Nalise Hahn reviews Future Female Engineers and how it helped her become Mace's next Sustainability Graduate!

Future Female Engineers stood out as an opportunity to meet like-minded students who wish to build their professional network whilst also consulting known industry professionals within the engineering sector. The application process for the event was simple and transparent with numerous hints and tips on how to answer the few questions they asked during the online form and phone interview – it was clear they wanted you to do well! All the communication I received was prompt and encouraging with clear details regarding the next stage and what to expect on the day. 

The event ran very smoothly, starting off with a get to know each other exercise in the personal branding session lead by Kate Taylor– surprisingly I learnt as much about myself as I did about the women next to me! After hearing about creating my personal brand to stand out in the industry I had the opportunity to meet in a small group with recruiters from the companies, who walked me through their application processes. They were able to answer a lot of the questions we asked and gave us useful advice about how to secure a role in the engineering sector and the information was really useful when applying for graduate roles.

My favourite part of the day was the insider insights networking drinks with graduates and industry professionals from the engineering companies. They gave me an invaluable understanding of their company’s culture, progression within their companies and how they succeeded in acquiring their current role. One graduate even offered to help me tailor my CV to industry expectations. This event helped me to network with some of the best individuals from leading firms in the industry, as well as hearing how women in the industry succeed. After the event, I was able to tailor my applications more accurately to Arup, AECOM, and Mace who were all present on the day. I also included the fact that I had attended Future Female Engineers in all my applications which I felt made me stand out as an individual who is actively seeking personal and professional development.

Following the event, I progressed onto the next stage for all the companies I applied for, with some companies feeding back that I was fast tracked due to attending Future Female Engineers. During my interview at Mace I was able to talk about how the event helped me to understand the growing expectations within the construction and engineering industry and how I, as an individual, would be able to meet them. I built my personal brand after the event and demonstrated this successfully during my interview. 

During the final stage at the assessment centre I used the skills I gained during the event’s team challenge to work together with individuals to solve complex challenges whilst remaining professional. During my individual presentation on the day, I also used the advice given to me during the panel discussion at the event to sell my ideas and myself to the sustainability director, resulting in me being offered a place as a Sustainability Graduate!

I would recommend the event to anyone who is considering a career in the engineering sector, not only will you stand out in applications; you will gain universal skills and an unrivalled opportunity to secure and further your career.

Applications are now open for Future Female Engineers March 2018. You can apply by visiting https://targetjobs.co.uk/events/future-female-engineers