I lost my first! Is this the end of the world? 21

[Cutiee]

This is my first job, my first redundancy; I have never imagined I’d leave the company of being made redundant. We’re not picking up any work, over 1/3rd of people have to go, and more than ten people have already gone. In my department they only want to keep the manager, and everyone else has to go, fair enough, all clear and straight forward, but somehow I just can’t accept it. It happened all too quickly.

I have been looking for jobs (again) since I heard the news, I know it’s a good chance for me to finally move on, but so far I have got rejected by two companies and am still waiting for response from many others.

How should I look at myself now? A loser? Although In the past years I have got very good feedbacks from both my colleagues and clients regarding my work, my confidence is slowly ebbing away… I start to doubt my ability... After getting a good class MEng degree I thought I was worth something; now at age of 25 I’m unemployed!

Is there something wrong with my CV? Or my limited experience is holding me back? Or perhaps, I should change directions…?

Help me through the misery please…

x

P.S if a similar post already exist, please let me know and I shall close this one

Thanks


Cutie

 

[ScottyUK]

Yeah, and a fence installer from France at that...


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[IRstuff]

Stars are indeed for helpful posts, but the meaning of "helpful" is taken quite broadly, to include thought-provoking posts, or just interesting posts.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[KENAT]

I'm not actually out of work yet (though statistically it will happen as I'm one of the last 2 out of a department that at one point was about 9 people including interns). I've been looking 'seriously' since mid June when I got my US citizenship.

I'm pretty sure it's the English thing that's part of the issue because of clearances etc. but that's another matter. However, I was trying to console you Cutiee not get sympathy.

That would "Of a fence installer".

KENAT,

Have you reminded yourself of faq731-376 recently, or taken a look at posting policies:

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484

 

[ash9144]

Don't be so hard on yourself Cutiee. You have your degree and some experience now. Plus the one thing you have over those of us who have been around is you could sell yourself on the "I'll be here long term" aspect.

But getting down on yourself will effect your confidence in an interview and I think that is something can really see in the interview process.

 

[rowingengineer]

Cutiee,
The only way these people would be your competition was if you moved to Australia and started a new discipline in Civil engineering.

One of them just went for an interview with a potential employer. The person that interviewed them was someone they had trained about 15 yrs earlier. They thought they were a chance, but it turns out that the interviewer did not want the competition. So do not let someone’s opinion on not wanting to hire you be a reflection of who you are.

Quote time: “Worry not what others think of you, but what you think of yourself”.


When in doubt, just take the next small step.

 

[SNORGY]

Cutiee:

I had the blissfully good fortune of graduating in 1983, when jobs were...somewhat sparse...

I applied to a major mid-stream company for a position just above minimum wage as a file clerk. I was rejected because my grades in engineering (B-average) weren't high enough. I concluded one of two things:

(1) They were looking for really smart file clerks;
(2) Their files were so badly messed up that they needed really smart file clerks.

I was rejected by Human Resources at a major oil and gas producer because - and I quote - "Petro-Canada just laid off 1200 people, so we want to interview them to make sure we get somebody really good.".

After three interviews and a psychological profile test, I was rejected by a major oilfield chemicals sales company during a fourth and final interview because - and I quote - "We feel that you probably don't get along well with people below your level of intelligence and that you have no sense of humour.". To which, I politely responded - and I quote - "Some of my best friends are alcoholics and street bums; and, I *am* here with you, aren't I?".

(That might have been the point where I lost the job...)

I was rejected by a major instrumentation design and sales company because I wanted to work for them for free just to gain engineering experience, which caused them to accuse me of trying to convince them to violate local labour laws.

In all, I applied for 1,200 (one thousand two hundred) jobs over a 13 month period, and was rejected 1,199 (one thousand one hundred ninety nine) times before I got my first engineering job for - get this - $3.00 an hour.

I began to feel very much like a mere soap tablet in the urinal of the engineering profession.

Since then, I have been downsized, I have quit, I have been turfed...and I have come out ahead way better off each time.

Believe in yourself and keep going, even when things are at their most bizarre.


Regards,

SNORGY.

 

[controlsdude]

I have not had any luck with recruiters, they seem to want very experienced people. Always want you to relocate to some god forsaken place that you have no friends. Then they usually inflate your resume to liar level, and then you get blindsided by the employer for the resume that you had never created in the first place. Great people those recruiters, kind of like used car salemen and bankers.

What about contract agencies, kind of like the low skilled temporary temp agencies that get you in the door? I worked contract agency work for like 5 years as an controls engineer. It was usually jobs that were hard to fill or required travel. Once you get past the 5 year mark in experience, usually you can get a job with benefits, like the one you are presently at right now. I think in europe if you work contract you can only work 11 months there, they lay you off for a month and bring you back. So just plan to charge a much higher rate for the gap of a month. Take a month or two vacation and go back to same company contracting. Or just get another contract job at some other company, you call the shots.

 

[Airforce2]

I reckon it is time to jump into some further study, even if it is some short courses in Engineering.

Just a thought. Gaining experience and knowlege builds your confidence a lot.

