PITT SWE: CONFERENCE EDITION November 2013
Edited by: Christine Bontempi
This is a special edition of the Pitt SWE Newsletter, with articles written about many of the sessions attended by our Pitt SWE representatives at the National SWE Conference!
Toto, We’re Not in Kansas Anymore: Engineering Around the World! By: Hannah Fernau To some people, the opportunity to live and work abroad may be a daunting proposition; for others, it may be an exciting adventure. For anyone planning to work in another country, however, there are several factors that can influence your chances of getting the offer to move outside the United States and making the most of the experience of living in another country. Getting the Offer If working abroad is something that interests you, let other people know. There is no way your boss or coworkers will be aware of this desire, and therefore be more likely to inform you of opportunities that they hear about, unless you tell them of your aspirations. When talking with people, try not to be too specific on your desired location. Instead be specific on what opportunities and experiences you would like to have during your time abroad. It is important to make this connection in addition to developing coaches (people who talk to you),
sponsors (people who talk about you), and mentors (people who talk with you). After getting the offer of an international position and before traveling, it is often helpful to find a cultural coach in order to make the cultural transition easier. Working in Other Countries It is important to constantly communicate to be understood, and not to be misunderstood. This sounds obvious, but it is sometimes difficult to do so. For example, it is important to avoid using metaphors that are specific to the culture of the United States that could be misunderstood in other countries. Throughout your time abroad, talking to people can greatly improve your experience. Never be afraid to ask questions when you experience or see something that you are curious or confused about. If there is a difference in opinion or perceptions, it is important to explain your cultural or experiential bias, so other people understand where your ideas are coming from and can then help you understand their background as well. Living and working abroad can be an eyeopening experience, and can provide a new perspective on the industry in which you work. If you enjoy traveling and
would like to gain a new appreciation for other cultures, it could pay to start making connections with potential coaches, sponsors, and mentors and let them know about your aspirations.
that add to one’s success. The breakdown for success is as follows: P-Performance 10% I-Image 30% E-Exposure 60%
One good resource for finding international jobs and internships is http://www.goinglobal.com/.
P-Although most engineers hope to be graded solely on their performance, it only accounts for a mere 10% of success. 60% of what helps engineers to succeed is not their stellar performance, but rather who they know: their exposure. As part of performance, engineers must consider the scheduling and budget equally as much as the quality of the product.
Lessons on Succeeding in the Corporate World By: Becky Glucksman In the session, “Lessons on Succeeding in the Corporate World,” I learned about how to get ahead in the corporate world using the PIE Method and learning tips on how to skillfully craft a resume or an elevator speech. The first lesson for success in the corporate world is that hard work doesn’t correlate directly with success. Instead, you should be familiar with the PIE Method, which includes other variables
I-Image relates to how others perceive you. You don’t want to be known in the work place as the person who always finds faults with others’ work, but rather the solution finder. Make sure to focus on potential solutions rather than the potential problems. You shouldn’t be known as a procrastinator, but rather a person who is proactive. Also, make sure to keep your office clean. Although, it may not reflect on your work directly, people perceive those with messier offices to be less competent. And remember, the end of year evaluation counts. Don’t sell yourself short. Make sure to keep track of your projects throughout the year. It is much easier to complete a thorough end of year evaluation that way. Another important tip to remember with image is that how you say something is just as important as what you say. Women often have the habit of understating what they are about to say. You shouldn’t’ invalidate your statement or use a selfdeprecating tone. Examples of things you should avoid are prefacing your statements with “but…,” apologizing for no reason, or asking questions instead of making statements. Make strong statements and stick to them.
E-Exposure is the most important because people will give jobs to the people they know. You increase your exposure by being the first to approach others, attending team lunches and happy hours, going to company social outings , volunteering for company planning events, and scheduling time to interview upper level management. You also want to become your manager’s favorite so that if any opportunities arise, you will be the first one on their minds. Ask about your managers’ personal life and seek a relationship that is more than just work.
responsibilities. If you are being paid less for your responsibilities than the market price, let your manager know. Your job title may not have caught up yet. After attending this seminar I learned the essentials on how to weigh the quality, budgeting, and scheduling of a budget, making sure I am perceived well by others, and getting my name out.
