Irwin Weitman received his BSEE from Columbia University and his MSEE from Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of New York since 1970. Irwin is a Senior Life Member of IEEE and a member of IEEE since 1956. Irwin has been a self-employed independent consultant since 1985. Prior to 1985 he worked for many companies, including Ademco, General Microwave, Brookhaven National Laboratories and PRD. His primary technical expertise is in analog circuit design, instrumentation systems and control systems.

IEEE ACTIVITIES

Irwin is one of the founding members of the IEEE Consultants Network of Long Island (1984). He was First Vice Chairman in 1986 and 1987 and was Chairman of the Consultants Network for two terms, 1988 and 1989. Irwin authors a Professional Activities column in the PULSE of Long Island (IEEE section newsletter).

In 1989 Irwin recognized the need for a National Consultants Network within IEEE and after more than a year of encouraging USAB, he, along with several other dedicated members of the Long Island group convinced USAB to form the Private Practitioner Task Force. In January of 1993, the USAB chartered the group under the name of Alliance of IEEE Consultants Networks (AICN). This group has grown to more than 25 networks throughout the USA and claims more than 1500 individual members.

On January 1, 1991, Irwin became the Professional Activities Committee for Engineers (PACE) Chairman of the Long Island Section, a position that he still holds.

In 1998 Irwin and a committee of members of the IEEE Consultants Network of L.I. organized a National Conference of the AICN at the Windward in Islandia.

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IS CONSULTING FOR ME?

An independent Consulting Engineer is a businessperson who provides technical services and advice to his client. The marketing effort on the part of these consultants is to inform potential clients of their availability. To obtain new clients, the consultant must consider the needs of the potential client and "create" the opportunity for his or her skills to be applied. The consultant must have a personality that can cope with working with many companies at the same time and not be easily "stressed out" by the demands of many.

The consultant must often envision the application of his skill in an area where that skill hasn't been applied before. Age and experience, with a dose of maturity, are fundamental requirements for building a consulting practice.

The rewards of consulting are many. There are many factors that need to be considered before choosing consulting as a career, and I will try to share the "pros" and the "cons" with you.

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CAREER CROSSROADS

From the moment you graduate from the school that has prepared you for engaging in your chosen career you are facing a crossroad.

Example 1: You have two offers of a job. They both look equally good but YOU have to choose now. Each one has attributes that you like, but they are not the same ones. CHOOSE NOW!

Example 2: You are offered a promotion that pays more than your present job and has more responsibility. There are some Pros and Cons, what should you do?

The fact is that in this world everything is always changing. Don't let the changes surprise you. Learn to expect them and how to take the best path for yourself. Don't let circumstances determine the path for you. Take control for your own benefit. This presentation will show you how to recognize that you are faced with a "Crossroad" type of situation and offer you ideas about how to deal with it and perhaps help you decide what to do.

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