• Question: How do you stand out from outside of education when there is competition

    Asked by 985spcq23 to Vinita, Rachel, Pam, Christopher, Brian, Andrew on 1 Mar 2019.
    • Photo: Rachel Hudson

      Rachel Hudson answered on 1 Mar 2019:

      I think there are lots of things that are important outside of education. Thousands and thousands of kids are sitting GCSEs and A-levels and going to uni but what will make you stand out is the extra things you do on top. You need to show that you are passionate about what you do, that you can work hard and well with other people and that you can motivate yourself. Lots of things can help you show this like part-time work, personal projects, your hobbies etc etc

    • Photo: Andrew Ratcliffe

      Andrew Ratcliffe answered on 4 Mar 2019:

      I would say alongside being passionate having practical experience of working in industry or even your own engineering projects can set up apart from the crowd. A lot of engineering are great at doing design work, but few have hands-on experience of building things. As such find an opportunity to work on a practical project such as designing a micro-air vehicle, building a bike, making models with a 3D printer etc

    • Photo: Brian Weaver

      Brian Weaver answered on 11 Mar 2019:

      In my opinion, education is a checkbox employers must use to verify you’re qualified for the job. Not much opportunity to stand out!
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      Experience demonstrates to your employer that you used your education and creativity to solve problems. This is a great way to stand out! I highly recommend an internship even if it means sacrificing a term at Uni. Hopefully your university will already have an internship program where you can apply. If not, try hard to get a summer job doing whatever you thought was interesting at Uni.
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      Personality is another way you can stand out. Even with great education and experience your employer might be thinking “can I really sit next to and manage BRIAN for the next 20 years”. Don’t forget or be afraid to show your individuality and interests even during an interview! Who knows, maybe your boss needs one more person for their volleyball team. (This isn’t the main reason why you’re hired but helps you stand out)

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