Other keys to being successful are mastering the elevator pitch and writing a great resume. Your elevator pitch should be short, sweet, and to the point. You just need to answer three questions… • Who are you/what will you do? • How will you make an impact? • What do you want/where do you want to go? The key to writing a good resume is updating it with time. Keep it up to date with your end of year reports. Make sure that you highlight the activities you perform in each role that fit the job you want. You may need to have a couple of different resumes, for a couple of different types of jobs. Make sure to make your writing interesting. Avoid passive words like contributed, worked on, and replace them with more active words like led, developed, designed, implemented. Now, that you know how to balance your performance, make yourself presentable and well known to others, this final tip will teach you how to successfully ask for a raise. When asking for a raise, make sure you know your worth and don’t compare yourself with anyone else. Check the market for jobs similar to your own to know what the market is paying for those
You’re Not a Man in High Heels, and You Shouldn’t Try to Be! By: Matthew Gargani As female engineering students graduate and enter the workforce, they tend to encounter a very male-dominated workforce if they work within an engineering company. Oftentimes women engineers will try to blend into the company culture in order to reduce issues or conflicts with other workers, and sometimes this results in the women
trying to emulate their male co-workers. This usually results in the women engineers feeling marginalized and unhappy with having to try to be someone else; this also reduces the mental diversity that companies so desperately need.
make sure that you emphasize that to your employer or manager and help the company excel through diversity. It also leads to you being happier because you aren’t trying to be something that you’re not.
Men and women are different; there are certain qualities that women tend to have and other qualities that men tend to have. This diversity can be capitalized on to help a company achieve more than if they only hired one type of person (there is also diversity between majors, races, and economic upbringing). Companies should make sure to encourage different people to make full use of their specific talents and mind-sets; this results in happier employees and better results. Women tend to be better: • Team-builders: women tend to nurture others and encourage them • Multi-taskers: they can handle more streams of information • Communicators: they are better able to anticipate misunderstandings Men tend to be better: • Risk-takers: they are more willing to take larger risks • Deciders: they are more willing to follow a gut-instinct • Leaders: they are willing to move forward with a proposed plan All of the men’s qualities can easily lead to rashness or team-conflict as the men in a group compete to fulfill the alpha-male role. Women usually are better at helping the team mesh together and come to a better collaboration. However, all of these qualities are just trends and many men and women are good at each category. The main point is to find what it is that you excel at in a team environment and
100 under $100 By: Dhanu Thiyagarjan 100 under $100 was a great session lead by Betsy Teutsch, the author of 100 under $100: the Women's Global Toolkit. The overview of this session was to inspire women engineers to take part in global engineering using efficient methods and cheap supplies. There are many underdeveloped counties that need engineering help in order to raise their living conditions, and we are the generation to satisfy those needs. The presentation involved going through various projects that currently in use or under development. The projects presented include: 1. Embrace Hypothermia is a huge inhibitor for the survival of newborn babies in developing countries. Therefore, Embrace was developed. Embrace is a heat-pad and wrap that retains heat for the baby to stay warm. 2. Pilarmateo
This was an accidental discovery. A chemist discovered a paint that repels insects. You can paint a house with this paint, and no insects will come into the house. The paint is also only toxic to insects and completely harm-free to humans. 3. Solvatten This device purifies 11 L of water in under two hours. It uses a SODIS gauge and heats water to 140 degrees F to kill the pathogens. You know when the water is purified when the internal wax is melting which is the "clock" for this device. 4. Greenway Grameen This device is a portable stove designed for women in India. Women in India cook by sitting on the floor, so it is designed to accommodate them. There is less energy expended with this device, so it lowers the carbon footprint. 5. Wellowater This is a device designed for countries that do not have immediate access to water. The device allows them to transport about two times more water than what a person can carry. This is very helpful for people to take fewer trips to a well and exert less effort which will allow them exert effort towards other jobs. 6. Solar Panel Control For those who have solar panels, this invention helps increase the efficiency of the energy from solar panels by 40%. twotwo liter bottles are attached to the solar panel and move the panel to the sun path as water leaks out of the bottles. 7. Byuearth This is a creative business plan. The company gives people money to collect waste which creates jobs for the industry. Additionally, the company raises and grows worms. They use the waste and worms to make fertilizer. Then, they sell the fertilizer to make a profit.
The overall lesson learned is that if you design it well, and there is a need for it, then people will want to use it. There are many needs that are still not satisfied in underdeveloped, so think about how you can affect society!
