# S5E49 John Rogers & Sean Maciag | A Career Worth Engineering – From Graduation to Professional

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2024-12-06
- Length: 49m
- Episode: 49
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-06-s5e49-john-rogers-sean-maciag-a-career-worth-engineering-from-graduation-to-prof

## Summary

John Rogers and Sean Maciag, authors of 'A Career Worth Engineering,' discuss the transition from student to professional engineer, emphasizing the importance of quantifying resume achievements and understanding business profitability. They address the gap between academic theory and practical manufacturing constraints, advising graduates to gain hands-on experience through student design teams and to manage imposter syndrome by distinguishing between lack of effort and lack of confidence. The guests share strategies for career acceleration, such as becoming a 'low-risk option' for employers through reliability and continuous learning, while navigating career plateaus and potential discipline changes.

## Chapters

- [0:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-06-s5e49-john-rogers-sean-maciag-a-career-worth-engineering-from-graduation-to-prof#t=1) Introduction: John Rogers and Sean Maciag on their book and careers
- [1:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-06-s5e49-john-rogers-sean-maciag-a-career-worth-engineering-from-graduation-to-prof#t=98) Early inspirations: John's aviation interest and Sean's hands-on background
- [4:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-06-s5e49-john-rogers-sean-maciag-a-career-worth-engineering-from-graduation-to-prof#t=261) Writing 'A Career Worth Engineering': Organic collaboration and structure
- [8:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-06-s5e49-john-rogers-sean-maciag-a-career-worth-engineering-from-graduation-to-prof#t=533) Resume advice: Quantifying impact and avoiding bias with multimedia
- [16:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-06-s5e49-john-rogers-sean-maciag-a-career-worth-engineering-from-graduation-to-prof#t=982) Academic gaps: Design for manufacturing and defining parameters
- [19:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-06-s5e49-john-rogers-sean-maciag-a-career-worth-engineering-from-graduation-to-prof#t=1199) Imposter syndrome: Classic vs. Effort imposter and finding your niche
- [26:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-06-s5e49-john-rogers-sean-maciag-a-career-worth-engineering-from-graduation-to-prof#t=1565) Career growth: Becoming a low-risk option and breaking plateaus
- [32:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-06-s5e49-john-rogers-sean-maciag-a-career-worth-engineering-from-graduation-to-prof#t=1935) Student preparation: Design teams, networking, and timing in education
- [41:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-06-s5e49-john-rogers-sean-maciag-a-career-worth-engineering-from-graduation-to-prof#t=2488) Early career lessons: Trusting judgment, failing fast, and concurrent engineering

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- A Career Worth Engineering: Don’t Just Graduate—Navigate the Transition from Student to Professional (product)
- Pipeline Design & Engineering (company)
- Formula SAE (other)
- LinkedIn (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [001 - “Learning Never Exhausts the Mind” with Rick Doe](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lets-combinate/2021-10-06-001-learning-never-exhausts-the-mind-with-rick-doe) (Let's Combinate)
- [21: The Tent Is Flat and Everyone Is Wet](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-10-02-21-the-tent-is-flat-and-everyone-is-wet) (Embedded.fm)
- [How Being Strategic During A Career Transition Can Yield The Best Opportunities](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2020-06-11-how-being-strategic-during-a-career-transition-can-yield-the-best-opportunities) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [Educating the Engineer of the Future with Dr. Kris Ropella](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-11-educating-the-engineer-of-the-future-with-dr-kris-ropella) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Em Moshouris (Founder, WORC)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-02-11-em-moshouris-founder-worc) (Just Gonna Send It)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2024-12-06-s5e49-john-rogers-sean-maciag-a-career-worth-engineering-from-graduation-to-prof. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Being an Engineer.