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Long term unemployed graduates and Engineers, stand up and be accountable to yourself

Mark Healy

Career coach plus Workplace integration courses for Graduates needing to start their career

发布日期: 2023年5月16日

Dealing with individuals who have struggled for some time which I consider those in the 3 yrs plus time frames, there comes a point where the individual actually does not believe they can secure work, and this happens much more noticeably around the 4-year mark. So Consider two scenarios

Studied Bachelor + Masters ( No experience at all either internationally or domestically) & haven't been able to secure a role.
Studied Bachelor and worked abroad for many years, moved to Australia, and never secured a role.?

When you are at the magic 4-year mark it is a real problem with scenario 1 above, & retraining needs to be considered, but before you repeat the same mistake, really ask yourself: is this industry for you? And seek guidance from a coach or mentor who is in or has been in the industry you want to work in.

For scenario 2, you need to freshen up or remind yourself of what you used to do, Many people tell me how they attended interviews & felt embarrassed that they simply could not remember what they had done, which usually means your winging it and not practicing which is another issue, but nonetheless, it happens for some.?

When you are in either of the situations above, you have to ask yourself a few serious questions.

How important is this to you? Apart from your earning potential, pride needs to be weighed into this scenario as well, If you have children or plan to, do you want to tell them you are a practicing engineer or working in some other role you dislike, I would take my pride and use it to my advantage in this situation.
What happens if you don't do anything and continue on with the current situation, How is this going to affect your mental health and, of course, your own personal health and quality of life, Will you be ok with the status quo?
We all worry about how others think of us, and this is normal, and this will weigh on your own sense of self-worth, so you need to think about yourself and be selfish and ask yourself, do you really care what others think, or is it how you see yourself, Have you let yourself down, in some way?
Although these scenarios are focused on all genders, when you look at the length of time women who have children can remain at home, & then get back into the workforce, it can be over 10 years plus so my view is to use this scenario to challenge yourself and your own beliefs. Does time really matter or are you painting yourself into a corner with your own beliefs?
There are many different entry points to enter the workforce, I would not aim for a senior engineering role as you had previously, but maybe a project controls role or scheduler after doing a short course, or maybe a purchasing or contract administration role, It's a choice, and you really must dig deep at times and find the reasons why you want to work in your sector.
Get your feet wet and start something that gets you feeling proud of yourself again. Now when I mentioned that some people completely forget what they have done over time, these same people will undoubtedly be trying to jump into something too challenging at first, and this is foolish. Also, if you take on another role mentioned above, you don't have to stay there but it might take 2 years to get yourself up to speed again, who knows, after a few years you might think the career change was great and you are completely content.?
The elephant in the room is your own sense of self-worth, when I am coaching people I can see the EGO kick in and say things like, "Oh screw it, it's too hard, I'm tired of trying, I don't care, etc. and all these reasons are going to bite you hard in the coming years. Denying yourself your own goals and aspirations in life will lead to frustration, anger, and resentment and inevitably you will be more stressed which leads to illness.?
Do not deny yourself of what you want, but instead embrace the challenge, remember it's not over until you give in. Remind yourself of your own capabilities, and start to look at yourself as if have the role and what it feels like. There is always a way to solve a problem, use your ingenuity to find a solution that suits your own personal needs and wants.?
Hang out with people who care for you, and who are supportive of you, if not, it might be time to find new friends that are empowering and supportive.?
Never quit, Winners never quit and quitters never win, It's a choice, nothing more, it might be time to stand up and be accountable to yourself.