Getting Back to Work as an Engineer

I mentioned earlier in my "$ale$" blog, that working in recruitment I get a very clear picture of how the economic recovery is on the horizon. One promising observation shows a significant increase in the number of positions available on our TRS Staffing Solutions web site.


What is now clear is that jobs are available and employers now have a wider pool of candidates to choose from. Given these new set of circumstances, the question then becomes; how does one compete and reclaim their career in a seemingly more challenging and complex job search environment.


If you have been out or work for an extended amount of time, the major challenge becomes reacquainting yourself with the job market,; recognizing the emerging opportunities; and proving to employers that you have what if takes despite the lengthy ‘break’.  Once you have the job, then you will have to assure your employers that you will quickly transition back properly into the workforce.


The following tips will be helpful:


Reinforce your job search strategy
Review your previous engineering experience and highlight what is relevant and recent.  It is also a good idea to custom tailor your job search to each specific position that you apply to. Use language that sells on resume and focus on performance and results. Quantify results whenever possible and provide some context for accomplishments. This is especially true if you are transition from a different career back into engineering. It might be safer to highlight the results from the latest career instead of trying to correlate two contrasting experiences.
Do not be afraid to contact old co-workers and ask for help in determining how to approach job search.
Become an active participant on social media sites, read blogs written by industry leaders and actively participate in discussions.
Make networking and relationship building a bigger priority by getting active in associations, going to conferences, and building relationships online. See more tips on successful networking.
Target emerging sectors such as clean energy companies and build connection with idustry insiders.
In the interview, read my previous blogs on answering tough questions and asking good ones.