6 timeless job search tips for Civil Engineers

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CV advice, job advice, job search, skilled migrants,

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Navigating the job market as a civil engineer in Australia and New Zealand? Our expert recruiters at ConsultANZ have curated a list of timeless tips to elevate your job search and boost your chances of landing your dream role.

Tip 1: Be organised in your job search.

Keep a record of where you have applied and when, and any feedback you have received. You should know in advance where a recruiter is sending your CV – and they must seek your permission before it goes out. Don’t go out with multiple recruiters. Pick one or two with a good reputation in your market and stick with them for a period of time.

Tip 2: Read over your application before sending it out

My advice to all job seekers would be to read over their applications before they send them in. If the information isn’t relevant and the general format/presentation of their CV is unorganized, they could be overlooked. Consider everything you include on your CV and make sure it makes sense.

Frequent incorrect spelling and bad grammar represent how you would perform in the role you apply for – communicating with co-workers, writing up weekly reports, etc.

Tip 3: Send us your full CV

A job search tip to any candidate looking for a new opportunity would be to always send us your full CV, as we want to see your whole career. I would advise you to follow up with a phone call, so you stand out over all the other applications we receive daily.

Tip 4: Be confident

One of the things I come across daily is a lack of confidence. Candidates so often sit and wait to be asked questions, and when they answer, it’s blunt and short. As a recruiter, I want you (the candidate) to do as much talking as possible, tell me all the details of your career, no matter how small you may think that detail is, it helps us help you”.

Tip 5: Know your remuneration expectations and don’t change them.

Know what remuneration package you are looking for and “don’t move the goalposts.” All too often we are given a figure by candidates who later change that figure once they know the client is interested in them.

Going to the client with a new figure at the offer stage is not ideal, as the client would have made a decision with the initial figure in mind. A “change of goalposts” at the offer stage does not always sit right with prospective employers. It leaves a sour taste in the mouth of recruiters and employers alike.

So, when first speaking with a recruiter- know and tell your figure! Make sure that what you are asking for is realistic and in line with the level of experience, position and market. Be detailed in what you are looking for in a package – car, laptop, etc. Let the recruiter know what you will and will not accept.

If recruiters understand what a candidate wants and what they will or will not accept then recruiters can do their job more efficiently when presenting candidates at the outset. Prospective employers will then be less inclined to “low ball” and will offer what is being asked for.

Tip 6: Approach Recruiters on LinkedIn in a professional way

When you approach a recruiter on LinkedIn for the very first time, introduce yourself. Make sure you explain your circumstances:

  •  are you currently employed
  • if you are employed, what is the reason you are looking for a new vacancy?
  • are you in the country?
  • if you are planning to move to Australia for work, have you got a working visa or do you require sponsorship?

This saves recruiters time and gives them a better understanding of how they can match your resume to existing vacancies. Remember that recruiters receive hundreds of applications every day. You want them to remember you!

Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date with detailed work experience and a professional photo. This will be the first thing the recruiter will look at before requesting a resume and organizing an interview.

If you are a Civil Engineer, a Construction Professional or a Surveyor who would like to be part of the infrastructure boom in Australia or New Zealand, register your CV here or view our current vacancies.

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