Welcome to the Impactful Engineering newsletter, where you’ll gain access to actionable tips, strategies, and the mindset for an exceptional career. Every newsletter you will learn a new skill, key mindset, or overall perspective that will empower you to reach your goals and increase your impact.

Managing Perception for Engineers:

Key Strategies To Gain & Maintain Advocates For Your Advancement.

What you will learn!

Why: How others perceive you matters to your career… A lot.

How: Don’t leave the formed perceptions to chance

Recap: Going forward

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There comes a time in every engineer’s career when they feel like they are not being seen for what they’ve accomplished. You keep thinking why haven’t they noticed the great job I am doing and why aren’t others as excited to move me up into a more challenging role with higher responsibility as I am? Don’t they know I care deeply about this company and want to play a part in its success?

Things could be slow moving for a few reasons. One big one is the perception you have allowed to grow without the intended influence for the better.

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Why: How others perceive you matters to your career… A lot.

People hire people. Just like people promote people. People like to hire, work with, and promote other people that they like to work with, can see fitting in the vision of the company, and feel good about placing them in the next role. People also have to know you “got the stuff” (the technical prowess), but in our experience, want to be more sure that you will fit and work well with the people around you (and the Clients).

If your perception is off, unknown to you, then your likelihood of climbing up the positional ladder within the company is being compromised. Even if you think you’ve done everything right, if others don’t see you as being “the person” that can fit into the higher roles, you won’t make the cut. Especially if YOU think you’ve done everything right.

Because what you THINK doesn’t matter. That’s right. What you think about how others perceive you matters nil. Zilch. Zero. The only thing that matters is that they perceive you in the way that will advance you in your career. The only thing that should stop you is if getting them to perceive you in a certain way violates your moral/ethical code and/or core values.

Luckily, there are a few things that you can do to make sure your perception is spot on (or as close as it can be), so that you can take your awesome self straight up the ladder to success.

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How: Don’t leave the formed perceptions to chance

Once again, we call on all Impactful Engineers to take responsibility for their own careers and apply your growth mindset. Let’s see what we can do to keep our perception positive and in our favor!

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Practical Idea: Seek Clarity & Alignment with Organizational Expectations

Example 👇

There is nothing that will gain the approval more from those in positions of power than working directly to achieve organizational expectations.

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How to approach 👇

First is to confirm your leadership’s expectations for a high performer in your role. This should be done when you initially interview, but it’s also important to regularly check-in, as these expectations do change over time! Now, you can proactively focus on the adjustments needed to exceed those expectations, and consistently take action to hold yourself accountable in maintaining them.

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Practical Idea: The Influential Role of Attire & Energy Levels

Example 👇

This is becoming more and more overlooked in the modern career landscape. Gone are the days of white collar staff wearing suits as a norm, but posture, focused behaviors, and kept attire are still critical for projecting professionalism. For example, if you conduct your day slouched in your chair, in a hoodie with the hood over your head, and constantly checking your phone, you will be seen as unfocused and uncommitted to your work, regardless of your actual output.

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How to approach 👇

Luckily, this is an easy one to correct! Always show up in clean and untattered clothing that is 1 step above the average. If your peers wear a t-shirt, show up in a polo shirt. Keep your phone and other distractions put away until break times. This includes personal internet browsing. And lastly, conduct yourself with positive energy. Smile, keep eye contact in conversations, and maintain an upright posture when sitting. Adjusting your monitor position will do wonders for the latter. If possible, an adjustable standing desk is highly recommended!

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Practical Idea: Overcoming Workplace Bias By Letting People Know

Example 👇

You can do everything right. If nobody notices or cares, it won’t matter. Align your outward presentation of yourself with your internal intentions so people see who you are.

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How to approach 👇

Have semi-regular skip level meetings with your manager’s manager to ask what the current perceptions are around your performance and career trajectory. Either confirm what you hear if it mirrors your expectations, or re-align with your leadership that perception by sharing where you want to go and what you believe your high impact contributions have been. It’s critical to listen and not defend any contrary viewpoints you may hear, but to figure out how you can influence the needed perception adjustment to gain the alignment you are seeking.

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Practical Idea: Be Available

Example 👇

Be responsive to questions, emails, inquiries, status updates, etc. Perhaps the most important action and easiest one to take. Just respond in a timely manner. Your perception will be that you are available for important communications, and that you care to keep the team informed.

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How to approach 👇

Purposefully set up channels for communication through teams, slack, etc. and make sure you monitor them. Not obsessively, but just enough throughout the day so people know that when they send a message, it will get a timely response.

Manage this effectively, and there will be a positive correlation between your availability and people getting the information they need to do their jobs.

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Practical Idea: Seeking Candid Feedback

Example 👇

Perhaps the most powerful way to receive the information you need to help you manage your perception is receiving candid feedback from people you trust.

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How to approach 👇

Beyond skip-level meetings and conversations with leadership, asking trusted peers and members of other teams about their perceptions of your ability to meet their expectations can go a long way holistically in the organization. Just ensure this is not overdone, otherwise you’ll project nonconfidence, which can have the opposite effect of improving your perception!
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Recap: Going forward

The engineering workplace is a dynamic environment that requires a discerning approach to managing perceptions, fostering proactive communication, and embracing personal accountability. By implementing these actionable steps and mindset shifts, you can navigate your engineering journey with clarity, purpose, and a commitment to cultivating an impactful and fulfilling career.

The most important thing you can do is to immediately take action. Take one of these practical tips and implement them in your career now. Taking action is the first step to realizing the ultimate version of yourself. Get yourself out there and start playing the game, and start reaping the benefits of others seeing you in a new light.

The Impactful Engineering Project's purpose is to bring awareness, access, success, and mentorship to all new and aspiring engineers. But it doesn't stop there. What we talk about on this podcast applies to seasoned engineers as well.

The community that will be built from this project has the potential to change the lives of everyone who is a part of it. We sincerely hope to reach and help as many people as possible. Your participation will bring the project to life.

Podcast Episode 20: Managing Perceptions