How to Hire and Retain Great Engineers

According to the BLS, there were about 1.6 million engineers in the US as of 2016. With this high supply for labor, there isn’t a better time to hire great engineers.

Hiring and retaining engineers is some form of art that one has to perfect. Whether in a company or organization, engineers are vital in the workforce. The role of an engineer can’t be substituted or replaced by any other.

This is the ultimate guide to hiring and retaining engineers in your domain. Read on!

The Process of Hiring a Great Engineer

Hiring the right engineer is a cumbersome process that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Engineers are expensive professionals, and when hired, should make an impact right away. This process will get you reliable and qualified engineers:

1. Use Many Candidate Sources

Recruiting is a game of numbers. The bigger the numbers you have, the higher the chances of success. Look for as many engineers as you can. Send invites for an interview to have many candidates applying.

With many applicants, it’s easier to narrow down for the skills and talents that you are searching. Exploit all channels available to pitch the candidates. Before going down to the interview process, you’ll have weighed options.

2. Structure Your Interview Process

Many people see interviewing as an event while it’s a process. You should come up with the interviewing formula that will give you nothing but the best.

The HR team should come up with a systematic interview process to veto all shortlisted candidates. The interview for hiring engineers is different than that of other employees. An ideal interview should involve the following:

• Job description and team preparation
• Screening of applications and resumes
• Phone/video screening
• Homework/aptitude test
• On-site interview
• Culture screening

This makes up and ideal interview process. However, you can customize it to fit your job description. Individuals who make through this process are surely ideal candidates for your job.

3. Looking for the Right Qualities

Your ideal candidate should have all the traits you are looking for. During the interview, make sure that the person who qualifies for the job has demonstrated all that is needed in your company.

The first thing to look for is the technical capability. The engineer should have sufficient technical qualities to qualify for the task. Other personal traits should follow the technical proficiencies.

Therefore, your interview should provide a framework for evaluating candidates. Without a well-structured framework, you will end up hiring the wrong person.

4. Don’t Give a Contract at Once

Never be lured into giving a contract immediately. Engineering contracts are expensive and can be costly when presented to the wrong people. It is, therefore, advisable to come up with a paid probation period.

Only engineers who have proved worthiness should be retained in the company. If an individual doesn’t deliver the required outcomes, they shouldn’t be offered contracts. The probation period gives the hirer time to evaluate skills and expertise.

The terms of the contract should favor both the employer and the technician. Draft favorable terms of the contract and make the engineer understand everything. Be clear on your expectations and job requirements and if the other party is willing, sign the damn thing!

How to Retain Great Engineers

Hiring a great engineer is something, but retaining them in your firm is something else. If you get the right person for the job, you should do well to keep them. These are the best practices to retain engineers in your firm:

1. Promoting the Culture of the Company

The culture of a company is made by its values, priorities, and processes. Engineers will always remain in a company with a strong culture, work ethic, and progress. With these critical elements, you will be able to retain not only the engineers but all other employees.

2. Providing Room for Career Growth

Your company should offer growth opportunities, especially in the technical fields. Professional development is key to every organization.

The best professional development aspects include:

• Training and certification
• Seminars and career workshops
• Trade shows

If you want to retain engineers, these key elements should always be brought on board.

3. Prioritizing on Flexibility

To retain engineers in your company, you should make flexibility a priority. Give engineers a leeway to choose their approaches when it comes to problem-solving.

Understanding the Qualities of a Good Engineer

Some elements make a quality engineer. They include the following:

1. Quality Education

Is it one to become a good engineer without quality education? The answer to this is obvious! An individual’s education background matters a lot when it comes to technical capability.

Those who attained good grades from top institutions are likely to make better professionals, unlike those who didn’t have much of it. Grades matter a lot in this field.

When hiring an engineer, look at the grades in courses that align with your assignments. It is unlikely that a poor performer will be a great addition to your team. A & B grades are the best when hiring engineers.

Besides the grades, put is consideration the institution they went through. Ivy League colleges and universities produce the best technicians.

2. Experience

Is work experience required in your workplace? Is it mandatory for the engineer to have worked somewhere else? If yes, then this is an essential factor to take note of!

Depending on your tasks, experience matters a lot. If you are hiring for complex jobs, you should look for highly experienced engineers. For simple tasks, you can consider startups or recent graduates?

However, experience alone isn’t enough. The candidate for the job should be able to solve the problems at hand. A 5-year experience is impractical if the engineers can solve the problems in your firm.

3. Personal Qualities

Besides work experience and education, engineers should have excellent personal attributes. They should be adapt well to your workplace and work with other people. Some of the personal qualities that an engineer should have include:

• Teamwork
• Communication skills
• Honesty
• Hard work
• Self-drive

Any individual without these attributes cannot be a good employer.

The Bottom Line

This is the ultimate guide to hiring great engineers. These tips will help get you an excellent addition to your team. If you want to acquire the right engineers, contact us, and we’ll ensure you find the right hire for your firm.