Analysis of Brutoco Construction and Engineering

Isaac's picture

http://www.brutoco.net/employment.htm

The position I have chosen for my job analysis and ultimately applying for is as a project engineer for Brutoco Engineering and Construction Inc. I have chosen this particular position because I have worked as a field engineer for Mass. Electric Construction Company and a project engineer would be an “advance” from this.

Now while the preferred major for this position is a degree in Construction Management or Civil Engineering, I believe I have the experience, knowledge, and work ethic to fill their needs. Some of the job responsibilities are quantity take-offs, knowledge of plans and specifications, and communication with owners, field personnel, subcontractors, and supervisors. From my summer internship with Mass. Electric, my main responsibility was to know ten miles of underground conduit and wire runs front and back. I handled all details including where existing utilities were, how deep the trenches needed to be, where and how much of each conduit was placed in each trench, and even designed part of the job. But simply knowing all this information and where to find it wasn’t enough. I was also in charge of the subcontractor, supplying them with up to date drawings, answering their questions, and overseeing the field work. I also did quantity take offs, which is checking to be sure the correct amount of materials are not only ordered, but that the correct materials arrive. All of this included communicating with the subcontractors, by bosses, and even pitching ideas to the owners to give them a better product at a cheaper price.

On top of this I have also spent a great deal of time physically working construction. I worked on and off with family member that had their own business when I was young, mostly learning what things were and helping out when I could. When I turned eighteen I began working with D&M Construction full time. From here I worked in nearly every aspect of construction; I have laid block, roofed and framed houses, done remodels, worked with both concrete and asphalt, set steel, etc. Even though I may not have a degree entirely related to construction, I do have quite a bit of experience and knowledge on my side.

Other than wanted to continue in the construction field, a major reason why I have selected Butoco over many others is that they are a small, employee owned company of about 200 employees. They even were honored by the California Small Business Association in 2007. I have never been much for larger corporation because you seem to lose a sense of connection and feeling with not only employees, but also the individual. I have had the experience of working for two small, employee owned companies, and have only good things to say about them. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s not about the money because it most certainly is, but there is a much greater sense of caring and a want to be there. One of the reason I enjoy construction is its physicality, while sitting at a desk can be easy and a nice break, time always seems to slow and I get bored. They are also located in southern California and work mainly in this area. This is appealing due to the fact that I am one of the few people that has no interest is living or working abroad. While this isn’t my first choice of locations, it is in my top five. I have always wanted to live somewhere with warm weather near the ocean. The one downside to this location is I would have to get used to everyone watching PAC-10 rather than SEC football.

I believe I am qualified and can bring as much to the company as any other applicant.

Constuction Companies

dbasso's picture

Well I do not know about watching the SEC but it seems like all the construction companies that you have mentioned are pretty solid companies. A lot of my friends work for Mass Electric actually. The Butoco company sounds like a unique construction because of the employee owned fact. Being honored by the California Small Business Association is a great plus too. The southern California area is a great location for construction too. The area is filled with large, up-scale homes that seem to never stop. That kind of area could be great for a small construction company maybe even making it expand.

Instructor Feedback

Nathaniel's picture

This a very well done analysis. In particular, I appreciate how you have already begun making the case for yourself by anticipating their expectations. For instance, when you write "Now while the preferred major for this position is a degree in Construction Management or Civil Engineering, I believe I have the experience, knowledge, and work ethic to fill their needs." I think highlighting the latter is a good strategy. In addition, the examples you offer here give you a solid menu of content to select from as you write your job application letter. Picking concrete examples that demonstrate all three of the things you wish to highlight is your next step. In particular, you will want to avoid simply saying you work hard; you want the reader to see your work ethic in the examples you provide. It is the easiest thing in the world to say you are a hard worker. It is much better (and harder) to demonstrate that through your writing. You write, "From my summer internship with Mass. Electric, my main responsibility was to know ten miles of underground conduit and wire runs front and back [...] But simply knowing all this information and where to find it wasn’t enough. I was also in charge of the subcontractor, supplying them with up to date drawings, answering their questions, and overseeing the field work." This example does a good job of demonstrating your work ethic even though you don't actually say it. In this example we can see you working hard - and that can go a long way.