There are a lot of new engineers graduating every year but not all of them can effectively handle the task needed by your company. This said, you really need to devote time in properly selecting a candidate to fill in that highly coveted spot. There are a few things you have to look into when choosing from a pool of applicants, below are some tips to help you in finding the right person to handle the job.
Many companies prefer candidates who have various certifications and licenses, see if the applicants have these and place those who have them in your priority list. If you are hiring new graduates, scan through their education and check if they have any courses or subjects relevant to the nature of your work. It also helps if the new engineer has had any previous internships and extracurricular activities as this will prove that they are truly interested in their chosen field. Referrals from your own employees can be valuable, this way you can ask and learn a bit more about the applicant instead of simply relying on the 45 – minute interview you conduct for each applicant. Ask about the software your applicants are mostly familiar and comfortable to work with and see if these will fit into your system.
Article submitted by Sasha Bakhru. Sasha Bakhru is an engineering science graduate from the Columbia University. He has studied Biomedical Engineering (undergraduate major), mechanical Engineering (undergraduate minor) and Materials Science and Engineering (graduate major).