Hiring is a challenge, and recruiting engineers is a double challenge because of various reasons. The primary goal is the availability of skilled engineers is very less. Even if available they showing interest in shifting jobs is remote. And when both come to the plate their salary must be compensated matching their expectation. It is not to threaten but to discuss reality. So you must the best five tricks to get the best engineering candidate to your organization.
- Know the Market
Either you own an engineering firm or do recruitment for the company; you must remember that engineering resources are available in plenty in the market. No, there is no contradiction from the above para and now. Right resources are only handful and engineers by degree will come more in the count. So you must know the difference between a qualified engineer and capable/experienced engineer. Just when you understand the difference, then you can start hiring the right talent for your job. To be clear a mechanical engineer is the not the person with Mechanical Degree but with the skills. Either he must have practical knowledge or must have gained experience. Therefore understand the market before you start hiring.
- Interview Process
After getting an idea about the market, you must freeze an interview process. Never fail to have engineering aptitude test as part of the process. This analysis will include questions to evaluate the practical ability of the candidate. Don’t go by the marks obtained in college. Be sure to conduct an experiment and an interview before you decide to hire the candidate. Have a defined interview process for your business and follow the same consistently.
- Assign Some Task
Do not talk about their college projects and the previous company project. This will not help you understand them as they can be explained even if they have not done it. You must ask them to complete some task for your existing project. Let them design a small module and present to your company etc. Let them work on the current scenario, and that will help than asking for past details. Give job assessment tests in order to understand what type of skills the candidate has other than professional ones.
- Connect With The Social Media Technical Forum
Ask if they have written in any technical forum. Check those links for their works. Be active to comment on those discussions to understand their ability in giving a solution to any technical problem. Take reference from their circle to know how consistently they performed. Most important is check how frequently they take up initiatives in bringing in latest topics for discussion on the forum.
- Talk to Them In Person
Call them to your company and spend time with them in the actual field where they will work. This will make you understand how comfortable they are in the plant. If someone does not know ABC of engineering business, then they will not come for this site visit. Ask them to mingle with the people to know your line of business. Engineering hiring is not about the level, and only skill across level will talk. Irrespective of manager or engineer everyone must work on the ground.
