Looking for an Engineering Job? Here are 5 Job Search Productivity Tips

Hone in on a Specific Engineering Niche

The engineering field is incredibly broad and features several branches such as electrical, mechanical, civil, software, petroleum, and biomedical engineering. If you haven’t specialized yet, hone in on a specific niche to increase your chances of getting better opportunities in the market.

While being a general engineer may expose you to numerous options, choosing a specific area exposes you to higher-paying jobs and allows you to sharpen your skills and expertise.

Build an Engineer’s Portfolio

Once you’ve chosen a specific niche you’d like to work in and have trained in, the next step is to build an impressive engineer’s portfolio. Whether you’ve worked before or are new in the industry, you can build a great portfolio that will impress the hiring team and land you a job.

Some of the things to include in your engineering portfolio include the following:

• Your professional resume
• A short bio outlining your education, strengths, and achievements in the industry
• Details on coursework, internships, previous jobs including details of the duties assigned to you, and any volunteer engineering work you did.
• Hobbies and interests

If you’ve worked before, don’t shy away from providing evidence of technical skills. Have you undertaken some electrical work in the past? Have you helped build a certain piece of machinery or developed software? Provide evidence of this as it gives the interviewing panel a view into your skills and competence.

Also, if you have any non-technical skills, detail them as well. For example, if you offered domestic or commercial energy audit consultancy service, detail this in your portfolio. It will go a long way in giving you a competitive edge.

Know What The Employer Wants

You are a professional electrical, mechanical, or civil engineer. You know that and so does your potential employer. But do you know what the employer wants? Why do they want to hire you? How do they expect your particular skill set to help grow their company?

Knowing what your employer wants is your greatest selling point in an interview. You will use this to show them you can solve problems for them. Research as much as you can about the company and look for ways your engineering skills could help grow the company.

A few examples include the following:

• Check the company’s annual reports and financial statements (if available) to get a feel of where it stands in terms of profitability.
• Get details of the company’s customers to know what they want and how you can add value to them.
• Analyze the company’s expenditure to find ways of cutting costs.

Firms don’t just want engineers who will maintain software or install electric systems — they need problem solvers as well. Prove this and you’ll be a valuable asset to your next employer.

Leverage Social Networks

According to a survey done by experts, 85% of all job positions are filled through networking. Where do other engineers hang out? Join these social joints and interact with others in your field. As you share ideas and engage in banter, you may hear about a job opening or even find yourself exchanging conversation with an HR manager in a company you’ve been eyeing.

Some tips to leverage social networks are:

• Reach out to alumni in your engineering school
• Join engineering associations
• Check engineers pages and groups on social media
• Network with current and former colleagues

Supplement Your Credentials with Business Experience

Finally, supplementing your engineering credential with business experience is an excellent way of developing leadership skills. You could take a business course and get a certification for it. Business experience improves your communication, collaboration, and teamwork skills.

The skills and experience make your employer confident in your ability to lead both small and large teams. This can give you a competitive edge over other engineers who don’t have business skills or experience.

Up Your Job Search Skills Today

Follow these tips to increase your chances of landing the engineering job you’ve been searching for. If you need professional help, look no further and contact Webuild Staffing for professional recruitment services!

Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing www.webuildstaffing.com . To learn more about Michael or to follow his blog please visit www.michaeldesafey.com