Engineering Career Guidance

I've been through more than 30 interview sessions in the past 15 years since I graduated. Few succeeded, while many failed. Be different from me. Here are 5 more common interview questions, along with typical incorrect answers and the correct way to respond: 𝟏. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞? Wrong Answer: I just need a job and this one seemed okay. Correct Answer: Show that you've researched the company and align your goals with theirs. For instance, "I admire your company's commitment to sustainability and innovation in the energy sector. I am eager to bring my expertise in renewable energy projects to a company that values environmental responsibility and cutting-edge technology." 𝟐. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐢𝐧 𝟓 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬? Wrong Answer: I don't really know; I just go with the flow. Correct Answer: Outline a realistic career path that aligns with the company's goals. For example, "In five years, I see myself taking on more leadership responsibilities, perhaps as a project manager, where I can lead large-scale initiatives and contribute to the company's growth. I'm eager to develop my skills further and advance within the organization." 𝟑. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐣𝐨𝐛? Wrong Answer: I couldn't stand my boss and the company was a mess. Correct Answer: Focus on positive reasons for leaving and your aspirations. For example, "I’m looking for new challenges where I can use my skills in a more dynamic environment. My previous role was rewarding, but I’m eager to grow and contribute more strategically, which I believe this position offers." 𝟒. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐲? Wrong Answer: I’ll take whatever you’re offering. Correct Answer: Provide a well-researched range and express flexibility. For example, "Based on my research and the industry standards for this role, I am expecting a salary in the range of RM X to RM Y. However, I am open to discussing this further depending on the entire compensation package and benefits." 𝟓. 𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐬? Wrong Answer: No, I think everything’s clear. Correct Answer: Ask insightful questions that demonstrate your interest in the role and company. For example, "Can you tell me more about the team I would be working with and the key projects they are currently focused on? Additionally, what are the most significant challenges currently facing the department?" These responses demonstrate thoughtfulness, a positive attitude, and a proactive approach, helping to convey that you are a serious and capable candidate. Good luck & all the best!

How can those interested in career pivots gain experience beyond their current jobs? 🤔 After the summer, a time when we have more time to reflect on our life and professional career, many people consider a career change. 🔍 Every new role or job requires specific skills and a certain level of experience, so it's important to discover what skills companies are looking for in these roles. On the other hand, we need to manage our current job while also beginning to plan our desired career transition. 👉 How can we gain the skills necessary to successfully pivot while managing our day-to-day work? 🔶 Setting Clear Goals: Define your desired career path and the specific skills and experiences needed for that role. Set realistic short-term and long-term goals. 🔶 Assessing Transferable Skills: Identify skills from your current job that apply to your new career. Highlight them on your resume and in interviews. 🔶 Networking: Build a professional network in your target industry. 🔶 Online Learning: Enroll in online courses or certification programs related to your new career path. LinkedIn Learning offers a wide range of courses than can help you with that. 🔶 Side Projects and Freelancing: Work on projects related to your desired field to gain practical experience. 🔶 Volunteer Work and Internships: Consider volunteering or interning in your target industry, even if it's part-time. 🔶 Time Management: Dedicate specific hours to skill-building and job searching. 🔶 Seeking Employer Support: Discuss your career goals with your current employer to see if there are opportunities within your current company that might be interesting for you. 🔶 Staying Informed: Keep up with your target industry news and trends. 🔶 Leveraging Online Platforms: Use LinkedIn and online communities for networking. Share your interests and career aspirations on your profile. 🔶 Building a Personal Brand: Establish an online presence showcasing your expertise and passion for your new field. 🔶 Practicing Patience: Understand that career pivots take time and persistence. 🔶 Seeking Feedback & Support: Get input from mentors and peers to improve your skills. Consider working with a Career Coach to help you and guide you with your career pivot. 🔶 Considering Part-Time or Remote Work: If possible, explore part-time or remote work options in your target field to gain experience while maintaining your current job. 🔶 Preparing for Interviews: Tailor your resume and interview responses to your target role. 😊 If you need any support with your career transition, I´m here to help! ✒ What other tips do you have? #careerpivot #careerchange #careertransition #LinkedInNewsEurope

𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐔𝐀𝐋 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐏𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐍 (𝐈𝐃𝐏)- For #career growth and satisfaction.. Research shows that employees who engage in structured personal development plans are not only more productive but also more motivated and happier in their roles. 📈✨ 💎 An IDP is a roadmap for professional growth, tailored to one's unique skills, goals, and aspirations. 𝒀𝒆𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒖𝒔 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒖𝒆 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 🤔? I was always hesitant to bring it up with managers in the past, as I didn't want to look like giving importance to my personal career goals over and above my work goals or KRAs (Key Responsibility Areas). What about you? ❌️ That was silly and unconducive for my personal growth. IDPs help you: ✅️ Identify areas for improvement (Sets you up for #lifelonglearning ) ✅️ Set achievable objectives (Create #goals aligned with you) ✅️ Chart a course for #success. (Chalk out an action plan to Identify resources, training and support needed to succeed) 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐃𝐏: 1️⃣ 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Reflect on your strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Utilize tools like 360-degree feedback and personality assessments for insights. 2️⃣ 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: Define SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals that align with your career aspirations 3️⃣ 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: Break down your goals into actionable steps, identifying resources, training, and support needed to succeed. 4️⃣ 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: Schedule periodic reviews to track your progress, adjust goals, and celebrate achievements along the way Investing in your personal development through IDPs isn't just beneficial for you—it's a win-win for both employees and organizations. Start crafting your IDP today and unlock your full potential! 💪🚀 𝐖𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮? 𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 --- Hi, I am Dr Lakshmi, bringing together my experience of 2 decades in life sciences/biotech/pharma careers and passion to create an impact through speaking, writing and coaching. Follow me for an exploration of how to live a productive and fulfilling life. #Productivity #drlakshmispeaks

