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Looking for a Mechanical Engineer position in the greater Savannah GA area

Veteran

Serges Eric Tatsinkou Nguelo Savannah , GA

I got a MSME in 2014 and joined the Army because most jobs I was eligible back then required a security clearance and sponsorship. I was an international student at the time and the US Army was my only option. So I joined and served 8 years as aviation mechanic and will be getting out in November 2021 but I have a problem now because all my applications for mechanical engineering/design positions are being rejected. When I spoke to some trusted friends they said that it is more likely because I am over qualified but under experienced. So I need your advice on how to go from here? Any advice is very much appreciated.

Thank you

Answers

Advisor

Paul Tusting Salt Lake City , UT

Recently there has been a number of firearms industry job postings in that area via a placement company (HeadHunters NW, who I’ve had good experiences with in the past) on the NSSF site (folks who put on the annual SHOT show).
https://jobs.nssf.org/
Good Luck!
-Paul

7 August 2021 Helpful answer

Advisor

James Vickery Ogden , UT

Hello Serges,

Have you considered Northrop Grumman as a potential employer?

If you look at the https://www.northropgrumman.com/careers/ website, there are currently 15 engineering jobs in Georgia, with an additional 30 jobs in various places in Georgia that extend beyond just engineering, but include engineering tasks.

Make sure to get your resume tuned up and "de-miled" so if you decide to apply for one or more of the NG jobs the auto-filters will find the key words from the job requisitions.

This could be another option for you to consider with your pending separation form the Army. NG likes to hire veterans and provides many opportunities for engineers to expand upon their technical skills.

Happy to discuss further if you have interest in this area. All the best -

Jim

10 August 2021 Helpful answer

Advisor

Danielle Driggers New York , NY

Hi Serges,

Thank you for your question! Many people exiting the military face the problem of being "over-qualified and under-experienced". Here's a previous questions asked on our AdvisorNet that may speak to this issue:

- https://acp-advisornet.org/questions/6110/how-get-through-over-qualified-issue

Additionally, there may be several things at play here:

1. It can be difficult to market your military experience in a way that the civilian sector will understand. I've included some resources below on translating that experience. While this may not help on the "under-experienced" part for engineering specifically, it can help bridge some of those experience gaps by fully conveying the full scope of the responsibilities you had while serving:

- https://hbr.org/2018/03/how-military-veterans-can-turn-their-skills-into-a-corporate-career
- https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/242537

2. A big part of getting a job is who you know. Network as much as you can with people in the industry and at the companies that you want to work for. Here are some articles on effective networking:

- https://www.success.com/5-tips-for-networking-your-way-to-a-job-on-linkedin/
- https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/ten-tips-building-stronger-networks-work-life
- https://www.acp-usa.org/sites/default/files/resources-files/Networking_Tips_2.pdf

You can also reach out to ACP Advisors under our "Community" tab on ACP AdvisorNet. There, we have a variety of industry professionals who have made themselves available for direct messaging. You can ask for advice about breaking into the industry, ask about their personal experiences, and make connections.

3. Lastly, sometimes it's a matter of getting your foot in the door at the company or organization at which you'd like to work. This means maybe taking an entry level job or even an internship that you are overqualified for. It's a lot easier to work your way to the position that you want from within the company than to get in from the outside.

Thank you for your service, and best wishes moving forward!

Best,
Danielle

7 August 2021 Helpful answer

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