Her Engineering Career Podcast: Recent Episodes
Mary E Kinsella
Her Engineering Career Podcast is hosted by Mary Kinsella, career strategist for women engineers. This program offers practical advice and insights to women who want to make a difference as technical experts and influential leaders. Episodes will cover how to foster courage and confidence, garner credibility and recognition, stretch into leadership roles, and spearhead highly desired projects. Listeners will learn strategies for career mastery, increasing the visibility and impact of their accomplishments, and advancing to the next level. Mary has more than 30 years’ experience as an engineer, program manager, and team leader, living and learning the challenges that women face in the engineering workplace.
Your boss has expectations of you. But don't forget you also have expectations of your boss. In this episode learn 3 key things that you can rely on your boss to provide for you in your engineering career.
As a woman engineer you need to have role models. In this episode you'll learn why that is. You'll also get tips for finding role models. And be inspired to be one yourself.
Your team has lost motivation for the job. Employee engagement is down. In this episode, you'll learn why you're seeing low engagement and how to support your team when it happens. And you'll discover why women engineers have an advantage here.
You're following your career plan and doing your best engineering work. But there's something more you want to strive for. In this episode get tips for reaching your career potential. And learn the concepts for having greater impact in your engineering community and the world.
A key reason engineers leave their organizations is work climate. Renewing your workplace can enhance diversity and innovation. Learn the 5 stages of STEM workplace transformation to retain talent and optimize business outcomes.
You know your engineering job comes with some stress. But too much of it is overwhelming. This episode contrasts manageable stress and overwhelm. Learn why women engineers feel overwhelm at work. And get tips for what to do about it.
If you're too comfortable in your engineering role it's time to up your game. You should be looking for big change to unlock your career potential. This episode explains how to anticipate your mid-career transition and take action to make it happen.
There's an easy way you can determine if you're on track in your engineering career. In this episode you'll learn about the SPOT Check tool. It'll help you get clarity on where you are and be more confident in what your next steps should be.
Self-improvement in your engineering career - and finding what works for you - can be daunting. But there are many ways to get more out of your career without a lot of effort. This episode provides 10 examples for you to try.
A diverse workforce is key to innovation. This episode helps you determine the status of your STEM workplace and its diversity strategy. Learn 4 approaches you can take - and metrics you can use - to ensure your workplace is as welcoming and supportive as it should be.
Time is a struggle. You never have enough of it. But what you need is not more time but more time satisfaction. This episode is about prioritizing tasks that maximize your satisfaction. Learn ways to make time more meaningful. And create a whole new outlook for your engineering career.
In case your engineering career isn't thriving at the moment, this episode provides some insight to get you back to career basics. You'll get 6 empowering reminders for re-energizing your career care strategy. Plus how to optimize your engineering career journey with coaching.
Even though you have the title and the authority, people don't see you as a leader. And they're not motivated to follow you. This episode shows you how to lead with vision and alignment. And leverage your unique way to enable motivation and optimal results.
Knowing how to get ahead in your engineering career isn't easy. And you have doubts about what you should do next. This episode is about stepping up in your career. Learn what it means, discover the benefits and get some tips.
Finding the right STEM talent and keeping it is not easy. But it’s a primary enabler for your business. Learn 10 things you can do to draw excellent STEM talent, enhance innovation and improve business outcomes.
Introducing a special series of minisodes on STEM Workplace Transformation, especially for organizations who hire engineers and other STEM employees.
You'd love it if opportunities appeared exactly when you're ready for them. But it never works that way. This episode gives you 7 things to consider when deciding on opportunities in your engineering career - whenever they happen to pop up.
If you never see a woman engineer it's hard to imagine you can be one. And if you can't envision your career success it's much harder to achieve it. This episode shows you how to see yourself as a successful engineer. And dispel any limiting beliefs.
It's not easy to handle the rigors of your engineering career while managing the challenges in life. This episode shows you how to adjust the pace of your career to accommodate your situation. Learn 9 ways to tailor your job to fit your life right now.
Here is Part III of the miniseries on women engineers, the bosses they work for and the organizations that support them. This episode is from the organization's perspective. Learn about why the workplace plays such a key role in retention of women engineers. And come away with ideas for positive change.
Here is Part II of the miniseries on women engineers, the bosses they work for and the organizations that support them. This episode is for managers. It includes 5 things you should know about women engineers. And how to disrupt your common management routine for the better.
Here is Part I of the miniseries for women engineers, the bosses they work for and the organizations that support them. This episode focuses on women engineers. Learn 5 concepts that take you beyond success to fulfillment in your career. To achievement that has true meaning for you.
Here's the intro for my upcoming Miniseries on women engineers, the bosses they work for and the organizations that support them.
