A Pocket Guide to Business for Engineers and Surveyors

a pocket guide tobusinessfor engineers and surveyors H. Edmund Bergeron the career–building resource for honing your business skills as an engineer or surveyor, you are an expert at solving complex technical problems; however, you may lack the business training and knowledge that is so essential for advancing your career and enhancing your professionalism. A Pocket Guide to Business for Engineers and Surveyors is a hands–on resource for sharpening your business skills in order to bolster your career, build your own practice, and work effectively with staff and on projects. In this handy reference, H. Edmund Bergeron draws on more than thirty years experience running his own engineering and surveying?services firm to present the skills you need to transform yourself from a competent technician into a knowledgeable professional. This concise, practical, and often amusing guide contains the suggestions and information you must master in order to grow your career and: Expand your basic business knowledge Become a successful entrepreneur Manage staff and projects expertly Market products and services effectively Understand the financial and legal aspects of your work Conduct yourself consistently in a professional manner Communicate with confidence Fulfill the role of a capable leader in the office and within the community With the growing emphasis on developing professionalism and management skills in the surveying and engineering fields, this book is a handy tool for your effective career development.

Preface. Chapter 1: Professionalism & Business. What is a professional surveyor or engineer? The dual career path. Entrepreneur v. climbing the corporate ladder. Types of business organizations & structure within. Chapter 2: Managing Yourself. A Personal Quiz. Paradigms. Principals. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Theory X and Y. Time Management. Interruptions. Procrastination. So what is Personal Productivity Anyway? So what’s the big deal about increasing productivity anyway? Chapter 3: Communications. Different Types of Communications. The Communications Model and Managerial Effectiveness. Listening. Speaking. Written Communication. Roadblocks to Effective Communication. Avoiding Roadblocks to Effective Communications. CHAPTER 4: LEADERS, MANAGERS, & MOTIVATION. Motivation. Leadership. Summary. Chapter 5: Project Management. I – An Introduction to Project Management as a System. II – Pitfalls of No Project Management. III – How did I get to be a PM anyway? IV – Why is PM necessary? V – The project life cycle. VII – Planning, Organizing and Implementing your projects. Chapter 6: Ethics and Professionals. Introduction. An Ethical Dilemma. Examples of unethical behavior. Professional v. nonprofessional ethics. Values & morals. Ethical Obligations to Others. Codes of Ethics. Enforceability of Codes of Ethics. The Role of Mentoring. Chapter 7: Basics of Financial Accounting & Chapter 8 – Financial Analysis for Managers. Introduction. Accounting basics. Income & Income statements. The Balance Sheet – a snapshot in time. Capital sources. Budgets. Chapter 8: Legal Issue. Introduction. Definitions. The Legal System. Basics of tort law . Professional liability. Chapter 9: Marketing Professional Services. Introduction. How do surveyors and engineers get work?. The Selection Process – Different strokes for different Folks. What’s the difference between marketing, advertising and sales?. The market planning process. Prospecting. Maintenance marketing and cross selling. Interviews and presentations. Scope of work. Negotiating the agreement. Chapter 10: Ownership Transition. Introduction. The Leadership Development Plan. Planning for ownership transition – Exploring the options. Index.

H. Edmund Bergeron, PE, LLS, MBA, is the president of HEB, a civil, environmental, structural engineering, and land surveying services firm, and an adjunct faculty member at the University of New Hampshire. In addition, he is a member of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying, former associate editor of the ASCE Journal of Management in Engineering, and a former member of the New Hampshire Joint Board of Licensure and Certification.

"Provides clear tutorials on expanding basic business knowledge, managing employees, marketing products and services, understanding the legal and financial aspects of a company, maintaining a professional image and communicating with confidence." ( Book News , December 2009)