Nine Essential Tips That Will Help You Land an Engineering Position

1. Create a portfolio
A portfolio is able to differentiate you from others applying for the same position. For prospective graduates, details of extra-curricular activities and projects as well as research conducted for professors are excellent to include in a portfolio. Working engineers should include details and pictures of projects they have worked on. The portfolio will demonstrate the knowledge you have obtained better than a resume can.

2. Network with others within your area of specialization
Becoming active in associations or groups that also share your area of specialization will allow you to meet peers as well as those with more experience and in senior positions that may help you obtain the position you are looking for. It may sound Machiavellian, but people you meet within industry, are quite often willing to guide and help you along your journey of employment.

3. Prepare to work in a global workplace
Many companies have contracts and positions that can demand travel and/or living abroad. Experience in living in other cultures, speaking another language and working with others from diverse backgrounds makes you more attractive to employers. All of these skills should be highlighted in your resume.

4. Work with an recruiter
A recruiter works well for applicants with strong qualifications and can assist you in developing a resume, portfolio and interview skills. Many companies use recruiters to avoid the hiring process. They recruit to fill temporary positions and then hire the temporary workers that fit best in their organization.

5. Try cold calling potential employers
Cold calling can be daunting, but it works. Picking up a phone and calling a company in order to find the proper person in the HR department and then speaking to that person, opens you up for rejection. However, it shows the person that you are eager and willing to do what it takes to get a job with that firm. Remember that the goal is to get an interview, not a job. Once you have an interview, then worry about getting a job.

6. Make your resume work for you
Taylor your resume for each position you are applying for. Read the job requirements and ensure that your resume highlights each skill and qualification that they are looking for. You want to highlight your accomplishments, so you will have to research the different styles of resumes in order to find one that works best for you.

Don't forget about a cover letter. A brief letter that introduces yourself, explains why you are sending the resume as well as highlights your qualifications will go a long way towards getting an interview.

7. When you are looking for positions, think outside of the box
Don't just look on employment websites, many jobs are posted on social networking sites and the websites of companies. You can also target a company, and read news articles about this company to build up your knowledge. With the announcements of awarded contracts, new job opportunities may arise.

8. Prepare for the interview
Read about the company, find out news articles about the company and visit their website to find out everything that they do. Nothing puts an interviewer off more than having to explain what their company does to an applicant.

9. Be organized
Make notes and create a database that can keep track of the positions you have applied for, as well as the information that you have found out about companies. You can use this same database to keep track of the cold calls you make as well as a summary of your feelings of how the interviews went and how you can improve.

By Hira Ahuja
President
EPIC College of Technology

References
10 resume tips for engineers
http://www.engineeringdaily.net/10-resume-tips-for-engineers/

Engineering Jobs Tips
http://engineeringjobs.lifetips.com

10 Uncommon Job Hunt Tactics that Work - Penelope Trunk
http://txwescareerservices.edublogs.org/2010/05/24/10-uncommon-job-hunt-tactics-that-work-2/

How to be successful engineering student
http://mysterytourstories.blogspot.com/p/how-to-be-successful-engineering.html