As an engineer you love being in the details. But as you move up into leadership you'll be more focused on the big picture. In this episode you'll learn what it means to have a big picture mindset and all the ways it benefits you.
You're very familiar with that imposter feeling. When you're fooled into thinking you're not who you really are. It's a common malady for women in engineering. This episode teaches you how to overcome imposter syndrome. Listen in to learn the 4-step cure.
Your job is going well. You're doing fine in your engineering career. But maybe there should be more to it. This episode teaches you how to own your career. To lead yourself along a meaningful path. So you can have an impactful career that brings you joy.
You tend to focus more on career failures than your successes. And you often hear yourself saying you can't do it. This episode reminds you that you can. And teaches you 3 practices for strengthening confidence in your engineering career.
You have a real connection with your workplace. And you love your job because of it. But turns out your employer doesn't always have your best interests in mind. This episode will help you understand that disconnect. And learn to support the mission while still advancing your engineering career.
Your engineering career is very productive right now. You're always in motion. But you wonder if your work is actually fulfilling - or just busy. This episode gives you the formula for making your unique contribution, so you can move beyond busy-ness to career fulfillment.
You often find that your message isn't getting across at work. You think you've explained yourself quite well. When in fact you haven't communicated clearly enough. In this episode learn the do's and don'ts of communicating with more clarity in your engineering job. And all the ways you'll benefit from doing so.
Looming project deadlines are one of the challenges you face in your engineering job. Your schedule slips. The work is delayed. And the whole project seems daunting. But you have more options than you think. In this episode you'll learn 10 ways to ease the pressure of your project deadlines.
You're hoping for opportunities to come your way in your engineering career. It'll be great when, someday, key connections or job possibilities get handed to you. But it takes a little more effort and intention on your part. In this episode you'll learn how to be aware of opportunity and maneuver yourself to take advantage of it.
You think you need to wait for your time to lead. You need to be ready. But actually you already have what you need to take on a leadership opportunity. This episode changes your misconceptions about leadership. And gives you the realities of stepping into your leadership role now.
It's great to be busy and useful in your engineering work. But where is it taking you? And who is in charge? This episode teaches you to reinforce your career intentions through energy, vision and alignment. You'll gain a whole new perspective of where you are and where you want to be in your engineering career.
In your engineering job interview you're focused on what the interviewer wants to know about you. But finding the right work environment for you is just as important. This episode teaches you how size up the workplace, so when the job offer comes, you'll know it's the right place for you.
Setting goals is a great way to ensure progress in your engineering career. The problem is it gets to be a bore. This episode gets you away from that tedious routine. It explores how you can create goals that you find meaningful. And love to pursue.
You've been submerged in your work for a while now - rarely coming up for air. Now it's time to breathe new life into your engineering career. In this episode learn the signs that your engineering career needs attention. Remember the importance of career care. And keep your future self from falling behind.
No matter how well you plan for your engineering career, some things are just unknowable. And they can cause more stress and fear. But there are things you can do. This episode shows you how to be open to the possibilities. You'll learn how to stay agile and adaptable to whatever happens. So you can have more success in your career.
Even if they seem a little disconnected, there are benefits to aligning your career with the mission of your organization. This episode teaches you the 4 steps to making this alignment happen. So there's synergy with your work and leverage for your engineering career.
Even though you feel like you're not doing enough in your engineering career, the truth is you are. Sometimes you just need affirmation that the work you're doing is exactly right. This episode provides truthful and powerful affirmations to reframe your mindset. And substitute for your career worries.
Enjoy this week's Listeners' Choice episode - a favorite of mine and a particular favorite of my listeners. You'll learn about an awesome skill that you already have. It's your superpower.
Your engineering career is in good shape when you know what your next step will be. In this episode you'll get help in determining your next step and how to get there. And how to make that part of your routine. So you'll go farther faster toward your dream career.
The future of your engineering career isn't totally clear. But you know you want to keep moving toward your vision. And staying connected is critical for that. This episode gives you tips for developing strong connections. They're practical actions that fit right into your everyday work.
Taking risk propels your career so you can make the contribution you wish to make as an engineer. But taking risk isn't really your strength. In this episode you'll learn the benefits of risk, ways you may be avoiding it, and how you might take more of it.
You're in a lull between engineering projects, looking to ramp your workload back up. And since no one is bringing you ideas, it's a great opportunity to take the initiative. This episode teaches you what it means to take the initiative - and the best times in your career to take it, or not.
You've taken on your most challenging engineering leadership role so far. It's the right move for you. But you're feeling some side effects of making this leap. This episode is all about the symptoms of making a monumental change. Learn some remedies for getting through them and coming out stronger in the end.
