Hiring An Engineering Firm For Any Project

Hiring the right person or company to assist with any project no matter how big or small is always tough.  Companies spend thousands of dollars marketing themselves to individuals.  Flashy advertising and quirky websites are nice but how do you get to the heart of the firm or individual to make sure you are hiring the right individual for your needs.  This is true in every profession whether you are looking for a financial representative, a plumber, an accountant, builder and even an engineering firm.

For a project to reach its max success level the team implementing the plan must be skilled.  This is why you will want to take time in hiring any and all consultants and contractors to be working on the job.  Just because the head chef has a wonderful plan doesn't mean dinner will be a success.  You need people in place that are qualifies to implement the plan.  The same is true for all projects and engineers are the ones we turn to when planning and implementing various projects from building bridges to distributing hot and cold water.  Finding a firm that will meet projects needs is where most business projects begin. 

The first step in finding the right engineering firm for your company is finding a firm that specializes in the engineering discipline that your project requires.  It won't take you long to realize that when building a tunnel an electrical engineer is not what you need.  Figuring out the type of engineers you need assisting with your project will be the first task in narrowing down the search for an engineering firm to work with.

The next goal is to look at the firms you have narrowed down and locate options that have previously established the proficiencies you are looking for in previous projects they have completed.  You should look into the experience of the firm, their certifications and qualifications.  It is also important that you thoroughly examine projects that have been completed by the firm that resembles your needs. 

It is also important to speak with previous clients that the engineering firms have worked with.  Ask about issues, pleasant and unpleasant and how they were resolved.  This step should be done when you are fairly sure you have narrowed your choices down to three or fewer firms. 

It is important to know exactly what you are getting and paying for when you hire an engineering firm. Not all engineering services are included in proposals so be sure to really examine that you are getting exactly what you need and are only paying for what you need also.  Different firms charge differently.  Some are based strictly on a project fee basis.  This means you pay a straight fee and that is it no matter what time frame the project takes while others wish for a retainer to be paid up front followed by an hourly fee.  If you are working on an hourly basis it is important to determine a fixed budget for the firm to stay within. 

After you have taken these steps it is time to request a bid from the firms you have established fit your needs.  In the proposal you should provide an explanation if exactly what you are trying to achieve.  You must outline what your timeline is, the amount you are willing to spend, and requirements that get into your technical needs.  When an outsider reads your proposal should leave know rock unturned.  This will help you stay on budget and ensure that your project runs smooth from the start. 

About the Author

If you have enjoyed this article from Kevin Germain at CPS please visit our website today at http://www.monumentengineering.com you will find useful information on engineering firms.  

Are You An Engineer?

The rate of employment for engineers is gaining speed rapidly as growth continues throughout our society.  How do you know that engineering services is the field for you?  Obviously growth is an important factor.  You want to ensure the numbers are in your favor when looking for a position but also that the career is compatible to your wants and desires.  Are you technical?  Are math and science the two areas of greatest interest to you and do you like solving problems?  If so then you are most likely looking into the right field of study.

Engineers are found throughout many different fields.  The highest growth is found within civil engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, electrical engineering, electronic engineering and computer engineering.  It is important that you look into the different fields there are to choose from and wrap your studies around the engineering field that most interests you.

As an engineer you are in charge of one of two areas; either planning and developing or testing, constructing and preserving.  You might look at the influence of a product has on the environment in which it is being used. It could be that a new material will improve the process and your job is to find the product and implement it into a new design.  It may be that you are developing a way in which to use or gain access to raw materials.  Many people in supervisory roles within factories have engineering degrees.  Their jobs are to determine why things happen, maintain standards and give a time frame time and budget estimates.  Engineers are in charge of many different areas within a project.

What does it take from your education to land a job in engineering?  First you should know that even to land an entry level position you will need to obtain a bachelor's degree from a university.  In choosing a major make sure that is a field of engineering that interests you.  It might not be the one you end up with your dream job in but having the right qualifications can help in a similar area of engineering. 

Most often engineers will hold a great deal of certifications and licenses.  It is important in engineering services to have the certification PE which stands for professional engineer.  In order to be an accredited engineer you must have graduated from a university program that has accreditation from the ABET, experience in the engineering field for four or more years, and have taken and completed with success an exam offered through your state.  Each state will have slightly different requirements so it is important to research before you attempt to apply for any license or certification.

In an entry level position you will be gaining hands on experience and familiarity of the position.  As you gain knowledge and trust you will be working alone more often designing, developing and solving issues.  As you move further up the ladder with an engineering firm you may become a specialist that offers technical advice or a supervisor that leads a team of engineers or technical advisors.  Engineers are in demand and with the right skill set, college education and entry level position you will be on top of your career ambitions in no time at all.

 

About the Author

If you have enjoyed this article from Kevin Germain at CPS please visit our website today at http://www.monumentengineering.com you will find useful information on engineering services.  