If you’re waiting for your supervisor to map out your next role — you’ll be waiting a long time. Supermajors like ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Shell aren’t built to develop your career — they’re built to fill needs. If you’re not actively driving your next move, you’ll get recycled into the same type of role every few years. Here’s how to change that: Expand your relationships. If nobody outside your immediate team knows your name, you’re invisible. Connect with leads in planning, finance, and operations — not just your discipline. Join corporate-level projects. Cost reduction teams, digital transformation pilots, even HSSE steering groups — these projects get your name in front of leadership. Be direct in your IDP. “Broaden my technical exposure” won’t move you forward. Say “I want to move into development planning” or “I’m targeting a capital projects leadership role.” If your supervisor isn’t advocating for you — someone else has to. Start making those connections before the next rotation cycle. What’s one move that helped you get unstuck? #oilgas #oilandgas #supermajors #careerstrategy #midcareer #energystrong

If you can't explain a bolted joint, how are you going to build a rocket? Your resume might say "Mechanical Engineer." But if an interviewer asks: - Why do shower curtains get sucked inward when you turn on the hot water? - Why does a full coffee cup slosh more violently than a half-empty one when you walk? - A penny dropped from a skyscraper won’t kill you, but a marble might. Explain. …would you freeze? Engineering interviews aren't about memorizing formulas. They're about judgment. Mechanics. Physics intuition. The engineers who get hired don't just know the theory, they can apply it under pressure. While others cram equations, the best candidates think through problems systematically. They sketch free body diagrams on whiteboards. They estimate orders of magnitude. They explain why things fail. Your technical depth is your competitive advantage. Don't waste it.

"I match all the job description criteria. My ATS score is high. But I'm still not getting interview calls!" I hear this ALL the time from engineers. And every time, I have to break the hard truth: You're optimizing for the wrong game. Most job descriptions? They’re recycled. Hiring managers don’t write them from scratch. They grab a template, tweak a few things, and hit Post. So, when you meticulously tailor your resume to match the JD—you’re just optimizing for a copy-paste job description that barely represents the actual role. And your ATS score? That’s based on a random scanner you found online—not the actual software used by the company. So, what’s happening? → You’re focusing on keywords instead of showcasing value. → You’re relying on algorithms instead of leveraging human networks. → You’re chasing ATS tricks instead of mastering positioning. Think about it: If everyone knows the internal ATS algo, then it stops being a competitive advantage. So, what works? Here is the 5-Step referral strategy that actually gets you noticed. FIRST, stop relying on algorithms. Start talking to humans. [1] The Best Referral Someone You’ve Worked With Before. Did you collaborate successfully with an engineer or manager who now works at your target company? They are your # 1 priority. They’ve seen your work, they trust you, and their referral carries weight. [2] Second Best: Build relationships with employees at your target company. Random LinkedIn messages like "Can you refer me?" won’t work. Instead: - Find one role you want. - Engage with employees there—comment on their posts, share insights. - When you ask, tell them why you’re a strong fit. Make it easy for them to say yes. [3] Third: Directly reach out to recruiters via email. Recruiters don’t have time to read essays. Keep it short: - Mention the exact role (+ job ID). - Explain in 3-5 bullet points why you’re a strong fit. - Attach your optimized resume. [4] Fourth: Apply on the company website (But don't expect much). If you have no referral, go ahead and apply. But understand that in a sea of 200-300 applicants, they’re skimming the first 30-40 resumes. [5] Worst Option: The "Easy Apply" button. It feels productive, but it’s where resumes go to die. NEXT, finding a person who can refer you is second part, first one is to create an optimised resume (even that person should feel comfortable referring you). First, Nail the opening 2-3 line summary. Your resume needs to tell a story in seconds. Summarize your impact clearly and concisely at the top. Second, show, don’t tell. Instead of vague buzzwords like “Expert in system design”, write: “Designed a high-traffic system handling 20M requests/day, reducing latency by 40%.” Final Truth: The job market is tough. Layoffs increase competition. You can’t control the outcome—but you CAN control your strategy. Need help with creating an optimised resume? DM me COACH.