You're excited to return to your engineering job. But you're worried about going back to work as a mom. How much have you missed? And how will you handle your complex schedule? This episode teaches you post maternity leave strategies to ease you back into your engineering career.
Too many obstacles are getting in the way of your engineering career. How are you ever going to reach your dream? You wish you had more time, more say, more experience, more power, and more confidence. This episode grants you your wishes.
Lately your engineering career is in automatic mode. You don't feel aligned. You're not moving ahead. And you're even a little bored. This episode will help you take it up a notch and reawaken your zest. You'll learn 5 ways to disrupt your engineering career to make it more impassioning and effervescent.
You're noticing all the ways you're not taken seriously in your engineering career. It's exhausting. But it doesn't have to derail you. This episode provides tips for staying the course in your engineering career while the people who don't respect you fade away.
The guidance you get throughout your engineering career is inconsistent. And most mid-career engineers - especially women - don't get much at all. In this episode you'll learn how to be proactive in getting the guidance you need to keep you and your career on the road to fabulous.
You've put your career message out there. And it's helped you with connections and opportunities. But your message isn't always received loud and clear. In this episode you'll learn how to refine it so your message captivates. So it's catchier and more notable and gets you the attention - and the career leads - you want.
You know your engineering role and you do it well. But you don't have as good a grasp of the big picture. This episode guides you on developing a big picture perspective in your career. You'll learn to see things from the organization's view and beyond. And you'll learn to zoom out from your own work to see its broader impact.
Even though you're the expert, talking about your work with senior leaders is - to say the least - stressful. This episode will teach you to turn your dread into opportunity. You'll learn 10 insights to make sure your meetings with senior leaders are empowering for you and uplifting for your engineering career.
You know you should be your authentic self in your engineering career. But being yourself is not always that simple. In this episode learn why it's so important - and so hard - to be your authentic self. And get some career tips on how to be more self aware.
You're at a slow point in your engineering career. You're losing momentum. And losing sight of your career vision. What you need is affirmation. This episode takes you through 4 steps to reaffirm your confidence. So you can remember who you are, why you're here. And all the ways you're an awesome engineer.
In your quest for career inspiration you search for direction from other people. And ideas from different places and jobs. But instead of looking outward you should be looking inward. In this episode learn the 4 elements of your energetic center and how it becomes the guide for your engineering career.
You can look back on your own career to see how things have progressed for women engineers. Luckily, at least in my career timeframe, there are some improvements. This episode highlights 4 big lessons I've learned over time. What I thought then vs. what I know now.
Even though you're flattered to be asked to mentor another engineer, you're reluctant to add more tasks to your calendar. But if you turn her down you'll miss out on an enlightening experience. In this episode learn how you'll grow professionally and advance your career by being a mentor.
You've invested a lot into your engineering career already. And you're determined to make a go of it. But doubling down on learning the technology only gets you part of the way there. This episode helps you with the people side of things, which is the key to your career success.
Even with all your decision-making experience and your diligence in following a decision-making process, it's not easy to be the decider. There's no easy answer. You have to make the call. This episode provides tips to make it easier on you. To help develop your skills and be a more decisive engineer.
If you could just get people to understand you and like you more, you think you'll be more satisfied with your engineering job. But that's not how it works. This episode will help you release the need to please everyone. You'll enjoy a more free and easy work day and a smoother career journey.
What kind of characteristics do you need to become the engineering leader you want to be? In this episode you'll learn key qualities of leaders I've seen in action. People who are great examples to help you develop qualities that align with you. And pursue your own leadership style.
You've been raised to believe that power is bad, so you tend to be power-averse. But you need power to succeed as an engineer and leader. In this episode you'll learn about different kinds of power in the engineering workplace. And the power-averse tendencies to watch out for in your career.
As you begin your new engineering leadership role, you find that people don't see you as a leader. And that makes you feel inadequate. But you're not a failure. Rather, others are failing you. This episode gives you guidance on how to be respected and supported so you can realize your true leadership genius.
It's awesome to be recognized for who you are and the engineering work you do. The right kind of recognition - both formal and informal - gives you an advantage in your career. This episode explains the benefits of recognition and how you can play a part in getting it.
It's not easy to find the right engineering career path. It's hard to know what you want and how to get there. This episode helps with a number of insights on visioning and discerning the right path for you. You'll learn how get more clarity on it and take action to pursue it.
You've made a career pivot. And - even though it's the right move for you - it's a daunting change. This episode will help you ease in. Learn to be more confident as you face a new work environment, new people, and a whole new set of engineering challenges.
Many engineers before you have made their marks and lefts their legacies. What will all your contributions mean after you leave? Whether or not people remember you, your invisible legacy lives on. This episode includes advice on how your work can help future generations of women engineers.
