S5E49 John Rogers & Sean Maciag | A Career Worth Engineering – From Graduation to Professional

Being an Engineer

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Today on the Being An Engineer podcast, we’re thrilled to welcome John Rogers and Sean Maciag as they share insights from their careers to help recent engineering graduates make a strong start. They discuss the transition from student to professional, overcoming imposter syndrome, accelerating career growth, and providing practical advice for aspiring engineers.

Main Topics Covered:

Deciding to become an engineer and early career inspiration
Writing a book to share lessons learned in the transition to industry
Effective resume writing and standing out as a job candidate
Gaps between academic preparation and real-world engineering
Dealing with imposter syndrome and proving readiness for advancement
Strategies for continuous learning and career development

About the guests: John Rogers and Sean Maciag are the authors of the newly released book A Career Worth Engineering: Don’t Just Graduate—Navigate the Transition from Student to Professional. With extensive backgrounds in engineering project management and R&D, John and Sean bring a wealth of knowledge on what it takes to succeed in engineering right out of college. John, a project manager in engineering, has honed his expertise in new product development across the pro-audio, aerospace, and defense industries. His academic journey includes a Bachelor’s in Engineering Management and a Master’s in Industrial and Systems Engineering, with a current pursuit of an Aerospace Engineering Master’s as well. Sean is a design engineer deeply rooted in R&D, with significant experience in firearms, defense, and aerospace industries, built on a solid foundation from his Mechanical Engineering degree. Their book distills years of experience into actionable advice for recent graduates and early-career professionals navigating the often tricky leap from academia to industry.

Join us as we dive into their insights on shaping a meaningful and dynamic engineering career.

Links:

John Rogers - LinkedIn
Sean Maciag - LinkedIn

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About Being An Engineer

The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

Chapters

1. S5E49 John Rogers & Sean Maciag | A Career Worth Engineering – From Graduation to Professional (00:00:00)

2. Introduction (00:00:01)

3. Early Career Decisions and Inspirations (00:01:31)

4. Transition from Student to Professional Engineer (00:03:24)

5. Writing the Book and Division of Responsibilities (00:05:39)

6. Advice on Resume Writing and Industry Challenges (00:08:14)

7. Academic Preparation and Industry Gaps (00:15:26)

8. Imposter Syndrome and Career Advice (00:19:35)

9. JCareer Plateaus and Proving Readiness for More Responsibility (00:24:28)

10. Preparing for a Career in Engineering (00:29:50)

11. Lessons Learned and Final Advice (00:40:19)

12. Conclusion and Contact Information (00:48:23)

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