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Showing posts with label Jobs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jobs. Show all posts

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Tips on Interviewing

Tips on Interviewing

Whether you are interviewing for a full time job or an internship the basics are the same.  Here’s a few notes, tips and things to keep in mind for interviews.
BEFORE THE INTERVIEW
Everybody Has The Internet
Clear off anything that you posted on the internet that you wouldn’t want the interviewer to see.  Many companies regularly do a Google search before an interview.
Dress The Way The Boss Would
Guys, you should wear a suit and tie.  If it’s a hot environment or in the summer you can probably get away without a coat, but wear the tie.  Ladies, dress equivalently.  The civil engineering world is fairly conservative.  Dress professionally and at least one level higher than you think the job would generally require.
Prepare Answers for Questions
I’m planning an entire post on interview questions.  But have answers to typical questions ready.  Know a few strengths, at least one weakness, some goals, how you’ve handled difficult work situations in the past, etc.
DURING THE INTERVIEW
Qualifications
The interviewer knows that you are probably qualified or they wouldn’t take the time to interview you.  So during the interview, when they ask you about your qualifications, give them examples of specific things you have done in the past.
The Interview is Not About You.  It’s About How You Can Help the Company.
The interviewer wants to find out how you can help them.  The questions they ask will be geared toward this.  Tell them about your accomplishments and how you can use your accomplishments and skills to help them.
Part Of It Is A Personality Test
Whether or not they give you a written test interviewers will try to find out if you will fit in with the team.  The civil engineering field is very team oriented.  Engineers aren’t stereotypically know for there interpersonal skills.  Being able to work well with people is very important.  That is true for your coworkers as well as internal and external clients.
Ask When You’ll Here From Them
When the interview is winding down ask when you can expect to hear from them or when you should call them.  This will set your expectation.  Some places will take months to get back to you.  Some, just a few days.
Don’t Lie
Just like on your resume, don’t lie.  Tell the truth.  If you don’t know the answer then say so.  If the answers looks negative on you, then say what you’ve learned from the experience.
AFTER THE INTERVIEW
Say Thank You
Send a thank you note, or call the interviewer and thank them.   Not a text message or email.  Write the note by hand, or call them.  As old as this advice is it is amazing how few people do this and how effective it is.
Follow Up
If you say you’ll follow up with them at a certain time, then do it.
That’s a few key points.  What are some that you’ve run into that others should know?

When to start PE exam?: Civil Engineering

When? the answer is to Start Getting Ready For Your PE "As Soon As You Start Work"

Since I started my first internship I’ve gotten a lot of advice on how to get ready to apply for my Professional Engineer (PE) License. I’ve listed below a lot of the advice that I’ve gotten. It’s all from Engineers that are licensed in Texas, but will probably apply to most states.

Check Your State’s Professional Engineer Licensure Requirements
Find out the specific list of what is required. That way you know ahead of time what’s expected and you aren’t scrambling at the last minute. Your states board of professional engineers or other PE governing organization will have the list.

Create a Log
Log what you do each day or at least each week. Keep track of the projects that you worked on and what you were responsible for on that project. Most states will have you document the engineering work you’ve done since you graduated. That’s a lot easier to do if you have a log of all of your work.

Keep a Copy of Your Projects
You don’t have to keep every sheet. I was told to keep the following sheets from a plan set: project title sheet, quantity sheet, cost estimate.

In addition to those sheets, also keep a list of specific things you were responsible for on the project, the client name and contact info, design fee, dates you worked on the project and anything else that you think is important.

Go After Challenging Work
You generally will need to show an increase in responsibility and quality of your work between the time that you graduate and the time that you apply for your PE license. A great way to do that is to go after work that is increasingly more difficult. Don’t over extend yourself, but look for opportunities to learn more and take on more responsibility when you’re ready.

