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– especially if the news is bad. As the saying goes, “Bad news early is better than bad news late.” 4. Keep great records. Good documentation isn’t optional – it’s essential. Create agendas for meetings. Follow up with clear minutes. Document major design decisions and share them with your team. Track how you address quality control comments and confirm changes with reviewers. Strong organization protects your work and demonstrates professionalism. FINAL THOUGHTS. If you’re just starting out – or even if you’re years in – remember these four principles: 1. Ask questions. No one expects you to know everything. 2. Ignore imposter syndrome. You can figure it out with help from your colleagues! 3. Overcommunicate. Send updates. Flag problems early. Overcommunicate until it becomes second nature. 4. Keep great records. Solid documentation supports good engineering. And most importantly, enjoy the ride. Engineering is challenging, but it’s also incredibly rewarding – especially when you embrace mistakes as stepping stones, not setbacks. Jon Hanlon, PE, AMPP is a principal engineer at MKN. Connect with him on LinkedIn .
JON HANLON, from page 7
Instead of hiding my gaps, I asked questions. Lots of them. That humility and openness became a foundation – not only for my own development, but for fostering a collaborative culture at MKN. Consulting isn’t a solo sport. It demands on-the-job learning from other professionals. Be curious. Be open. Ask questions – even the ones you think are “dumb.” 2. Ignore imposter syndrome. Even seasoned professionals feel like they don’t belong sometimes. It’s common to earn your license and still think, “I’m not an expert.” Not only can imposter syndrome affect your internal feelings about your work or self-worth, but it can also actually affect the way you approach projects, relationships, or any other areas in which you are feeling insecure. But here’s the truth: clients hire us to solve problems. They don’t expect us to know everything. They expect us to figure it out – and that’s what we do best. Adopting the mindset “I don’t know how to do that, but I can figure it out” has the power to change everything! 3. Overcommunicate. Silence is risky. One of the most damaging habits a young engineer can develop is lack of communication, or delayed communication. Whether it’s with your supervisor, your client, or your drafting team – keep people in the loop. It is generally better to overcommunicate. Delaying a reply because you do not have an answer yet often causes the other party to make assumptions about why you are not responding. It is better to communicate often and early
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THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 20, 2025, ISSUE 1606
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