Even though you want to reach a level of comfort in your engineering career, it's getting out of that comfort zone that allows you to move on to fulfillment and success. In this episode learn the career decisions that propel you toward your vision. And how to more confidently face them.
Transitions cause a lot of chaos in your engineering career. You shift from task to task. And from home to work and back. These shifts are stressful for you. In this episode learn some tips to smooth these transitions for more efficiency and less disruption in your engineering work day.
You're capable of greatness as an engineer and leader. But there's an invisible force that keeps you from getting there. In this episode learn about the 3 stealthy saboteurs, how to recognize them, and how to minimize their presence in your engineering career.
You're anxious to make better progress toward your engineering dream career. So you're gearing up to work harder at it. This episode offers 3 steps to accelerate the journey to your vision. And tips on smoothing the path. Maybe it isn't as hard as you think.
You know you're in a bad job situation because it brings your energy down. Of course you should leave, but it's easier said than done. This episode reveals reasons why women engineers hang onto bad jobs. You'll learn the realities of bad job situations and ways to get out of them.
You've taken on a leadership task that's a great opportunity and will allow you to have impact in your engineering career. But since it doesn't come with any official authority, getting the right people to join your team isn't easy. In this episode learn strategies that inspire others to recognize your talent and follow your lead.
For all you put into being an engineer, do you get enough in return? You can better balance the give and take in your career by sharing what you already have. This episode shows you how to leverage your talent for giving in your engineering work. You'll learn the benefits of doing so and some easy ways to get started.
How do you know if your engineering career is in good shape? Maybe you have a feel for it. But it's not easy to measure or explain. In this episode learn 5 career indicators that tell you how well things are going. They'll help you track your trends, reach your goals, and realize your awesomeness.
To complement all the effort you put into professional development, a handy career hack will help you with new perspective, your next step or your next leap. This episode teaches you a 5-minute pop-up assessment of your engineering career. See what inspires you and how you can translate that inspiration into action.
After the excitement of your latest engineering career opportunity, things settle down again and you start looking for the next big thing. Now is the time for career messaging. This episode introduces you to the Magic 4 messaging formula and all the ways to use it to your career advantage.
Confidence is essential for your engineering career success. But it can be fickle. This episode teaches you why your confidence wavers and how to say yes to the challenge. And you'll learn 3 practices to instill strong confidence in yourself as an engineer and leader.
It's great when you and your boss see eye to eye. But sometimes your philosophies are too different. And it's a challenge to work together despite that. This episode explains the why behind your boss's frame of mind. And gives you 7 strategies for getting back on the same page.
If you've stopped making progress in your career, there could be any number of reasons why. But it's too much to think about because you're busy with your job. This episode presents an easy way to get your career moving again. Learn to simplify the problem by focusing on one very important thing.
Your engineering career vision pulls you along in your career. Certainly farther than if you didn't have one. But a bigger, more audacious vision will have a greater effect. In this episode learn how to think big for a more fulfilling career. And get some tips for creating your vision to change the world.
Your high standards and attention to detail serve you well in your engineering career. But sometimes they slip into perfectionism, which saps your time and energy. This episode helps you get out of your perfection habits. You'll see the big difference between meeting requirements and reaching perfection.
You're thinking about your next career move. Maybe you even have a job offer. You're glad for the opportunity but worried about making the right decision. This episode gives you a handy tool for assessing each option. It's a quick quality check to let you know when it passes inspection and when to reject it.
You're a busy engineer. Your calendar is packed. And you're feeling the stress. This episode is a reminder that you need time to think. Though it seems like a luxury, it's more of a necessity. Learn why you need time to think, and how to create it.
As an engineer, confidence, resilience, body language and word choice are all important in owning your personal power. This episode explores these elements from the perspective of the theater. Because actors are masters of them, and women engineers can take heed.
As an engineer you love that satisfying feeling of solving problems. But some projects just seem impossible. And you expect them to be a struggle. This episode provides insights on ensuring successful outcomes. Because reaching a solution is largely determined by how you approach the problem in the first place.
The fact that you're a competent, innovative engineer by itself doesn't guarantee you'll reach your potential. This episode points out some subtle things that can derail you. Follow a typical career saga and learn ways you can interrupt this all-too-common scenario for women engineers.
An investment in your career is an investment in yourself. This episode explores 4 types of investment that you can make as a woman engineer. You can count on a return that benefits you and moves you closer to your dream career.
You probably get lots of advice on building your technical knowhow. But today's episode focuses on other ways to get more out of your engineering career. Learn these 10 things to do more of and realize a whole set of benefits to enrich your work and your life.
