What motivated you to join Eberly & Associate?
The company culture, environment, and diversity. I interviewed several places where I would either be the only girl or one of the few girls working at the company. Eberly has a very diverse group and it was evident when touring around that it was a very collaborative and friendly work environment. Additionally, Eberly was the only place I interviewed that would allow me to work as both a civil engineer and a landscape architect as I got degrees in both, other firms were requiring me to focus on one.
How does Eberly & Associates convey to employees a sense of belonging?
We have a very collaborative work environment where anyone can go up to anyone to ask a question, regardless of how high up in the company that person may be. We also hold lots of social events with our co-workers both during and outside of work hours.
In what ways has Eberly & Associates supported your professional development and growth?
We have lots of continuing education experiences provided to us through lunch and learns and other activities and resources are provided for us to study for and prepare for our professional licensing exam at the cost of the company.
In what ways are you supported in maintaining a healthy work-life balance?
We have a lot of flexibility with our actual work hours and have two flex days a week where we can work from home. There is not really a strict 8am-5pm schedule as long as you put in the hours and meet deadlines.
How do you know that you’re making a difference/having an impact with the work that you do?
What we do is unique in the fact that we can see a physical difference being made as a site is taken from undeveloped land to a final constructed site that we designed.
What makes you proud to represent Eberly & Associates?
The excellent quality of work that we produce as a team and the wonderful relationships that exist among all of us that work here.
In what ways do you feel like you’ve grown since working for Eberly & Associates?
I am more confident in my ability to answer engineering questions on the spot instead of doubting myself and questioning my answer.
What do you wish you had known about the professional world when you were a student?
Probably not the answer you want to hear but I would say its that your GPA is not as important as actual real world work experience. We would much prefer a candidate with a lower GPA that has a couple applicable internship experience in comparison with the 4.0 student with no work experience.
In thinking about emerging young professionals, what advice would you share to those seeking their first opportunities?
I thought I wanted to work at a larger firm but it has become much more clear that a smaller company is better. In the larger firms workers get lost among a crowd and its almost impossible to stand out from your peers whereas at a smaller firm if you excel at your work you will be recognized. I have also been able to assist in elements outside of my realm of expertise at a smaller firm, such as assisting on the new website and being part of the technology committee to create a new template, whereas at a larger firm that would not have been possible.