also gain knowledge and good experience. The working environment will be a bit different and the first two years of career will have many ups and downs. At that time don’t drop your job and hang in. At the beginning of your career, the main priority should be given to experience not to salary.
7. Develop your own sense of Worth
Every day is not the same. You will receive praise as well as criticism for your work. Take both in the same way. Learn from mistakes.
At last, Be ethical and honest to the civil engineering profession.
Also Read: 7 Qualities that make you a civil engineer
If you’re an experienced engineer, what advice would you give to civil engineering fresher? Drop a comment below. we’d love to hear from you.
