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In the constantly evolving landscape of engineering, redundancy can emerge unexpectedly due to a range of different factors, including changes in project timescales, plant decommissioning and sector diversification.
While it may initially come as a shock, there’s plenty of support out there to help you secure new work, and it could open opportunities to move into new sectors.
For those engineering professionals who find themselves in this predicament, this guide provides practical advice to help you navigate your next career move.
Focus on your transferable skills
Working within your role you’ll have no doubt developed several transferable skills that are in high demand across various industries. Skills such as critical thinking, project management, problem-solving, and a strong grasp of the latest technological advancements are just a few examples that can be applied across a range of different sectors.
Begin by assessing your skills in the context of the broader job market. Consider the ways in which your engineering expertise can be applied to other industries. This includes emerging green energy sectors where an abundance of new skills are required to support energy transition plans.
List your core competencies: include both technical and soft skills
Research industries that value these skills: investigate complementary engineering sectors where jobs are being advertised
Identify any skill gaps: consider short courses or certifications to demonstrate your continued commitment to personal development
Update your CV to start job searching
Making sure you have an up-to-date CV (also known as a resume) will be vital for when you start looking for your next career move.
If you haven’t updated your CV yet, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Highlight relevant experience: tailor your CV to highlight your experience that directly relates to the job you are applying for. It’s standard practice for jobseekers to create different versions of their CV to pull out the most relevant skills against the job being advertised.
Use action verbs and quantify achievements: phrases like ‘developed’, ‘led’, and ‘enhanced’ followed by quantifiable outcomes help to make your CV more impactful and demonstrate the skills you can bring to new roles.
Keep it concise and clear: aim for a maximum of two pages. Clearly section your CV with readable headers and bullet points, and remember that some companies use technology to screen CVs so the information needs to be easy to identify.
Update your personal statement: tell the hiring manager or recruiter what you enjoy most about your field of work and how your previous experiences align with the roles you are seeking. If you’re interested in working in other industries then list these as well.
You can find more support in our How to make your CV stand outblog article.
Consider an engineering portfolio
If you’re looking to move into another sector, an engineering portfolio could be a good addition to your CV, which you can use to further demonstrate your skills.
You can include descriptions of projects you’ve worked on, and testimonials from members of the project management team. If you haven’t previously captured these, there’s no reason why you can’t reach back out to ask for a reference to support your job search.
If you’re interested in exploring this option, check out our How to create an engineering portfolioblog article.
Give your LinkedIn profile a refresh
LinkedIn is an essential platform for job seekers, especially within a professional field like engineering. If you haven’t already set-up a profile then it’s something we’d highly recommend. You’ll find some useful advice below for how you can use LinkedIn to support your job search.
Professional photo and headline: your photo should be professional, and your headline should clearly state your key skills and your career intentions.
Detail your experience: use keywords from your industry to help your profile show up in searches. Make sure all your relevant engineering roles are clearly described and up-to-date.
Send connection requests: try and note down the various people you’ve worked with on previous projects or work sites and then search for them on LinkedIn to request a connection. Think outside your own employers and include people who worked for other subcontractors and suppliers – the more people you can connect with the better. LinkedIn is about building a network of support, people who might be sharing jobs that have opened up at the company they work for, or might have suggestions to help you with your job search.
Ask for recommendations: endorsements from colleagues and supervisors can be a great addition to your job search. Politely ask contacts to provide recommendations highlighting key projects you’ve worked on and skills you have displayed.
Follow engineering companies: they often post roles on their LinkedIn pages, so it’s a good idea to follow local and national companies that you are interested in working with.
Mark yourself as open to work: use LinkedIn’s feature to discreetly or publicly indicate that you are seeking new opportunities, which can increase your visibility to recruiters and hiring managers using the platform to look for suitable candidates.
Set up job alerts: You can use LinkedIn to directly search and apply for jobs by typing your desired role into the search bar and selecting the ‘jobs’ filter. From the following screen, you can further refine your search based on location, salary and other factors – then enable alerts to be regularly notified when new positions are advertised.
Don’t be afraid to talk about redundancy: there’s absolutely no shame about posting an update on LinkedIn to let people know you are facing redundancy. Your connections will be happy to support you to find a new role, but they can’t help if they’re not aware of your situation.
Consider contracting roles
Short-term temporary or contract work can be a strategic choice for engineering professionals facing redundancy. It provides not only a quick source of income but also a chance to explore different industries or roles without a long-term commitment.
Here are some benefits:
Flexibility to assess options: contract roles can give you the breathing space to consider your next career move carefully without the worry of finding your next pay cheque.
Expansion of your skills and network: project-based or contract work can help broaden your skill set and professional network, which could be invaluable for future roles.
Diversification: you could take up an opportunity to work in a different sector, to demonstrate your transferable skills.
Wider job opportunities: if you’re happy to consider working away from home for short periods of time, then you’ll be able to widen your job search to look for contract work outside your area.
Find a recruitment partner
Engaging with a specialised recruitment partner, such as NRL, can significantly ease the transition into new employment. Our recruiters not only understand the specific demands and trends across engineering sectors but also have a network of contacts looking for skilled professionals.
Here’s how a recruitment partner can add value:
Access to the latest job opportunities: recruiters work directly with engineering companies to identify suitable candidates for their open vacancies, so will be able to consider you for various roles across their client base.
Guidance and support: they can offer tailored advice on CV preparation, interview techniques, and salary negotiations, as well as supporting you if you’re looking to diversify into a new sector.
Career development insights: with in-depth industry knowledge, recruiters can provide insights into emerging skills and sectors that may be worth exploring.
Don’t struggle alone
If you’re facing financial hardship because of the stress of unexpected redundancy or you’re struggling with the impact on your mental health when you suddenly become out of work, then please do not suffer alone.
NRL are proud to be company supporters of the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, which was set-up to help industry workers and their families in their time of need. The fantastic team can work with you to alleviate any concerns you have, from how you’ll make the next payment for your gas or electricity bills, to how you’ll put food on the table for your family. They help thousands of people each year, providing physical, financial and emotional support that is free to access, and is available 24/7.
You can find out more about the Lighthouse charity and access their services here.
We’re here to help
Facing redundancy is undoubtedly challenging, but our recruitment teams are keen to support you to look for alternative work and share any support and advice they may have as you consider your next career move.