talk me down off the ledge, please

[GLC1968]

Yes, there is some bit of an inside joke to the original statement from smilingcat, so please engineers...don't take it personally.

I am an engineer as well (BSEE & MSEE), but a year and a half ago, I took a role in HR. Now I run our college program, so I am a constant link between academia, engineers and the rest of the world. I can tell you that even though there are a large % of engineers that do have good social skills, there is a very, very distinct difference in the way engineers communicate and the way say marketing or HR people communicate. And this is coming from a high tech engineering based company!

As a recruiter, I will say that universities these days ARE listening to industry and engineers are absolutely getting a more well-rounded educational experience than even a decade ago. Graduates are expected to have good written and verbal communication skills and they are expected to work well in group situations. That said, those groups are with other engineers, so it's not quite the same as asking an engineer to explain a product to some end-users.

While yes, it is a stereotype, there is absolutely some truth to it. If there weren't, Big Bang Theory wouldn't be winning Emmy's!

[azfiddle]

Late to this post but you look great!

I have colored my hair since my mid-30's when the gray got really noticeable. But I am a middle-school teacher in a district that really seems value youth more than maturity at times and also play music with a couple of bands and prefer not to be gray-haired as a performer.

It's a pain to dye my hair and I have to do it every 3-4 weeks. Love the look if my stylist does it, but I can't afford it that often.

[shootingstar]

I can tell you that even though there are a large % of engineers that do have good social skills, there is a very, very distinct difference in the way engineers communicate and the way say marketing or HR people communicate. And this is coming from a high tech engineering based company!

And to make this cycling related... dearie rails against engineers designing cycling infrastructure without much thought to the human experience at all. Instead some stick rigidly to technical guidelines, etc. without wanting to consider that maybe the techical guidelines weren't good enough for cyclists in the first place.

Yes, true about self-expression of many engineers is different from marketing folks. Again, don't ask a group of engineers to promote cycling infrastructure to wannabe cyclists and general masses. (I'm being a bit facetious here..)

[Blueberry]

GLC -

I think you look great! I love the cut - and the color looks great on you!!

Here's a Different Perspective (not great link, but I had heard of the trend and wanted to send it to you). I have a friend locally who is close to your age, and a very steely gray. She looks beautiful! I do think it's 1) where you are (my town is more progressive than most) and 2) some people (regardless of profession) lack social skills

Hang in there!! I'll prolly PM you, as there's a (pie in the sky but might happen) plan to visit Portland and Seattle sometime this spring.

[emily_in_nc]

While yes, it is a stereotype, there is absolutely some truth to it. If there weren't, Big Bang Theory wouldn't be winning Emmy's!

Absolutely. I was a software engineer for the majority of my career (though I don't have an "engineering" degree -- actually a BA in Psychology, a year of clinical psych grad school, and a post-baccalaureate computer programming certificate). I worked with other software engineers, hardware engineers, and mechanical engineers. A few had excellent social skills, but a large number fit the stereotype of nerd, geek, whatever -- very smart but socially awkward. A few were downright strange birds or odd ducks. I took the comment as funny and (mostly) true.

And I heart the Big Bang Theory!