Category Archives: Job Search Tips

3 Ways to Land Your Engineering Dream Job

Landing your dream engineering job takes a lot of hard work and fortitude. There is a reason that they call them “dream jobs.” Most people assume that they don’t have much of a chance of ever seeing that dream come true. But with a plan, patience, and persistence, engineers can improve that chances that they will land the job of their dreams.

One: Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

LinkedIn has proven itself to be a great networking tool for job seekers. Headhunters, recruiters, and hiring managers all spend a great deal of time on LinkedIn, so it’s worth it for engineers to create and optimize a profile.  Some basic LinkedIn tips:

  • Use a professional-looking headshot
  • Include keywords in your profile headline
  • Fill out your profile completely
  • Be clear about your career goals
  • Follow companies you are interested in
  • Join professional groups

Spend a little time each day perfecting your profile, making new connections, and engaging in discussions on professional groups. People who are diligent on LinkedIn report a great deal of success.

Two: Engage in In-Person Networking

Networking is one of the most effective ways to create new contacts, improve your interpersonal skills, and eventually find your dream job.  When you cultivate strong relationships with others in your area of engineering expertise, your contacts will be more likely to notify you of upcoming openings, and recommend you to their hiring managers or peers.

Many engineers shy away from networking. “Working a room” is an extroverted activity, and the thought can be intimidating. Always start small, and if necessary, bring someone with you. As you become more comfortable, and as you cultivate a strong network, you’ll know more people at each event, and those contacts can introduce you to others. Networking is a long-game strategy, but when used consistently, can produce significant rewards.

Three: Volunteer with a Nonprofit

Nonprofits are always looking for volunteers to help them with all aspects of running their business. No matter what your engineering specialty, you can likely find a nonprofit near you that can benefit from your expertise. New engineers with little practical experience can use volunteer work as a way to beef up their resume, and experienced engineers can use volunteer work as a way to make new contacts and create a well-rounded candidate profile.

Don’t Do It Alone

It can help to seek out a partner to help you on your quest to land your engineering dream job. Consider working with a recruiter who specializes in technical fields. These recruiters already have a strong network of contacts in the industry – perhaps even at your dream company – and they can help you get a leg up on your competition.  If you are an engineer looking to land your dream job, contact The Prevalent Group today. Our team of engineering recruiters can help you locate the perfect position that aligns with your skills and your long-term career goals.

Are Young Engineers Taking Over Manufacturing? What Does this Mean for Your Job Search?

The manufacturing sector has been a hotbed of hiring activity for young engineers in 2014. According to TimesJob.com, 12% of the total demand for engineers with less than two years of experience came from the manufacturing sector.

The increase in demand for recent engineering graduates is due, in part, to an increase in global manufacturing. US manufacturing has also been on an upswing in recent years.  In fact, the US remains the largest manufacturing economy in the world, producing 21% of all manufactured products. The National Association of Manufacturers reports that US manufacturers annually contribute around $1.7 trillion to the economy.

Even with new money flowing into and through the manufacturing sector, companies have to stay on their toes. Competition is steep, especially among companies in Asia and those in emerging markets. Business leaders know that the only way to stay on top is to innovate. Young engineers in the sunrise of their careers are often seen as prime candidates for driving organizational innovation.

What Does This Mean for Established Engineers?

Engineers who are established in their careers may take this as a sign that they are being edged out by Millennials. This is not necessarily true. While technical skills are of the essence, employers are also looking for:

  • Adaptability
  • Willingness to learn
  • Collaborative experience
  • The ability to work as part of a team

As long as established engineers can show that they have both the technical chops and the soft skills to drive innovation, they can stay relevant in the marketplace.

These jobs are not a sure thing for younger workers, either. Though they may be seen as innovators, Millennials often have to fight against stereotypes, and in many cases it can be difficult to compete in the job market without valuable hands-on experience.

Gaining an Edge in the Marketplace

Whether an engineer is a recent graduate or has been working for many years, competition for jobs in the manufacturing sector is fierce and it can be difficult for engineers at any career stage to shine among a sea of hopeful and qualified candidates.

One of the best ways to gain an edge in the engineering marketplace is to partner with a recruiter. A professional recruiter will have a wide network of industry contacts and will know about open positions long before the general public. They can match their candidates to open positions based on skill sets and career goals, so that job seekers aren’t spinning their wheels and wasting time going after jobs that might not be a good match.

If you are an engineer in northern Illinois who is seeking new opportunities in the manufacturing sector, contact The Prevalent Group today. Our team of recruiters can help you locate   engineering jobs in northern Illinois that align with your skills, qualifications, and your long-term career goals.

Don’t Burn Bridges! 5 Tips on How to Properly Resign

Whether you are tendering your resignation because you’ve accepted a new opportunity, or because your job has become completely intolerable, you should always exit in a professional manner. It’s never a good idea to burn bridges because you never know where your career path may take you. You may need a reference from your former employer, or the boss that you loathe could wind up as a colleague down the line.

Resigning gracefully can be especially difficult when you are leaving a stressful or tense work environment. No matter how gleeful you may feel about quitting, there are some steps that you can take to ensure that the door won’t be sealed and locked after you exit.