Hit the Ground Running: Transitioning From Student to Professional By: Pranathi Kaki Transitioning from a college environment to a work environment is a huge change and it is important to be aware of how you need to alter your behavior to be successful in a professional setting. Interacting with friends is most certainly different from interacting with co-workers, therefore its essential to be aware of the image you project at work. Appearance, etiquette, first impressions, relationships and performance will be noticed and remarked upon by colleagues. It is important to speak in an educated manner and avoid using slang or swears. It is easy to let something accidentally slip, so it’s important to be
mindful of where are you and what you’re saying. First impressions go a long way, so it’s in your best interest to project a favorable image. Ultimately, the goal is to be remembered for your performance, not your behavior. One area that recent graduates might not know how to navigate is negotiating salary and benefits. You need to do research about your position, the industry and the geographic location prior to attempting salary negotiations. It is inappropriate to inquire about someone else’s salary, but there are many online resources you can use to determine whether your salary is appropriate for the work you do. In some instances, companies are pretty rigid about the salary they will offer. One option for such situations would be to negotiate vacation or other times of compensation that does not include salary. Other work etiquette includes not disclosing confidential information through the company’s instant messaging system. Intellectual property is coveted and should not be discussed without proper security and privacy measures. You should use complete sentences and be professional. Emails should include a signature line and should only be sent to the appropriate people. You need to be mindful of who is on the email thread to ensure that people only receive relevant communication from you. It is imperative to use a cover sheet when faxing and verifying the fax has been received. Putting your contact information on the cover sheet will help the recipient get in touch with you, should it be necessary. At the very least,
it will keep people informed regarding whom the paperwork was from. Lastly, as an employee you need to take the initiative to make sure you understand your roles and responsibilities. It will difficult to complete a project or assignment if you are not sure about the objectives or where you can find resources to complete the task. If you need further clarification, you should speak with the person delegating the task. It’s also important to inquire about the deadline. If a deadline is not given, you should set one yourself leaving plenty of time to get the task completed. Oftentimes, you will be working on multiple projects at once, so you don’t want to set unreasonable expectations. A lot of the transition phase from undergraduate to employee might seem like common sense, but it’s in your best interest to take time to think about how you want to approach your career. How you work and how you present yourself will determine you current and future opportunities at a company. Adhering to these simple rules will lead you in the right direction.
Effective Communication to Build a Strong Reputation By: Michelle Banas In the session “Effective Communication to Build a Strong Reputation” the idea of how communication can make or break someone in the business world, as well as the different personality types that are present, were explored. In business relationships are key and a bad reputation is extremely detrimental. Relationships can only be formed through communication, and different styles of communication come along with different personality types. There are three main personality types, represented by three different animals; the Lion, the Saint Bernard, and the Owl. The Lion is assertive and sometimes controlling. They get things done through others, making them the stereotypical manager. They like to compete and like even more to win, but dislike gullibility and indecisiveness. The Saint Bernard likes to feel helpful and cares about the feelings and wellbeing of others. They view themselves as needing to be more assertive, but dislike selfishness and anger in others. The Owl is independent and selfsufficient, valuing planning and an orderly approach. They respect logic and facts and dislike letting emotions into their decision making. While every personality type and communication type can contribute there will inevitably be conflict between them. One must learn how to manage conflict through negotiation, collaboration, exploring options, knowing the facts,
having an open mind, and allowing space for compromise. Managing conflict is only half the battle; one must be sure to have their ideas heard and implemented as well. In order to do so one must be able to control their emotions but remain influential by maintaining their enthusiasm and credibility. They must be careful to be respectful of others’ interests and still care for their clients. The best way to do this is by use of the ‘Platinum Rule:’ “Communicate with others in the ways in which they want to be communicated.” This requires awareness of how one is communicating. In this day and age communication isn’t only done in person. Other outlets such as social media, text messaging, email, conference calls, and online meetings exist and each require special treatment. In general, however, one must be aware of their behavior in and out of the office, be prepared with a 30 second elevator speech, and be in control of themselves during unexpected situations. One should listen first and ask questions second when approached, as being a good listener earns respect and builds a good reputation, as well as gives everyone a chance to be heard. This also allows for the chance to learn from other people, when assuming or jumping to conclusions would not. Being a good listener also means being open to both receiving and giving constructive feedback. Doing so in person is better, as email can seem impersonal and is easily misinterpreted. One should be able to accept responsibility for their actions, so know when to apologize but be able to accept compliments as well.
Communication is key in the business world because as everyone knows, it’s not always what you know, but who you know. Building strong relationships and having a good reputation can be that extra push to get you ahead.
Design-Build-Inspire! Opportunities for Engineers to Impact STEM Education By: Christine Bontempi This session featured a company called Iridescent that has created a number of after-school activities that offer good engineering design challenges to a wide age range of students. Iridescent has worked with a number of engineers in industry to help develop these 50 minutes modules that are open-ended, goal oriented, and offer a safe environment for failure. Also, all of the materials cost $1 or less per student. These problems with no right answers, allow students to have the chance to be creative and solve these engineering problems in their own ways! Some examples of modules include creating squishy circuits by using conductive play-doh and learning about biomechanics of dinosaur jaws with popsicle sticks and rubber bands.
The directions for these activities along with modules that can be completed online can be found on their website: Curiositymachine.org!