Technical Career Survival Handbook

Part I. Preparing for the Work Force1. Technical Careers2. The Big Four Engineering Degrees3. Other Engineering Degrees4. Technology Degrees5. Career Choice6. College Selection7. Engineering Technology8. Graduate School9. Day Versus Night School10. Co-Op Programs11. Internships12. Alternative College Funding13. Finding That First Job14. Geographic Factors15. Interviews16. Opportunities for Women

Part II. Employment Challenges17. Experience18. Work Direction19. Manager20. Management Styles21. Positions-Open Versus Created22. Specialties23. Contractor24. Consultant/Self-employed25. Part Time26. Temporary27. Technical Spectrum28. Job Titles29. Job Descriptions30. Salary Structure31. Key Employe32. Nondisclosure Agreement33. Company Size34. Company Organization35. Pensions36. Training37. Benefits38. Public Versus Private Technology Companies39. Industries40. Industry Trends41. Green Jobs42. Regional Manufacturing Centers43. Foreign-Owned Companies44. Manufacturing45. Engineering Department46. Plant Engineering47. Service Companies and Consulting Engineers48. Government49. Union Versus Nonunion50. Utilities51. Spinoffs, Acquisitions, and Mergers52. Startups53. Alliances54. Joint Venture55. Job Site Work56. Commuting/Telecommuting57. Reorganizations

Part III. The Job Search58. Resumes59. Headhunters60. Staffing Firm61. Networking/Newspaper/Internet62. Offers/Counteroffers

Part IV. On the Job63. The Midcareer Years64. Technical Library65. Associations/Societies66. Seminars/Webinars67. Publishing68. Industry Standards69. Employment File70. Patents71. Trade Secrets72. Professional Engineer73. Safety74. Business Plan75. Schedules76. Budgets77. Time Management78. Specifications79. Documents80. Performance Appraisals81. Decision-Making82. Project Team83. Scope of Work84. Procurement85. Trade Shows86. Vendors87. Meetings88. Transfers89. Feasibility Studies90. Projects91. Promotions92. Demotions93. Layoffs94. Resigning95.

His background includes many years in engineering design, development and management for major manufacturers of rotating equipment: Hamilton Sundstrand, Div. United Technology Corp., General Electric Gas Turbine, Sundstrand Corporation, KAESER Compressors and Worthington (Ingersoll Dresser) Pumps. During the last 25 years, Mr. Burke focused on consulting engineering and contributed to successful installations of dust collection systems, pumps and compressors, turbines, separators, scrubbers, field fabricated tanks, filtration systems and more. Projects ranged from minor retrofits to $60 million dollar "Greenfield” facilities and to $800 million dollar gas turbine power plant installations. Authored a number of technical articles. A partial list includes: "Intercoolers/Aftercoolers”, Chemical Engineering Magazine, "Ten Steps to Cost Savings” Plant Services Magazine, "Haz/Rad Wastewater pumping Solutions”, Pumps and Systems Magazine, "Piping Tie-in, the Basics”, Plant Services Magazine, "Avoiding Mistakes in Compressor Selection”, The 1990 Plant Engineering Yearbook.