Communication – The applicant has to be able to properly and clearly communicate with co-workers, site managers, and customers, among others. Having instructions get misstated, or be unclear, can negatively impact your business. A candidate must be able to concisely communicate instructions, safety information, deadlines, and budget restrictions when necessary. Confusion on the job site, or in the office, can lead to possible added expenses and/or injuries.

Time Management – Sometimes at a construction site, or on a line in a factory, an employee may be left unsupervised for extended periods of time. When this happens, you have to know that they are making the most of their time on the clock. If they are not very good at prioritizing their tasks and managing their time, they could end up wasting most of their time rather than utilizing it. This can run into budget issues, deadline problems, and production issues. It can throw your schedule off for completing a job on the building site.

Problem Solving – Problems will always pop up when you least expect them. From running out of nails, to a machine breaking down, to another employee not showing up for work — there will be days where if something can go wrong, it will. Knowing that you have an individual in place who can take care of those problems can give you peace of mind and open you up to applying your time and attention to other important issues. Hiring someone who can cover another employee’s shift, who can find additional nails to finish up a particular project, or who can get your project fixed in an expedited manner will be someone you will be glad to have working for your company.

Passion for the Job – If you have an employee on a construction site, or in the design office, who is not passionate about their line of work, you could be missing out on a valuable input source. Someone who knows the details of their career can offer opinions on helpful updates, innovative ways to do things, and safety suggestions. They can also help train other employees as needed, and they can turn out to be a valuable part of your team. Passion for the job can lead to a happy employer, and an even happier employee.

Business Aware – Not only does the ideal candidate have passion for their field of expertise, they are also aware of the business aspects of the field. Understanding that there is more to the job than just getting it done — it has to be done right, on time, and on budget is an important quality to look for in a candidate. They understand that there may be a schedule to watch out for, quality control to contend with, and materials that will have ordered — and they are aware that there are other businesses out there that their company is competing with.

Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing www.webuildstaffing.com . To learn more about Michael or to follow his Blog please visit www.michaeldesafey.com

Obtaining an accredited Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Degree requires a person to be accepted into a separate school of engineering. Undergraduate degrees are designed to take four years to complete with a full load of classes each semester.

Classes will be heavy in mathematics, physics, computer science, chemistry, statistics and basic engineering. According to Princeton University,

“If you enjoy these subjects, then you will find electrical engineering a fascinating and rewarding field of study with many opportunities to solve key engineering problems. Subareas within the discipline range from the exploration of information and its communication, through the physics of new materials and devices and the circuits made from them, to the algorithms that run on next generation computing platforms.”

Skills – An electrical engineer will need most or all of the following skills:

• Ability to use MathCAD, AutoCAD, Microsoft Office, and other computer engineering programs and write code using C or C++
• Proficiency with numerical analysis software: matlab, maple, mathmatica, etc.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to work in a team environment
• Strong skills in mixed signal (analog and digital) circuit design, board layout, noise, grounding, and signal integrity issues
• Ability to use circuit simulation tools
• Ability to contribute to design reviews and design verification testing and related documentation

Specific skills in each industry where electrical engineers are employed will be necessary as well, and can vary greatly from one field to the next.

Character Traits – To be an exceptional engineer, a person needs certain character traits that lend well to the field.  Employers seek electrical engineers with a desire to explore and solve problems with tenacity and determination. Knowing they have someone on the job who doesn’t give up is an asset to a company.

An engineer will also need a willingness to think outside the box and welcome the input of colleagues to the project at hand. A person who is able to work well with others and put their heads together to solve problems will be well respected within their field.

Having the ability to see the big picture and how their portion fits into the whole is very important, since an electrical engineer usually focuses on one part of a larger device or project.  Finally, a person needs to be methodical and meticulous in recording test results, analysis, and design elements or much time can be lost redoing tests and procedures as well as searching for information.

WeBuild Staffing one of the leading staffing firms focuses on pairing highly skilled electrical engineers with companies looking to hire them. We are a full service construction, engineering and environmental staffing agency that offers our clients the most advanced, results oriented recruitment expertise available in the industry today.

Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing www.webuildstaffing.com . To learn more about Michael or to follow his Blog please visit www.michaeldesafey.com

 In the engineering and construction business frustration levels can skyrocket. And as much as you’d like it to end there, it doesn’t. It’s hard to maintain a good, healthy lifestyle when your job is stressful. That stress keeps getting heavier and heavier on your shoulders till you feel ready to break! Your job, whether it’s the planning or building, is important to the industry as a whole. Don’t be the link in the chain that breaks! Here are a few tips to step out from under that heavy burden of work related stress and take back your life.

Tip #1: Breathe – You’ve probably heard it before, the famous phrase, “Calm down” often comes with an assistant, “Take a deep breath.” Maybe you don’t believe in that anymore. The whole “calming” backwards countdown is a little childish for your taste. Don’t shoot deep breathing down just yet! Deep breathing helps promote a sense of calm, delivering needed oxygen to the brain, and really helping you focus. Plans fall through, deadlines are shortened, equipment breaks down…the list goes on and on. Often when we are stressed it’s hard to keep our focus, missing problems that may be right under our noses. It’s easy to become overwhelmed in a high-end industry. Breathing is key to maintaining a stress free outlook on those unavoidable problems. Try inhaling for five count and exhaling for five count. You can do more or less if you feel this is insufficient or too much. Take a step back if needed and then reintroduce yourself to the problem.

Tip #2: Communication – Frustration equals lack of communication. This can lead to all kinds of problems in the industry. Any successful company can tell you, correct communication keeps things running smoothly. When something is really stressing us out, the most insignificant things could make us blow up. We’ve all had our moments. The problem is when we blow up at other people. Everyone gets hurt when that happens and nothing gets accomplished. You notice someone has made a mistake; maybe they are not following safety protocol, or have misread instructions. Letting them know calmly and asking them to correct their mistake it is the easiest and most effective way to fix the problem. Perhaps you need a different angle on your project, or help deciding the best route to completing it. Don’t let your pride get in the way of your job. It’s necessary to communicate your problems and to seek help in working them out.

Tip #3: Personal Time – If you’re working long hours, or even stressful short ones, be sure to make some time for personal activities. Having a balance between life and work is important to be successful. You shouldn’t let work over-complicate your life and vis versa. Often, if there isn’t a problem at work there is a problem at home. Learn to relax into your life again. Pick up a hobby or get some exercise to relieve stress. Activities you enjoy can help you to appreciate yourself and all that you can do! Turn off the tv (Unless you’ve got an important game scheduled, which is understandable) and go outside! Take in nature and relax! Do whatever you find relaxing. And make sure you are eating right and getting enough sleep.

These tips will undoubtedly improve your mood and your work ethic. If you mess up ask for forgiveness, forgive yourself, fix the problem, and move on. It’s up to you to take that step closer to a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling balance between your job and your life.

Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing www.webuildstaffing.com . To learn more about Michael or to follow his Blog please visit www.michaeldesafey.com