Now’s the time to prioritize recruiters who prioritize YOU. Are you tired of feeling like just another resume? What if there’s a way to find recruiters who see you as a unique individual? In today's competitive job market, aligning with your values and career aspirations is crucial. But how do you spot recruiters who prioritize the human element in their hiring process? Here’s your guide to identifying human-centric recruiters: 1. Personalized Communication -Human-centric recruiters invest time to understand you beyond your resume. -They engage in meaningful conversations about your career goals. 2. Active Listening -They actively listen and ask insightful follow-up questions. -This shows genuine interest in your unique story. 3. Transparency -These recruiters are open about the role, company culture, and hiring process. -They provide clear, honest feedback throughout your journey. 4. Empathy -Look for recruiters who show understanding and support. -Especially if you've faced career gaps or transitions. 5. Balanced Tech Use -While leveraging technology, human-centric recruiters don’t let it overshadow personal interactions. -They use tech to enhance, not replace, human connection. 6. Candidate Experience Focus -They prioritize your experience, ensuring you feel valued at every stage. 7. Diversity and Inclusion Commitment -Human-centric recruiters champion diverse hiring practices. -They create inclusive environments. I think this matters to YOU specifically, because… -88% of HR executives found that over-reliance on automated tools turned away highly qualified candidates (Harvard Business School). -Companies with human-centric recruiting approaches have seen up to 40-day reductions in time-to-fill for executive roles. -43% of HR professionals are integrating AI into hiring. But the human touch remains crucial for assessing cultural fit and long-term potential. The Human-Centric Advantage: 1.Improved Candidate Experience 2.Long-term Success 3.Better Job Fit As you navigate your job search, prioritize connections with recruiters who see the unique individual behind the application. Your career journey (truly) deserves a human-centric approach. Expect it, and if you don’t feel it—demand it. Can you imagine a job search that respects your uniqueness?

Candidates frequently ask what questions my team and I will pose during the interview so they can better prepare. I don't share specific questions then, and I won't do so here (sorry), but I'm happy to share a few tips for success that you can consider when interviewing with us—or anyone else, for that matter.   Our questions follow a structured format, meaning we ask many of the same questions to every candidate for a position. Not every company does this, but we believe it helps us more fairly evaluate candidates. The questions we ask vary depending on what stage of the interview we're in, but they will largely fit into 4 categories. 1. Technical design opportunities These aren't problems, they're opportunities. We'll present a design task that the team has previously faced and ask you to come up with a solution. We don't care if you come up with the same solution we did. Instead, we want to see how you identify requirements, frame the solution space, apply engineering fundamentals, and respond to feedback. 2. Technical fundamentals These questions usually come early in the interview process and are meant to validate that you understand how to apply some of the basic skills that you will be required to use every day on the job. We're not asking for formulas, we're asking how things are related. For example, you don't need to know that the volume of a sphere is 4/3 pi*r^3, but you should understand that increasing the radius of the sphere makes the volume increase much faster than linearly. If you're trying to change disciplines or took extended time off, you may want to brush up on the fundamentals, but no studying should be necessary if you've been working in a similar position. We'll ask very similar questions regardless of your experience level. The main differentiator is in your ability to explain your answers and handle edge cases. 3. Past experiences You're the expert on your experience, and we want to hear about it. We're looking to understand your personal contributions to the project and whether you understand the nuance of why you did what you did. You can expect us to question your project choices and ask related "what if…" type questions. In these scenarios, don't hide behind the constraints that existed at the time. We want to know how you would act if the constraints were different. 4. Hypothetical This is your classic set of behavioral questions looking at how you would respond in a hypothetical solution. Lots of advice already exists about how to answer these questions. I'll boil it down this, "Be concise and explain your reasoning."

#Financing green #hydrogen #projects: Contracting Guidance Green Hydrogen Organisation - GH2 Key considerations • A major consideration for green hydrogen projects will be to structure an acceptable risk profile for financing by allocating risks to those best able to take them, whether this be sponsors, insurers, financiers or governments. • In this early stage in the development of the green hydrogen sector, public sector grants and other forms of concessionary funding will be a critical source of project financing, with blended financing solutions being key to making green hydrogen projects bankable and commercially viable. As direct financial support and investment from developing host nations is expected to be limited due to national budget constraints, development finance institutions are expected to play a key role in derisking financing in emerging economies. • Host governments, project developers and sponsors will need to ascertain which combination of financing sources they wish to consider when determining how to structure a green hydrogen project. Each institution will have their own specific considerations as to required elements of the structure of a project, and will need to conduct in-depth due diligence to ensure that the project complies with their applicable credit and policy requirements. • In developing countries, it will also be important to ensure that there is a robust cost-benefit analysis, socio-economic analysis, consensus building, and balancing of interests to ensure that commitments undertaken by the host state to provide a favourable environment for investment are weighed appropriately with the state’s interests and rights to effect changes in policy. This will be critical to ensure the long-term success of the project and avoid disputes between stakeholders. This brief forms part of a set of guidance from the initiative on Green Hydrogen Contracting – for People and Planet. The project supports governments, communities and companies in developing contracting practices for green hydrogen projects that ensure rapid expansion to everyone's benefit. The guidance has been developed by a working group consisting of governments, law firms, companies and civil society groups to draw lessons learned from emerging practices in the green hydrogen industry.