Haven’t Had an Interview for Ten Years? Don’t Panic

If you’ve been with the same engineering business for ten, fifteen or even twenty years, finding yourself back in the job market can feel surprisingly daunting.

You may have a huge amount of experience and an excellent track record, but the last time you attended an interview could have been when smartphones were still relatively new. It’s completely understandable if you feel a little rusty.

The first thing I’d say is that your years with one employer aren’t a disadvantage. Long service can demonstrate loyalty, stability and an enormous depth of knowledge. The challenge is making sure you explain how you’ve developed during that time rather than allowing twenty years of experience to appear as one line on your CV.

Think about where you started and where you are now. Which technologies have you learnt? How has your responsibility increased? What projects have you delivered? Which problems have you solved? An engineer who has spent fifteen years with the same company has rarely been doing exactly the same job for all fifteen of them.

The interview itself may also be less intimidating than you’re expecting. Good engineering interviews tend to become conversations. An employer wants to understand what you’ve worked on and how you approach technical problems, and once you’re discussing a project or piece of equipment you know well, you’ll probably find yourself becoming much more comfortable.

Preparation still helps. Read about the business, look carefully at the job description and spend some time thinking about examples from your experience that demonstrate the skills they’re looking for. You don’t need rehearsed speeches, but reminding yourself of a few good examples beforehand can prevent your mind going blank when you’re sitting in the interview.

And remember that you’re interviewing them too. After many years with one employer, your next move is an important decision. Ask about the team, the projects, the technology and what they expect from the person joining them. You need enough information to decide whether the opportunity is right for you.

At ASL Technical, we regularly work with engineers who haven’t had an interview for many years. A little preparation and a conversation beforehand can make a remarkable difference to confidence.

Final Thought

You may be out of practice at interviews, but you’re not out of practice at being an engineer. That’s the experience the employer is really interested in.




Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com M on Unsplash

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Haven’t Had an Interview for Ten Years? Don’t Panic
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Co-Founder & Director