The fact that the economy is tight right now is no surprise to anyone anymore. But there are jobs still available. I found my job at the end of the year when the economy was going south. I have several friends that have found jobs recently and I have several that are look. I’ve compiled a list of the things that I’ve seen, experienced and heard from others about finding jobs in this market.

Employers want to see experience
There are not as many jobs as there were a few years ago. Because of that, employers can be more selective. One friend of mine told me that several companies weren’t interested in talking to her until she told them about her experience. This is why internships in college are so important. If you don’t have work experience then talk about the projects you worked on in school that relate to the job you are applying for.

Find out where the customers are
People are still spending money. Find out who is still spending money on engineering services and apply to the companies that work in that field. For example, city and county budgets are set at the beginning of the year. In part it’s based on tax money they have already received. They will spend that money on projects. Engineering companies that cater to municipal clients are still doing well in this economy.

Learn people skills
This is an area that engineers typically don’t do well. Engineers work in teams and work with many different types of clients. The ability to talk to people is a valuable skill. When you talk to hiring managers and recruiters talk to them. Don’t just give them your resume and run away.

Do your homework
Know something about the company that you are applying to. Ask questions that directly relate to what they are doing. Use your answers to show how your skills relate to what they are doing.

Focus your resume
Make adjustments to your resume based on the job you are applying for. Each company has their own unique needs. Make sure that your resume shows that you meet those needs. You can find out those needs by reading the job description or by spending a few minutes on their website.

Differentiate
Use your resume, cover letter and face time to show how you are different. If you have more education than the next person, show it. If you have experience that the prospective employer could use, tell them about it. Make sure the employer knows why you are the perfect person for the job.

The basics matter even more
Since there are fewer jobs right now it is more important than ever to follow the basic rules when applying for a job. Make sure there are no typos in your resume or cover letter. Dress properly for an interview. Talk to your references so they aren’t surprised when they get a call. Be positive. Send thank you cards after an interview.

I could go on and on, but this covers the basics. What are some other important things you’ve found?

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?

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. Sample Resume.

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?

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?