While many women leave engineering before they reach their potential, you're looking to continue on to a successful career. This episode gives examples of the kind of support you need to make that happen. Learn what makes you a self-believer and how you can identify with that successful engineer role.
You've been applying your talent and doing high quality work. For sure it's your time for a promotion. So why are you getting passed over? This episode is about non-promotable work. You'll learn what that means and how to manage it for optimal engineering career progression.
You have to interact with all kinds of people in your engineering career. Some people are just difficult. And if they're getting in the way of your vision, that's a problem. This episode will help you find ways to relate to them. You'll learn to connect, be compatible enough to manage the relationship and accomplish your goals.
People need to know about you and your engineering work. Because then they can help you realize your career success. This episode is about self-advocacy and career messaging. You'll learn to promote yourself, share your aspirations, get ideas moving and bring opportunities back to you.
In mid-career, you feel good about your engineering work and eager to contribute. Now's the time to shift to a more impactful role. In this episode you'll learn about mid-career transition. It's your opportunity to make a significant change and set the course for the rest of your engineering career.
Because you're one of the few women in engineering, moving up in your career is more of a struggle than it is for men. This episode reveals a particular kind of feedback that might seem insignificant. But it plays a big role in helping you navigate. And reinforcing that you're headed in a positive career direction.
When you're offered an interim position during your engineering career, how do you know if you should you take it? In this episode you'll learn the benefits of interim positions and what to watch out for. And you'll get some insight on how to ensure your interim position experience is a favorable one.
Meetings already play a huge role in your engineering career. And now they're more challenging with virtual options. This episode revisits meeting leadership by focusing on the needs of attendees. Learn insights and additional tips for getting what you want out of your engineering meetings.
Even though you're meeting expectations as an engineer, you always feel so overloaded with work. Overload is common - you just need to manage your work to your advantage. In this episode learn how to get out of overload stress and release the grip that your engineering workload has on you.
Keeping your career in forward motion gets you incremental increases in job responsibility and pay. But you might want a forward leap -- a sizable enhancement of responsibilities and benefits. This episode gives you tips on leap strategies for your engineering career.
In this episode you'll ask yourself about your commitment to your employer vs. your devotion to your engineering career. The answer will help you know yourself better. And it will make you wonder if you need to put more emphasis on yourself and your career.
You may not be among the chosen engineers who just get noticed and move up the career ladder fast. But, rather than waiting for that, you can gain visibility by showcasing your leadership competency now. Learn 4 ways to take initiative and show what you can do as an engineering leader.
Your strengths are less about what you can and can’t do and more about why and how. You have your own individual set of strengths that drive how to go about your engineering work in the best way. In this episode learn how to use them as a powerful career tool.
If you and your engineering career aren’t quite matched up yet, you’re feeling a bit of a struggle. Once you're more aligned with each other you'll feel motivated and purposeful. But this match-up rarely happens on its own. In this episode learn 5 steps to help you and your career fit better together.
Applying creative and strategic ideas is an important skill in your engineering career. What do you do to hone that skill? Not what you think. This episode gives you steps to creative and strategic ideation. Learn why women engineers are sometimes good at this. And sometimes not.
You don't want to wait until your performance review to find out how you're doing in your engineering job. Because you need to know on a more continuous basis. This episode teaches you how to get that feedback more often from your boss. Including pointed questions that draw out the input you need.
It's your dream to be known for something in your engineering career. To make an impact in a certain area. In this episode learn how your expertise can be the seed for making this happen and how it can facilitate a fulfilling career experience.
You probably haven't looked at your resume much since you got your latest job. But it's an essential tool even if you're not applying for new engineering positions. So you want to keep it up to date. In this episode learn other important uses for your resume. And get 5 tips for keeping it current.
Networking tasks tend to get pushed off. But to be a better networker you need to give them some priority. In this episode you'll learn 3 networking mistakes to avoid. It will inspire you to be more proactive when it comes to career connections.
Leading a cross-functional team is the ultimate engineering experience. It’s a fascinating form of team leadership. And there’s so much you can learn that will help you in your career. In this episode learn the unique challenges of managing cross-functional teams and how it will benefit you.
You’re always a little anxious about keeping your team engaged at work. But it turns out that, as a woman engineer, you have some innate leadership tendencies that naturally inspire people. In this episode learn some motivation essentials and find out why you're a natural team motivator.
You've made a plan and followed it. You've gotten yourself this far in your engineering career. But now things seem so much more complex. It's hard to compete and get to the next level. This episode will teach you how to bring in your superpower and use it to be ready for whatever comes at you in your career.
You have the opportunity to provide input for your performance reviews. More than just reminding your boss of your activities, you should be emphasizing your impact. In this episode you'll learn the difference between actions and impact. And you'll come away with tips for creating effective impact statements that show your value.
