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How will you market yourself to prospective employers when you apply for a new position? After all, demand for your skill set may be high – but competition is fierce!
Having the right experience isn’t enough – you need to call on your inner marketing expert to get results!
Here are six ways to market yourself effectively for an engineering and manufacturing audience:
1. Understand Your Audience
Get to know your potential new employer by doing market research to understand what they're looking for. Try to establish the skills, knowledge and types of applicant top companies value highly. Speak to existing or former employees to get an inside take on the company. At the interview make sure you researched the company so you can tailor your questions and answers to their recent business activities.
2. Sharpen Your Skills
Look at your skill set to identify any knowledge gaps that could hamper your progress, and try to take training in areas where you lack experience. Were you recently declined a job? Politely ask for feedback from the company or your interviewer about where your CV or performance lacked impact.
3. Identify Your Unique Selling Points How do you stand out from the crowd?
From the many positive aspects of your CV, select one or two that make you seem different and highlight them. This could be your mix of past work, the combination of your academic training and hands-on experience, or relevant and intriguing personal interests that position you as someone of interest. Use this unique selling point in your written applications and interviews with employers.
4. Remember to Sell Your Soft Skills
In the engineering and manufacturing sector, candidates often assume their technical know-how is enough to secure them the best roles. Of course, you should demonstrate them – and show that you’re well-rounded and have great soft skills, such as communication skills, leadership potential and lateral thinking.
5. Get Up to Date
Learn about advancements and developments in the engineering and manufacturing industry – specific industry knowledge and awareness of current trends are always appreciated. Work on forming an interesting and wide-reaching view of the sector!
6. Build Your Network
The web has made it easier to connect with and maintain relationships with various people in the engineering and manufacturing field. Keep in regular contact with your network, and attend industry events to meet people and form real relationships – a fundamental and effective tool of self-promotion.
