By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman Technical competence alone won’t advance your career. You need experience with a variety of projects, a take-charge attitude, and a network of influential contacts to become a recognized expert, manager or owner-partner at an engineering firm. But it can take years to amass experience in these areas as a regular employee. Becoming […]
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By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman According to a recent survey by Electronic Design, nearly 51 percent of engineers reported that their companies were having a hard time finding qualified candidates. Couple that with the fact that only 64 percent of engineering professionals feel they are adequately compensated, and it’s easy to see why compensation planning needs to […]
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By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman Your education, skills and project experience may get you an interview, but it’s your performance during the interview that will get you a contract engineering assignment. To impress the engineering manager and earn his trust, you’ll need to convince him beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’re the best person for […]
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By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman On the surface, it seems like the passage of mandatory paid sick leave laws in some 25 jurisdictions might have little to no impact on engineering firms or their employees. But if you dive into the specific laws, you’ll find that employers, including staffing firms, need to comply with new notice and […]
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By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman Engineering managers count on third-party recruiters to find talented professionals for contract and full-time positions, even on short notice. But relying on a reactive, last-minute approach to talent acquisition and outsiders may result in higher bill rates and fewer engineering candidates to choose from in a competitive labor market. Treating recruiters as […]
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By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman Are you stuck in a rut? Do you feel under-challenged and unfilled? If it seems like your engineering career has hit a plateau, here are six activities to get you moving forward again. In fact, proactively engaging in one or more of these activities can broaden your skill set and give you […]
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By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman Getting new contractors up to speed quickly and keeping them in the loop can put an added burden on busy engineering managers and project managers, who already spend as much as 90 percent of their time communicating. Fortunately, a project communication plan can help newcomers receive essential information and assimilate swiftly, as […]
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By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman Having healthy relationships with several engineering managers can lead to more contract assignments, recommendations and even referrals. Plus, building positive associations with your colleagues and boss can make the time you spend working on projects more enjoyable and satisfying. While each relationship will be unique, here are some general ways for contractors […]
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By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman Engineering contractors are in high demand these days. So much so, that an experienced professional with desirable skills and credentials may receive multiple offers. Losing your top choice to a competitor can hurt your firm’s ability to take on additional projects, lower morale and increase stress. And who has the time to […]
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By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman Once you master the basic techniques, concepts and equipment in your niche, it’s natural for engineers to want to learn new things. However, snagging an assignment that ventures beyond your current knowledge or skill level can be tricky, especially for contractors who are experiencing strong demand for their expertise. Alas, you may […]
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