Are you at a stage where you’re considering hunting for a new Automotive Engineering job but something is holding you back? While it is natural to feel some trepidation when considering a new role, sometimes anxieties can take such a firm hold, that they stop you from chasing an opportunity that could propel your career to new heights.
Here, we cover a host of common issues people face when considering a career move, whether that is sideways, up the ladder, or an entire industry change. We also explore suggestions for overcoming them.
You Fear Rejection
This is by far one of the most common things that people face when undertaking their automotive job search. It's perfectly understandable as rejection brings with it a host of negative emotions, such as embarrassment and regret. However, there are several ways to overcome this fear.
The first is to accept the fact that rejection happens to most people at some point in their career. The second is to acknowledge the feelings it provokes and try to turn the negatives into positives (we have numerous tips on this in the 'fear of failure’ section).
The last part of the process is to give yourself a pep talk. The rejection didn’t come because of who you are as a person. It likely came because the company and candidate alignment weren't right. You are the same intelligent, committed and qualified person you were before the interview, and this job rejection does not take anything away from your prior achievements or value.
You Fear Failing
Worrying about failure is closely linked to a fear of rejection but failure is widespread no matter your skills. Henry Ford, for example, had to start again twice over before he became successful! Sometimes worrying about failing can be so strong that it leads to avoidance. It can stop you from even beginning your automotive engineering job search, so much so that you can’t even bring yourself to finish an application for a role.
Begin by acknowledging that with failure comes growth. With a better understanding of the root cause, you can take small steps to address it. As an example, if nerves are a problem, spend some time developing your elevator pitch covering who you are, your accomplishments and the specific skills you offer, alongside what you’re looking for.
Another way to overcome failure fears is to reach out to an automotive engineering recruitment specialist, like us here at Fields and Rudd, particularly if you are concerned about interview preparation. Our focus is on helping our candidates embark on their engineering job search with confidence in their ability to effectively sell themselves. This includes support with preparing answers to common interview questions, mock interviews and more.
You’re Worried About Your Competition
Many jobseekers compare themselves to other candidates in their field and fear their qualifications and skillset won’t stack up. As a result, some don’t bother to even apply. But when it comes to your feelings that others are more qualified than you, it is good to realise that this is just an assumption.
If your skillset, qualifications and experience meet the job description requirements, you have just as much chance of landing an interview as anyone else. Even if they don’t, you’re still in for a good chance, not every candidate ticks all of the boxes!
If you would like to take a proactive step to further increase your chances of success, ensure your CV stands out by personalising it with the same keywords used in the job advertisement and description. Should you require support in identifying and seamlessly slotting these in, one of our specialist recruiters can offer advice and assistance.
You Have Concerns About the Potential New Role
You may be experiencing negative signs that it’s time to move on from your current role, and it's normal to worry that the next position you find may turn out to be more of the same. How do you ensure you’re not jumping out of the frying pan into the fire?
One way is to be clear about what you want from your next role. Consider what you value in a job. What makes you happy and just as importantly, what makes you unhappy? Having clarity about your job needs and desires before starting your engineering job search exponentially increases your chances of finding that right fit.
An additional step is to arm yourself with a good set of interview questions for your potential employer around workplace culture, job growth potential, professional development opportunities, and working flexibility. You should be able to erase those concerns when you do this!
You’re Apprehensive About Shifting to a New Industry/Role
The UK engineering industry is currently undergoing immense change and challenge with the need to make green (electromobility, hydrogen fuel cells etc.) and digital (connectivity, autonomous driving, software etc.) transitions.
In mid-2020, The European Commission launched the European Skills Agenda which included a Pact for Skills. Each pact establishes large-scale partnerships in industries facing immense challenges, such as the automotive sector’s digital and green transitions.
The aim is to upskill 5% of the workforce each year, representing a total of 700,000 people in the automotive engineering industry. This is great news if you’re concerned about your ability to upskill, with not only support available, but active encouragement by the industry at large.
In such a space, opportunities are there for you to upskill and move within your sector or shift to an entirely new one. But with change comes fear, whether it’s about your ability to tackle new concepts or perform freshly learned tasks quickly.
Further Assistance in Overcoming Your Job Search Fears
That covers five common worries you may feel when thinking about embarking on a new engineering job search. We hope they have given you some valuable suggestions around how to face and overcome them, and ready yourself for the exciting challenge of a new role.
If you would like further assistance in your job search, whether it’s interview preparation, defining your values to find the right fit, or investigating the array of automotive engineering jobs on offer, please connect with one of our recruitment specialists.