If you are hiring mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) engineers, you should consider working with a specialist MEP recruiter. This is even more true for companies hiring sales talent in the MEP industry.
For any business, having a carefully selected team of management and sales executives that you can rely on is extremely important — especially so in a niche market like HVAC-R or Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Engineering. As we discussed in our last post, hiring for these highly technical roles can be very difficult, even more so when your hiring efforts span multiple departments and skill sets. Soliciting the help of an experienced recruiter, familiar with your industry, can help you make the right hiring decision.
Service managers play an integral role in HVAC, Facilities Management, Mechanical Engineering, and Building Automation businesses. They are the senior level employees who represent your company to customers and manage teams to make sure projects get done right, on time, and on budget. In our industry, good services managers are in high demand and can be difficult to hire. As a result, sometimes the best approach to finding the right service manager for mechanical services or HVAC businesses can be promoting a technician or salesperson who demonstrates the attributes of a good leader.
The mechanical services industry is highly specialized from HVAC to Electrical to Plumbing to Refrigeration. At HVACEXEC.com, we work exclusively with MEPR contractors, engineering firms and the component suppliers and manufacturers to the industry. Working with these owners, hiring managers and human resources professionals gives us a unique perspective on the challenges in today’s market for sourcing, pre-qualifying and recruiting high caliber talent.
HVAC component advancements are making units more energy efficient than ever. While pneumatic systems will continue to limit these advancements in older, large commercial and industrial buildings, systems are increasingly communicating between the indoor and outdoor controls while also reducing heat loss and maximizing dehumidifying processes. The systems also run quieter and are easier to use with touch screen, programmable thermostats that have multiple setting options.
As we all know by now the Internet of Things (IoT) is the internetworking of physical devices such as vehicles buildings and other items – embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and network connectivity that enable these objects to collect and exchange data. This is also referred to as “connected devices” and “smart devices”). Someone quipped recently: “We thought one day we’d have flying cars, but all we got were computers to carry around in our pocket!”
A significant way that prospective employers evaluate a candidate’s potential for success or failure is their response to this question: “Tell us about one of your significant professional disappointments or failures. What caused it and how did you handle it?” This requires an interviewee to come up with a particular event specific moment rather than asking them the typical “What are your weaknesses?” question. This asks them to describe a definitive professional occasion which gives them plenty of options: Do they focus on a promotion they felt they deserved or a project that failed? Do they make it about themselves or do they make it about their company? You can learn a lot about them by how they interpret and then answer the question.
In addition, the question doesn’t require an applicant to take responsibility for the failure although they might choose to. Here are 3 types of answers and then let’s evaluate the pluses and minuses of each.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program states that employment of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers is projected to grow 21 percent from 2014 to 2022, faster than the average for all occupations. Commercial and residential building construction will drive employment growth as the construction industry continues to recover from the recent recession. The growing number of sophisticated climate-control systems is also expected to increase demand for qualified HVAC/R technicians.
Almost every home has either an air conditioning system, heating system or both so there is always a need for maintenance or repair no matter what the season. Most homes also have a system that provides ventilation to keep the moisture out and mold from growing. However, our heating and air conditioning systems need to be maintained or repaired and sometimes they need to be replaced. This is why a career in HVAC is virtually recession proof.
Please read the following important refresher and PRINT A COPY so you can review and make notes. I created these tips to be for even the most experienced interviewees and I think you’ll find then to be extremely helpful. I guarantee you a better experience if you take the time to PRINT A COPY, read it well beforehand and read it one more time before you meet the potential employer.
The interview is the ultimate test of a candidate’s suitability. A strong personal interview can often compensate for a weak resume or minimal experience.
Please read the following important refresher and PRINT A COPY so you can review and make notes. I created these tips to be for even the most experienced interviewees and I think you’ll find then to be extremely helpful. I guarantee you a better experience if you take the time to PRINT A COPY, read it well beforehand and read it one more time before you meet the potential employer. Remember, you can never overdress for an interview – it shows intent even if the position does not typically call for a shirt and tie; ladies wear very professional clothing as well. Make sure your hair is neat and that your overall appearance is well-groomed.
The interview is the ultimate test of a candidate’s suitability. A strong personal interview can often compensate for a weak resume or minimal experience.