Keep Your Resignation Letter Short

Your resignation letter should be short and simple. At a minimum it should include the name of the person to whom you are submitting the letter, your statement of resignation, your last day or work, and your signature. You can include positive statements about your boss and the organization, but never put any criticisms in writing. Your resignation letter will be a part of your employee file, on hand for HR staff to see in the event of a reference check. Choose your words carefully.

Resign Face To Face

Type up and print your resignation letter at home, and bring it with you when you speak to your supervisor. Tell your boss verbally that you are leaving, and then follow up by giving her the letter. If you have taken a new position, say so, and always express your appreciation for the opportunities that your current position has afforded you.  If you are leaving a bad work environment without another position, simply tell your boss that you are moving on, and again, express your appreciation.

Give as Much Notice as You Can

A minimum of two weeks is standard practice, but if you can give your employer more notice, do so.  Two weeks is usually not enough time for employers to properly transition your work to new employees.

It’s never a good idea to schedule vacation during your notice period, even if you’ve given as much as 30 days. There isn’t much your employer can do to stop you, but it will leave a bad taste in the mouth of your managers and coworkers.

Offer to Help With the Transition

Offer to be part of a transition plan to wrap up your current projects or hand them off to other employees before you leave. Transitions are never easy, and it can ease a lot of stress if you commit to seeing your projects through to completion.  Your boss may or may not take you up on the offer, but she will appreciate the gesture.

Things You Should Never Do When Resigning

Employees can often act impulsively when they resign. No matter what your circumstances may be, there are several things you should avoid doing at all costs:

  • Don’t announce your new job on social media before you’ve given your notice.
  • Do not announce your resignation through a company-wide mass email.
  • Do not use your exit interview as a therapy session to get things off of your chest. Always be gracious and constructive.
  • Don’t lie about where you’re going or what you’ll be doing. If you don’t want to share your new position with your current employer, you don’t have to.
  • Do not delete computer files or remove any paper files from the office.

Following these tips will help you resign with grace, even under extremely tense circumstances.  Always remember that impulsive decisions can lead to regret, and you never know who you’ll run into later on in your career.

If you are an IT professional seeking new opportunities for professional growth, contact The Prevalent Group today. Our team of recruiters can help you locate ideal information technology jobs in northern Illinois that align with your skills and your long-term career goals.

Five Ways to Stay Motivated in Your IT Job Search All Summer Long

Keep it Mobile While you’re sipping lemonade and catching up on your beach reading, employers are still looking for qualified IT talent, and your competitors are still pounding the pavement. Putting your search on the back burner for June, July, and August could cause you to miss out on your dream opportunity.

How can you stay motivated when barbecues and swimming pools are calling? Here are a few tips to help you stay focused:

Plan Ahead and Keep a Schedule

As you plan your summer activities, be sure to include weekly job-search activities. Set goals for yourself and stick to them. Perhaps your goal is to apply to two targeted IT positions a week, or attend three tech-related networking events a month. Whatever your goals may be, write them down and be sure to prioritize them. Check in with yourself each week to ensure you’re staying on track.

Turn Summer Activities into Networking Opportunities

Many people enjoy getting involved with charity events during the summer. They may volunteer for local tree-planting and beautification efforts, charity sporting events, or other activities. Even classical networking events become more common and take on a lighter, more social vibe during summer. There is a distinctly different feel to an after-work networking event that takes place indoors in February, and one that takes place on a rooftop in June. Summer is a time to get out and socialize. Make the most of every opportunity by connecting with new people. Just be sure to modify your elevator pitch to reflect the situation.

Your job search doesn’t have to occur only while you’re tethered to your laptop or desktop computer. You can research positions from your smartphone or tablet, while you’re out and about. Spending time by the pool? Grab your table and put in 20 minutes of job-search work before you reach for a frozen daiquiri.  Waiting for the grill to heat up? Take a few minutes and check for new jobs or updates on your phone. You don’t have to devote hours each day to your search in order to make it a productive summer.

Don’t Become Discouraged

Companies have to juggle summer vacation schedules, and projects can often take longer to complete. If you aren’t getting immediate callbacks or feedback, don’t let it get you down. Hiring managers need summer vacations too, and they also have to pick up the slack while their team members enjoy their own summer breaks. Use the slow time to conduct extra research on your target organizations and brush up on your interviewing skills.

Partner with a Recruiter

Internet job boards have helped to streamline job searches, but there are a host of unadvertised positions that job seekers only have access to through professional recruiters. Many companies prefer to work with recruiters to help improve the chances they will attract only the most highly-qualified candidates. IT recruiters focus their efforts on facilitating the perfect match between the companies they work with and top IT talent. Partnering with a recruiter not only opens the door to these opportunities, but it helps give you a competitive edge. Your recruiter will do all of the early leg work for you, including pre-selling the hiring manager on your qualifications.

If you are an IT professional looking for new opportunities and you’re ready to partner with a recruiter, contact The Prevalent Group today. Our team can help you locate and apply for ideal IT positions in northern Illinois that match your experience and your career goals; and we can help keep you motivated as warm weather approaches.