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🚉 The high cost of high speed, the Ben Franklin effect, and becoming an Intentional Engineer

🚉 The high cost of high speed, the Ben Franklin effect, and becoming an Intentional Engineer

November 07, 2023

🎍 Wow, only 2 more months left in 2023! With Halloween in the rearview mirror, we’re speeding towards Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, and other winter holidays.

Sometimes people start to check out at work and in their career development this time of year. Don’t let that be you!

Certainly make time to celebrate and spend time with family and friends, but keep learning, progressing, and finding ways to grow.

As you do, you’ll be well ahead of others!

👀 In today’s newsletter:

  • High-Speed Railroad in California

  • Networking trick from Ben Franklin

  • The power of intentionality in your career

  • 🔥💵Hot Job – Senior Embedded Software Engineer

MUST READ

🪙 A lot, as a matter of fact. Somewhere around $100 billion 

I mean, nothing is inexpensive in California. Housing, food, gas, etc. Everything seems to cost more there.

But if you’ve ever traveled to or through California, you also know that it can be quite a headache. The traffic is stifling, the pollution can get bad, and airports are crowded.

In my personal experience, I’ve been in traffic that took me over an hour to go five miles, and I’ve also experienced it taking over two hours to go from my airplane to my rental car at LAX. 

🛣️ So, the state has been working for years for better transportation solutions, especially for its large hub cities.

Enter… the high-speed rail.

However, the project has had a few challenges along the way. 

Funding, for one thing. About $9 Billion was voted on and approved in 2008 (barely), but that’s a far cry from what is needed. At this point, it’s unclear where the funding will come from. They’ll need support from the federal government, but that isn’t secured. 

🚉 There is a lot to a project like this:

  • Design

  • Environmental approval and clearing

  • Foundation work

  • Tunneling

  • Bridges

  • Installing rail

  • Setting up operations

  • And more

It’s being built in chunks, and they think that the first section of the track will be operational in 7-10 years.

I guess time will tell!

Career tips

👥 What Ben Franklin Can Teach Us About Networking

"He that has once done you a kindness will be more ready to do you another, than he whom you yourself have obliged." —Ben Franklin

Read that quote again and make sure you truly understand what it is saying…

This is an odd phenomenon - when someone does you a favor, they are more likely to help you again! Wow, this is amazing.

But is it true? It certainly is in my experience, and likely is in yours.

Think of times when someone has asked YOU for help, and you were able to assist them in something.

As I reflect on this, in almost every instance I’ve been able to help someone, I have felt a deeper connection and relationship with that person by helping them. I often find myself saying, "Let me know if I can do anything else to help!" And sometimes, I get that opportunity.

Helping and serving others makes us feel good, and we want more of that!

So… what does this have to do with networking? A lot, actually.

🗣️ When trying to network and connect with someone, often one of the first requests you might make is simply asking for a conversation. Asking for their time to get to know them and gain some insight from their experience and perspective.

We typically call this an informational interview.

In giving you this time, they are doing you a favor. They are donating their time to you, someone often previously unknown, simply out of a desire to help.

Put into the context of the Ben Franklin quote from earlier, they have done you a kindness. And now, they are more likely to do another one!

If you ask, they would likely be more willing to introduce you to someone they know, refer you to a job opportunity, or consider a deeper mentoring relationship.

It's just a fact of life, even in early stages of relationships, that the deeper our relationships get and the more connected we feel, the more likely we are to desire to help others.

🍁 So harness the power of the Ben Franklin Effect. Build deeper relationships with others by asking for small favors.

Of course, don't neglect to pay it forward and help others yourself!

    This week’s hottest jobs

    In this section you’ll find the latest jobs as featured on: jobs.interestingengineering.com 

      at  Carl Zeiss Meditec Cataract Technology Inc.

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    Schaumburg (US) - $116,000 a year 

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    Calgary (CA)

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    trending articles

    “Intentional living is the art of making our own choices before others’ choices make us.”

    Richie Norton 

    book recommendation

    A Guide to a Purpose-Driven Life and Career For Engineers and Technical Professionals

    🔵 Yes, this book was written by me! Sorry for the self promotion, but I figured it’s okay because Hüseyin Kilic, Founder & CEO of Interesting Engineering said this about the book:

    “In The Intentional Engineer, Jeff Perry masterfully guides engineers and technical professionals through a transformative journey towards a purpose-driven career. Perry's insights challenge the conventional norms and urge readers to design their lives with intention, aligning their unique genius with their career aspirations. This book is not just a manual; it's a call to action for every engineer to rise, introspect, and pave a path filled with intention and clarity.”

    So I’ve got a few questions for you…

    Do you want to create more meaning, growth, impact, and joy in your engineering or technical career? Want to get clarity on the next steps in your career path? Wish you could better align your career and life…while getting paid more and utilizing your greatest strengths?

    If so, this book is for you!

    🌺 Use it to live your life with intention, starting today! It will help you become who you want to become, and unleash your potential!

    Need help with advertising? Reach 150,000 engineering and tech professionals. Contact us 

    Written by 

    Jeff Perry

    Engineering Career Coach

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