<p>As an engineering major or even in engineering jobs, do you have to give a lot of presentations/speeches? I am an international student joining a US university, and I am not very comfortable giving speeches, not because I have any problems with the English language but because I am not used to giving speeches/presentations ( barely had experience regarding this in high school) & and I have stage fright. So, do you have to give a lot of speeches at college/uni/job for an engineering major?</p>
<p>As a student, I made few presentations and they were to very small groups. Still a frightening experience. As a working engineer, the higher in the ranks I went the more I was expected to make presentations. The biggest one was to about 300 people. The company, at one point, had me attend a week long class on making presentations (including video taping one so I could see how I looked). I was always shy in high school, now I am very comfortable making any kind of presentation. I still get nervous, but way less than I used to. </p>
<p>The best advice is to be prepared and know your material. Read thru your presentation and realize what questions may arrise. Either modify your presentation to address them or have an prepared answer. Also, never fake an answer. You’ll typically sound fake and loose all credability (especially when the correct answer comes about). Just say you don’t know and will get back to them on that. Of course, if you were supposed to know the answer, then go back to step 1 and get prepared. If you need others to support you, have them in the room or better still, have them present that portion of the material. Follow this advice and you’ll have no reason to be nervous, but you (and most everyone else who has to present including me) will still be somewhat nervous.</p>
<p>Yes, a career as an engineer will require you to make presentations. This is one aspect of engineering I sort of blew off when I was in school… There, you have a tendancy to think that engineering is all about sitting in your office number crunching, solving problems, building rocket engines from the ground up all day, etc. </p>
<p>The reality is, there’s a fair amount of time spent attending/holding meetings, being away on travel, and possibly presenting information at large meetings/seminars. The “managerial” aspects of engineering get more pronounce as you progress up the ladder. SME’s (subject matter experts) generally have the cool job of leading a project and acting as the chief engineer, however, with that responsibility comes more presenting, travel, and meeting attendance.</p>
<p>Really though, making presentations is not that big of a big deal. I was VERY nervous the first few times I had to make them to a group of senior engineers, 15-40 years older than myself, but after a while, it just doesn’t matter. You desensitize yourself from it, and quickly realize that old people aren’t as intimidating as you once thought. Furthermore, you’re the one who designed what you are presenting in the first place, therefore, you know the in’s and out’s of it.</p>
<p>That all being said, nobody likes making public speaking, but it’s something you just can’t avoid in life. It doesn’t matter what career you go into, you will have to present to people at some point in time.</p>
<p>Definitely have to make a few (ex: defending thesis), but as others have said, it’s not as bad as it seems and you can move into a direction that requires less of it.
It starts to be less frightening when you realize that people aren’t nearly as judgmental as you think (except in politics). Watch some speeches/presentations yourself and you’ll quickly realize this.</p>
<p>It’s easiest when you are speaking on something that you know very well.</p>
<p>In school you are being asked to give a convincing discussion on a topic your teacher has X years of study and on and that your peers might know more about than you. It’s easy to get nervous and feel judged.</p>
<p>However, in your career you will probably quickly become the expert on your topic or subject matter. When you like what you are doing this happens. Then, you want to talk about… and others might actually want to listen. Bottom line, though, is that you aren’t being judged as strictly.</p>
<p>Don’t be afraid to open your mouth. Just be humble enough to know when to keep it shut.</p>