Engineering Firms: A Look At Engineering As A Major

So you have just graduated from high school and are wondering what the next step is for you.  Are you going to follow in your parent's footsteps and head to work in large engineering firms or are you thinking you would like to work more with people in social work?  It is important when looking into universities that you ask if it is necessary to declare a major upon entering. 

Often time's students get into school leaning towards a course of study only to learn after the first semester that really working for an engineering firm no longer sounds of interest.  If you have already declared a major and the courses that you have taken are specific for that particular degree than you have wasted a semester.  It is important to find out ahead of time with the university if this is something that could potentially happen to you.

If possible try to wait to declare a major until you have been in school for a year.  In that time take moments to explore career options that exist and focus your course studies on some basic classes that are not major specific.  In a recent study that was done on college graduates it was found that fifty percent of them had changed their major course of studies at least once.  I did it, I went in for teaching and two years later realized I was far more interested in marketing. 

Finding a college that offers the flexibility to change majors is important especially if you are one of the many high school senior graduating with no idea of where you see yourself in the future.  Even though many students think it is ideal to follow in the footstep s of older siblings or parents it is important to remember that your career choice will have to make you happy.  If in the long run you don't see yourself working in an office involved in science, technology and math than that engineering firm mom and dad work for is not going to be a perfect for you.

Another thing to contemplate is that many adults graduate with a degree that in actuality is not seeing growth in the career world.  What do you do then?  It is important that even though you graduate with a degree it does not necessarily limit what you will do in the future.  I know many people who have degrees that their current jobs do not even relate to.  Employers are looking for a commitment when they hire and train a new employee.   The degree you have studied so d for, no matter what it is shows them that commitment.

One way to really find out if something is going to appeal to you is to look in the books that surround that field of study. A good place to do this is at the campus book store. Then take a class that is relevant to the material that sparked your interest.  That should give you a look into the field and a taste of careers within it.  Talk with professors; they are a wide source of knowledge on career opportunities that follow all different routes of study.

One thing I ask you not to do when looking into a field of study at college is to look at the pay scale for it.  It would be awful sad for you to discover even that the three figured salary you are bringing in does not bring you happiness with it because what you are doing is not in your heart.  Your career is a large part of your life.  It is essentially your first child.  You will nurture it, grow it and live with it so you want to make sure that it brings you happiness and fulfillment.  You will find that if those qualities lay within you the money won't be anything but a number. 

About the Author

If you have enjoyed this article from Kevin Germain at CPS please visit our website today at http://www.monumentengineering.com. You will find useful information on engineering firms.  

Engineering Firms: How to Hire Qualified Engineering Services

Have you ever had to hire an engineering firm?  If you have you know it is often a tedious process with many variables.  Engineering firms come in many sizes from one consultant to firms that have consultants from all different disciplines within engineering. How do you find the right consultant for your job big or small?

There are several different types of engineers.  There are primarily four main fields of engineering including civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and chemical engineering.  Most every other type of engineering can be included in a subcategory linked to one of the main fields of engineering.  Believe it or not each subcategory can easily be broken down further.  This is why hiring an engineering firm is so complicated.

There are five main objectives that need to be looked at when hiring an engineering firm for your next project.  Follow these tips when hiring an engineering firm to help when your manpower and expertise is not enough.

• Qualifications:  Ask yourself when you start looking for engineering firms what are the requirements for the project.  This will make it far easier to narrow down which firm's offer services that will help you lead to the project's completion.  Look into several firms qualifications and immediately eliminate any firm who you don't think will be able to fulfill the requirements set forth in the project.
• Statement of Qualifications:  What do you have to do when you are interviewing for a new position?  You have to send a resume in attached with a cover letter proving yourself, right? Have the firms you are interested in do the same for you.  Write with them giving them a short description of the project you wish to hire them for to inquire about the firm's interest and qualifications.  Give them a specific date to send their interest, qualifications and references into you by.
• References: Before you actually hire the firm is when you need to check around and see work that has been completed by them.  Word of mouth is a valuable tool to use in hiring anyone for any project.  The same holds true for engineering firms.  If someone has recently had a good or bad experience with a firm they are likely to share that information with you on your quest to find an engineering firm to work with.
• Spreadsheet:  Once you have an established list of firms you are serious about hiring you will want to make a spreadsheet to compare the firms based on a few different areas.  Some things you might consider comparing are the firm's reputation, their location in comparison to the job, experience with a project similar to yours, how they are compensated, availability of qualified personal, their schedule in comparison to your time line and other important aspects to you.
• Selection: When the selections process is coming to a closed you will find that these steps have narrowed your choice down to the most appropriate firm to work on your upcoming project.  You will come to a mutual agreement on the scope of the services they will provide to the project and write up a contract based on those items that have been agreed upon. 

The selection of an engineering firm is never an easy task.  Reward often comes with hard work and I believe this is true when hiring any individual or corporation to work with.  Engineering firms should have to work hard to gain your business just as you would when looking to be hired. 

 

About the Author

If you have enjoyed this article from Kevin Germain at CPS please visit http://www.monumentengineering.com today.  You will find useful information on engineering firms.