Interviewing is so nerve-wracking. It’s normal to be uneasy about it. You need to bring your best self and showcase your engineering skills. But there's something else you should know. In this episode, learn the secret that will result in a winning interview.
You already have an idea of what your next job will be. And when the time is right, you'll take that next step. But maybe that right time is right now. In this episode you'll realize you're using excuses to hold back. And find good reasons to make your move.
Maybe your future engineering role might be a supervisory one. A great way to prepare for the boss you want to be is to reflect on what you – as an engineer now – consider to be the ideal. This episode will spark some ideas for what makes a good boss. And you can use them to develop yourself into the leader you want to be.
It's a given that your engineering job has built-in stress. And as a woman engineer you may have additional stress from your own expectations. At a certain level, this is all manageable. But too much stress leads to overwhelm. In this episode you'll learn about overwhelm, how to assess it and ways you can alleviate it.
Influential relationships give you an edge in your career. If you lack them you're at a disadvantage. But with a little strategizing you can fix that. This episode provides a framework to create your strategy for cultivating influential relationships in your engineering career.
A significant amount of your influence in your engineering career is determined simply by your thoughts and words. Thoughts and words have energy. They affect your beliefs and actions, and those of others. In this episode learn 3 ways to use them as career tools to build trust, credibility and foundation as an engineer.
If you don't have a lot of confidence it impedes your career progress. And even if you have higher levels of confidence, you’re continuously looking for ways to maintain it. This episode provides more insights on confidence and how to continue building it by exploring 3 areas: speaking up, your inner wisdom, and aspiration.
Professional respect comes not only from your expertise, but from how you communicate it. In this episode, you'll learn how influence and credibility - both personal and technical - come into play. And you'll come away with some tips and ideas for how to show you're a credible engineer.
Episode 50 is a milestone for Her Engineering Career. So we're taking time to celebrate! It's a reminder to stop every once in a while, notice the progress you've made, and give yourself kudos. And, in gratitude for you the listener, it's a recap of important themes and topics we've covered in the last year.
Soon after you start a new job, disillusion can set in. It happens when there's a disconnect between your understanding of what to expect and what you actually experience. In this episode, learn how disillusion can trap you. And come away with ideas for getting your possibilities back into focus.
Mentors are valuable. You won’t get as far in your engineering career without them. A mentor will help you build skills. But, more important, they show you the way. This episode provides 8 insights to help you take the greatest advantage of your mentorship experiences.
Your career is a journey. Your job is one short trip along the way. In this episode, learn 6 common mistakes engineers make that slow or divert career progress. It's a reminder not to lose sight of your career by focusing too hard on your job.
This episode will remind you how important it is to get together with colleagues and friends in the engineering field. You'll learn about the positive dynamics in play at professional conferences. And the benefits they bring for women engineers and their employers.
If you're conscious of keeping your career moving forward, you're thinking about your next move. From this episode learn 5 powerful tips to prepare you for, and align you with, your next promotion. These will make a big difference in your career progression and the potential you reach.
When you’re given a new job or new project assignment but no guidance to go along with it, you may feel overwhelmed and frozen in place. But no need to stop your career progress due to a lapse in supervisory advice. This episode gives you tips on how to take the initiative. How to take meaningful action and get things rolling.
This episode provides suggestions for a career tune-up by way of a spring cleaning ritual. You'll come away with some ideas for how to clean out the old and make room for the new. Don't just to keep your engineering career going but make it run like a dream.
This episode encourages you to change perspective on your engineering career from something that happens to you to something you make happen. You'll gain insight on taking charge, steering your career toward your vision and aligning your beliefs and mindsets. Plus you'll get tips on how to make it easy.
As a woman engineer you want to be sure you’re seen and known in the workplace. Increasing your visibility will set you up for more and better opportunities that keep you on the path toward your career vision. This episode explores why visibility is important and provides strategies for more of it. You'll also learn specific activities you can do to help you be seen.
Broadening experiences can give a boost to your engineering career when you're between promotions, unsure where to go next, or otherwise not moving forward. They enable you to learn, build risk tolerance, and expand your network. In this episode you'll learn why you need broadening experiences and why they're beneficial. And you'll get some good ideas to consider for broadening your own career.
Taking a new job is probably one of the hardest parts of your engineering career. It's an angsty time when you face new responsibilities and meet new people. You just want to settle in and start having a positive impact as soon as possible. This episode is designed to help you through that transition. It includes simple ways to ease you into your new environment so you can get started on your new job a little more quickly and comfortably.
