Engineers reveal why their job search is stressing them out

National Stress Awareness Day is upon us, and a recent study has revealed that the majority of workers in the engineering sector (75.8%) admit that looking for a new job always or frequently makes them feel stressed.

That’s according to a recent survey from CV-Library, the UK’s leading independent job site, which also found that 82.3% of professionals in the industry believe that job hunting stress is a real problem facing today’s workforce.



The study of 1,200 workers sought to discover the impact that job hunting has on today’s professionals and what it is that they find most challenging.

Participants in the engineering sector were asked to share the aspects of looking for a job that cause them to feel most stressed.

Respondents cited the following:

1. Finding a role that matches my needs – 74%
2. Tailoring my CV and cover letter for each application – 56%
3. Being rejected for roles that I’ve applied for – 54%
4. Dealing with recruiters – 24%
5. Having to take time out of work to attend interviews – 20%

What’s more, engineers revealed the areas of job hunting that often leave them feeling disheartened.

Not hearing anything back from an application (48.5%), not finding any suitable roles (24.2%) and being turned down for a role they really want (13.6%) were the top reasons professionals in the industry were feeling discouraged during their search.

Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library, comments: “Workplace stress is something we often hear about, but very rarely do we talk about the stress that can be caused as a result of job hunting.

“These feelings are very real, and it’s clear from the data that professionals in the engineering sector can become extremely disheartened when the job search becomes overwhelming.

“Looking for a new job is an exciting time, but the strain of the search is detracting from this experience.

“If you’re looking for a new job, be sure to start your search with a positive and open mind. The road to your dream job can be a long one, but it’s worth putting the time in.

“Though there are times it can feel like a tedious process, putting in the effort early on to perfect your CV, cover letter etc. really can help to reduce job search stress further down the line.”

In a bid to find a solution to their anguish, engineering professionals were asked what they think can be done to combat job hunting stress. Two key measures were identified.

Nearly half (45.1%) of workers agreed recruiters should always offer feedback and a further 35.3% believe that candidates should always be sent an acknowledgment email, even if their application isn’t successful.

Biggins concludes: “It’s clear from the data that job hunters in the engineering sector are becoming increasingly put out by not hearing back from their applications.

“If you haven’t had any feedback, don’t be afraid to send recruiters a follow up email, or better yet, give them a call. Asking for feedback is a great way to improve your techniques next time round.”