Ready for Takeoff! A Winning Process for Launching Your Engineering Career

by Dean C. Millar

Overview

Ready for Takeoff is an appropriate companion text for all courses in engineering, and for engineering professionals.

Your career in Engineering is about to take off.

There is simply no other book on the market like Ready for Takeoff. Author Dean Millar uses plain English, specific examples, and insights from industry experts to explain the steps you need to take to identify, and then go after, the engineering job that’s right for you.

Part I of this unique book starts by helping you assess your own unique skills and abilities and understand how they match opportunities in the job market. The author then explains the basics of a successful job hunt, including how to write a resume that sells your skills, using your university’s career center to your advantage, and nailing the interview. Part II offers career advice and expectations from 32 industry insiders like CEOs and Engineering Directors, and explores career development. Finally, Part III covers the finer points of success in your field such as leadership, motivation, teamwork, and interpersonal skills.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780136081272
Publisher:	Pearson
Publication date:	09/02/2010
Series:	ESource: the Prentice Hall Engineering Source Series
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Dean C. Millar is an Assistant Dean at the University of Buffalo, State University of New York. In 1994, he began the Engineering Career Institute, a program that complements engineering coursework and gives engineering students real-world professional skills, including pre-employment classes and credit-worthy industrial employment experience. In the past 17 years he has helped over 2,000 engineering students launch their careers through the Engineering Career Institute, Internships, and Co-Op Programs.

Table of Contents

Contents

Part 1

Pre-Employment Success: Understanding Yourself and Getting the Right Job

Chapter 1

Introduction and Your Four-Year Plan of Career Development

Chapter 2

Important Life Realities

Chapter 3

Self-Analysis: Your First Career Step

Chapter 4

Market Research: Engineering Opportunities

Chapter 5

Your Resume and Cover Letter

Chapter 6

Your University’s Career Center

Chapter 7

Organizing and Executing Your Job Search

Chapter 8

The Successful Interview

Chapter 9

Follow-Up Action

Chapter 10

Starting Employment

Part 2

Professional Functions and Opportunities

Chapter 11

Overview of Industry: Executive Panel

Chapter 12

Project Management

Chapter 13

Value Engineering

Chapter 14

Quality Engineering

Chapter 15

Lean Enterprise

Chapter 16

Engineering Professionalism, Ethics, and Responsibility

Chapter 17

Entrepreneurism

Chapter 18

Academic Careers and Graduate School

Chapter 19

Becoming a Global Citizen

Part 3

Personal and Professional Success Skills

Chapter 20

Self Reliance, Planning, and Time Management

Chapter 21

Empowerment and Motivation

Chapter 22

Interpersonal Skills

Chapter 23

Teamwork in Industry

Chapter 24

Leadership

Chapter 25

Effective Writing and Presentation Skills

Chapter 26

Transition to Industry

Recommended Reading for Success

Index

Editorial Reviews

“The author’s rich background in industry and higher education, combined with his passion for working with students, is the book’s greatest strength. Millar is credible, Comprehensive, and personable in his approach…an engineer talking to engineers.”

-Helen Oloroso, NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

“It’s relevance for aspiring engineers and the fact that it is tailored specifically to engineers, the real life examples and down-to-earth advice from successful engineers, and the straight forward, no nonsense style are it’s greatest strengths.”

-Jack Rayman, PENN STATE UNIVERSITY

“I would recommend the book because it cleverly blends common topics with the very important soft skills that are often brushed aside in engineering curriculums. I also like that it embraces engineering substance and provides numerous example presented by actual engineers.”

-Mark Savage, CORNELL UNIVERSITY

“The topical coverage is comprehensive and covers all topics important to conducting a comprehensive job search process.”

-Louise Carrese, RIT

“It is actually a very easy read, and I enjoyed the somewhat ‘informal’ tone of the text. I believe that will benefit the students and probably help them want to read it.”

-Thomas M. Akins, GEORGIA TECH

From the Publisher