Engineer 3 

How did you get your current job?
Referral. I was doing some consulting work for them and they offered me a full time job.

What was the application process?
I was offered a job based on the work I was already doing there. Once they made an offer, I had to submit a resume, application, etc. as a formality.

Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
I had to interview as a consultant. They were looking for an experienced environmental/safety engineer. I interviewed against a couple of other consultants. When I converted to a full-time status, I did not have to go through another interview.

If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
Tell us a little about your background. What experience have you had with [specific type of project]? Have you ever worked for an Asian company before? Are you familiar with the cultural differences? (There seemed to be equal focus on how well I could assimilate into the work environment and how well I could do the actual job.)

Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
Not at all! Because I was brought in as a consultant, I was just dropped into the work environment and expected to figure everything out for myself. This is very different than what happens with most new engineers (especially those straight out of school). By the time I went through “New Employee Orientation”, I had already been working there for 9 months and knew my way around so it wasn’t very helpful.

Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
I had to be experienced in ISO/OHSAS standards. (These are international standards that companies will subscribe to.) That required week long training classes and actual audit practice. I’ve had many different training experiences in my career and they all prepared me for this job. I didn’t have to take training specifically for this job.

Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
My education gave me the background to learn everything I needed to do this job. My knowledge is all based on my original engineering degree.

If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
Definitely. When I was in college (late 80’s), it wasn’t as common to have internship and I only had one really good one. It was good to see how engineers really worked, get used to taking direction, get used to working with a team. It makes the first real job a little less scary!

If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
Get a degree in engineering; either chemical or civil. Chemical is good if your focus is air pollution. Civil is good if your focus is water pollution. Either degree will work since the important thing you will get from school is the ability to think like an engineer (sound engineering judgment). While in school, try to take at least one class in engineering or environmental law. Understanding regulations and law is a major part of the job. Take internships with at least one private sector entity (e.g., industry) and one public sector entity (e.g., regulatory agency). Avoid going to a consulting firm as your first job out of school. It’s better to get real experience first; then you can always use that knowledge to consult later (and get much higher billing rates!) Try to find a company that has a program to hire and nurture new college graduates.

What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
It is essential to have strong reading comprehension skills. A great deal of time is spent ensuring that activities are compliant with regulations. You must read the regulations, understand it, apply it, then recall it later. A strong mechanical aptitude is also important. You will be working with engineers in many different fields and must be able to understand their needs, concerns and plans. Interpersonal skills make the job much easier since your job is to help everyone else do their jobs better.

Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
In my experience, having an actual engineering degree makes a big difference. Environmental science degrees have value but they tend to lack the rigor.

What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Get out of your cube/office as often as possible. The only way to learn your job is to understand what everyone else is doing. Make it a point to understand the processes that you’ll be supporting. Learn the facilities and physical plant (boilers, cooling systems, etc.) Get to know as many people as possible. If people know you and understand your job, they will come to you with their issues (rather than having to find out the “hard way” when things are done improperly).