Try Out Several Fields Then Pick One
This is one I also hear contradicted sometimes. The afternoon PE exam is specific to one area of civil engineering. When you get your PE License you are probably working your way to becoming an expert in one of those fields. It’s good to specialize. The civil engineering industry is way too broad to become an expert in everything. However, when you become a project manager you will need to have at least a basic understanding of how the other fields of civil engineering work and interact.

This is some of the advice I’ve heard most often. Since I don’t have my PE yet I can’t add much of my own to the list. What sort of advice have you been given or what sort of advice to you have to offer?

How to register FE and PE exam?

FE Registration

If you’re planning to take the Fundamentals of Engineering exam in October the registration deadline is coming up. Check out www.ncees.org for information on registering.

Tips for PE preparation: Civil Enginering

Tips for PE exam preparation: Civil Engineering


The FE Exam is three months away. If you are taking the FE in October now is the best time to start getting ready. Start with practice problems. There is nothing better for preparing for the test than to work problems similar to what you will find on the exam.

There are a lot of sources for practice problems. Search any book store for sample exams. You can also find several website with practice tests and sample problems. My favorite is eitexam.com. I especially like their 10 minute quizzes. It’s easy to find time to do a quick 10 minute quiz. It’s not so easy to find the time to do a four hour practice exam. They also have full instructions on how to work the problems and explanations why the answers are right or wrong. And finally they have both general exam and civil specific questions. All for only 15 bucks for three months.

That’s enough free advertising for now. Whatever method you choose, find one that works for you. Also find regular time to practice and study. Remember to get a copy of the Supplied-Reference Handbook from the NCEES website. The pdf version is free. Or you can have a paper copy mailed to you. You can check out the study material that NCEES sells as well. It’s not cheap, but hey, they wrote the test, so they know what’s on it.

Registration deadline is September 4th. Don’t wait until the last minute. The date may be different in your area. I’ve known people that had to wait until the next exam because they waited until the last minute to register and ended up being late.

Any other tips or strategies that you can think of? How about things that have worked for you, or things that didn’t?

How to prepare yourself for incoming PE exam?

How to prepare yourself for incoming PE exam?

What you will need

Calculator – Make sure you have an approved calculator. NCEES has a very specific list of calculators that you can use. From their website:

Casio: All fx-115 models. Any Casio calculator must contain fx-115 in its model name.

Hewlett Packard: The HP 33s and HP 35s models, but no others.

Texas Instruments: All TI-30X and TI-36X models. Any Texas Instruments calculator must contain either TI-30X or TI-36X in its model name.

Get one early and use it for your homework. That way you will be familiar with it come test time.

Spare calculator or set of batteries – Just in case

Some snacks – Make sure they don’t make any noise. The proctors will ask you to pre open any snacks in plastic wrappers that may make noise.

Drinks

Ear plugs

Packed lunch – We only had about 45 minutes for lunch, and there weren’t very many places nearby to eat. Packing your lunch can ease the stress a little and also give you more time to review for the next part of the test.

The test itself

The test is not easy. You can pass it, though.

The test is in two parts. The morning session has 120 questions and you have 4 hours to complete it. That gives you about 2 minutes per question. It covers general engineering knowledge. Here’s a list from the NCEES Supplied-Reference Handbook of the areas covered on the morning session and the approximate percentage of questions on that subject:

Mathematics – 15%
Engineering Probability and Statistics – 7%
Chemistry – 9%
Computers – 7%
Ethics and Business Practices – 7%
Engineering Economics – 8%
Engineering Mechanics (Statics and Dynamics) – 10%
Strength of Materials – 7%
Material Properties – 7%
Fluid Mechanics – 7%
Electricity and Magnetism – 9%
Thermodynamics – 7%

The questions are short and for the most part just cover the basics of the subject. The Supplied-Reference Handbook includes a breakdown of specific things in each section that you should be prepared for.

