The Most Important Skill for Engineers (And How to Master It)

What’s the single most important skill for an engineer? After years in the industry—as a junior engineer, a manager, and now the lead instructor at BETI—I’ve come to a clear conclusion: organization.


Sure, skills like communication, teamwork, and accountability are essential, but without organization, none of those other skills work.


As an MEP engineer, you’re juggling multiple stakeholders, technical systems, and projects. If you miss an email about switching a 2’x4’ LED fixture from 4000K to 3500K—or forget to update the design—it could cost your company tens of thousands of dollars. Staying organized isn’t optional; it’s critical.

The Problem with Organization for New Engineers

Fresh out of college, new engineers are expected to hit the ground running with organizational skills. After all, you managed notes, deadlines, and classes in school, right?


Not quite.


In the workplace, the stakes are much higher—your organization impacts other people's safety, budgets, and trust. Unfortunately, many firms don’t teach you how to stay organized. Here’s what I’ve seen:

  • Email and Calendar: You’re left to figure it out on your own. Everyone’s just supposed to “know” how to manage their inbox.
  • Project File Management: Some firms have solid systems, while others... let’s just say saving everything to your desktop isn’t a system.
  • Notes and To-Dos: “There’s notebook paper in the supply closet” is not a strategy.
  • Design Resource Library: Some firms have great libraries; others leave engineers to fend for themselves.

It’s no wonder mistakes happen. But don’t worry—I’ve learned a lot about organization over the years, and I’m sharing my best tips to help you succeed.

Email and Calendar: Your Daily Lifelines

Here's my system for email and calendars.


Email:

  • Clear Your Inbox Daily: Only keep emails that require action.
  • Prioritize: Review each email, assess its importance, and plan your day accordingly.
  • File Emails: Create folders for each project, and general folders for areas like business development, HR, and more.

You can also create a few special folders:

  • “Waiting Response” Folder: For emails you’ve responded to but need follow-up on.
  • “Review As Time Allows” Folder: For non-urgent emails you want to revisit later.


Calendar:

  • Add project deadlines as all-day events.
  • Send calendar invites for all pre-planned calls.
  • Block off “focus time” to avoid interruptions.
  • Sync personal and work calendars for a full view of your day.

Project File Management

Every week, you’ll receive critical files—where are you saving them?


If your answer is "uh, save them?” it’s time to get organized.


Here’s the folder structure I use for all projects, from EV charging rollouts to high-rises:

  • 00 Project Management: Contracts, budgets, and scopes of work.
  • 01 Incoming: Every document you receive—utility load letters, architect markups, etc.—goes here. Use dated subfolders (e.g., “230928 Utility Load Letter”).
  • 02 Outgoing: Save all documents you send out for easy tracking.
  • 03 Meeting Minutes: Keep dated records of meetings and decisions.
  • 04 Design: Photometric models, cut sheets, calculators—anything design-related.
  • 05 Survey: Field notes and photos from pre-design or design phases.
  • 06 CA (Construction Administration): Submittals, construction surveys, punch lists, and all other correspondence during the construction phase.
  • 07 Specifications: Relevant spec sections for the project.

When you are working on a project that lasts years, having a project folder like this is so helpful for keeping track of the progress. If you need help from a team member, they can jump into the project folder and immediately get up to speed.

Notes and To-Do Lists: Ditch the Paper

Taking notes on paper works—until it doesn’t. Finding the right page of the right notebook, sharing your notes with others, and making sure you carry around all your notebooks around with you is not the move.


Here’s what I recommend instead:

  • Notion: My favorite tool for organizing notes and tasks. It’s flexible, creative, and worth the $10/month.
  • OneNote: A solid, beginner-friendly alternative if you’re already using Microsoft tools.
  • Sticky Notes (Windows App): Great for quick notes during calls, but transfer them to a proper tool later.
  • Meeting Minutes: Use a template to document meetings and share actionable to-dos with your team.

Don't sleep on the importance of meeting minutes. When I was the project manager for a $90M highrise, a meeting minutes document was how I kept track of all open items while communicating with the client every week.

Build Your Design Resource Library

As an MEP engineer, you’ll constantly need to reference codes, calculators, design guides, and other standards. Start building your own “Reference” folder to organize these resources.


At BETI, we help our Bootcamp students kickstart their design libraries with our favorite resources. Having these tools at your fingertips saves time and boosts your confidence on projects.

Conclusion

Organization isn’t just a skill—it’s the foundation of everything you do as an engineer. Whether it’s managing emails, structuring project files, or taking notes, these systems will help you stay on top of your work and avoid costly mistakes.


If you’re ready to take your engineering skills to the next level, check out BETI’s Electrical Engineering Bootcamp. We’ll help you master the tools and techniques you need to succeed in the MEP industry.

Apply Now!

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Each word is crafted with Chat GPT and guided by an experienced, licensed engineer's insights.

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