Industrial Engineering Jobs Overview
As more companies seek to standardize and automate their manufacturing procedures, there is an increasing need for workers to fill industrial engineering jobs. Industrial engineers help companies and organizations save money and time by finding ways to streamline operations and cut down on waste. They do analyses of workflows, pinpoint bottlenecks, and optimize processes via the use of mathematical visualization, data analysis, and computer modeling.
Activities that industrial engineers often participate in are:
- strategic thinking for the future
- building and structure design
- engineering advancements in robotics
- manufacturing equipment set up
- streamlining of procedures
- designing information management systems
- statistical examination
- exploring optimization
- budgetary decision-making
Industrial engineers often go to customers' locations to assess issues firsthand and gather necessary information. Many also have offices at their employer's headquarters, where they input data into computer systems to create engineering solutions that help their clients minimize waste. Most work full-time, Monday through Friday, with some putting in more hours to meet strict project deadlines.
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 10% growth rate for the industrial engineering industry over the next few years. Typically, employers look for candidates with a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering or a closely related discipline to fill entry-level positions. Higher-paying positions usually require a master's degree and certification as an industrial engineer.
Industrial Engineering: Salary Range
Workers filling industrial engineering jobs typically earn $38,013 to $96,126 a year, with the average median salary being $71,973. The cities with the highest demand for these workers are New York, NY; Houston, TX; Chicago, IL; Atlanta, GA; and Los Angeles, CA.
Average annual salaries for related professions are:
Want to explore how much money you can make as an industrial engineer? Use the Monster Salary Tool to research salaries for industrial engineers and related professions.
How to Create the Ideal Career Path
Creating career goals is an excellent way to develop new skills, grow your professional network, improve your job performance, stay motivated, and even advance into upper-level industrial engineering job positions. When reading industrial engineering job descriptions, ask yourself the following questions to help you decide whether a position is a good fit for you and your career goals:
- Will the position motivate me by strengthening my skills?
- Do I have the necessary skills and qualifications to fill the industrial engineering role?
- Does the job offer professional development and ongoing training?
- What is the company's culture and management style like?
- What kind of benefits does the job come with?
Working for a company that supports its employees' pursuit of professional growth and development is a smart option for industrial engineers. With ongoing training, you'll find it much easier to move up in the ranks and earn a higher salary as a senior-level industrial engineer.
Tips for Applying for Industrial Engineering Jobs
Improve your chances of getting interviews for industrial engineering jobs by following these guidelines:
- Verify the applications' deadlines.
- Carefully read the instructions.
- Proofread your application by using a spelling and grammar checker.
- Always provide credible references.
Prepare for the Application
Circle all of the essential skills and required qualifications that you read in an application's instructions and job description. When creating your resume and cover letter, add the skills and qualifications that you circled to demonstrate your ability to adequately fill the position.
Some of the most common skills to include in your industrial engineering application are:
- communication
- lean manufacturing
- problem-solving
- mathematics
- critical thinking
- project management
- data analysis
Create a Strong Industrial Engineering Resume
Recruiters examine resumes to learn more about candidates' qualifications, experience, and accomplishments. A well-written resume shows prospective employers why you're a good match for an industrial engineering job position and can lead to additional career opportunities.
When creating a resume for industrial engineering jobs, use the following tips:
- Use the functional resume format to highlight your skills and qualifications if you have little to no work history.
- Use the chronological resume format to showcase your work experience and how it makes you a good match for the role.
- Use the hybrid resume format if you have an extensive work history in addition to proficient or distinguished industrial engineering skills.
- Use this industrial engineering resume sample as inspiration when creating your own.
To create a strong resume and improve your chances of landing an interview, use the skills you develop as an industrial engineer as resume keywords, such as:
- process engineering
- engineering management
- cross-functional team leadership
- value stream mapping
- root cause analysis
- ISO standards
- Six Sigma
- SAP products
- AutoCAD
Writing an impressive resume requires time, effort, and focus. Use Monster's Resume Writing Service to build a resume that highlights your relevant experience and skills for industrial engineering jobs and satisfies the criteria of application tracking software.
Create a Cover Letter
Not all employers ask you to send a cover letter with your application. However, doing so can improve your chances of getting an interview by setting you apart from other applicants.
It's best to tailor your cover letter to each industrial engineering job that you apply for. However, all of them, at a minimum, should explain the following:
- Your background in industrial engineering.
- The different positions you've held with other employers.
- Why you feel you are a good fit for the position.
- What you like most about the job.
- How the role aligns with your career goals.
At the end of the cover letter, always provide the recruiting manager with your contact information in case they have any more questions about your experience and qualifications. Also, use a formal concluding greeting, such as "Sincerely" or "Best regards," and thank the recipient for his or her time and attention.
Submit the Application
Applying for industrial engineering jobs is simple when you create a profile with Monster. After signing up with your email, follow these three steps:
- Create your profile by adding your work history and education.
- Upload your resume and cover letter.
- Click the Submit button.
