How to find a job for a new engineering graduate

[161BMW]

Ranger 6 said:

The Chevalier de Recci said:

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.

My son is hoping to get in to Loughborough to do Automotive engineering -n they were at great pains to highlight the support offered to students both for placements and post grad employment.

Your son's uni sounds pretty sh*t on that front - where is he?

Loughborough is a great uni esp for engineering such as Automotive. Great to get in automotive road car industry. Loads of research there. Great facilities. Friendly staff.

[161BMW]

DeejRC said:

161BMW said:

DeejRC said:

Chev, you have mail.
Aeronautics out of Saints are the magic words for certain ppl in certain industries.
Their careers peeps are either being numpties or complacent. They are arguably the best connected ppl into an industry in the country, outside of Loughborough or Leeds.

Which industries are they ? What about Oxbridge or Imperial College ?

What about them? When Oxford can find their arse from their elbow let me know and yes, Ive got an office and lab in Oxford and we know the Uni well.

Edited by DeejRC on Friday 18th June 09:51

What about Imperial ? Also which are the industries you speak of in the earlier post ?

[BobsPigeon]

I haven't read the other replies but I will say he probably already has a fair idea of what he needs to do and if he's motivated to get on and do it he'll be OK, and sounds like he probably is motivated well enough considering what he's achieved so far.

The big aero employers will have grad schemes open, BAE, MBDA, RR, Airbus etc... Etc... Check out their websites. I work for one of those so if you want to PM me I'll drop you the details of the recruitment team.

[The Chevalier de Recci]

DeejRC said:

Chev, you have mail.
Aeronautics out of Saints are the magic words for certain ppl in certain industries.
Their careers peeps are either being numpties or complacent. They are arguably the best connected ppl into an industry in the country, outside of Loughborough or Leeds.

Thanks for the PM, you should have his CV in your alternate inbox now.
Any tips, advice or leads much appreciated.

[The Chevalier de Recci]

snotrag said:

Crudeoink said:

HJG said:

People saying hard to get a job with 'just a BEng' etc...

All engineering sectors struggle to recruit. Don't fall down the 'I must get a masters or PhD' trap. It's not true. It hinges hugely on the individual.

A degree is a given on the CV. Every applicant is going to have one. You need to stand out and make yourself more interesting than the next person. Extra curricular projects at uni, private projects you've done yourself, problems you've solved, teamwork and/or leadership experience.
2 pages maximum in any CV and do not include the paper round at age 13.

I would agree with this, I graduated about 4 years ago with a BSc from a, at best, mediocre university. I have since gone on to work as a Design Engineer, Systems engineer and more recently Lead Systems Engineer. I've also had 3 offers of employment in the last 2 months without even actively looking to wanting to move from where I am currently. My other half who graduated with an MEng finds it no easier to find roles compared to me, and I have never had an issue with my degree being a BSc.

1000% Thirded the above. Engineering Student here - but also with th above 'mediocre' qualification from a former Poly technic. Graduated 2008, varied career so far, loads of interesting jobs, currently a Technical Training role in Aviation, very happy.

This is the bit that worries me regarding the CV:

The Chevalier de Recci said:

there is not much to say as other than studying he just plays computer games

This is my worry too. All the guides I've read online emphasise that a cv should shine a light on all your interests and how you've achieved so much despite still being young and academically brilliant.
He's not a computer gaming recluse who lives in a dark room and only emerges for a refill of pop tarts. He is very socially active with his friends and is very witty and just bonkers bright at maths.
His CV is therefore very plain and factual since he's never volunteered in the third world or built a working replica of Stephensons Rocket but he is not lacking in motivation or ability. (Obviously I'm hugely biased)

He chose Astronautics at Southampton because his maths teacher said it would be the hardest maths based course out there and Southampton had a great reputation.
His mum went to Cambridge and later did a DPhil at Oxford (she's the brains I just talk a good game) so he knew what was what in the University hierarchy but the Oxford course was too much Aerospace and too little Astro for his liking.

[cml24]

I used grad cracker to find my job as an electrical engineer just over ten years ago. The website is still going by the look of it.

https://www.gradcracker.com/

I applied to a few companies that interested me, and about 50% offered me a place on their graduate schemes.