In many ways you, as a woman engineer, are excluded in the workplace. This has a negative effect on your impact and your level of career fulfillment. This episode explains some ways that you may be contributing to your own exclusion. And it further provides some insights for being included - for becoming an insider - so that you'll feel empowered to make that transformation.
Your engineering work is important and is having an impact. And it's important that you get the word out about it. This episode provides insights on how to craft that message and communicate it. In particular you'll learn how to address the challenges of speech patterns and confidence in delivery.
In today’s episode I encourage you to take a break. Resting your brain has more benefits than pushing it when it’s tired. Taking time out to destress and recharge will enable you to be more effective than if you just push through. Learn some useful destressing remedies. And take away some guidance on recharging during your engineering work day.
This episode covers what it means to have risk tolerance and how to increase it in your career. It refers to the risks you take in getting ahead, reaching your goals and realizing your vision. Learn to focus on risk taking activities and strategize higher professional risk tolerance that will benefit you as you move into leadership roles and take on more responsibilities.
This episode is in the spirit of taking charge of your career and doing what's best for you. One big step you can take now is to own 3 aspects that have a significant impact on your dream career. Learn how to own your vision, your workload, and your calendar for less stress, more freedom, and a clearer path to the engineer and leader you always wanted to be.
Giving strategic compliments is one simple thing that both men and women can do at work to have a significant positive impact. In this episode learn about the benefits of strategic compliments for women engineers and take away some helpful tips on how to give them.
This episode is about new year resolutions as a useful tool in your engineering career. To get where you want to go and make the impact you want to make you must first dream it. Setting resolutions enables you to imagine your world the way you want it to be and define the steps to get there. Learn 8 insights for tailoring your resolutions for career success.
Your boss can have a significant impact on your engineering career. It only makes sense to help them serve you better. This episode offers 3 easy ways to help your boss help you. They don't require much on your part. And the payoff is worth it.
This episode describes the importance of advocating for yourself. The message about your hard work and value must come across clearly so that you get what you deserve in your engineering career. And the way you ensure that message is clear is to advocate for yourself. You'll learn about self advocacy and take away some guidance for applying it.
Today’s episode features a few tricks for helping you improve your meeting proficiency. One way you can deal with the overabundance of meetings is by reinforcing your leadership role. Learn some ways you can be an effective leader whether you’re heading up the meeting or participating as an attendee.
This episode is a lesson on getting unstuck when you’ve been in the same job – or the same place in your career – for too long. You know that place where you’re pretty comfortable and confident, but you’re not making any career progress. You’ll probably be there in that stuck place at least once in your engineering career. Learn the tell-tale signs of a stuck situation, why you need to get unstuck, and ways you can do that.
This episode introduces a new habit for you to try: revisiting your recent accomplishments. You'll learn how this is advantageous to your engineering career self-assessments, your networking story, and your annual reviews. The process of rediscovery helps you remember the progress you've made. And, turns out, it has a number of other benefits.
In this episode you'll learn insights about speaking and giving presentations. Important things to know in a highlight format. The insights remind you that, moreso than the topic of your presentation, how you present is important. Each presentation has an impact – on your audience of course, but also – on you and your engineering career.
Learn about the paradox of Less is More and how you can use it to your advantage in your engineering career with respect to getting work done. By reducing extra hours you'll benefit from higher quality work, more balance and less stress. Listen to the story and take away a few suggestions for how you can put the Less is More paradox into action.
This episode is an introduction to some of the challenges of work and life integration. First you'll learn a few insights about managing a career and a family. Next you'll be introduced to 2 kinds of mom engineers: blenders and separators. Also included are some tips to help you strategize for a rewarding engineering career along with a fulfilling family life.
This episode takes a look at how far women have come in engineering in the last few decades. The issues of discrimination women face in science and engineering are still around. And it's still difficult to "picture an engineer" without stereotype. Join in the conversation about the subtle differences between then and now. Learn how these issues have evolved over the years and consider how they affect you today.
In this episode I introduce the concept of your energetic center and how it can ensure happiness in your engineering career. You'll discover the importance of doing work that resonates with you so that satisfaction and fulfillment will follow. Learn the 4 elements of your energetic center and come away with some suggestions for how to use it to lead you to a meaningful career.
The challenge introduced in this episode is how to wake up from trances – like fear, scarcity and unworthiness – that hinder your engineering career. These trances are mostly unconscious and develop throughout your life. And they are holding you back. Learn the 3 steps you can take to break out of these trances and open up more possibilities for you.
This episode covers how to handle feedback, both accepting it and leveraging it. This is a challenging but crucial part of your engineering career. First you'll learn about ways of accepting feedback in various scenarios. But then you need to leverage that feedback. Learn 3 steps to taking action, putting that feedback to work for you and getting direct benefits for your engineering career.
