How to find a job for a new engineering graduate

How to find a job for a new engineering graduate

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The Chevalier de Recci

Original Poster:

180 posts

144 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
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If anyone has any tips they would be hugely appreciated.

My son is graduating shortly and wants to find a job and I have no idea how to advise / help him. I've never applied for a job as my Dad got me my first nearly 40 years ago and I've always been quite happy to bumble along.

He has been fortunate to be blessed with his mother's intellect and has always been someone to who mathematics and exams generally were easy and will be graduating with a BSc in Aeronautics. He has been an A* student right through school and took his A levels early and then did some more. Stupidly he will probably end up with a 2:1 as he thinks he has messed up his last year project by following an interest rather than sticking to the brief and alienating his project tutor.

How can he get considered by some interesting companies. Should he just write to some or is it a case of looking at job adverts. If the latter then where is a good place to look. Do job agencies have any interest in fresh graduates or are they only looking for experience. Is it worth paying to have a CV written by a professional company even though there is not much to say as other than studying he just plays computer games.

What would get him noticed and invited for interview rather than just put in the maybe pile with hundreds of others.

It all seems very daunting and without any instruction manual.

Any insights welcomed.

GadgeS3C

4,516 posts

163 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
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In a previous role, we used to take on engineering students on placement. We were recruiting from Loughborough Uni so a good engineering course and we were a popular placement so we were high up the students preference list. We were able to pick those on track for good results 1st, 2:1.

Over several years every student we gave a placement to showed an interest in engineering beyond doing a degree in it. They would tell us about the things they'd design and made, even if it was just rebuilding a bicycle.

There are lots of engineering grads out there with good degrees. Your son's challenge is differentiating himself and having things to talk about. If his project has let him down because he followed a personal interest, that needs to be a positive. Why did he want to do that project? What interested him and what did he want to learn from it. More broadly why did he do engineering.

The absolute most depressing answer I had from a candidate, even worse because it was a female and they are rare enough on engineering courses, was "I did engineering because my careers teacher said it'd be a good idea"

Happy to try and help, feel free to PM me.

kiethton

13,883 posts

179 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
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Potentially a stupid question, but....

Does he want to stay in engineering? A lot of the traits of an engineer (maths, logical thinking etc) are transferable to other sectors - accountancy, finance, banking etc.

The Chevalier de Recci

Original Poster:

180 posts

144 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
quotequote all
Thanks for taking the time to reply.

This differentiating factor might be a stretch as he found maths at school easy enough that his teacher remarked that he should try astronautics at uni, so he did. Otherwise he would probably have just done a maths degree. Spending the rest of his time playing games doesn't really sound great on a cv.

The Chevalier de Recci

Original Poster:

180 posts

144 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
quotequote all
kiethton said:
Potentially a stupid question, but....

Does he want to stay in engineering? A lot of the traits of an engineer (maths, logical thinking etc) are transferable to other sectors - accountancy, finance, banking etc.
He really just wants something which is interesting and not repetitive. He is not entirely sold on engineering but I think he needs something that will be quite intellectually hard or he would be bored. He definitely does not want to teach maths but other than that I've been trying to come up with ideas. Unfortunately google is too general.

MattyD803

1,690 posts

64 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
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I'm afraid I only have experience in the engineering consultancy world (think Arup, Jacobs, Atkins, Mott MacDonald, AECOM, etc)....but if that sort of thing tickles his fancy, I would suggest finding your local office, speaking with reception and asking for the name of the office / area director, who will more than likely entertain a direct CV - getting solid switched on engineering graduates is getting very difficult these days. Sadly not all offices cover all disciplines, but you can but ask - e.g. Derby office have a focus on Rolls Royce Contracts, Plymouth on Devonport/Defence etc.

What part of the country does he want to find work?

CustardOnChips

1,936 posts

61 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
quotequote all
Engineering is a huuuuuuuuuuuuge subject.

What interests him? If he likes Maths and problem solving he could get into something like data science. If he's interested in seeing more tangible results from his work then construction is an option. The companies designing and building HS2 will probably need a lot of grads.

A 2.1 might not even get his CV read though. The last place I worked (engineering consultants) that took on grads had so many applicants for each place, they needed a Masters to even be considered.

