“Your Career Advisor” is responding this week to:

• As a civil engineer, what salary range should I be targeting? (c)

• What is a cover letter and could you show me samples? (b)

• Are there certifications in skill and performance development? (d)

• Where can I find the latest CIA certification preparation material? (d)

• How much should we pay a 1999 graduate assisting in project management? (c)

All reasonable questions related to careers, skill development or employment related issues – sent to advisor@skill-link.com - would be addressed in this section every week.

Q1: As a civil engineer, what salary range should I be targeting?

I am a civil engineer, after obtaining my BSc. in Engineering from Cairo University in 1997, I also completed a post graduate diploma in Construction Management from the same faculty.

Over the last four years I have been working in the construction sector, my experience was mainly as a Technical Office member and Planner/Cost Controller Engineer.

Could you please inform me on what salary range should I be targeting when negotiating with a new employer ?

R. M. (Egypt)

Replying:

Dear Miss. M

As we always say when confronted with a compensation question, numerous factors play a role in determining the salary and related variables. These include your competence, your depth of experience, personal character etc… in addition to the employer and the expected work load and role you would be playing.

However, as an indication, a recent salary survey conducted by skill-link.com of civil engineers salaries in Egypt revealed the following:

• The average salary for civil engineers with 3 to 5 years of experience, working in tenders, estimates, planning and cost control is: LE 1,750. For the sake of comparison, those managing projects/sites average LE 2,630 (for the same 3 - 5 years of experience).
• The average for the highest five paid in the survey working in tenders, estimates, planning and cost control was LE 4,000; while the average of the lowest five paid for the same range of experience was LE 1,200.

We hope the above was of some use to you.
Good Luck

Q2: What is a cover letter and could you show me samples?

I am a 2001 graduate of Mansoura University's Faculty of Engineering. I would like to ask about the cover letter: what is it exactly, when to use it and if possible I would like to get samples of it.

M. E. (Cairo)

Replying:

Dear Miss. E.

Writing the covering letter - or covering email - that accompanies your CV is an often-overlooked aspect of the job application process. It is however the first thing a potential employer will see about you, so it is important to get it right…

The purpose of the cover letter is to present you CV/application and highlight you interest in the company you are applying to join. It should clearly indicate who the applicant is, a summary of the qualities that make you suitable for the position. Ideally it should also demonstrate - in an indirect way - that you know something about the company you want to join, and therefore it is not just another application you are sending with the hope to get any job offer.

It makes a big difference if you personalize the letter, starting by addressing it to a particular person (as opposed to Dear Sir/Madam).

Divide your message into short paragraphs covering the following key points: the reason for writing; why you're suitable; other relevant information; your willingness to answer further questions; and how you can be contacted. For ease of reading, restrict your paragraphs to a maximum two or three sentences. It is important to remember to keep your letter short and to the point. Do not let the content run over one page.

Avoid including in the cover letter all the information stated in the attached CV ! you should rather focus on why the reader (the potential employer) should be interested in you and why you are interested in the company or at least the sector it works in.

Try not to use negative words (such as: if you do not have vacancies at the current time...), and do not apologize (e.g. I am sorry to bother you….). Employers will be most impressed with a direct approach reflecting self-confidence and a positive attitude.

Don't use "fancy" words that sound artificial, such as "your esteemed company"; "it will be my greatest honor to join you" etc…. These terms have been used and abused and do not add value.

And finally, you are advised to use a consistent and readable font in the letter, do not make it all capital letters like some people do, and choose a font 12 or 14. Too small annoys the reader and too large looks unprofessional. Do not use fancy lettering or italics; go with Times Roman or Arial.

A sample for a good, personalized cover letter is provided here: click

We have also provided you with a sample of a poor/bad cover letter here: click

We hope the above was of some use to you.
Good Luck

Q3: Are there certifications in skill and performance development?

I am a 28-year-old Egyptian, currently working in a large bank in Saudi Arabia. After graduation from Alexandria University's Faculty of Arts (in 1994), I joined a training services company as an Operations Assistant. Soon, I got interested in training delivery and got involved in training courses preparation and helped in classes. Two years later I was recruited by a USAID funded project that assessed public sector employees' skills and provided development training. A year and a half ago, I got the opportunity to work in Riyadh, at the Training Department of a large commercial bank. Part of my current responsibilities is to identify and coordinate the training needs of the staff, since the bank is going through the implementation of a major automation (IT) project that requires significant changes of operations and work methods.

