Showing up to the office on time, making an effort to be friendly to coworkers and having a great work ethic—these are all ways to make difference at your workplace. Whether or not we realize it, we are always making an impact at our jobs. The question is: is it...
Whether or not you are actively searching for a job, it’s important to have an up-to-date resume. Not only it is necessary when looking for a new opportunity, but it can often help you build client loyalty, obtain a raise and identify any gaps in skills. In a very competitive...
Do your employees and clients really trust you and your firm to get the job done? In many cases, the survival of a business depends on the positive relationships cultivated among fellow employees as well as clients. The importance of trust cannot be undervalued. You might be a competent leader;...
Digital marketing is here to stay and it's important to build business relationships online. Engineering professionals across all disciplines will benefit from understanding the importance of social media and how it plays a role in business processes. Building a social media strategy has become an important component of running a...
An essential part of running a modern engineering business today involves digital marketing. A term first coined in the 1990s, digital marketing is the marketing of a company’s products or services using digital technologies, such as the Internet and mobile phones. There are numerous benefits of digital marketing, including the...
Bitcoin—the most well known and widely-used digital currency—has been a popular topic of discussion since it was first introduced in 2009. While many people are still trying to figure out what exactly Bitcoin is, there are a growing number of businesses and individuals using it. Some say it’s part of...
Not too long ago, the phrase “Think Globally, Act Locally” was primarily used in reference to environmental challenges. Rather than depend on global changes, people were encouraged to reduce their consumption of resources such as energy or water and be “environmentally responsible.” The “Think Globally, Act Locally” phrase has evolved...
Sexual harassment in the workplace has always been unacceptable, but new attention to this serious public health and human rights problem has been recently brought forward with the #MeToo movement. The #MeToo movement impacts all industries, including engineering. As a result, businesses need to be aware of the implications and...
With the advent of technological advances, the world has increasingly become more connected. As a result, we are experiencing increased channels of communication, which is bringing communities, businesses and clients closer together. This has been a driving force behind globalization. The world is becoming a smaller place and the engineering...
From science to business to global issues. Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) Talks share ideas with people around the world. Part of iConnectEngineers™’ mission is to also share information from influential voices in engineering and other industries. TED Talks are an important driving force behind inspiring engineers to become thought...
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” from “Leaders Eat Last” by Simon Sinek Some people are just natural born leaders. While for others, it takes time and patience to become a great leader. It’s not always easy...
Feeling irritable, bored or finding you have a lack of energy? Maybe you are becoming cynical about your job. These are all signs that you might be experiencing burnout. You’re not alone. In 2014, 31 percent of employees in North America reported having constant levels of stress, according to Statista....
Not too long ago, when it came to marketing your business, that usually meant placing an advertisement in a newspaper or magazine, sponsoring an event or face-to-face networking. There are still many companies that engage in these techniques, anticipating it will result in more business. Now with the widespread use...
One of the most revolutionary changes in transportation since the days of the horse and buggy is currently underway. In this case, it’s a vehicle without a steering wheel, pedals or even human intervention. Autonomous Vehicles (AVs), also known as self-driving cars or robot cars, are logging thousands and thousands...
“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.” – George Bernard Shaw How do you spend your lunch break? Most engineers grab a quick bite at a corner café, or maybe skip lunch altogether since they have “too much on their plate.” Packing a lunch is a great...
In the engineering profession, like many industries, employees regularly leave their offices to attend client meetings, tradeshows and other networking events. With the way we now exchange information electronically with smart phones and computers, many wonder if business cards are still relevant in the digital age. The answer is a...
We all have a story to tell and the challenges we face can create the greatest opportunity for change. iConnectEngineers® is on a quest to transform how today's and future engineers connect, view and share content. The hope is to create an environment where it is possible to unleash an...
Creating a sustainable, safe, secure, healthy, and productive world for all people is a priority for the engineering profession. Now imagine a world where your peers are open to new ideas, really listen to what you have to say and accept opposing viewpoints. These are all character traits associated with...
