Engineer vs. Manager: Which Hat Do You Really Want to Wear?

Engineer vs. Manager: Which Hat Do You Really Want to Wear?

Here’s one of the biggest decisions in a civil engineer’s career — do you keep the hard hat on and stay technical…or swap it for a suit jacket and go full-on manager? 💼👷‍♂️


In this episode, we’re diving deep into the details of the “Engineer vs. Manager” post we did on LinkedIn that racked up almost half a million views and hundreds of shares. 😲


The main point of the post? Most engineers think they want to be managers...until they become managers and realize they actually didn’t. 😨


So, today, Mark jumps back on the show so we can both share our own journeys going into management. We break down the good, the bad, and the ugly of the manager role so you can figure out whether it truly is for you. 👍


If you’ve been wondering whether to climb the management ladder or double down on your engineering craft, this is the conversation you need before making the leap. 😉


Hit play and get the inside scoop before you make a move you’ll regret. 🎧


🧠 TUNE IN TO LEARN:

  • How Most Engineers End Up in Management (And Why Some Don't)

  • The Type of Engineers Most Suited to Become Managers

  • The First Problem You Face Going into Management

  • The Real Functions (and Challenges) of the Manager in an Organization

  • People Problems Managers Face Daily

  • The Battle the Manager Has to Fight for His Employees

  • Why Most Engineers Feel Pressured to Get into Management

  • What Makes Engineers Switch Back to Technical Roles

  • What You Need to Be Effective as a Manager

  • The Best Way to Prepare Yourself to Take the Manager Role

  • Resources and Trainings You Should Get Before Becoming a Manager

  • The Positive Side of Management (And Who Thrives in It)

  • The ONE Skill You Need No Matter If You're an Engineer or Manager


🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Engineer vs. Manager LinkedIn Post

Atomic Habits, by Jamer Clear

Radical Candor, by Kim Scott

The Manager's Path, by Camille Fournier


🎁 OUR FREEBIES FOR YOU:

The Civil FE Startup Guide

The Civil PE Startup Guide

FREE CFM® Course Module


🖥️ OUR REVIEW COURSES:

Civil FE Review Course

Civil PE Review Courses

CFM® Review Course


📚 OUR PRACTICE EXAMS:

FE Practice Exams

FE CBT Exam Simulator

PE Bonus Theory Questions

PE Practice Exams

PE CBT Exam Simulator

CFM® Practice Exam

FE Environmental Practice Exam

PE Environmental Practice Exam


📱 CONNECT WITH CEA!

Website

Newsletter

Free CEA Community

LinkedIn

YouTube Channel

support@civilengineeringacademy.com

Episoder(328)

CEA 2025 Year in Review!

CEA 2025 Year in Review!

Every year, we like to hit pause, look in the rearview mirror, and reflect on everything that happened in the past year. We just did that with our 2025 Year in Review…and that was a crazy one! 😅In th...

5 Mar 18min

Passing the CFM® Exam After 3 Tries as an Electrical Engineer With Chris Moe

Passing the CFM® Exam After 3 Tries as an Electrical Engineer With Chris Moe

Think Floodplain Management is only for Water Resources Engineers? Those already working in water- and flood-related fields? 🤔 Well, this interview with Chris Moe will make you rethink that. 👇Chris ...

26 Feb 31min

How Civil Firm Owners Can Plan a Smart Exit From Day One With Laurie Barkman

How Civil Firm Owners Can Plan a Smart Exit From Day One With Laurie Barkman

Do you know the biggest mistake AEC firm owners make? 🤔They get lost in the busy work and never plan how they’ll leave the business one day. That’s why this episode with Laurie Barkman is huge!Known ...

19 Feb 30min

A Structural Engineering Niche Most Don't Know About With Dr. Joshua Schultz

A Structural Engineering Niche Most Don't Know About With Dr. Joshua Schultz

When you think of “Structural Engineering,” you likely picture big concrete or steel structures. Right? 🤔 Exactly — and that’s the problem! 👇There’s a whole corner of that industry outside of these ...

12 Feb 42min

A Single Mom's Journey to Pass the PE After 5 Years and 4 Tries With Bianca Wilson

A Single Mom's Journey to Pass the PE After 5 Years and 4 Tries With Bianca Wilson

Passing the PE Exam is difficult enough already. Now imagine doing it as a single mother, with 3 successive failed attempts over 5 years, and having to start from scratch after switching exams? 😮That...

5 Feb 33min

The Future of Civil Engineering School With AI: Raising or Lowering the Bar?

The Future of Civil Engineering School With AI: Raising or Lowering the Bar?

AI is already everywhere. Students are using it. Companies are relying on it. And schools are feeling the pressure to do the same. The question is — is it  raising the bar…or quietly lowering it? 🤔In...

29 Jan 32min

Starting and Running Your Own Structural Engineering Practice With Daniel Bressler

Starting and Running Your Own Structural Engineering Practice With Daniel Bressler

Ever told yourself you’d “start your own firm one day?” 🤔 Most civil engineers have, but they kick it down the road because they don’t know what it takes.If that’s you, this interview with Daniel Bre...

22 Jan 41min

The Geotech Influencer Growing Engineering Firms Worldwide With David Jasinski

The Geotech Influencer Growing Engineering Firms Worldwide With David Jasinski

Long gone were the days when engineering was only about the technical work! Today, you can take your technical skills, flip it, and use it in a way that’s never been possible before — and this episode...

15 Jan 30min

Populært innen Fakta

fastlegen
dine-penger-pengeradet
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
treningspodden
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
rss-sunn-okonomi
jakt-og-fiskepodden
foreldreradet
hverdagspsyken
rss-kunsten-a-leve
merry-quizmas
gravid-uke-for-uke
rss-mann-i-krise-med-sagen
tomprat-med-gunnar-tjomlid
fryktlos
sinnsyn
rss-impressions-2
hagespiren-podcast
rss-kull
dopet