Graduating college is one of the greatest experiences anyone can have. There’s something special about it no matter how you look at it: The graduate has finally completed their undergrad coursework, their parents/guardians can let out a long, relieving sigh, the alma mater bids farewell to another class while welcoming a new class of freshman, and the graduate finally gets that piece of paper they have worked so hard for. All is well with the world, but when the cameras turn off and the graduation parties are over…what happens then? Unless you have interned somewhere and already have a full-time position lined up, it’s time to start job hunting!
There are many ways to snag a full time position and there’s no way I can present them all here in this short Open Mind post. Also, what works for one person may not work for everyone else. Instead, I will share three career tips that have helped me broaden my job search and hopefully seal in my first post-graduation position.
Entertain All Career Paths
When I first started my job search, I solely focused on “Mechanical Engineering” jobs since that’s what I studied. I found all the jobs I was interested in and sent out my resume/cover letter. I then grew my search radius little by little under the same search term until my possible commute reached uncomfortable levels. It only took a couple of days to get to this point but surely I couldn’t have found every job available, right? I continued to analyze my degree from every possible direction. As a graduate in Mechanical Engineering, I have developed a strong set of skills in math, physics, chemistry, and statistics. I also considered the electives I took (alternative energy production, alternative fuels, safe product design, etc) and the hobbies I enjoy (robotics, electro-mechanical projects, race cars, etc). I started to use these terms in my search agents and found even more jobs to apply for. Some of these jobs were in companies I wouldn’t have thought to look in such as financial institutions and standards/regulations organizations. The point of this tip is to not focus on one search agent. Look at not only your degree but the experiences you had in your college career to help you find new and exciting opportunities.
Have a Solid Resume and Unique Cover Letters
I’ve been told I have a well-rounded and reflective resume by a few hiring managers now and it’s all due to not being one dimensional. A resume is literally your experiences and qualifications on paper and the key is inform the reader as much as possible. I want the recruiter or hiring manager to see me as a Mechanical Engineer but also a professional with leadership/work experience in various fields, who can work both independently and in a team within a BUSINESS setting, and capable of managing more than just myself. It’s all too easy to fall into the typical “engineer” stereotype of being introverted even if you’re not. Show your future employer that you don’t mind public speaking, giving presentations, interacting with professionals of all backgrounds, and/or sealing a sales deal.
As far as cover letters go…make each one unique. Update each cover letter to show WHY you are qualified for this specific job and WHY they should look at your resume. Find the name of someone relevant in the company to address your cover letter to, as well. It shows thought and research on your part.
Answer Your Phone!
This one is simple…when in job hunting mode and you are sending out your contact information to companies, they are going to call you!!! You will get calls from unknown numbers and emails from random people but don’t be scared; the caller is trying to learn more about you. This is still tough for me but I’m working on it as I don’t want to miss an opportunity to connect with a potential employer. Just think, you are one of many people applying for the same job…don’t let them leave a message and move on to the next person!
There you have it! My first EAF Open Mind style post. I hope the above tips help you find your next opportunity. If you have any helpful tips of your own, please share them in the comments below! Let’s start something great!
Until next time…
-A
Mechanical engineering is a very diverse field and there many different directions you can go with your degree. My advice to a fresh graduate is that its probably too soon for you know exactly what you like and dislike about all these options, so find an entry level position that will give you exposure to lots of different work experiences. Don’t be overly concerned about salary at this stage and try to focus on sucking up as much real industry experience as you can!
(Also fyi, the animated gifs are a bit distracting on a reading content blog. Maybe you could set them up to stay inactive until clicked on?)
EngineerDog.com,
Thank you for taking the time to share your career advice with us and our readers. There are a lot of opportunities out there but finding an entry level position with realistic requirements can be a bit challenging. Do you have any advice for us and our followers for getting our foot in the door after graduation?
Also, thank you for the feedback! We enjoyed using gifs in our TeamUV.org posts and they were received well there. Since EAF is geared differently, we will review their appropriate use and how we present them in the future!
-Andrew
EngineeringDog, thanks again for the read and input, it’s awesome to hear from our readers and engineering professionals! Regarding the GIFs, you make an excellent point, and I will absolutely be looking into your suggestion, as I agree that would be far less distracting!
Enjoy the rest of your day!
I’ll be working on making a few career resources to share on my blog in the coming weeks. For now I’ll add that my internship and senior design experience were critical for landing my first job. Businesses want people with skills who can get work done without a bunch of hand holding, and unfortunately the lessons learned in classroom settings will not always translate directly to the workplace. But to be fair, its understood that there always be a learning curve for the new guy.
Absolutely agree, my previous internships and our senior project have proved instrumental in opening doors for me and I know the rest of my team has had or is currently having similar experiences. Also, you are 100% right about the on the job learning, that’s one of the beautiful things about engineering, and especially mechanical engineering: you can never know it all, and it is impossible to teach you everything you need to perform your job function to the best of your ability over the course of an undergraduate degree (or higher degrees for that matter). Engineers have to continuously keep learning, it really is a lifelong dedication to the quest for knowledge and self-improvement.
Also, we’ll have to check out those updates on your blog for sure. Thanks for sharing!