When you need to hire a new mechanical engineer, what are the first things you think about wanting to find in a new candidate? Experience is probably the first one that jumps to many minds, but is that the best thing to look for?
When it comes to hiring someone who will be an asset to your company, it’s necessary to look outside the box a little bit. Instead of locking yourself into one mindset, it’s important to think about the traits that make a mechanical engineer good at what they do.
Let’s delve into the top 6 traits that you should be looking for in your new hires.
1. Creative Thinking Capabilities – Want to know the secret for success that many of your competitors already have? They have mechanical engineers who are great at solving problems and coming up with new solutions that often save time and money. Look for a candidate who has the ability to think creatively – they’ll be the ones who are always looking for a better way.
2. Self-Direction – You don’t need an employee who needs to micromanaged and constantly motivated. Self-directed employees already know what they need to do that day and you won’t’ need to watch them every minute.
3. Ability to be a Team Player – In most cases, mechanical engineers are part of a team and finding someone who is a great team player is a wonderful find. This is not always a skill shared in this industry.
4. Prioritization Skills – In addition to self-direction, you’re also going to want to find an employee who is gifted at prioritizing what they need to do. These are the employees who always get what needs to be done, done and they don’t get bogged down on smaller priority tasks.
5. Communication Skills – Whether your engineer will be interacting with your clients or not, communication skills are a must. This includes written as well as spoken communication.
6. Willingness to Learn – This is a field that is constantly changing. Highlight employees who have shown past experience with continuing education and even better – look for candidates who get training on their own initiative.
By focusing your job search on candidates who display these traits, you’ll be setting yourself up for success. While experience is always a good thing, if you can find a candidate who has these skills and maybe not as much experience as you’d like, you may want to prioritize them over another candidate with experience who is lacking in these areas.
Want help finding the perfect mechanical engineer for your company? The experts at SoloPoint Solutions are here to help!