I have a 2:1 (masters) from an acceptable, but definitely not one of the big engineering universities, and got a rewarding 9money and other ways) job that has taken me abroad as well. At interview they didn't really ask anything about my degree, it was focused on my hobbies/interests and travelling (two stages of interview in person, followed by an overnight assessment centre).

Good luck, I'm sure there is a role out their. Make sure its interesting though, and not just about the money (that can come later in life)!

[BobsPigeon]

If he wants to work in engineering, especially software engineering, playing computer games in his spare time is not going to be a problem... The ability to communicate and convince HR people you're half human is necessary but when he gets amongst his own things like Duke of Edinburgh awards or volunteering at the local soup kitchen are no where near as important as having good CoD stats.

[Northernboy]

The Chevalier de Recci said:

His CV is therefore very plain and factual since he's never volunteered in the third world or built a working replica of Stephensons Rocket but he is not lacking in motivation or ability. (Obviously I'm hugely biased)

What about an evening or weekend job, Duke of Edinburgh scheme, any sports or activities, something like cycling or climbing?

Has he helped his grandparents on their allotment, does he have a favourite author, has he built a Raspberry Pi and done something interesting with it?

Anything at all will look better than a blank space where "other interests" are mentioned.



-

[161BMW]

BobsPigeon said:

If he wants to work in engineering, especially software engineering, playing computer games in his spare time is not going to be a problem... The ability to communicate and convince HR people you're half human is necessary but when he gets amongst his own things like Duke of Edinburgh awards or volunteering at the local soup kitchen are no where near as important as having good CoD stats.

LOL

[Sporky]

BobsPigeon said:

If he wants to work in engineering, especially software engineering, playing computer games in his spare time is not going to be a problem... The ability to communicate and convince HR people you're half human is necessary but when he gets amongst his own things like Duke of Edinburgh awards or volunteering at the local soup kitchen are no where near as important as having good CoD stats.

Maybe it's different at graduate level, but when I'm hiring I honestly don't give a crap what candidates' outside-work interests are (though I do hope they're neither illegal nor immoral). I'm not going to be paying them outside of working hours, so if they like bog snorkelling, amateur taxidermy, playing Fortnite, or just sitting in a chair scratching doesn't matter to me.

They do need to be able to have a business-casual (sorry) conversation, be able to talk to peoples' faces rather than their chests, crotches, or shoes, and they need to be good at the job. Or obviously bright and trainable.

I've not put my other interests on my CV since I was 20ish. Either the employer cares, in which case they'll ask and recoil in horror at the answer, or they don't care.

[FiF]

snotrag said:

Crudeoink said:

HJG said:

People saying hard to get a job with 'just a BEng' etc...

All engineering sectors struggle to recruit. Don't fall down the 'I must get a masters or PhD' trap. It's not true. It hinges hugely on the individual.

A degree is a given on the CV. Every applicant is going to have one. You need to stand out and make yourself more interesting than the next person. Extra curricular projects at uni, private projects you've done yourself, problems you've solved, teamwork and/or leadership experience.
2 pages maximum in any CV and do not include the paper round at age 13.

I would agree with this, I graduated about 4 years ago with a BSc from a, at best, mediocre university. I have since gone on to work as a Design Engineer, Systems engineer and more recently Lead Systems Engineer. I've also had 3 offers of employment in the last 2 months without even actively looking to wanting to move from where I am currently. My other half who graduated with an MEng finds it no easier to find roles compared to me, and I have never had an issue with my degree being a BSc.

1000% Thirded the above. Engineering Student here - but also with th above 'mediocre' qualification from a former Poly technic. Graduated 2008, varied career so far, loads of interesting jobs, currently a Technical Training role in Aviation, very happy.

This is the bit that worries me regarding the CV:

The Chevalier de Recci said:

there is not much to say as other than studying he just plays computer games

Yep, worried me too. As I posted earlier, albeit no connection with Southampton, but there is heaps online on their career hub.

This is the specific page mentioned, https://www.southampton.ac.uk/careers/students/sub...

On there are downloads and links to all the useful sites
Prospects
Targetjobs
National Career Service

For example download the Aeronautical Engineering, what can I do with my degree pdf. More stuff.

Then look at the other links, application advice, CV builder, graduate jobs research market, all of which will help the applicant to figure out what an employer of interest is looking for, and tailor their personal presentation to show transferable skills, experience, his fit to the needs and so on.

