Discussion Thread

  • 1.  Finding job openings in consulting

    Posted 03-08-2021 10:10 AM

    Civil engineers who shared their experience and advice in "Explore Engineering Careers in Consulting" responded to 5 questions we did not get to during the live roundtable discussion.  Here are their answers to the first question in this series of posts: 

    Today's question:  Where can I find out about job openings in consulting?
    (Answers are based on individual experiences and are not necessarily representative of practices at all consulting firms.)

    Benjamin Cornelius, P.E., S.E., M.ASCE,
    Partner, LERA Consulting Structural Engineers
    1) Talk to your college of engineering or department faculty.  They are often in touch with certain firms and prepared to send CVs and recommendations to people they know there.  2) If you are interested in a firm, contact them and ask who you can send a CV to.  3) If there are professionals who visit your school to offer guest lectures, ask your professor for an opportunity to organize a meeting with the professional. 4) Ask faculty about job fairs sponsored by your school where representatives of engineering firms exhibit and are available to meet with students interested in engineering positions.

    Jon Zufelt, Ph.D., P.E., D.WRE, F.ASCE,
    Senior Hydraulic Engineer, HDR
    College or University Job Fairs. ASCE student chapter meetings and Branch or Section luncheons/dinners are a great opportunity to meet practicing engineers and find out about job openings. Query the websites of potential companies, most have "working for … or Opportunities with…" pages.

    Marsia Geldert-Murphey, P.E.,
    Regional Director - Missouri & Illinois Operations, Lochmueller Group
    LinkedIn is a great resource. Put your profile up there and adjust the settings to let recruiters know you are looking for a position and include the metadata of location and disciplines you are interested in. Have professors, and colleagues from places you have interned or volunteered with put testimonials up there and include project write ups. Include any awards, certifications and volunteer work you are engaged in. In your introduction paragraph include keywords for your areas of academic focus and internship exposure, also include the job or industry you are looking for, that is how recruiters search for talent is by keyword search. Connect with people you know in the industry, internships and from the university it expands your reach and exposure. If you apply for a job and they only allow a one page resume include a link to your LinkedIn profile and that way more information can be included.

    If you missed our live session watch the recording posted on the Career Discovery web page https://collaborate.asce.org/covid-19/career-discovery.  Also register there for future roundtable sessions exploring civil engineering careers in education, industry and construction – and bring your questions for our panelists!



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    Jennifer Hofmann Aff.M.ASCE
    Manager, Professional Advancement
    ASCE
    Reston VA
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  • 2.  RE: Finding job openings in consulting

    Posted 03-14-2021 10:45 PM
    These are great points! As a structural engineer who was job hunting two years ago for my first job, and then again a few months ago due to a COVID layoff, I can attest that these tips are highly effective. 

    Searching for a job is tough but I think the most important thing is to have a plan and not give up. Don't get discouraged about not find a job. 
    My dad gave me the following advice with this analogy: "When I look for a parking spot I don't need 5 spots. I only need one!"

    You will probably get ghosted or rejected by several companies but remember that you don't need 5 job offers. Just the one!

    Funnily enough, I made ​a video about a month ago covering a lot of these topics so if you are looking for a job and don't know where to start I recommend you take a look: How to Get a Civil Engineering Job or Internship

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    Daniel Bressler EIT, A.M.ASCE
    Structural Engineer
    Brooklyn NY
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  • 3.  RE: Finding job openings in consulting

    Posted 03-15-2021 09:27 AM
    These are all great tips! And do not hesitate to reach out to your school alumni on LinkedIn to ask if they can help you (resume review, job referral, interview tips, etc.)

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    Tung Nguyen, PhD
    Water Resources Engineer
    Sacramento, CA
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  • 4.  RE: Finding job openings in consulting

    Posted 03-23-2021 09:11 AM
    Learned! Showing enthusiasm about the position during the interview is really important and that's exactly what I need to improve. Great content!

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    Jiarong Chen, EIT
    Master Candidate of Structural Engineering
    Boston, MA
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    Jiarong Chen S.M.ASCE
    Structural Engineer
    Cambridge MA
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