How to overcome a lack of relevant work experience in the Fire and Security field
One of the biggest challenges faced by people who want to start a new career in fire and security is the concept of not having enough experience. They frequently worry that their abilities are being measured solely by the number of years they have worked in this industry.
Many talented Fire and Security engineers do not have always have years of experience in the field. They often buy into the belief that experience is everything in securing a job offer. It is very unfortunate that some employers put lot of weight on experience.
I see quite a lot talented fire and security professionals on a daily basis. They all seem to have the same hurdle before landing their dream job.
Take my client Stantislav from Moldova.
He was an alarm engineer, he moved to the UK in 2015 and started working in construction. He applied for many jobs in the UK, but he was often refused due to lack of experience in the UK.
After completing the Award in CCTV Installation – level 3 qualification with Cube Training, he was able to get a job at Gatwick Airport as a fire and alarm engineer.
At Cube career advice, we helped him to prepare his CV, helped him with common interview questions, and we taught him how to use social media and other digital tools to find a job.
Nelson – London
Aigboje Nelson is another successful Cube graduate, who worked as a facility manager in the past. He saw opportunities in Fire and Security industry and wanted to pursue a career as a Fire and Security alarm engineer.
After successfully completing 4-day fire alarm course with Cube, he also continued with his electrical qualifications including emergency lighting. At Cube career advice, we were able to assist Nelson in finding a job. He has been offered a job at one of the leading fire and security firms in London.
In my experience, I have seen many individuals enter the fire and security job market with less or no experience. So, what does it take to overcome the experience barrier?
Here are four ways professionals can overcome the experience barrier:
1. Do something
In other words, don’t wait for the opportunity. Start looking for opportunities around you. Build an awareness about your job intentions, share your thoughts, ideas and activities on social media. Learn more about the skills required and practice them. Once you have gained sufficient experience, ask your family and friends whether they need help with fire and security systems.
Researchers suggest that you have a good chance to secure a job, as you already have some experience under your belt. This is not necessarily a professional work experience, it can be something like fixing your friend’s alarm panel fault and so on.
2. Think results-oriented
Many employers will agree that results are the most important goal of an organisation. Demonstrate this to your employer via your CV and also during the job interview process. Prepare some evidence to prove that you’re result-oriented.
Set goals for yourself, for example how many job vacancies you will be looking at today, and what are you expecting from your employer.
Prepare a summary of jobs that you have applied for. Update their status and follow up.
3. Prepare to take a trainee role as long as it will lead to a permanent role
There are many firms looking for support or assistant engineers. The firms do not need to pay the same level of wage to a trainee engineer. Therefore, many firms look for support engineers. As long as you can prove that you are a valuable asset to their firm, they will have no problem in giving you an opportunity.
At Cube, we work with many fire and security firms and this is what we do to our students. We assist them in finding a trainee role.
4. Prove yourself
At the end of the day, it will be up to you to prove that you are the best match for their firm. Set high standards, and always try to exceed expectations. Always remember that you are trying to develop yourself as a good fire and security engineer.
5. Self-development
Always remember that every single job you do will enhance your skills. The next time you go for an interview, you can confidently talk about a problem that you came across and how you tackled it. The next time you email your CV, you can write a brief cover letter about some of the challenges you have faced and how you tackled them.
Whether you have few months’ experience or none, if you have the desire and hard work to succeed, the end result is success.
I wish you all the very best in finding your dream job in the Fire and security industry.
Cube Training is a leading training centre for fire and security. We are fully accredited by NCFE. Please visit our website for more information about our courses www.cctvdvrsystem.co.uk