The afternoon session has 60 questions and is 4 hours long. Four minutes per question. You get to pick the afternoon test. I highly recommend that if you are a civil engineering major that you take the civil engineering exam in the afternoon. I found the questions very similar to what I saw in class. However the choice is up to you. If you don’t want to take the civil engineering exam then I would recommend the general engineering exam in the afternoon. You are given a thick book with all of the different tests in it. If you still haven’t decided by the time you get to the exam then quickly skim through the civil and general exams and see which one will be easier for you. Remember you can only pick one and you have to do all of the questions in the one you pick. No mixing and matching.

Below is a list of what is in the CE exam and the approximate percentages:

Surveying – 11%
Hydraulics and Hydrologic Systems – 12%
Soil Mechanics and Foundations – 15%
Environmental Engineering – 12%
Transportation – 12%
Structural Analysis – 10%
Structural Design – 10%
Construction Management – 10%
Materials – 8%

If you choose the general exam in the afternoon it will contain the same basic subjects as the morning exam just in much more detail.

Test Day

Get there early. You will not be allowed in if you are late. Follow all of the rules. Even the ones that you wouldn’t normally have to follow for a final exam in a class. The proctors take the exam very seriously and so should you. Several people get kicked out every time for breaking the rules.

Have your ID and your paperwork ready

If you think you might get cold then bring a jacket

Listen to what the proctors say

Work quickly

But use all of the available time

When you have about 5 minutes left guess on all of the rest – pick a letter and stick with it.

Read the questions and answers carefully – you thing that you will see a lot is “pick the one that most nearly matches” your answer. Sometimes that may mean that none of them are close but one of them is closer than the other. For example, say you do the calculation and the answer is 53. The answers to choose from are 0, 100, 200, and 300. None of them really seem to fit, but 100 is “most nearly” the same because it’s the closest to 53.

Make sure you do it their way – They may tell you to use a certain method. Then in the answers they will have the correct answer as well as the answers that you would get using other methods. So if you use the wrong method you will still find the answer on the list but will get the question wrong because you didn’t use their method.

Registration for the October exam is open already in some states and will be opening soon in others. The last day for registration is September 4th. Though, that may vary by state. Don’t wait until the last minute. Good luck for those getting ready to take it.

Internships to value yourself

Internships to value yourself

With the new semester starting up soon it’s time to get into learning mode.  Most people remember to sign up for the right classes to get there degree, but a lot of people don’t know about, or don’t go after one of the most important learning tools you can get as a student; an internship.  Over the coming days I’m going to post some articles on how to find internships, how to prepare your resume, what to expect at an interview, first day on the job, and other things along those lines.  But today I’m going to talk about why an internship is important.  Here’s a list of why every civil engineering student should get an internship.  In no particular order.
You get paid
Most internships pay.  Civil engineering interns get paid pretty well compared to most jobs you can get while in college.
Learn how it works in the real world
You learn a lot of great theory and background in school.  But frequently you never really see how that works out in the real world.  In an internship you get to see first hand how the process works in your field.
You get to work on real projects
This is perhaps the best part.  You get to actually use what you’ve been learning and learn new stuff that can help you in school.  Sometimes the projects that you work on in your internship can go more in depth in a week than you will get in a semester in one of your classes.  Plus they are all things you can put on your resume for when you graduate.
Your bosses understand
If you have a civil engineering internship chances are you’ll be working for someone with a civil engineering degree.  They’ve been where you are.  They know what it takes to get and engineering degree.  They are willing to help out.
Credit at school
Many schools will give you credit for internships.  The school I went to would let you get up to three credits and could count it as one of your electives.  Get with your adviser before the semester starts to find out what your school can do.
You get paid more after you graduate
People with experience get paid more than people without experience.  Having an internship on your resume shows that you know what you are getting into and that you know how to do things.  That will make you instantly more marketable than people with no experience.  That could mean not only more money in a job offer, but also more job offers.
Easier to get a job after you graduate
An internship does two main things to help you get a job after you graduate.  It gets your foot in the door for any companies that you work for.  It also gives you specific experience and accomplishments that you can put on your resume.
Find out what you like and what you don’t
I had a friend in college that every summer he worked for a different firm that did a different kind of engineering.  He definitely had the chance to try it all out and find what he liked.
An internship is worth more than a 4.00
While I was in school, and since then, I’ve talked to a lot of engineers that hire for their companies.  It’s been pretty consistent.  They say they’d rather see an internship on a resume than a 4.00 GPA.
A side note on this.  If you look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics data for civil engineers http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos027.htm you’ll see that starting salaries for a bachelors degree is higher than a masters degree.  From what I’ve see, that’s pretty consistent for several different places that collect that data.  Based on the people I knew in college I think it’s because most of the people that have a bachelors degree also had an internship.  Most of the people that I know that went straight for their masters after getting a bachelors degree, did not get an internship.  Internships and the experience you get is very valuable.  I’m not telling you not to go after a masters degree, just make sure that you get some real world experience also.
Those are some of the main reasons that I came up with to get an internship.  What are some of your reasons?  What have you gained from your internship?  Any reasons why you think someone shouldn’t get an internship?

