A Discussion With An Engineer Trying To Make A Career Move

In this session of The Engineering Career Coach (TECC) Podcast, we will focus on the job search process and will interview a member of the Engineering Career Community who is in the process of searching for an engineering job because he has hit a ceiling in his current position.

The following is a summary of Episode 75 of my podcast, The Engineering Career Coach (TECC) Podcast. I will summarize the main points in this post; however, you can also listen to the show through the player below, the website, or by subscribing on iTunes. I offer a career-changing tip at the end of each podcast session.

In this session of The Engineering Career Coach (TECC) Podcast, we will focus on the job search process and will interview a member of the Engineering Career Community who is in the process of searching for an engineering job because he has hit a ceiling in his current position.

Listen to this episode and learn how Matt approached his job search process:

Questions to ask yourself when looking for a job:

  • Do I want to stay in a small niche market in my current engineering industry? – Tougher to find a job, but once you become a well-known expert in that specific niche you will have a lot of success in your career
  • Do I want to go to a different sector in the industry or a different industry altogether? – You will have more opportunities to try something different, or cross over to another discipline

When investigating companies:

  • Find companies within the your desired geographic area and search their websites
  • Find leaders in professional organizations who have a lot of experience and success in the same industry and contact them through LinkedIn or at a networking event to ask for guidance
  • Set guidelines for your engineering job search – geography, commute, need for relocation, industry, etc.

How to stay focused during the engineering job search process while working in your current job:

  • Research and learn more about the specific engineering industry
  • Read technical articles that keep you motivated and happy
  • Listen to inspirational podcast like The Engineering Career Coach podcast
  • Take a break and relax – go to the gym

Constraints when you are looking for an engineering job:

  • If you don’t have an engineering job, you have more time to work on your job search and you can widen your scope or range of what’s an acceptable situation
  • If you have a job, you are limited in research time so you have to maximize your time

Some career advice:

  • Think about all the potential job scenarios before they happen when you get that offer letter
  • Understand and recognize when it is time to make a move
  • Think about what makes you happy or unhappy

What is your approach to the job search process?

Anthony Fasano, PE, author of Engineer Your Own Success, found success as an engineer at a very early age and now writes and podcasts to help other engineers do the same. Visit Anthony’s website at EngineeringCareerCoach.com to access all of the free engineering career resources he has created to help engineers succeed.