Engineers Week: 5 ways to celebrate, attract, and retain engineering talent

National Engineers Week, or EWeek, is celebrated the third week in February. Founded in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers, EWeek is dedicated to increasing interest in and understanding of engineering and technology careers. And what better way to celebrate the engineers in our workforce by learning more about what engineering talent want from their careers so you can attract the best people out there? 

What do top engineering talent look for in their careers?

With the demand for engineers rising faster than the supply, it’s critical that you know what aspects of a position attract this type of talent.

Here are 5 ways to attract engineering talent

A defined employer brand

 As LaKiesha Tomlin reports in her Forbes article “How to Attract Top Engineering Talent Even if You’re Not Facebook or Google,” engineers are looking for an employer brand that reflects specific core values and a mission that aligns with their own. Make sure that you’re clear regarding your employer brand and your company’s mission — and that they’re reflected in every job posting you publish. 

Greater flexibility will motivate engineers to stay

Whether it’s flexible hours, the option to telecommute, or the ability to pursue additional interests along with their core professional duties, many engineers are looking for flexibility in their jobs. For example, an employee might want the option to work from home two days a week or even take a year’s sabbatical after a predetermined amount of time. 

Interesting work

 In her article “How to recruit top engineering talent in 2020” for ZDNet, Stephanie Condon advises that many engineers want to know ahead of time what types of problems they’ll be solving for your company, as well as what they’ll learn in a position. 

Competitive remuneration

 With the increased demand for engineers, salaries for this type of talent are rising quickly. Make sure you’re offering a salary and benefits package that’s on par with what other companies in your field and your area are offering.

Clear career path - communicate advancement options for engineering candidates

 According to “How to Attract and Retain Top Technology Talent” from LinkedIn Learning, engineers are looking for companies that advance employees from within. Be clear about the skills development and advancement opportunities your organization offers.

If you can clearly communicate these aspects of working for your company to engineering candidates, it will be easier for them to determine what the advantages of the position are. And that in turn can result in you attracting better quality engineering talent — and retaining them for the long term. 

Source:

https://www.nspe.org/resources/partners-and-state-societies/engineers-week

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/06/15/how-to-attract-top-engineering-talent-even-if-youre-not-facebook-or-google/#47c848d07d46

https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-recruit-top-engineering-talent-in-2020/

https://business.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/learning/en-us/pdfs/lil-guide-attract-retain-top-tech-talent.pdf