Which Type of Engineer Are You?

Quiz Questions

• 1.
  What best describes your wardrobe?

  • A.
    Company shirts with logos and t-shirts from trade shows
  • B.
    Office wear, ties, khakis and pants.
  • C.
    Multiples of the same outfit; i don't waste time deciding on attire.
  • D.
    Leather jackets, jeans and black t-shirts.
  • E.
    Sports attire and well worn shirts since college
• 2.
  What's on your book shelf?

  • A.
    Surviving Stress at Work.
  • B.
    How to Make Friends and Influence People.
  • C.
    Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
  • D.
    All my well saved copies of design, DIY and engineering magazines.
  • E.
    Bestselling self-improvement books- 7 Habits, Rich Dad Poor Dad etc.
• 3.
  What's on your TED talk playlist?

  • A.
    George Smoot: The design of the universe.
  • B.
    Susan Cain: The power of introverts.
  • C.
    Note-taking, doodles and sketches from TED2014.
  • D.
    Catherine Bracy: Why good hackers make good citizens. 
  • E.
    Aimee Mullins: The opportunity of adversity.
• 4.
  Your favorite productivity device for designing is a:

  • A.
    Trusty scope
  • B.
    Reliable desktop with double monitor
  • C.
    Notebook or napkin, anything available for a quick doodle/scrabble
  • D.
    Smartphone 
  • E.
    Tablet
• 5.
  When you take a week off work, you:

  • A.
    Go camping to enjoy the stars in peace and quiet.
  • B.
    Think that's a great time to clean out the garage.
  • C.
    Say, why would you take a week off of work?
  • D.
    Rock climb, whitewater rafting - anything new or exciting.
  • E.
    Volunteer for engineering/ technology program to help you inspire others.
• 6.
  What keeps you awake at night?

  • A.
    Unstable systems affecting my designs due to poor management decisions.
  • B.
    Marketing department that doesn't understand the product or basic Physics. 
  • C.
    Who sleeps at night? Waste of time. 
  • D.
    All my social media; Gotta keep my "friends" updated
  • E.
    Planning my career path beyond my current position. 
• 7.
  Who's your favorite superhero?

  • A.
    Star Trek captains!
  • B.
    The Hulk, I mean, the human side of the Green Hulk.
  • C.
    Dr. Who because time travel is not impossible!
  • D.
    Billionaire inventor, philanthropist, overall awesome Iron Man!
  • E.
    Captain America, a weak young man turned into a fighter.
• 8.
  What's not on your workbench?

  • A.
    Awards for all my great designs.
  • B.
    Photos of me with a huge gang of friends.
  • C.
    Empty space.
  • D.
    I don't have a workbench. Everywhere is my workbench.
  • E.
    Key-chains, souvenir,stress ball...it's a space for work, not fun.
• 9.
  What do you have on you at all times?

  • A.
    Well, my boss is always on me for faster, smaller, cheaper product.
  • B.
    A smartphone full of useful apps for daily living.
  • C.
    Random parts from something i tore down and improved. 
  • D.
    Duct Tape, Swiss knife or repair kit.
  • E.
    An inspirational quote or symbol tattoo.
• 10.
  If you weren't an engineer, you'd be:

  • A.
    In the military.
  • B.
    An accountant.
  • C.
    Huh? What? I'm born an engineer. 
  • D.
    A mechanic for high-end and hybrid vehicles.
  • E.
    The cool high school science teacher.

Quiz Outcomes

• 1.
  You're a Scotty!

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  Just as Captain Kirk often made unreasonable demands on Mr.Scott in Star Trek, you too, face demands from others who perhaps think engineering is easier than it is. It can make a very stressful work environment when you have to repeatedly explain to your boss that you're "giving her all she's got!" Yet, somehow you always survive and your team is saved, once again. You may not get the credit you deserve, but you know your work and diligence are necessary to go where no man has gone before...In this day, that could mean embedded system and not space travel.
• 2.
  You're a Dilbert!

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  A bit socially awkward and fashion prohibited, you may find yourself feeling out of place in situations where extroverts shine. As someone who leans more toward and introvert, you'd rather be alone with your thoughts at your workbench than in a bar meeting making small talk. You're smarter than your manager and the entire marketing department put together, which can cause some friction for you on the job. Try not to pity these silly people. Instead, celebrate their accomplishments, like finding their way back to the office after lunch or managing to reset their voicemail. And revel in the fact that, yeah, you may not be the life of the party, but what you're doing with your life is more important.
• 3.
  You're a Tesla!

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  Genius comes in all shapes and sizes, like Nicola Tesla, with some quirks as well. You can sometimes be too focused on the details, obsessed with an idea that it's hard to move on when the idea has been proven implausible. But implausible doesn't mean impossible, and your imagination drives you forward. You think patents are a nuisance and could care less about marketing an idea because, if it's great, it will sell itself, right? Be cautious on the Edisons out there ready to manipulate your designs for their own gains and of working your life away.
• 4.
  You're a MacGyver!

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  You are the rare breed of engineer who has their accomplishments and intelligence celebrated by the non-engineers. You're like the superhero they call when their world comes crashing down - i.e., their smartphone won't accept their password, the DVR is too complicated, their car won't start etc. They think you're cool because you make robots out of found parts and you can fix whatever they broke with some duct tape and a few AA batteries. People may mistakenly refer to you as a "hacker" or "science guy" because they don't actually know what an engineer does, but you don't dwell on that. Keep rejoicing in their love and admiration, and remember that not every engineer is so lucky to be appreciated.
• 5.
  You're a Grace Hopper!

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  You're a pioneer and a fighter. When someone tells you that you can't do something for an idiotic reason, you calmly continue to prove them wrong. Like the many Grace Hoppers of history who refused to be held down, you take the negativity of others and use it to make your designs stronger. Your work;s credit is often given to someone else. You don't get angry; you find ways to spread the learning and may contribute back by mentoring others - a wonderful way to pay it forward. Persevere, and always pioneering new avenues, the world and the next generation of engineers need you, not just for your intelligence but your determination not to fail.