Getting good feedback is crucial for your engineering career. Without it, your progress and upward mobility will be limited. In this episode, learn what good feedback is, how to recognize it and how to ask for it. You'll get some excellent tips on how to ensure you get good feedback, have a greater impact and be better connected to the people who can help you excel.
Moving up in your career presents many challenges. And women face stereotypes when pursuing higher levels and leadership positions. This episode presents an upward mobility model for women engineers that highlights a specific challenge related to feedback and affirmation. Learn the 4 steps of the model that keep you moving upward, plus specific actions you can take to beat the upward mobility challenge.
If you’re a late career engineer you may already be experiencing the plateau. But even if you’re not there yet, the late career plateau is something you’ll want to be prepared for. This episode takes a look at the signs of the late career plateau and reinforces what you have to offer as a late career engineer. Learn tips for preparing for the plateau and some ideas for what your late career role might be.
After many years, decades even, the percentage of women in engineering has not grown significantly. The reasons women leave engineering are largely related to organizational climate. Despite the numbers, there are compelling reasons why you should stay in the profession. In this episode I share 10 reasons why we need women in engineering - why we need you!
Even though meetings are such an important part of anyone's career, there's a lot we don’t like about them. This episode is about mastering meetings from the attendee's point of view and will inspire you to reframe your attitude. Learn recommendations for how women engineers can change their perception and turn meetings into vital career tools.
Meetings are such a huge part of all that we do . Become a masterful meeting leader and see immediate positive effects in your engineering career. This episode will teach you 4 steps to better meeting outcomes and why they are important. Not only will you run more effective meetings but you'll also step up your leadership game and shine as a credible and recognized professional.
This episode is focused on a special networking case: how to network at conferences. Because conferences offer the opportunity to interact with others in the same field as you, they are great for making some of the most important connections of your career. Learn my 7-step guide that walks you through how to set up your own conference networking approach. Create your own networking strategy, get the most out of each conference, and build the connections you need to strengthen your engineering reputation and expertise.
Your network is a valuable resource. It can help you become a better person, engineer, and leader. In this episode we discuss some of the basics for growing and nurturing your network - and developing your own networking style. Learn some key strategies for investing in your network and reaping the benefits of those connections that will enhance your engineering career.
If you manage your workload well, you’ll reach your career goals more efficiently and be a more confident and impactful engineer. In this episode, learn what it means to manage and be in charge of your engineering workload. Know how to tell when your workload is serving you - and get some great tips on how to take things off your plate when it's not.
This episode explains how to shift from time management to time satisfaction, enabling you to optimize - not hours, but - energy and fulfillment. It will lower stress and raise your level of contentment. You'll also learn 4 easily-applicable ways to increase your time satisfaction every day.
Even though engineers are pretty well trained in decision making, good decision makers go beyond a simple decision making process. This episode teaches you lessons you can use to build your decision making skills. It further provides the characteristics of good decision makers to help you stretch into your leadership roles.
Asking for what you need and want is critical for advancing in your engineering career. Not only is it a useful skill, it is expected of you as a professional. This episode teaches you ways to remove false beliefs about asking for what you need and want. You'll also learn 8 steps to walk you through the process.
Speaking up enables you to share your insights and perspectives. More importantly, it's good practice in professionalism, helping you gain visibility and credibility. In this episode you'll learn some simple daily practices for finding your voice, along with ways you can make your voice more audible.
Now that you have a career vision, learn how to communicate it! This episode explores reasons why women engineers are reluctant to communicate their career visions. It further explains ways that communicating your vision helps you achieve it, and some specific how-to guidance.
This episode will help you create a vision for your engineering career. We discuss reasons why envisioning is difficult, such as lack of guidance and overwhelm. And benefits, including clarity and fulfillment. Learn 7 tips on specifically how you can create your career vision, even if you’re starting from scratch.
It's essential that women engineers keep their careers in forward motion. Learn what it means to be in forward motion, why it's important, and how to stay in forward motion throughout your career. We also talk about the forward motion mindset and the pace of forward motion.
In this episode we explore a career scenario that leaves many women engineers feeling like they've come up short. We discuss how you can interrupt this saga by paying attention and noticing when things are amiss, counteracting early signs of career roadblocks, and putting your career first.
Continuing the theme from Episode 1, we cover two more practices that women engineers can apply for the care and feeding of their careers. One is Consistent Career Consultations with your boss, and the other is Taking Follow-up Action.
Caring for your career means paying attention to the status and progress of your career and putting the time in to keep it on track. In this episode you will learn 3 reasons why women engineers need to feed their careers. You'll also learn about self-assessment: one of three ways to put that care into practice.