For the past few years I have been reading in the fields of human resources and training, I also obtained a HR certificate from the American University in Cairo. My question is, what sort of certifications are there in the field of skill and performance development?

T. E. E. (Riyadh)

Replying:

Dear Mr. E.

You seem to like what you are doing and eager to develop. As you mentioned, large scale automation and process reengineering programs are a great opportunity for training, performance development and measurement.

Our understanding of your need is not just being a certified trainer, but rather be skilled and recognized in the field of HR performance development. You may therefore be interested in the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI). Founded in 1962, ISPI is a leading international association dedicated to improving productivity and performance in the workplace. Its members are training professionals, human resources managers, instructional technologists, human factors practitioners, and organizational consultants. The International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) developed a program through which individuals can apply to receive the designation of Certified Performance Technologist (CPT). You may contact them on the following address:

International Society for Performance Improvement
1400 Spring Street, Suite 260
Silver Spring, MD 20910
ph: 301-587-8570 | fx: 301-587-8573
em: info@ispi.org 

Broader HR certifications are available from the Society for Human Resource Management. These are: the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) or the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) examination. The examination for PHR certification generally covers the technical/operational aspects of HR. The SPHR examination focuses more on the strategic/policy issues of the field. The certification(s) are administered by the Human Resources Certification Institute, which you could contact by clicking here.

We hope the above was of some use to you.
Good Luck

Q4: Where can I find the latest CIA certification preparation material?

I am a 25 year old Egyptian Accounting graduate from Ain Shams University. I started my career by working for a short time as a secretary and then became an auditor in more than one large Audit firm. I just need to know from where can I buy the CIA ( Certified Internal Auditor ) test preparation CDs or books for the 10th or the 9th Edition.

I would be grateful if you could advise me about a book shop or any other outlet selling them in Cairo .

S. A. (Egypt)

Replying:

Dear Miss A.

The Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) designation is the leading certification offered by the US based Institute of Internal Auditors. It is stated that over 37,000 internal auditors hold the CIA designation the world over. While you know this, it is to the benefit of our other visitors J

Cairo is unfortunately not the best place to find the latest certification preparation books available, generally the book stores in Egypt are relatively "poor" with regards to international publications. One frequently finds outdated versions (if ever).

The three ideal places to look into are:

The Academic Bookshop in Tahrir Street, Dokki - Giza
They usually carry such items, but do not guarantee availability, so unfortunately one has to visit him/herself…

The Bookshop at the American University in Cairo
That was a high probability, however upon checking with them over the phone, their feedback was negative (no they do not carry it).

The American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt
Since they offer CIA preparation courses, they are supposed to have such books available. Upon calling the person in charge of the course, she did not know when she will be receiving the material (!!!!)

The most effective route in our opinion is to order the CIA preparation material directly from the USA:

CIA Review, Tenth Edition, Volumes I-IV, volumes can be purchased individually or as a four-volume set. They cost around USD 120. You can order them online by clicking here.

Alternatively, Diwan Bookstore in Zamalek (26th of July Street) could order it on your behalf, thus you would pay directly to them.

We hope the above was of some use to you.
Good Luck

Q5: How much should we pay a 1999 graduate assisting in project management?

I am the CEO or an investment company specialized in the IT and telecom field, we are planning to hire a 1999 graduate with a degree in Architecture. What are the current average salaries for architects in Egypt with the same years of experience ?

H. E. S. (Egypt)

Replying:

Dear Mr. S.

As you know, years of experience are just one aspect of seniority level and salary…. However more importantly, it is not very clear to us if she is going to be working in an Architecture related role in your company (highly unlikely) or in general project management (ie. following up on activities, planning, monitoring progress etc…). Regardless of the degree, salaries are more tied to the type of job an individual does, rather than his / her university degree.

Having said that, the following are the results of our latest survey, concerning graduates with a degree in Architecture with work experience of 3 to 5 years:

Average (for those in planning/ project management) : LE 1,590
The average of the highest five: LE 2,500
The average of the lowest five: LE 1,000

The above relates to those Architects working in Architecture related jobs. However, if the position you are considering is more of "Project Management" then Architect jobs salaries may not be very relevant.

For your reference, we are also presenting below our findings with regards to professionals that assume an IT related project management role (with 3 - 5 years experience) in Egypt, while it is not identical to what we are discussing, it could provide an additional dimension:

Average : LE 3,620
The average of the highest five: LE 6,800
The average of the lowest five: LE 1,440

We hope the above was of some use to you.
Good Luck

Note from the editor: 
Employer names and inquiry sender names were withheld for confidentiality

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