Finding the right engineering firm to work for can be challenging. It doesn’t matter if you are just beginning your career, or you are looking for a new opportunity, the rewards are more likely to pay off when you carefully consider your options.
Wherever you choose to work can have a big impact on your future career. If you have some specific career goals in mind, it’s important to do you research and make sure the firm you are joining can put you on the right path to achieve them.
If you’re not sure where to start with your research, here are some factors you may want to consider when applying for a new engineering position.
Workplace culture
As an engineer you will be working closely with other members of the organisation, it is therefore good to know that the firm you are looking to join has a positive and supportive work culture. Workplace culture is the environment that a company creates for its employees. Their values, attitudes, communication, leadership, and beliefs all contribute to how positive the workplace environment is. Do not be afraid to ask questions and do your research on the company before making any commitments. The most important thing is it to find a company whose values closely match yours.
Work-life balance
A lacking work-life balance can have a great impact on job satisfaction. According to a survey by CIPD, three in five (60%) say they work longer hours than they want and one in four (24%) say they overwork by ten or more hours a week. A quarter (24%) admit it is difficult to relax in their own time because they are thinking about work and that their job affects their personal commitments (26%). When considering a job move, think about what is important to you and if the new job role will work around your home commitments and enable you to have the time out you need to fit around your personal life.
Company size
Whether you are looking to join a small or large engineering firm, both can have their pros and cons. In some cases, larger firms may offer more employee benefits, stability, opportunities, and training. On the other hand, they may be more resistant towards change. For example, sticking to the way things have always been done, allowing less opportunities for employees to express their ideas. It can also be a lot harder to be recognised for your efforts among hundreds of other employees.
A smaller engineering firm may be more flexible in their approach to employees introducing new ideas and it is usually easier to communicate with business leaders. You are also more likely to get to know each one of your co-workers and feel like a community. A smaller engineering firm however may not be able to offer the same opportunities as a larger one. In some cases, progression isn’t always easy. There may not be a clear structure of accomplishments an employee must achieve to get a promotion or a pay rise. In which case, employees in smaller firms can sometimes be unsure of how they can advance in the company and achieve their long-term career goals.
There is no right or wrong answer but knowing the pros and cons can help you refine your job search and ensure you end up at a company where you can reach your full potential.
Location
Think about how far you are willing to travel for the right position. This not only includes your commute to work but you might also want to think about whether the job will involve travelling locally from site to site and if any international travel is involved. You may prefer to work locally travelling to just one point of call, however some fields require engineers to be flexible, so think about whether this would fit in with your home commitments. Whatever the job involves, make sure the commute is manageable.
Clients
You will likely meet and work with many clients during your engineering career, ranging from large international companies to small local businesses. When applying for a new job, think about what sort of clients you would like to work with and whether the clients of the potential new engineering firm will give you job satisfaction.
Salary
Some companies may advertise the salary straight away on the job advert, however others may not disclose a salary until you are part of the interview process where discussions about pay can take place in more detail. Do some research on what the job you are applying for typically pays on average in your area, and have a figure in mind when it comes to the interview discussions. Make sure you also find out about any other benefits the company offers such as a pension scheme, healthcare, shareholder opportunities, annual leave entitlements etc.
Opportunities for career growth
If you have clear career goals that you want to achieve, this puts you in a position to be able to evaluate whether the company you are considering joining will set you on the right path to achieve those goals. Ask yourself these questions: Will I learn the skills I need? Will I gain the right experience? Will the position open me up to the right network of people to reach my goals? According to a study, the average adult's professional life is made up of six jobs. When starting a new job take into consideration where you want to be in the long term.
Work with a specialist recruitment agency
If you choose to work with a specialist engineering recruitment agency like Metalis, we will do the hard work for you. We know the industry inside and out and actively work with some of the UK's leading engineering and manufacturing companies. Our skilled recruitment consultants will get to know you, your goals, and match your skills and ambitions to the appropriate companies we work with.
With our industry knowledge and reputation, we are perfectly positioned to work with professionals looking for their next engineering career. Don’t just take our word for it, why not read some of our candidate reviews on google and see how we have helped many of our candidates secure some fantastic positions in the engineering and manufacturing industry.
