Engineering Students' Career Success Lecture

Author: (American) Karl Seringen, translated by Wang Pei et al
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: Talking with people is a good way to get feedback. You can learn what to do from some people in your life, though not everyone. Let's start with colleagues or peers, who have the opportunity to see you in a working state and understand the people, places, and things you deal with, which cannot be accurately explained to your parents or friends. This is very difficult for well-intentioned advisors, as their life experience may be valuable but may not be helpful or correct in your case. A good way to get feedback from colleagues and managers is to ask questions like:
· "How do you think the project is progressing?"
· "What would you do in this situation?"
· "If you were me, what different approach would you take?"
· "Is the progress going well?"
· "In what areas do you think I could improve?"
Getting useful feedback can also be a minor skill. If you ask a more direct question like, "Am I doing well?" you are essentially asking for a yes answer, and you may not get honest or helpful feedback. (How often do you tell restaurant staff your true opinion when they ask if everything is okay?) You should be aware that your colleagues may not be completely honest or straightforward with you, or may not want to say anything unpleasant. You might disagree with their opinions, or you may become emotional or defensive. This is a highly skilled skill that requires sharpness and a spirit of exploration. Feedback is motivated, but it doesn't need to be too frequent. — Cooper Association Workshop Engineer
Another highly beneficial method for getting feedback after you have made a statement is to ask another trusted attendee to check the audience's reactions or "buzz." This may include asking for specific evaluations (e.g., "What do you think of Karl's performance?" "Was his introduction or presentation clear?"). Once, I was hosting a phone conference at the University of Maryland. My cousin, who was also a student at the university, attended and sat in the audience. I asked her for feedback on my lecture so that I could get some input and improve.
Although your parents, spouse, or friends may seem like good sources of feedback, I don't think that's always the case. In fact, their opinions on your work situation may be almost useless. Really. Of course, they may be wise and well-intentioned. The reason their evaluations of your work may be useless is that they may have biases and support you very much, which is great for soothing your self-esteem. Since you know they always support you, you might feel worse, and as a result, they lose reliability in helping you with your work. If they are critical, you might retort, "You don't understand." And you're right—perhaps they don't, or they can't, understand the complexity and subtleties of your work. I seek feedback, but I often dismiss it as "He doesn't know anything" and don't use it for self-improvement. — DMJMHarris, Engineer
Other ways to get good feedback are rooted in daily work. You often need reassurance, meaning everything is fine, and there are only minor mistakes. Try not to be too fixated on constructive criticism—being occasionally criticized is normal, such as when your written work is revised. If the evaluation isn't clear, ask for clarification. Stay alert. But remember that the days of professors grading your term papers, designs, and exams are over—not to say that those evaluations are always useful. Since you've received some specific feedback, what are you going to do? The ball is in your court. If someone suggests you do something different instead of what you thought was right, you need to consider their advice. Although it may sometimes feel safe to ignore these suggestions, I still believe it's important to develop the habit of seriously considering all feedback and committing to regular changes. For example, I diligently reviewed the evaluations of my workshops and university courses, thought about each suggestion, and consciously decided to try incorporating some of them in the next workshop or class. P42-P44