Engineering is a vast field. Engineers do everything from writing computer programs to designing spaceships. Every engineering field has its industry norms, requirements, and qualifications. But, each type of engineer also has their own personality. For instance, some are more extroverted than others. Some engineers are more focused on their environment than others. And different types of engineers value creativity and imagination differently. This is what your engineering field says about you.
Mechanical Engineers
Mechanical engineers build machines, large and small, that have moving parts. For that reason, they’re ultra-curious people who enjoy spending time thinking alone. Mechanical engineers also tend to be realistic-minded and frequently enjoy working outdoors.
So, they’re more on the extraversion side of the spectrum, relative to engineers, at least. A mechanical engineer is also much likelier to be affected by their external environment. It’s also been found that mechanical engineers have lower agreeableness and generally don’t report feeling higher social responsibility.
On the flip side, mechanical engineers score very high on openness. So, they’re excellent at generating new ideas and being creative and inventive.
If you’re into mechanical engineering, you’re likely a less introverted person who still likes things to people. You’re probably very affected by your environment but in a good way. You wanna learn about it and how to use it.
Electrical Engineers
Electrical engineers design and build electrical equipment and appliances. So, they’re all about efficiency and getting the job done. Like mechanical engineers, electrical engineers are more sociable and extroverted than most other engineers.
Unlike mechanical engineers, electrical ones aren’t as artistic. Their job is all about finding the most efficient solution to a problem. So electrical engineers focus on finding the most logical solution to a problem.
Electrical engineers even consider social responsibility when designing solutions. For them, the most logical solution has the least negative impact.
If you’re interested in electrical engineering, you’re probably a results-driven person. You likely care about achieving the best solution for every problem. And, there’s a good chance you can’t stand unoptimized solutions, either. You only want the best.
Civil Engineers
Civil engineers design structures like buildings and bridges. They tend to be some of society’s most creative and practically-minded people. A civil engineer probably has the most social interaction in all fields.
That’s because their projects have multiple stakeholders, including architects, planners, contractors, and elected officials. Civil engineers have to effectively answer all of them. As a result, these guys tend to be the best-spoken engineers.
Civil engineers also score highly on extraversion, artistic feelings, and critical thinking. They have grand ambitions that can only be satisfied with elegant and efficient solutions.
As a civil engineer, you probably have big dreams about how you’re gonna change the world. You’re also very likely good at convincing people how you’re gonna achieve that. For you, the most important thing is to solve problems with a balance between practicality and art.
Chemical Engineers
Chemical engineers research how different chemicals interact with one another to produce useful products. Naturally curious but shy individuals. They’re the type who likes tinkering in a lab as opposed to interacting with people.
Chemical engineers usually have excellent problem-solving skills because their job is all about finding better ways to make things. Their role also demands a lot of determination and great experimental and analytical skills.
If you’re a chemical engineer, you enjoy working on complex problems. You’re also a whizz with technology who knows to leverage computers to make your life easier. At the same time, you’re also closer to being an introverted person.
Software Engineers
Software Engineers write code. They are pragmatic, organized, and super risk-averse. The average software engineer spends their time figuring out the most pragmatic solutions to software problems. They’ll focus on how to fix things with the fewest problems.
Software engineers are uniquely resilient to high-pressure work environments and too-long working conditions. Their job makes them masters of focus and concentration. That renders them highly introverted, but it’s not without advantages.
Software engineers are almost completely risk averse. They never do anything that could potentially hurt them. They prefer to lead defined and deliberate lives instead of taking risks. Out of all professions, software engineers spend the most time learning new skills. 48% of software engineers learned new skills in comparison with 36% of other professionals in this survey.
As a software engineer, you’re probably an introvert. You’re also a very hard worker who can work for hours on end. You also probably don’t like uncertainty, and you love taking control in life.
Industrial Engineers
Industrial engineers figure out how to make production processes better. These guys have some of the world’s toughest jobs. They have the world’s best analytical and experimental skills because they have to figure out how to make industrial processes more efficient.
Industrial engineers are keen observers who notice everything. Their job involves them creating orderly and efficient systems that keep the factories running. For that reason, they have efficiency-driven minds that see everything in economic terms.
Unlike most other engineers, industrial engineers make great writers. They know how to transmit complex information in a simple report to their employers.
As an industrial engineer, you’re the person who cares about improving everything. You’ll have a progressive mindset that’s all about overcoming identifying and overcoming sources of inefficiencies.
You’re also probably good with words, and you enjoy creatively finding solutions to industrial problems. You probably love the feeling of successfully making a system better.
Overall, most engineers think similarly. They’re creative and focused individuals who prioritize building smart and effective solutions. They also care about the value of their work and the impact it has on the wider society.