Simple Rules for the Best Civil Engineering Resume

Simple Rules for the Best Civil Engineering Resume

Your Resume

Friday, July 31st, 2009 For many jobs that you apply for, the first thing that a potential employer will see is your resume and cover letter.  Here are a few tips for your resume.  I’ve posted a layout that has worked well for me in the past. 
Keep it simple and easy to read
Hiring managers don’t have a lot of time to try and figure out what you’re saying.  Us an easy to read layout like the sample I posted.  1 inch margins, clear sections, bullet points in each section.
But not to simple
Make sure you don’t sell yourself short.  Include enough important facts about yourself to show the potential employer how great you are.
Be relevant
Look at the company’s website and at any job adds the company may have out.  Make sure you tailor your resume to show your skills that are important to that company.  Listing things about yourself that would appeal to that employer.
When I worked retail I got a resume from a kid.  On the resume he said that he could hold a hissing cockroach without flinching.  We thought that was great, but it didn’t help us any.  He didn’t get an interview.  We had limited time and other people talked about relevant skills.
Be specific
List specific accomplishments.  Being specific shows the potential employer what you have accomplished and what you might be able to do for them.  Specifics work much better than generic phrases like: I’m a go getter, or I’m responsible.  Say it with specifics.
Target your resume
Don’t use the same resume for every company that you apply to.  Make adjustments to your resume so that you highlight the things about you that are most important to that particular company.
Don’t lie
Integrity is very important in the engineering profession.  You will hear about engineering ethics a lot. When you get caught, and you will, it will be known.  It can hurt your career.
No work experience? Talk about school.
If you’re still in school, employers know that you won’t have a lot of experience.  List the engineering classes that you’ve taken.  Talk about any scholarships or awards that you’ve won.  List some projects that you’ve done.
Those are some of the tips I’ve followed when working on my resumes.  For those of you that have been down this road before, what are your recommendations?

Friday, October 1, 2010

How to success in Engineering Job Interview

Preparing for Engineering Job Interview

How to success in Engineering Job Interview

How to get a Engineering Career as your wish? Keep in mind that a well preparation leads to your success. Hereafter are most important tips for Engineering Jobs Interview.

