Did you graduate from the university with an engineering degree, and you are searching for a job? Then don’t act desperate. You can land your first engineering job, but you must know how and where to search. Building your career doesn’t have to begin with the first job. You can get ready for the job in many other ways. While the unemployment rate might be high, if you don’t search for a job, you will not get one. The competition in the engineering sector is anticipated to go up in future. Therefore, graduates must go the extra mile to get engineering jobs in this competitive sector.
Tips for Searching for Engineering Jobs
These job search tips will assist you in finding your first engineering job faster. They include:
1. Tailor the resume for a particular job
Perhaps you didn’t study general engineering, and you specialized in any other field like chemical, mechanical, computer, electrical, medical, marine, or aeronautical. All fields of engineering don’t deal with a similar thing. Therefore, make sure you tailor your resume to fit your specific field. Try to be specific about your area of specialization, as this will increase your chances of landing the job. Create different personalized resumes for different job openings, employees and specialities. Most employers get inclined to resumes that tend to present a personal touch.
2. Acquire experience
Getting hands-on experience is a huge step to enhancing your chances of getting the job. Get an internship or work placement to acquire hands-on experience that will complement the theory knowledge. You’ll also be able to make informed decisions depending on the experience you’ve attained. If you perform excellently in your internship or work placement, you might get employed by the company. You might also work as an apprentice to start building your profession as you look for work.
3. Use experienced bodies and specialist recruiters
There are numerous recruitment companies online that assist fresh graduates in getting engineering jobs and placements. Call these companies and ask about their training programs and career solutions. Professional agencies are the most effective resources for getting information, career advice and also networking opportunities. Additionally, being a member of any professional engineering group will increase your chances of getting the job.
4. Get ready for the interview
Getting ready for an interview entails technical and oral preparation. Conduct some research on the company where you intend to apply for an engineering job and know what their work entails. Additionally, get prepared to utilize your school knowledge and hands-on experience since you will be asked about an unfamiliar occurrence you might experience in your line of work. The way you respond to such questions might define whether you will get the job or not. In some cases, you might be given an opportunity to prove that you understand the practical aspect of engineering. Make sure you are well prepared to answer any question that will be thrown at you.
5. Resume advice
The resume you submit to your potential employers is the only thing that will market your skills. Since you are a fresh graduate, your resume might be less than one page. However, if you find it hard to maintain it at only one page, concentrate on quality and not quantity. Incorporate bullet points to make it simple to read and list important achievements. The best example of your career achievement can be the engineering project you completed in college.
How to submit an application
Filling out an application form is a tiring task that is time-consuming. To ensure your effort and time won’t go to waste, spend more time checking it and proofreading it before you submit it. A slight mistake or ambiguity will make you lose that job opportunity. So, before sending the application:
- Check out the grammar and spelling mistakes and do not depend on spell-check software since it won’t check if you used an incorrect word choice. Reach every line to check your answers.
- Request a friend to read through the application to see if they find any unclear statement
- Check the formatting to ensure your answers are presented well and easier to read.
- Ensure you are sending the application to the intended person
After reading these tips, we believe you are in a better position to land your dream engineering job. Go ahead and send applications to the right companies. Good Luck!