Unfortunately students often go through their time, ignoring all the emails from careers service, all the shout outs and presentations in lectures, the notices and support material available in areas of the campus they visit daily, the repeated advice to register for My career, the system behind that linked website, and increase their knowledge and experience. Only to start looking now, when as others have said ut's too late for this cohort' s grad recruitment round.

Maybe the OP son hasn't even registered, which IF that is the case Soton careers are getting the stty end of the stick on this thread, in my very humble opinion, by the accusation that they've just sent what is probably just an out of office message.

Sorry if this sounds a bit harsh, but something on this doesn't sit right with what is normal. My bet is it ain't the uni career service being the problem.

[frisbee]

Sporky said:

Maybe it's different at graduate level, but when I'm hiring I honestly don't give a crap what candidates' outside-work interests are (though I do hope they're neither illegal nor immoral). I'm not going to be paying them outside of working hours, so if they like bog snorkelling, amateur taxidermy, playing Fortnite, or just sitting in a chair scratching doesn't matter to me.

They do need to be able to have a business-casual (sorry) conversation, be able to talk to peoples' faces rather than their chests, crotches, or shoes, and they need to be good at the job. Or obviously bright and trainable.

I've not put my other interests on my CV since I was 20ish. Either the employer cares, in which case they'll ask and recoil in horror at the answer, or they don't care.

Graduate interviews for a reasonable sized company will be predefined questions. I did a number of telephone screening interviews for graduates a few years ago, foreign candidates were generally very good, UK candidates were embarrassingly bad.

The good candidates had relevant interests and experience that they worked into their answers in such a way that it made the interview interesting.

[Sporky]

I've just seen how incredibly grumpy that last post of mine read as (apologies for the awful grammar in that sentence). I actually meant it in a really positive way.

I can see if you're working through dozens of candidates it could be very different - if they can articulate their interest that must help make them stand out.

[CubanPete]

PM'd

[The Chevalier de Recci]

CubanPete said:

PM'd

Thanks for taking the trouble to PM me the link. I'll pass it on. Certainly looks like the sort of company he should be contacting.

[FiF]

OK, just sent you by PM a link to a job that's just opened up. Based Silverstone.

[DeejRC]

Chev,

I emailed your son today to say that I have reviewed his CV, like it. Ive passed it on to my client MD.

[pete_esp]

I wouldn't worry too much about getting a 2:1. I got that as a BEng and decided that it made more sense to start working having achieved this as MEng etc didn't offer a sufficient increase in the starting salary to compensate against another year of student debt + the loss of earnings. Didn't stop me getting my chartership either.

As far as getting jobs is concerned, he should get a decent Linked In profile and put effort into his CV. This will attract recruiters, they will put him forward for jobs then it's up to him to build a rapport and impress. I presume assessment days are still a thing for new grads so that's his opportunity to stand out from the crowd but that's on him.

FWIW I work in the aerospace and defence industry writing code for FPGAs, which is the etherworld between hardware & software. If he learns how to code in VHDL or System Verilog or both he will be in great demand for quite some time. The companies I have worked for always have open positions for these skills and not a week goes by without recruiters making contact about other opportunities.

[Cyder]

pghstochaj said:

The Chevalier de Recci said:

Yes my mistake it is a BEng

It’s going to be an uphill struggle to get a job as an graduate engineer with a BEng. Why has he done a BEng?

Not in the Automotive world it isn't (necessarily). What industry are you thinking of?

I and I think most of my immediate colleagues have BEng degrees, I've recruited many grads and rarely noticed whether they have MEng or BEng on the CV. I'm much more interested in if they've done the year in industry and whether I think they'd fit in.

[RizzoTheRat]

For the Bristol area, as well as the engineering firms mentioned, you also have DE&S at Abbey Wood. I believe the MoD graduate scheme still puts people in 3 month placements at different sites to gain experience of different areas, but individual sites also recruit graduates.

Not sure what the job market's like at the moment, but if there's not much around, it might also be worth looking at an internship. The pay's crap but he could get some interesting work and it looks good on a CV.

Ranger 6 said:

My son is hoping to get in to Loughborough to do Automotive engineering -n they were at great pains to highlight the support offered to students both for placements and post grad employment.

They certainly had an active careers advice program and lots of contacts at Rolls Royce and Ford among others when I left (aero rather than auto, but the same department), but that was a long time ago (1996 I think)