DON’T BE ON TIME – BE EARLY
It is important you arrive at the interview 20-30 minutes early. Obviously, being late sends a negative message about you to the interviewer. Many interviewers don’t meet with candidates who arrive late. Plan ahead. Investigate traffic patterns relative to the time of your job interview. Don’t expect the interviewer will be sensitive to delays caused by traffic congestion or an unexpected traffic accident. They expect you will allow for those eventualities, just like they do.
DRESS & LOOK PROFESSIONAL
Women: A skirt, dress or dress-suit or pant-suit are the most appropriate for the female candidate. Make sure your clothes are neat, clean and well pressed and make sense. Avoid controversial garb, anything too revealing or too trendy. You want to look professional, not like you are there to get a date or express a fashion statement.
Men: A dress suit, shirt and tie is the most appropriate clothing for the male candidate. Make sure your clothes are neat, clean and well pressed. Avoid flashy colors, jeans, T-shirts or tennis shoes. Wear your hair neat (including facial hair), clean and well groomed.
Oh yeah, and please cover tattoos and body piercings. While your private friends may enjoy the current fad of body art, most likely, a new employer isn’t impressed, in fact, may look upon those expressions as somewhat immature – regardless of how you may feel about them. If such corporate attitudes are uncomfortable for you, find another prospective employer who is more open to such un-requested expressions of personality. Otherwise, be professional, dress professional, behave professionally.
PREPARE
Have a pen, notepad and extra copy of your resume and references with you. (check more on the example of resume here)Make notes of questions you want to ask that relate to the job and company. Put those items in a place that will be easy for you to get to when you need them in the interview. If you currently use a daily/weekly planner, bring that with you too. You should try to arrive at your interview well rested, with a clear mind and a plan for presenting your credentials and supporting materials like references.
GREET JOB INTERVIEWER ENTHUSIASTICALLY
Smile, be friendly, not nervous, offer a solid handshake and say something friendly, like: “Good morning, pleasure to meet you, and thank you for the opportunity to visit with you today.” Show your enthusiasm about the opportunity to work for their company. Remember, they are interviewing you for a job that requires specific skills and genuine enthusiasm — if you don’t express that at the interview, they many not be convinced you have the stamina required for the job.
DON’T HIGHLIGHT NEGATIVES
For the job interviewer, it is all about filling the job with the right person. Believe me, most job interviewers don’t want to hear about your antique tin can collection, or how you landed that elk last year on your vacation. An interviewer wants your undivided attention on their job needs. Your personal habits distract from that focus. Such personal comments may include topics like: smoking, chewing gum, nervous finger or feet movement, tapping a pencil or a fork, humming, whistling, stretching, cleaning finger nails, clearing your throat, excessive “ums” in conversation, or focusing too much time on unrelated topics. Don’t make negative remarks about your past or present employers or workmates. Negative remarks will not help your cause, and will seem as though you are blaming others for poor results.
RESEARCH THE COMPANY THOROUGHLY
Learn as much as you can about the company and the duties of the job position which interests you, like income range and associated benefits. Family and friends are sometimes sources of information about the company you seek for employment. But don’t rely on hearsay, try to talk to someone in the company about the requirement and expectations of the job you seek. And utilize more than one source of comments about the company you are considering. Any positive things you learn about the company, make sure you mention them to the interviewer as a way to express your long term interest in the job you seek. Be prepared to answer questions about why you want to work for their company, offering sensible reasons that are practical in results.
PREPARE TO ASK QUESTIONS
You don’t want to confuse the interviewer with too many questions. Remember, they are interviewing you, so be prepared to answer all their questions smartly. But challenge the interviewer with some of your own questions – determine those questions before you arrive to the job interview. Keep good eye contact when you ask your questions. Don’t get into lengthy discussions. The idea is to engage the interviewer, to show them you can take charge when required and get the information you need. You should strive to create a list of questions that go to the heart of the job you seek.
KEEP A GOOD ATTITUDE
Be confident and knowledgeable and you will express a good attitude. But don’t seem over confident in your abilities. Remain relaxed, answer questions sincerely. Be interested in the job and the company. Lighten up some and use a little humor! Your job interviewer should be made to feel you really want the job and their company. Show serious interest so that you will be considered a serious candidate. Do not mention offers of interviews with other companies, unless asked.
SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO EXPECT
When answering questions that have a pre-determined answer, remember to offer a straight forward and immediate answer, and keep it simple. Avoid yes/no answers, unless you are offering an example to illustrate your answer. In fact, as much as possible, try and offer your key answers in a format of : Strategy-then-example. In that sense, if you were to discuss aspects of how to build a team of your workmates, you could answer with a short comment about your overall strategy of how to build a team, then follow that up with a quick real-time example of how you recently utilized that strategy and the results you got. Something like – “I build a team by making sure everyone involved understands our mutual goals, the timing, and their influence on those goals. When I did that last Spring, as we were introducing a new product, the goal was to sell more product by training team members to up-sell the new product to existing customers – we increased sales over 20-percent in one month.”
PREPARE TO ASK QUESTIONS
You don’t want to confuse the interviewer with too many questions. Remember, they are interviewing you, so be prepared to answer all their questions smartly. But challenge the interviewer with some of your own questions – determine those questions before you arrive to the job interview. Keep good eye contact when you ask your questions. Don’t get into lengthy discussions. The idea is to engage the interviewer, to show them you can take charge when required and get the information you need. You should strive to create a list of questions that go to the heart of the job you seek. Practice Job Interview Answer is highly recommended.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Civil Engineering Jobs ?