According to The Conference Board Job Satisfaction survey from 2016, 49.6 percent of Americans are content with their job. Even though this is the highest overall job satisfaction rate since 2005, there is still room for improvement. A variety of factors can turn your place of employment into a living...
Standing up for yourself at work can be difficult, especially if you are the new person. Since getting along with colleagues and managers makes work-life more enjoyable, we sometimes turn a blind eye in situations that should be dealt with head on. Margie Warrell, contributor at Forbes.com, said to remember...
Over the years, movies have often featured intelligent machines ruling our lives—think Optimus Prime in Transformers, The Terminator and Sonny in I, Robot. They all had one thing in common—the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Although there is no universally accepted definition, a popular textbook defines AI as systems that...
It’s probably no surprise to hear that the way in which we work is changing. More and more employees are leaving their nine to five jobs and becoming freelancers. Industries, such as engineering, are finding that this newly-defined workforce offers several advantages for both the employer and those hired. According...
While some aspects of digital networking, technology, retirement plans, and the overall workplace environment will continue to change in 2017, others may return to their old ways. They say hindsight is 20/20, so how can you prepare your business for what’s to come, and avoid starting a sentence with “if...
Commuting to work in heavy traffic and then sitting in an office environment for long hours is becoming less of a reality for those who work in engineering firms. Part time workers, job sharing and working from home are all possible scenarios for modern businesses. Although some industries have offered...
Traveling for business can be a positive experience, but it can also make work-life integration more difficult, especially if you’re a parent. And while business trips can be a great way to shake up the usual 8-5, there can also be downsides that range from extreme to easy fix. One...
Whether it’s a job interview, first date, or company gathering, first impressions can make or break future interactions and relations. While social graces may come naturally to some people, others struggle with what to say and how to act when connecting with new people. In his critically-acclaimed book, Blink, author...
Most parents, teachers, and caregivers make a point to instill the power of kindness in young people, and as we get older, we continue to see its effects in everyday life. The Golden Rule, “Do onto others as you would have done onto you,” has become a staple in households...
According to a survey done by The Statistics Portal in early 2016, there are 450 million LinkedIn users worldwide, with more than 107 million residing in the United States. Figuring out how to make your profile stand out amongst millions of educated scholars can be a daunting task. Here are...
During a recent panel discussion at the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) Conference & Trade Show in San Diego, CA, industry professionals shared their thoughts on how construction management will change over the next decade and what owners can expect. The session, titled “What Will 2026 Look Like,” was...
With a growing need for qualified engineers and CMs, local agencies and entities are looking at various ways to bridge the employment gap between those just entering the workforce and seasoned executives who currently work in the construction management industry. During the recent economic turndown, many engineers turned to other...
“In four years, Millennials—the people born between 1977 and 1997—will account for nearly half the employees in the world,” stated Jeanne Meister, co-author of The 2020 Workplace, How Innovative Companies Attract, Develop, and Keep Tomorrow’s Employees Today, published in May 2010. What constitutes a Millennial, besides the age range? The...
The Construction Association of America (CMAA) National Conference and Trade Show’s featured seminar — Legalities of Emails and Electronic Communications on a Project — touched on the dangers of not speaking to employees about communication rules in a work environment. It is important to remember that any type of message...
In today’s global economy, employee retention and engagement are rated as the number one priority for nearly every engineering business. While funding is steadily increasing for infrastructure projects, at the same time senior construction managers and owners are retiring. The result is a huge gap in age and experience of...
What makes an organization truly successful? Business leaders spend a lot of their time and energy trying to answer this question so their companies can flourish. An abundance of research has been conducted to analyze just what it takes and the word “culture” often comes up as a key component....
How many times a week do you sit at your desk or in a meeting at your engineering firm working at full capacity on a challenging project going from one task to another? Think about how gratifying it would be to have time to recharge and refocus to take on...
In the dynamic and changing world in which we live, companies are evolving at a rapid pace. Businesses, especially those that want to be successful, are no longer being run the way they have been for generations. Working in silos, little connectivity with others and feeling disengaged are all becoming...