Maintenance engineer jobs – how to get the one you want
One of the types of positions that are currently in need of filling at large numbers of organisations in the UK is maintenance technician and maintenance engineer jobs.
Yet because they’re so in demand, there’s suddenly much more competition for those roles too.
If you’re a maintenance engineer and you’re interested in changing jobs, that means this is an ideal time to be looking. As long as you do your job search right:
How to get the maintenance engineer job you want
1) Update and improve your CV
There’s no way to get around it. The first step of any job search – much as everyone hates the necessity – is to make sure your CV is up-to-date and correct.
Equally as important are the layout and readability of your resume. Is it clearly formatted? Does it hit all the key areas like the experience you have, training courses you’ve done, and the equipment and machinery you have skills and experience using?
Be sure that you’re not only listing all your skills but also describing and presenting them in a way that helps you stand out from the crowd. Someone hiring for the role you want may see dozens or hundreds of CVs. Don’t give them an excuse to pass over yours.
2) Search all the right places
You might find that the good old maintenance engineer job title of yesteryear has had some branching out and specialisation into different fields.
Distinguishing between electrical, mechanical, and multi-skilled is pretty standard, but a full list of all the possible permutations can get pretty long. You might try searching engineering recruitment agency websites for multi-skilled engineer, electrical technician, or mechanical engineer jobs, for instance.
It can also be smart to start your search with a specialist engineering recruiter. They will be dialled into the industry, often with better job opportunities from more interesting companies.
3) Get ready to answer questions
If you haven’t interviewed in a while, you might be surprised how much things have changed.
These days, you’re more than likely to be asked competency-based questions. This means, for instance, describing how you would solve certain issues on specific pieces of equipment.
For most experienced maintenance engineers, this kind of question is actually easier than most traditional interview questions. Nevertheless, it’s still worth thinking about what they might ask you, doing some practice interviews with a friend or family member, and doing your research on the company in question.
You should also do a bit of research into the kind of online testing (such as psychometric profiling) that many companies now carry out before job interviews. If you’re in any doubt about which tests a given company uses, it’s worth asking your recruiter.
4) Get ready to ask questions
One of the most important parts of an interview is the section where your potential employer asks you to ask them questions.
Regardless of whether you have things you definitely want to know (shift patterns and allowance, for example), you should be prepared to ask a couple of questions here to demonstrate your engagement and interest in the role.
Some of the best questions to ask in this line are about:
1) Training and career development opportunities
2)Company culture, team, and working practices
3)What a day in the job will look like
5) Double-check it’s the right job and the right time
Asking those questions and getting that extra information can help you decide for yourself that this is the job for you. But is it the right time to move?
Try to have some idea of the specifics of the job you’re looking for. Would it offer you a better work-life balance? Would you want a position that came with career development options?
If you’re less sure, it might be worth looking around. But don’t book interviews and then not attend them because you end up unsure if you really want the position – this can damage your reputation.
Once you have a clear goal in mind and you’ve updated your CV and prepared for interviews, it’s time to find your local engineering recruitment company and reach out.
Are you looking for your dream maintenance engineer job?
Let’s talk. Ernest Gordon is a specialist engineering recruitment agency with access to exclusive job opportunities you won’t find elsewhere.
Get in touch for a commitment-free chat about the kind of job you want.