<p>what if you're an engineering student about to graduate but you still lack social skills? if you have a near 4.0gpa, will that save you or will you still need people skills? if so, whats the best way to acquire them?</p>
<p>Engineers work in groups. Everything is a group project and the project results are dependant on your fellow workers.</p>
<p>So join a group where you have to work together to make something happen. Habitat for Humanity is a thought. Musicians also have to work together. </p>
<p>Did you have any internships? Have you group experience that you are not counting? Think about it. Ever been part of any kind of team? Academic team?</p>
<p>Are you asking hypothetically or are you about to graduate?</p>
<p>I'm not sure if this is the case across all majors at all schools, but pretty much all of my engineering projects and labs were done in groups. The first time that this isn't the case is my 2nd semester of grad school, and the only reason for that is we had quite a few working professionals as part-time students, so coordinating work in groups is a real pain here. If your school doesn't encourage groupwork, then as sax mentioned, there are plenty of other opportunities to develop "people skills."</p>
<p>If you're worried about speaking and presentation skills, I hear Toastmasters is a good non-profit program you might want to look into.</p>
<p>You NEED speaking and people skills. You absolutely need them. No matter how good your resume is you still have to interview for the job, and once you get to the interview phase they aren't going to care so much about your GPA anymore.</p>
<p>I've heard good things about toastmasters. Just basically get involved around campus with some sort of group that interests you (preferably an engineering group) and volunteer to help with stuff.</p>
<p>i'm asking hypothetically because i may try to find an engineering job after i graduate with my physics or applied math B.S. so since i'm not an engineering major, i cant join the engineering clubs</p>
<p>Well, then join the clubs in whatever you field was. I was just trying to say joining a professional club is going to be better than, say, an ultimate frisbee club (although both have their merits. :) )</p>
<p>Go. To. Parties.</p>
<p>Take a real acting course, and don't blow it off.</p>
<p>No, quit laughing, I'm being serious.</p>
<p>The serious study of acting involves recognizing what facial expressions and emotions people are giving to you and being cognizant of your own reactions to their emotions. This awareness of human interaction is basically what's needed when you're talking about people skills, and a serious study of these interactions could be really beneficial.</p>
<p>Other than that, the recommendations to just be around people more often (I'm partial to music groups, because it involves musical entrainment, or being in synch with other people within a musical setting, which I think is one of the most beneficial human interactions that a person can have) and to practice public speaking skills through either something like Toastmasters (excellent program) or even something like tutoring or being a teaching assistant, would probably be helpful to you.</p>
<p>Just pay attention to what people are giving you. Start paying attention to how people react, to what their faces and body language are telling you when you talk to them and give them information. Try identifying what they're thinking about, how they're reacting to what you're saying, and try to identify with that a little bit more. Watch how a "people person" interacts with other people, and try to see what they do that makes them a "people person".</p>
<p>Good luck... There's no magic fix. It's just a matter of getting more exposure to working with people and paying attention to what's going on when you interact with other people, then honing your methods of information delivery so that other people can receive it with the most ease.</p>
<p>Agreed. Just being around people more, such as going to more parties as Luminaire suggested, or any other social settings such as music groups (as aibarr suggested) will help you out more and it'll probably be more natural. It won't feel as forced as if you went to toastmasters. That'll help with the social skills, but for "working with others" skills (which isn't always the same as social skills), any organization/club that requires teamwork is a good start.</p>
<p>Course: Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People. This will be the hardest course that you will ever have taken and its not required.</p>
<p>Toastmasters is good, and minor in cost. You probably catch at least 2 sessions a week, anywhere in the world. Not as effective as Dale Carnegie.</p>
<p>I say do the things you like to do, but maybe that's selfish. If you don't want to make a lot of friends and want to stick with your old friends like me I would just pick a major that interests you the most, even if it's engineering and get the hell out and live close to your buddies and then work from there in building more relationships, I don't know, that's my plan. I'm not really a school person sorry, haha.</p>
<p>don't know about you but most of the lab assignements (building circuits, doing computer work, etc.) in my university were group work oriented.</p>
<p>thisoldman, is there actually a course? I thought it was only a book...</p>
<p>well i would go to parties but no one has invited me so far</p>
<p>gate... crash...</p>
<p>I agree with thisoldman.</p>
<p>I took the Dale Carnegie course and it helped me successfully deal with the most difficult managers and coworkers. I had to work with some tough guys that most people were afraid to talk to. After taking the class, I was able to make the tough guys become more human and more friendly to me.</p>
<p>Take the class. You can make people cry in a two minute speech!</p>
<p>ken285 - It's a class that teaches you to apply Dale Carnegie's principles. It's a little bit expensive but it's worth. It really helps you to communicate with people.</p>