The Chevalier de Recci

Original Poster:

180 posts

144 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
quotequote all
MattyD803 said:
I'm afraid I only have experience in the engineering consultancy world (think Arup, Jacobs, Atkins, Mott MacDonald, AECOM, etc)....but if that sort of thing tickles his fancy, I would suggest finding your local office, speaking with reception and asking for the name of the office / area director, who will more than likely entertain a direct CV - getting solid switched on engineering graduates is getting very difficult these days. Sadly not all offices cover all disciplines, but you can but ask - e.g. Derby office have a focus on Rolls Royce Contracts, Plymouth on Devonport/Defence etc.

What part of the country does he want to find work?
Thanks for replying.

Bristol and around ideally but he knows he may have to move out for the right job.

I'll start reading about engineering consultancies thanks.

The Chevalier de Recci

Original Poster:

180 posts

144 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
quotequote all
My shift is just about to start so will be back later, no phones on shift.

MattyD803

1,690 posts

64 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
quotequote all
The Chevalier de Recci said:
Thanks for replying.

Bristol and around ideally but he knows he may have to move out for the right job.

I'll start reading about engineering consultancies thanks.
No problem - For what it is worth, Atkins have a huge office (the Hub) located in Aztec West - they will be doing alot with Hinkley Point C and a fair bit with Rolls Royce Derby, amongst a lot of 'other' defence related work. Possibly worth a look in. Unfortunately the offices there are way too huge to have a single point of reference, probably best going through their central website for grad careers / applications.

Above all, good luck.

Edited by MattyD803 on Tuesday 15th June 17:30

Scrump

21,889 posts

157 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
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You have mail.

CoupeKid

747 posts

64 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
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Perhaps a daft question but has he been to his University Careers Service?

When I was a student the Careers Service did a brief presentation to us so he should be aware of the service. They do specialise in getting grads jobs after all and will have a library of companies that take on grads from his University. They might even be able to focus him on areas that would suit him.

I appreciate that the current situation makes it all a bit more awkward but there should be something they can do.

mikees

2,745 posts

171 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
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Have PMed some very interesting job links

Benrad

650 posts

148 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
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Honestly, if you're having to help and he's got no outside interest then he wouldn't be getting to the top of my pile of applicants...

Gradcracker was a good website when I graduated in 2013

If he likes games then that's a huge industry in the UK (game design/development/testing) and he'd probably make a much more convincing applicant if he's actually interested

The Chevalier de Recci

Original Poster:

180 posts

144 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
quotequote all
Scrump said:
You have mail.
Thanks, Gradcracker seems the place to be. Can't imagine why all my Google searches have failed to find it before.
Looks like an ideal place to start searching.

Scrump

21,889 posts

157 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
quotequote all
Gradcracker is still good.

The Chevalier de Recci

Original Poster:

180 posts

144 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
quotequote all
CoupeKid said:
Perhaps a daft question but has he been to his University Careers Service?

When I was a student the Careers Service did a brief presentation to us so he should be aware of the service. They do specialise in getting grads jobs after all and will have a library of companies that take on grads from his University. They might even be able to focus him on areas that would suit him.

I appreciate that the current situation makes it all a bit more awkward but there should be something they can do.
Unfortunately his uni careers department were not too helpful and so far have only issued an automated response saying they are busy and will get back to him when staffing levels increase.

The Chevalier de Recci

Original Poster:

180 posts

144 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
quotequote all
mikees said:
Have PMed some very interesting job links
Really appreciate you taking the trouble. I have passed them on to him.

The Chevalier de Recci

Original Poster:

180 posts

144 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
quotequote all
Benrad said:
Honestly, if you're having to help and he's got no outside interest then he wouldn't be getting to the top of my pile of applicants...

Gradcracker was a good website when I graduated in 2013

If he likes games then that's a huge industry in the UK (game design/development/testing) and he'd probably make a much more convincing applicant if he's actually interested
As said above Gradcracker is a great tip thanks.

I'm helping him because he is my son and I want to help him. I'm sure he would be okay without my help especially since he is far brighter than me but if I can come up with one extra lead then all to the good. We've discussed the games industry but not his thing it seems.

Sporky

6,085 posts

63 months

Tuesday 15th June 2021
quotequote all
Jacobs have a Bristol office too.

Personally I found consultancy boring and unfulfilling (MEng in electronic engineering and music technology systems from York). Systems integration is faster paced and more interesting for me. I'm in audio visual, worked up from support through presales, now Head of Design.

There are a bazillion fields with 50-person companies in need of enquiring, detail-focused engineering talent. Don't sweat the 2:1 - I got a 2:2 and haven't been out of work since graduating (well, OK, I had a month off at one point between jobs, but through choice).