Increasing your employability

Liz Neidhardt, Recruitment Manager

19 June 2012

Agenda

• Introduction to Huxley Associates

• The current UK engineering job market

• 5 ways to increase your employability

About Huxley Associates

• Established in 1995• Global footprint with over 24 offices across 16 countries • Specialist recruiters in Engineering, Banking & Finance, IT, HR, Energy & Natural

Resources• Supplier of engineering professionals to many of the world’s leading companies• Every consultant in our Engineering division is a sector specialist, who:

– possesses the latest industry insight – has a network of industry contacts– understands the needs of both clients and candidates

The UK job market

Look familiar?

The UK engineering job market

In a nutshell: the current picture of the engineering sector

“The UK’s engineering-based sectors consist of over 800,000 businesses, employing nearly 6 million people, including 2.5 million in manufacturing, and generate revenues in excess of £1,000 billion each year (nearly half from manufacturing)”

Source: IMechE report “Meeting the Challenge”, Sept 2011

Research published in March 2012 by the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) highlighted:

• Vacancies for Engineers were up 1% year on year in January for permanent candidates, and up 7% year on year for temporary staff and contractors.

• Infrastructure investment in 2011 was at it’s highest since 1980

• Particularly strong demand in the energy sector, including oil and gas, renewable energy, and power transmission. However, in other sectors, such as aerospace, skills shortages are still an issue.

But there are some hugely encouraging signs…

• Demand for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) candidates is buoyant…employers value numeracy and technical skills in a rapidly changing labour market.

• The jobs are out there, the challenge lies in bridging the skills gap.

Increasing your employability

The issue: Bridging the skills gap and getting the job

After toiling away to complete your studies, you want to get into the engineering industry, but…

• It can be a tough market for Graduates/Post Graduates to break into

• Recruiting managers may not immediately see how you fit in to the business

• If they can’t understand this, they will never convince the budget holder

The solution: Turn yourself into a ‘must-have’ employee

• You can’t change the economy but you can increase your own employability

• The challenge is to convince employers to train and “up-skill” you, rather than hold out for exact experience or qualifications

• And you can meet this challenge by following 5 steps…

5 ways to increase your employability

1. Gain relevant work experience

The issue:

Despite having the adequate qualifications - even post-grad qualifications - you’re

not standing out from the competition or securing the experience to land you the job role you

desire.

The solution:

• Actively pursue internships, summer/holiday placements and volunteer work, but ensure that it is related to your field

• PhD students with some practical/shop floor experience are more employable - it shows that you can put theory and academic knowledge into practice

Paul McCann, HR Director, Sulzer:

“The greatest differentiator a post-graduate can gain is their ability to show they have experienced work in a real environment, albeit limited, it is still very much valued by potential employers.”

5 ways to increase your employability2. Perfect your CV for the engineering job market

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”

Albert Einstein

The issue:

• You are getting little or no response from sending out CVs/job board/email applications

• Your CV appears to be getting passed over in favour of more experienced candidates

Recruiters are paid to fulfil a brief so you may get considered – or rejected - based on first impressions. Employers may not immediately see how you fit the brief based on your current CV.

5 ways to increase your employability

The solution: • Pick up the phone and speak to the recruiter – gain further info / create a good

impression• Tailor your CV to the role - Keep it concise, evidence-based and jargon-free – don’t

presume an HR Manager is an expert in your field, but don’t assume that they are stupid either

• Quantify your achievements; employers love to see how much money and time you could save them

• Help employers to visualise your experience by including details of products, materials, mechanisms, etc.

• Provide the titles of research projects and course names along with brief summaries of your work

• Insert a link to a portfolio/examples of your work • Include personal interests and hobbies; this confirms that you’re well-rounded,

even better if they tie in with your passion for engineering.• Take out all unnecessary info; marital status, height, weight, religion are irrelevant.

And for roles in the UK, your photograph shouldn’t be a requirement.

5 ways to increase your employability

3. Build a positive online presence

The issue:

Your online visibility is weak so you’re not being ‘seen’ by the relevant recruiters or engineering firms.

Recent research suggests that:• 77% of recruitment consultancies in the UK use online searches or social networking sites to screen

potential candidates • 86% of companies agree that a positive online reputation influences their perception of a candidate.

Why it’s important to have a strong online profile:• Employers/recruiters can approach “passive” candidates directly, i.e. those who may not be actively

looking• Many jobs are filled without ever being advertised - without a professional online presence, you risk not

being “found” in many searches

It is therefore crucial that you are visible online but for all the right reasons…

5 ways to increase your employability

The solution:

• Create a professional profile on LinkedIn to increase your visibility and exposure – find jobs and be found

• Network and build up contacts that can last throughout your career

• Join groups and forums connected with the engineering industry and actively take part in discussions - but don’t post for the sake of it

• Create a blog or website to showcase your portfolio

Top tips:

• Include key words in your profile so you appear in search results

• Post a profile photo that won’t embarrass you or an employer

• Get someone to proofread and spell-check your profile before posting

• Check the privacy settings on your Facebook account – a potential employer is not the best audience for your latest holiday photos!

5 ways to increase your employability

4. Find a recruiter who specialises in your field and sector

The issue:

You’re not connecting with relevant sector recruiters, which results in a struggle to find the right

jobs and career opportunities

The solution:• Use recruiters who specialise in your job specific function/level of experience• Seek out quality not quantity – choose 2-3 specialist recruiters and build up a relationship with consultants• Ensure the consultants you select to work with are committed to promoting your career and meeting your

requirements• See these relationships as an investment - great recruiters keep in touch with good people throughout their career

5 ways to increase your employability

5. Prepare for interviews

The issue:

You get to interview stage, but are not made a job offer. Is it your presentation, nerves or lack of preparation?

The solution:

• Research the role, the company and find out who you’ll meet at the interview

• Practice, practice, practice!

• Come prepared with competency based examples of how you fit the role and how your experience is relevant

• Ensure you know what’s currently going on in the broader engineering industry

• Dress smartly and appropriately

• Plan your journey and arrive at least 20 minutes early

• Shake hands, smile, make eye contact, pace your responses and remember to breathe!

What next?

Come and collect your free guide:

Get the interview: Writing the perfect CV

Get the job: Winning interview preparation

Get the profile: Managing your online reputation

Contact us

Liz Neidhardt – e.neidhardt@huxley.com / www.linkedin.com/in/lizshanahan

For further information on how to increase your employability and maximise

your opportunities visit: http://www.huxley.com/en/page/career_guides