Freelance HVAC Engineer 1

[Airforce2]

Hi,

I am keen to market myself to MEP Firms as a Freelance HVAC Engineer. So far, I have just e-mailed out my resume and a cover note. With the resume and cover note, I kept things simple and to the point. However, I am not having much success in Firms taking me up on the offer. Several people have commented on my impressive resume, but it does not seem to be enough to get me across the line with obtaining work.

It is my hope to develop a long term working relationship with a few MEP Firms and work with them as required on a regular basis.

What might I be doing wrong, or what can I do better?

Thanks for your advice and assistance.

 

[Airforce2]

Thanks again guys.

My aim is to work with the company / firm that is willing to hire me. I a not interested in being a closed entity. I put a lot of effort into my work and most always receive compliments on my work.

I always make certain to be a team player and work with the individuals on the projects.

It seems though that companies / firms either already have a good service provider, or are not willing to give me a try.

Any tips on convincing these companies / firms? A high class mail (e-mail) out is not getting me across the line at the moment. As discussed, I don't have a website, so that may be something to do. I have left off calling these companies / firms as cold calling can be not well received.

Thanks,

 

[pittguy12]

In my opinion, the quickest way to establish the type of relationships you are looking for is professional societies and organizations. It will be difficult since you are trying to market yourself over a large area but you have to start somewhere.

Could you possibly put together a presentation or a continuing education seminar through an organization related to your field? Perhaps even take this to a regional or national conference to present. This would allow you an unobtrusive way of building some relationships with key contacts while also providing you with the chance to demonstrate you know what you are doing.

 

[SAK9]

I would go onestep ahead by meeting the hiring managers and making a presentation on skills claimed.This could be a powerpoint presentation containing installation photos,schematic diagrams,problems faced and problems you helped resolve,acrhitects/clients worked with etc.Do not limit yourself to consulting engineers.Approach developers offering your services in peer reviewing and possibly value engineering for their projects.Do not spare the Design and Build contractors either!

 

[Maximusprime]

You should probably be marketing to small architecture firms rather than MEP firms. Maybe team up with an electrical guy if you know one. If you are a PE, you can knock out little jobs for much less than the bigger MEP firms since you have little/no overhead.

I plan to do the same as soon as I am licensed.

 

[urgross]

If you're former military, you might want to look into local SAME chapters.

 

[edcard]

My take on this issue is a little different.

As the economy seems to be picking up at a snail's pace, many small to medium size design companies often find themselves in a situation where they have more work than they can handle, although such work will not last long enough to justify hiring up. In this case, subcontracting to a freelancer may become a valid option.

How can the company decide which subcontractor to hire? pittguy12 nailed it: It's a matter of trust. Ok, but how do you build trust?

I don't think working pro-bono work is necessary, but you do need to show: a) that you can do the work, and b) that those who previously took a chance on you did not later regret it.

To show your work and begin establishing relationships, you need to start locally, through professional organizations as others have recommended, and also personally visiting the companies you expect to get work from, show them samples of your work, etc.

The second issue has also been mentioned before: reputation. You need to obtain testimonials and recommendations from past employers, colleagues, etc.

I agree with the suggestion to have a website. There, you'll be able to present much more information than anyone wants to receive in printed form. Explain who you are, what you want, show your work, how others have liked the results, your skill set, certifications, anything that conveys professional competence, etc.

How will I know that you can design correctly, meet deadlines, stay under budget, etc? You need to tell me. Have you worked for any of my clients and are you familiar with their design standards? Tell me. Can you write or modify specs? Ditto.

Other things to consider: are you looking at hourly fees or lump sump arrangements? If the latter, make sure you can clearly define and understand a Scope of Services. Do you have your own E&O insurance or do you expect the hiring company to cover you? Do you legally own all the software you use?

I'm not as concerned about working remotely because nowadays even large companies have their discipline design centers at various locations and people have gotten used to working as a team from different locations. But you must avail yourself of a fast and reliable Internet connection, a good speakerphone, a quiet office, etc. But at first, you may have to "come in" the company's office for a meeting every 2-3 weeks. That's another reason why it's important to start local. As your capabilities and experience with working remotely grow, you'll have an easier time targeting out of state companies.