If progress in your engineering job feels as slow as the M8 on a Friday afternoon, it’s time to get out of the career crawler lane.
Finding yourself on the road to nowhere can happen at any point in an engineer’s career – from entry level to senior professional – and a jumpstart is what’s needed to get back in the fast lane.
Thankfully, here at s1jobs we can offer roadside assistance to get you motoring – just follow our signposts.
Your career journey
Use that logical and analytical engineer’s brain to plan ahead for six months, a year, three years. Decide on your destination and work out a route to get there. It might mean getting further professional qualifications or making a sideways move but at least you won’t be at a standstill.
Get in the driving seat
Be bold and seek out engineering opportunities with s1jobs. Maybe you need experience in quality systems, report writing or procurement to bolster your skills set. They might not be needed in your present role but it’s worth taking a chance to try something new. Plus, you’ll be showing your initiative and commitment to your career.
Plug into the network
Networking is vital in any field, and engineering is no exception. Join industry groups and attend conferences and events. This is the best way to keep abreast of new opportunities and get your name known.
Consider a coach
Not the sort to get you in shape for five-a-side footie but one who can offer an unbiased opinion of where your career is headed. Engineers are great at solving problems and formulating solutions but sometimes they need help when it comes to themselves. Career coaches are becoming popular in every industry, helping professionals look at their career in a whole new light. Equally an in-house mentor can help guide and direct a career path based on their own experiences.
Be inventive
If a job move isn’t for you right now, how about experimenting and learning outside the office on your own project? It could be building a Robot Wars-style machine to rival Razer, creating a new type of software or making your own solar panels. It might not get you on Dragons’ Den but it will offer a huge amount of personal satisfaction and be a great talking point on your CV.
Rev your career motor with Engineering and Technical vacancies on s1jobs