If you have just graduated from college with engineering as your major and are looking for a job, don't get desperate. You can easily find your first job if you know where and how to look. Developing your career does not have to start with the first job - you could prepare for a job in other ways. The rate of unemployment may be high, but if you don't look for a job, you won't find one. Competition in the engineering field is expected to be tough in the next decade. Graduates therefore need to go an extra mile to land jobs in the competitive field.
5 Job Search Tips For Engineers
The following
job search tips will help you land an engineering job quickly after graduating from college:
1. Tailor Your Resume For A Specific Job
You most likely did not study general engineering. Perhaps you specialized in chemical, electrical, mechanical, computer, marine, aeronautical, medical, or another engineering field. All fields of engineering do not deal with the same thing. So, tailor your resume to suit your particular field of engineering. Being more specific about your specialization will better your chances of getting a job. Also, have different customized resumes for different
employers, job opportunities, and engineering specialties you are targeting. Employers get inclined to resumes that have a personal touch.
2. Get Experience
Gaining practical experience is a big step to increasing your chances of securing a job. Get a work placement or internship to gain practical experience to complement your theory knowledge. You will also be able to make wise decisions based on the experience you've got. If you perform well in your placement, you may get hired by the firm. You may also work as an apprentice to begin developing your career as you seek employment.
3. Use Professional Bodies And Specialist Recruiters
There are recruitment agencies online that help graduates get engineering placements and jobs. Contact these agencies and find out about their graduate training schemes and career services. Professional bodies are a good resource for finding information,
career advice, and networking opportunities. Being a member of an engineering professional body can also increase your probability of getting a job.
4. Prepare For The Interview
This refers to both oral and technical preparation. Research well the organization where you want to apply for a job and know what their activities include. Also, be ready to use your class knowledge and practical knowledge as you are likely to be asked about an unfamiliar scenario you may face in your career. How you answer such a question may determine whether you will get the job. Sometimes you may be given a chance to prove that you really know the practical part of engineering. Ensure you are ready for anything that may come up during the interview.
5. Resume Advice
Nothing will market you more than the resume you present to employers. As a fresh graduate, your resume may not be more than a page. But if you find it difficult to keep it to one page, focus on quality and not quantity. Use bullet points to make your resume simple to read and list all important accomplishments. A good example of your career accomplishment can be the engineering project you did in college. If you topped your engineering class, indicate it, too. Be honest with the information you present in the resume; do not give yourself credit where it is not due.
Joshua Turner is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to business. In this article, he offers advice to job searching engineers and aims to encourage further study with an Ohio University Civil Engineering Masters. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