Your profile will go live, making it simple for recruiters to evaluate you for open positions and contact you for interviews. You can also use Monster to search for open industrial engineering jobs. To send your application for positions that interest you, just click the Apply button. The hiring manager will receive your application, cover letter, and resume.
Before you hit the submit or apply buttons on Monster, do this:
- Review the application's requirements and submission instructions one last time.
- Verify that your application, resume, and cover letter are error-free by running them all through a spellchecker and a grammar checker.
- Make sure your contact information is correct to ensure the hiring manager can contact you with an interview request.
Application Follow-Up
It's always a good idea to follow up on your application. This not only demonstrates your sincere interest in the job but also verifies that the employer received your information.
How to Follow Up
Wait five business days to contact the employer to give the hiring manager enough time to assess your application. You can perform a follow-up by phone or email, with the latter being the most convenient method. In the follow-up email that you send, explain the following:
- Your gratitude for taking the time to consider you for the job.
- Your genuine interest in the job and how it aligns with your career goals.
- Your background in industrial engineering.
Include your phone number at the end of the email to encourage the hiring manager to reach out with questions or an interview request. Contact the company's HR division for an update if you haven't heard anything within two weeks. Get in touch with the company's HR division to find out where your application stands.
Industrial Engineering Jobs Interview Advice
Getting an interview request is exciting. It's also an indicator to start the interview preparation process. To boost your performance during your next interview, use the advice below.
Interview Preparation
Take time to research an employer before accepting an interview. You can visit the employer's About page on its website to familiarize yourself with its management style, culture, and mission. Only accept interview requests from employers that align with your ethics and values.
To improve your chances of getting a job offer during or after a job interview, use these tips:
- Do practice interviews with a friend.
- Be ready with in-depth responses that show you understand the position and the company's values.
- Brainstorm a list of your transferable abilities and experiences.
- Rehearse your responses to typical interview inquiries.
- Arrive at the interview location at least ten to fifteen minutes early to ensure you have time to register with the front desk and use the bathroom before meeting with the interviewer.
- Visit the interview location beforehand to figure out the location and the parking situation.
- Bring copies of your resume, cover letter, and credentials.
Interview Process
You'll likely receive an interview request for industrial engineering jobs through email or by phone. When sending a response to confirm your interest in the interview, it's smart to ask whether the interview will focus on your competencies or past performance.
Interview questions in a competency-based format revolve around your prior accomplishments, education, and skills. Behavioral-based interviews focusing on your past performance assess how well you work in team settings and how you handle certain workplace situations. It's smart to ask whether the interview will focus on your competencies or past performance in your response.
To increase your chances of getting a job offer, use these tips for mastering the interview process:
Common behavioral-based interview questions to expect during interviews for industrial engineering jobs are:
- Tell me about a production streamlining effort you conducted that impressed upper management. How did you assign assignments to maximize team performance?
- Give an example of identifying and removing unproductive procedures. How did you organize, plan, delegate, and execute such a project? The timetable and results?
- Describe a time when experts, potentially including yourself, disagreed on project planning, raising both legitimate and invalid arguments. What occurred, and how did you handle it?
Some of the questions to expect during competency-based interviews for industrial engineering jobs are:
- How do you intend to maximize the efficiency of the plant layout?
- What is the main distinction between push systems and pull systems?
- What are the most common approaches to using spreadsheets to calculate expenses in production environments?
- What tools are you familiar with using for managing projects?
- What warehouse management systems do you use?
Interview Follow-Up
To show your gratitude for an interview, you can send a thank-you message after the interview is over. It also gives you the opportunity to keep your name fresh in the memory of the recruiting manager, which is of the utmost importance in the competitive environment for industrial engineers.
As you create a thank-you note to send after an interview, use these tips:
- Check the job description for the hiring manager's email address to send the thank-you note.
- Send the note within 24 to 48 hours after the interview.
- State your interest in the job and how the interview confirmed your desire to work for the employer.
- Include a list of your skills and credentials.
- End the note with your contact information.
Tips for Accepting a Job Offer
There's no reason to rush your response to a job offer. Instead, tell the employer that you'd like 24 to 72 hours to respond.
Before accepting an offer, do the following:
- Review the offer carefully.
- Ask yourself whether the offer aligns with your career goals and long-term professional objectives.
- Reflect on whether you see yourself happy in the position and whether the pay aligns with your financial needs.
- Before negotiating your salary, research credible sources for authoritative data on salaries for similar positions.
Career Paths for Industrial Engineers
Industrial engineers have a wide range of employment options available to them, including the following:
- Manufacturing engineer: Use advanced engineering skills to come up with new and improved ways to manufacture products.
- Senior process engineer: Create process improvement initiatives and oversee teams of engineers who evaluate the effectiveness and quality of various engineering processes.
- Health and safety engineer: Create and implement safety guidelines and protocols to guard against mishaps and injuries to both employees and members of the public.
- Quality assurance specialist: Monitor the quality of products produced by manufacturers and implement protocols to ensure finished products are free of defects.
Industrial Engineering: Related Professions
Industrial engineers also have numerous related professions to choose from, including: