Shy but want to be an engineer?

HPuck35
Wed, 14 Dec 2016 07:57:38 +0000

I’ll chime in here:

I’ve met all kinds of personalities within engineering. So, being shy doesn’t reduce your chances of success in the field. It will mean that you will be put into some uncomfortable positions sometimes. Making a presentation in front of a large audience is a daunting task, even if you are not shy. But you just learn to do it. You learn to make yourself more (but not always totally) comfortable in those situations.

You do so by 1) Knowing the subject matter you are presenting (listed number one because it is the real key to not being nervous). 2) Practicing your presentation several times (usually at home where you can speak out loud and not have people listening, thinking you’re nuts) 3) Don’t have charts that you read, use them as notes and speak normally when talking about the subject. 4) Anticipate what questions may come up and either change you presentation to address them directly or have a prepared answer ahead of time. 5) Don’t be afraid to say you don’t know and will get back to them later with an answer (nothing makes you more nervous than trying to bluff an answer)

When you get nervous, you will (at least I used to) feel like you have to go pee. So, limit your liquid intake (stay away from the coffee especially if you have this problem) and make a bathroom break as close to the beginning of your presentation as possible to limit that feeling.

I used to be EXTREMELY nervous about making presentations and I’ve done enough now that I can do them without any hesitation at all.

In group roundtable meetings and staff meetings, a good organizer or manager will try to get the shyer people to put forth their opinions. After all, shy people have something to add too. If the manager isn’t doing that, sit down in a private meeting with them and ask that they do so. After all, a good engineering group will try to make the best use of all the engineers within it.

One’s personality can change from day to day, even hour to hour depending on your mood and the circumstances into which you are placed. Being a typically shy person does not preclude you from being a very good engineer.