The adage, "Some things change, while others remain the same," can be said about how civil engineers are finding jobs today. From research conducted as part of the CE News 9th Annual Salary Survey in February 2007, most people found their current job from a referral from an existing employee of the company or from another word-of-mouth situation. It is, and has been, a popular mechanism among employees with many years experience and those without.

For those who have been with their current employer more than 20 years, they reported, "I contacted the company directly to inquire about possible openings," as the most common way they got their job. For those who have been in their current position 20 years or less, the most popular mechanism was finding the job through referral or another word-of-mouth situation.

What’s really changed over the years is the popularity of classified advertising in local newspapers. For respondents who began their current position four to 10 years ago, this was the second or third most popular way respondents found their jobs. But for those employees that have been in their current position for fewer than 2 years, a classified ad in a local newspaper ranked as the sixth most popular way they found the job.

The most common mechanisms for finding a job today are as follows:

• company referral or other word-of-mouth situation,
• contacting the company directly to inquire about possible openings, and
• a recruiter/employment agency, working on behalf of the company, contactingt candidates about an opening.

The online element
Use of the Internet for finding jobs is on the rise. Currently, it is more popular for a job seeker to get a job by responding to a notice on an employer’s website than it is to get a job through a job board ad posting. However, this could be a future tactic that gains popularity in the coming years since respondents are, in fact, actively using job boards, regardless of their experience levels.

Thirty-eight percent of respondents with 2 to 4 years of experience are checking job boards for available positions occasionally, frequently, or constantly. This is the most active group of respondents by years of experience. The next most active group is the respondents with 7 to 10 years of experience. However, most respondents do not have an updated version of their resume posted on a job board. Why this is the case is a mystery, since a major reason firms post listings on job boards is to gain access to the resume pools posted by jobseekers. Perhaps these job board surfers fear their current employer will see their resume online, even though most job boards keep candidate’s contact information private from employers, and let the employees decide if they wish to pursue an inquiry from a firm. In many cases, job seekers simply may not realize the value employers see in reviewing resumes posted online.

Only about 5 percent of respondents have a profile on LinkedIn.com, an online network of more than 10 million experienced professionals from around the world, representing 150 industries. The professional equivalent to MySpace.com, users create a profile that summarizes their professional accomplishments. According to the company, your profile helps you find and be found by former colleagues, clients, and partners. Certainly, online networking of this sort may lead to putting job seekers and hiring firms in touch, as well.

Job seekers today have many options as they look for their next position, and some of these weren’t even available just a few years ago. But as the results of this data show, the stand-bys preached by every career counselor are still true: networking—so that you get referalls and hear about opportunities through word-of-mouth—and being proactive—especially finding and contacting firms that you think would be a good fit for you—are the cornerstones to a successful search.

Tips for the job seeker

Whether it has been two or 20 years since you last looked for a new job, reviewing career search advice from industry experts is a helpful exercise to help prepare for the adventure. Here are a few tips, courtesy of the Career Advice section of AECWorkForce.com.

Common interview questions
Be familiar with the usual, as well as some unusual, questions that are asked in interviews. Practice answers aloud because if you aren’t prepared, you may end up giving long-winded, rambling answers that end up hurting your chances with the interviewer.

Following is a list of questions that you may be asked during an interview:

• Are you satisfied with your career achievements to date?
• Do your goals include becoming a firm owner? How important is this to you?
• In what areas of running a professional practice can you make the most immediate and significant contributions?
• In what areas would you require the support of partners and associates?

Resume formatting 101
Learn the secrets of addressing the key points that hiring managers and recruiters hone in on when reviewing your professional autobiography:

No "I"s. Assume a professional tone in your resume—not a personal one. Keep in mind that your resume should read like history, so avoid starting sentences with "I."

You did what from when to when? Employers are interested in seeing a historical timeline of the firms you’ve worked for as well as an explanation of the duties and tasks you executed. Gaps are flags, so be thorough in providing your timeline.

Don’t show all your cards. Offer to supply references upon request. Maintain control over who you give your references to so that you can let your references know who will be calling and what they’ll likely want to discuss