 

[Cutiee]

THANK YOU ALL.

I have finally got an interview (next Monday)!!! I’m very excited, yet worried at the same time. 2 months 1 interview, I really don’t wanna mess up my chances…

I’m now studying about the position, the company and possible interview questions…

But one big question: How should I dress? Smart short dress (my favourite)? Or smart trousers with low cut top? Or should I try not to dress fashionable or sexy?

I must say ‘THANK YOU for your help with my CV ScottyUK’

All suggestions are welcome! Thanks again.


Cutie

 

[ScottyUK]

No problem with the assist on the CV - you'd done most of it yourself really!

Re. dress: I'd go for smart but not provocative. A suit with smart shoes, bag, do your hair and makeup etc. At risk of sounding like I know what I'm talking about, that's advice from one of the girls I work with. I haven't a clue about girls' attire other than knowing what the answer to "does my ass look big in this dress?" should be. Being a typical guy I'd probably favour either of your suggestions, but on a first interview aim for smart, slightly conservative, but don't dress as if you're in your mid-fifties if you're in your mid-twenties. That would look almost as silly as the reverse situation!


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[ash9144]

Good to hear Cutiee! Best of luck to you.
Dress in what you are most confident in. Present yourself professionally.
Do not dress "sexy". If thats what it takes to get the position then that is what will be expected of you and how you would be perceived from then on. Unless of course the interview is for a stripper job or something of the like.

 

[patprimmer]

Dress like Condalina Rice or CJ in The West Wing.

Regards
Pat
See FAQ731-376 for tips on use of eng-tips by professional engineers &

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm

for site rules

 

[IRstuff]

Awesome! Good luck.

Dress conservative, and definitely downplay sexy. If you want to be taken seriously, you need to be serious.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[ScottyUK]

Condoleeza Rice frightens the bogeyman. Don't dress like her.


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[IRstuff]

Amendment: While downplaying "sexy" is good, you don't necessary have to wear a burka or a garbage bag. If it's an advantageous asset, you can, and should, take some advantage of it.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[HgTX]

Nothing low-cut, nothing shorter than just above the knee. It shouldn't have to be this way, but sexy isn't considered professional. It will be taken as flash over substance.

Here are some prior thread about women's professional wear:

thread731-93588
GeneratorGrrl's Dec. 14 post in thread731-110284
thread731-111099

It's been 5 years, but I don't think fashions have changed so much that the discussions have become irrelevant.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[Cutiee]

Haha ScottyUK, I shall not dress like her

I just found out more about this interview, this is the 1st stage interview with the director and manager… I’m scared! I have only had one interview in my life which was for my last employer, it was easy… but this one sounds all complicated and scary! Don’t know what to expect.


Cutie

 

[KENAT]

Just calm down breath deep and you'll be fine. Dress fairly conservatively, but if you are attractive then you'd be an idiot not to take advantage of it. Men especially are visual creatures, while it may not be why you want the job, at this stage if it helps do you mind?

Taking advantage of it doesn't mean looking like a $50 tom (street walker or whatever you want to call it). Taken too far it will mean they are only thinking about that or it may even work against you, "can't be pretty & smart" mentality.

Fashionable is probably fine as long as it's not too flamboyant but be carefull on sexy. The slightest hint of cleavage is probably OK, much more than that will likely be inappropriate.

If you have a lower cut top you think you look cute in then wear it, just put a cammy or something underneath to hide the girls a little.

I'll stop there before it becomes too obvious just how much "What not to wear" (US Version with the hosts that actually look nicely put together) I end up watching with the Mrs.

KENAT,

Have you reminded yourself of faq731-376 recently, or taken a look at posting policies:

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484

 

[ScottyUK]

Smile and try to relax a little. They'll expect you to be a little nervous, but remember they're only human beings whatever title they have (unless one of them is from personnel, in which case I could be wrong) and that they are probably slightly out of their comfort zone too.

Try to be open and avoid one-word answers, but don't give hugely detailed answers to questions which don't warrant it. Involve the interviewer in your answers if you can, and don't be afraid to ask them questions as part of your answer. By doing that you are steering the interviewer to engage in conversation rather than interrogation which is usually less stressful on both the interviewer and interviewee.

Take some examples of your work if you can - photographs are great talking points and, if the opportunity arises, find a suitable opening in the interview to say "I've got some examples of my work if you'd like to have a look?". Politeness and curiousity will usually mean that they will say yes, and you will also have opened up an opportunity for you to highlight your abilities and for you to talk about something you are familiar with rather than letting them direct the path of the interview. Choose your moment carefully though and wait until you can drop it in to the conversation. If the opportunity doesn't come up then I'd probably let it go.

When the interviewer says "Have you got any more questions" it really means that they've got what they need from the interview so while it is ok to ask a question or two it is much better to have got the answers duing the interview itself.


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[controlsdude]

I would google all those websites on career interview questions that they ask and think of your answers. Might even help to write it down.

Then think of the questions that you think they would ask technically. Answer those.

Look smart dress you age, if you feel confident then you will act confident. One less worry if you feel your not dresssed like you want to.