INSIGHTS

Putting your best foot forward As a recruiter in the engineering sector, we have noticed a misalignment of supply and demand. The civil infrastructure sector is booming, everyone is looking for an extra civil engineer for their growing number of projects. But if Civil Engineers are in such high demand, why is it so hard for some highly qualified engineers to get a job? As a candidate, there are some things you can do to increase your chances of landing that ideal role. With continuing investment from state and local government, we are seeing continued growth of construction projects across Australia which looks like continuing for the foreseeable future. These projects include new road developments, road upgrades and rehabilitation works, buildings, dams and other complex structures, all of which require experienced engineers to oversee the design and construction. We are also seeing a resurgence in the mining sector in Queensland and Western Australia, with mines restarting, expanding, and new mines being developed, again all of these requiring experienced civil and other engineers. Although this is fantastic for the economy, companies are struggling to find suitably qualified engineers. There is a nationwide shortage of civil engineers, with engineering job vacancies higher than any other employment market throughout the country with civil engineering positions dominating this landscape. At the same time, engineering companies are becoming more discerning with their hiring choices even though there is a current skills shortage. There is a big demand now for Australian engineers with ‘soft skills’ like communication, digital literacy and critical thinking. Additionally, engineering companies in remote and regional areas are increasingly focused on culture fit to ensure their current teams are not too disrupted. In Cairns especially, most engineering offices are fairly small (under 25 staff) and they need someone with a broad range of experience that can work on any project, as employing a number of specialists is not in the business budget. What can you do? If you are an engineer, looking for your next opportunity, you need to be focusing on developing your soft skills. Take a course to learn how to use the various programs used in engineering, broaden your areas of experience, develop your communication skills by attending a toastmaster’s session, exercise your brain in other areas to develop more critical thinking skills. We are finding that if you develop your soft skills you will put yourself in a much stronger position in the eyes of your next employer. We are interested in hearing your thoughts or experiences as a civil engineer looking for work. What have you done to secure an interview? Eva GrabnerManaging DirectorElite Executive Pty Ltdwww.eliteexecutive.com.auCairns | Brisbane

Going Regional to Advance Your Career As Recruitment Specialists, we are often discussing people’s career objectives and what is standing in their way of achieving them. Unsurprisingly, management level roles are high on the list of career aspirations. But what is the best way to get into a management position? Do you wait until your direct manager moves up (or out) and go for their position? Do you apply for management roles in other companies? We have interviewed countless senior engineers and designers who tell me they can’t seem to break into the next level of their career. Most of them don’t have opportunities in their current company. They could be waiting years for their manager to retire, and they’re still not guaranteed to move up into that role. But if they apply for management roles with another employer, they most likely won’t be considered as they don’t have any existing management experience. It’s a cycle that traps a lot of good people who could go on to become great managers if they had the chance. Most people who work in major capital cities don’t consider the opportunities that moving to a regional or remote area can provide them. Regional and remote engineering firms find it hard to get good staff with experience and can provide a great career boost for a mid-senior level professional to take that next step. It can also give you a much broader experience in your field by being able to work on a wide range of different projects. There are other benefits as well. It will broaden your view of the country, and you will experience a whole different culture. It’s not unusual for people in the major capital cities to not be aware of what’s going on in other parts of the country, especially in regional or remote locations.  Outside of where they live, it can seem that everywhere else is just a tourist destination. Before I moved from Sydney to Cairns, I too thought the same. I saw Cairns as just a small tourist destination people went to see the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest and there was nothing else there.  But after moving to Cairns, I can see that it is so much more. There is a booming commercial sector as well as the tourism, the locals are much friendlier and more approachable than people in Sydney, there is so much more to do as a family, and the commute times are far less, meaning there is more time to enjoy everything available here. Now I don’t think I could ever leave as I love it here so much more than I ever thought I would. Have you reached a plateau in your career progression? Have you ever considered moving to a regional area to advance your career? Even if it is only for a couple of years, get the management experience, then you can move back with better career opportunities available. Who knows, you might like it so much you’ll want to stay too! Eva GrabnerManaging DirectorElite Executive Pty Ltdwww.eliteexecutive.com.auCairns | Brisbane