Getting Hired by an Engineering Firm? 1

[Bigwiggz]

Hello Everyone, I want to work for a mechanical engineering firm. I am at the point of sending out resumes. I am a licensed Mechanical Engineer with 3 years experience in light commercial HVAC system design as "volunteer work" for a religious organization. I have another 3 years experience in electrical switchgear/switchboard design. I was thinking about sending out my resume with a proposition because I know that work is slow here where I am at (Central, South Carolina). Please see part of my sample proposition below.

• $36,500 dollars per year salary or the equivalent in wages
• Work (3) 12 hr days for a total of 36 hrs per week
• Or Work (3) 10 hr days for a total of 30 hrs per week
• Will be available to answer questions/calls for the other 2 days for the week
• No health insurance, 401K or Company Stock needed
• Willing to buy proprietary hardware/ software needed to perform job functions (i.e. Trane Trace, AutoCAD, HAP, etc.)provided that I get to keep it ($5,000 limit)
• Willing to discuss other work options as well


My questions are the following...

1) Do you think that it is a good idea to send out the above proposition with my resume?

2) What has helped you or what other advice would you offer to increase my chances of getting a job with a MEP firm?

 

[cvg]

forget the proposition.

you seem to have set the bar a bit low, dont you think? that will not inspire confidence to hire you. Your asking salary is only a fraction of entry level salary once you add in the benefits.

you need to be willing and able to work full time as an employee. you should expect they will provide benefits as well as a computer and any necessary software. they will expect you to show up in person every day i would think.

perhaps you should consider relocation to where there are more opportunities.

 

[berkshire]

Even for South Carolina,
That proposed salary is about $20,000 a year too low. You will get rejections because of that. That is low even for a new graduate with no experience.
Do some research and find the curent salary rates for your profession.
Make sure your asking figure is at least in the middle of the range, prospective employers will counter offer at the bottom of the range.
If you want to take that , that is up to you.
If you show that proposition to ninety percent of your prospective employers the first question among themselves will be " What is wrong with this guy."
B.E.

 

[berkshire]

Bigwig gz

Here is a link to salary ranges for engineers in South Carolina.

http://www.indeed.com/salary/q-Engineer-l-South-Carolina.html

B.E.

 

[GregLocock]

What you are proposing makes a great deal of sense to you and me, but automatically makes you a round peg in a square hole corporately.

Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

 

[Bigwiggz]

Thanks for the comments! I will definitely consider what you said. I also looked at the median salary for an "HVAC Engineer", It is 61,000 for Columbia South Carolina. So what I have is about 25,000 dollars less than the median HVAC engineer. My reason for the proposition is that I know there is a learning curve for especially for heavy commercial/industrial design (chillers,VAV boxes, cooling towers, etc). I have little experience in sizing this type of equipment so I was looking for a way to take the "sting" out of hiring an engineer even though I have a professional license and have done HVAC design work before although be it on a small scale using manual N. Thanks for your comments berkshire, cvg, and GregLocock. I will adjust the salary accordingly.

One more question, What advice would you have to "network" with those in the MEP firm industry? I have visited the local ASHRAE, National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), and American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE). The local ASHRAE chapter is mostly Mechanical contractors although there is a Trane salesmen that knows alot of the engineers that I have made as a contact. The local NSPE is 95% civil/environmental engineers, the only mechanical engineer that was at the meetings is a forensics engineer. And the local ASPE is mainly plumbing contractors.

 

[cvg]

http://www.indeed.com/salary?q1=hvac+Engineer&l1=south+carolina

 

[berkshire]

Bigwiggz,
See if you can find a local chapter of SMACNA. If you want to work in aircondioning these are the people to talk to.
B.E.

 

[Bigwiggz]

Thanks I will look for them. I never really have considered them before.

 

[PJones]

FYI - I've been seeing a lot of headhunters advertising for the Greenville area.

 

[Terminus0]

I live in the Greenville area and it's a pretty nice place.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

NO -- Go watch Pawn Stars. The owners always ask "How much do you want" Then the negotiations get down to business.

NEVER give up your hand off the bat!!

 

[Gymmeh]

I second Mike

Let them start the negotiations.

 

[Bigwiggz]

Yes I like Pawn Stars

 

[JedClampett]

Don't down rate your experience by saying what you don't know, but emphasize what you do know. For all you know, the guys with experience doing chillers, HVAC and cooling towers have been doing it wrong. Or maybe the firm has their own way of doing things, that they would have to learn.
Be positive. Answer questions honestly, but spin them in your favor. If you don't know something, admit it, but tell them you're a fast learner.
And I definitely would not put salary on your resume. They'll either make you an offer, or you'll discuss salaries if they want you. Don't negotiate with yourself by giving them a low starting salary that they can lower further.

 

[Bigwiggz]

Wow, the Jed Clampett from Beverly Hill Billies! I love that show although it is a little before my time (I'm 30 yrs old). Anyways, I appreciate your advice. I will not mention the salary so as to leave it as something negotiable

 

[oldestguy]

With your hourly requirements, I think you should go over to France or some other country that is going down the tubes due to these excessive demands.

In short, most of your list of items should be scratched if you want a good job. These items might be some that you will list when you are about to retire and they can't get along without you. As of now a change of attitude is needed.

 

[steellion]

What is the reason that you can't/don't want to work 40+ hours a week? It seems backwards to me to talk salary/benefits during the initial contact, before the interview. It's ironic because you set the bar low with your salary demands, but it still comes off badly to open with that. And I wouldn't consider hiring someone that didn't want to work full-time unless there was some extenuating circumstances (health issue, etc.)

 

[a7x1984]

"Willing to buy proprietary hardware/ software needed to perform job functions (i.e. Trane Trace, AutoCAD, HAP, etc.)provided that I get to keep it ($5,000 limit)"

That is the oddest proposition I have ever heard of - who do you plan on working for that can't afford basic technology to perform the work, Jed Clampett?

In Russia building design you!