     In the previous blog, I shortly introduced the definition and history of Civil Engineering to the reader who might not even know what is Civil Engineering. To increase the interest in the topic of the subsequent blogs, in this blog, I decide to give you some information about Civil Engineering Jobs-- what kinds of Job and the area of the employment that the newbie graduate in this field (Civil Engineering Degrees) could work for?

Civil Engineer for Construction Projects

    As in the first blog, I stated clearly that Civil Engineering is a classical field -- old aged type of topics that has been developed and used to build the infrastructure for our humanity. Thus, there are several companies and business sectors that could be fitted in Civil Engineering Jobs. This can count the direct relavant Civil Engineering Jobs and indirect Civil Engineering Jobs.

Bridge Project for Bridge Engineer
    The direct Civil Engineering Jobs can be classified regarding to the minor branchse of Civil Engineering; for examples: Civil Engineer for Infrastructure Design, Civil Engineer for Construction Supervisor and Controller, Structural Engineer, Soil Engineer, Geotechnical Engineer, Water Resource Engineer, Environmental Engineer, Coastal Engineer, Bridge Engineer, Transportation Engineer, Railyway Engineer, and even a Researcher in universities. Based on these several branches of Civil Engineering, there are thus several universities around the world to provide Civil Engineering Degree to offer several useful Civil Engineering Course. These universities thus attempt to produce as many as Civil Engineering graduates to support the demand in the market; for examples, the demand from Civil Engineering Companies to provide the Civil Engineering Jobs and Civil Engineering opportunies to those new graduates. Since Civil Engineering is a field that needs very practical professions, there are several associations to provide certificates in addition to the Civil Engineering Degree; for examples, Civil Engineering Contractor Association, ACI-American Concrete Institute, AASHTO-American Association of State Highways and Transportation Officials. Thus, joining in these associations are a must requirement for all Civil Engineers.

    For the indirect Civil Engineering Jobs, this depends on what is your career plan and competency. Why? This becauses as Civil Engineering Degrees that you earn will teach you how to thick systematically and how to apply the existing knowledge or your knowledge asset to solve the encountering problems. Thus, this kind of skill is valuable in all other jobs. Some people might choose to work in the field of Teachnology as a programmer and work for the Civil Engineering Firms or Software Company that is in the process of development of Engineering Products or even selling the third party engineering products. Some people might also decide to be online teacher and teach basic subjects for highschool students and earn lot more money than people who work in the direct Civil Engineering Jobs.

    In short, Civil Engineering is a classical field of study and job that offers strongt background in Mathematics and Science including a skill to solve any problem efficiently in the systematical way. People who earns civil engineering degrees will have a large and open space for job seeking. Both direct Civil Engineering Jobs and indirect Civil Engineering are fine; however, it depends on the job seekers's skills and competency on how to treat the Civil Engineering Jobs and Civil Engineering Opportunities in the best way.

   Hope the reader might get more on the world of Civil Engineering and see you in the next blog.

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