By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman Whether you’re interviewing for a contract assignment or a regular full-time position, the engineering manager will probably ask: “So, what do you know about our firm?” How you respond to this seemingly innocent question could mean the difference between an offer and rejection. According to a survey of 2,000 bosses, failing to […]
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By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman On the surface, the differences between an independent contractor (IC, or 1099) and a contract engineer supplied by a staffing firm may seem negligible. But employment status can impact the way you select, manage and interact with interim workers. The main difference lies in the fact that contractors from staffing firms […]
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By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman Even if you’ve been contracting for years, you may not understand exactly how staffing firms work. The more you know about the industry’s inner workings, and the nature of its relationships with engineering managers, the more you can use them to your advantage. Here’s the inside scoop about how professional […]
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By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman The competition for engineering grads has reached fever pitch on college campuses this spring. U.S. employers are planning to offer signing bonuses to more graduates in 2015 than they have in the last five years. Chemical engineering majors are expected to receive the largest bonuses at $5,250, followed by general engineering majors […]
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By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman Congratulations! You won over the engineering hiring manager and now you’re about to start a new contract assignment. As the news sets in, your excitement turns to angst when you realize that you’ll be working with an engineering project manager you barely know. Relax. Our five tips will help get you off […]
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By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman Engineering managers expect candidates to come prepared to interviews, but did you know that managers have a similar mandate? While you’re evaluating a contractor, they’re evaluating you. A candidate’s interview experience strongly influences their opinion of you and your firm based on the results of a recent survey. Nearly 8 in 10 […]
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By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman If you’re looking to save time or be more efficient, you’re in luck – because there’s an app for that. Engineers have a plethora of free or low-cost tools and mobile apps at their disposal. As of 2014, Android’s library contained an estimated 1.3 million apps and Apple had 1.2 million. With […]
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By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman Are you getting the maximum value from your contract engineers? Collectively, your contract team may have hundreds of years of experience and the wisdom to streamline processes, create cutting-edge designs or make the best use of valuable resources. But unless you’re doing the following three things consistently, you’re probably not reaping the […]
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By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman While freelancing offers numerous advantages over traditional full-time employment, some engineers lack the confidence or know-how to manage their own careers. As Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin discovered back in 2002, engineers often rely on their managers for career coaching, guidance and support. Don’t let fear stop you from pursuing […]
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By: Leslie Stevens-Huffman No matter how much experience or education an engineer has, few can sustain their top performance on their own. Coaches can make a big difference. The best singers, actors and professional athletes rely on coaches to continually improve and stay in the zone. So what’s the secret to coaching an engineer to […]
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