4 things holding back your career as a mechanic

Are you considering a new role?

Perhaps you’re wanting to progress your career, or maybe you want a job with more flexibility and variation. As a mechanic, it can be difficult to make the move, especially if you’ve been at your current job for a long time.

Many of the candidates we place often feel like they have a lack of experience when it comes to getting a contract mechanic job. But here at M&E, we will work to understand your needs so that you get an overseas mechanic contract job that’s right for you, no matter what may be holding you back.

So, to help you get prepared for your next career move, this blog highlights what we find are the four most common things that hold talented mechanics back from furthering their careers. We have also shared some handy advice on how you can overcome them!

Here are the four things that could be holding back your career as a contract mechanic:

1. Experience

Some of our contract jobs require you to work with a range of different vehicles of various sizes and types.

As you know, most mechanics are trained on specific types of vehicles – for example, the American M1 tanks are high-tech engines that require particular experience that only a few are lucky enough to get their hands on!

If you just have experience in one vehicle type, you may be worried that your experience is not varied enough.

However, with a range of vacancies available all at various levels, M&E can help you to find a role that suits you. For example, you don’t need to have a military background to become a Wheeled Mechanic with the opportunity to work on armoured vehicles.

And, some jobs offer specific training that helps to expand your practical skills – so there is always room for progression and development if you wish to further your career.

2. Training

If you’ve been at the same job for a while, you may feel like you don’t have the right training or qualifications to apply for some of our available roles.

On the other hand, if you’ve been in the forces, you may be highly trained but are worried that these skills may not be accepted for commercial positions.

Fear not! With an M&E overseas mechanic contract job, you may still get the chance to work on some of the most technologically advanced equipment in the world.

In order to work to the highest level, tank mechanics need to work on the latest equipment and are therefore trained accordingly.

We often look for other qualities to ensure that it is worth investing in your training and we make recommendations to our clients if we feel that you are able to make a step up to the next level.

One of the things we look for is your ability to demonstrate an organised approach to your workflow as you work on various vehicles or aircraft.

Also, working well in a team is always a valuable skill to have, especially as a contract mechanic. You’ll be working and living abroad with a range of different people, including suppliers and colleagues from various backgrounds, as well as personnel from different regiments in the military and varied nationalities too.

Therefore, it is advantageous to be a good people-person with great communication skills.

3. CV writing

Don’t have a CV? Don’t worry – we understand that CV writing might be something you’ve never needed to do before. It can be hard to write in a way that promotes your skill set and talents, and it’s something that doesn’t always come naturally to people.

That’s why, at M&E, we’ll provide you with all the support you need to make your application stand out from the crowd. We’ll also help you structure your CV and complete your application pack documents, so the pressure is lifted from your shoulders.

4. Moving abroad

If you decide to take the plunge and go for an overseas mechanic contract job, there will be a lot to consider – from family life to adjusting to a new culture.

Thinking about moving away from the UK is always going to be a big decision, but with the excitement and variation an overseas contract mechanic job offers, it’s really worth considering.

You may worry about there being a language barrier, but English is the most commonly spoken language in the workplace. Plus, as you can often be working on American equipment, there is no translation needed as almost everyone you will be working with will speak English.

What is more, sometimes the cost of travel, accommodation, and meals on base are contributed towards – and in some cases, M&E will assist with the initial travel costs of getting to the country of work to begin the contract.

M&E also have a network of POC (Points of Contact) personnel on the ground to help with accommodation recommendations, initial introductions to colleagues, and life in your new country.

Or, for some contracts, M&E also have subleases whereby we rent accommodation and provide subleases to contractors, meaning that you can always feel safe in the knowledge that you’re staying somewhere recommended by industry experts.

You’ll also be advised on where to obtain medical support near your worksite, and you will still get full HR assistance from our head office too. So, with M&E, you’ll always be supported in your move.

What vacancies are currently available?

We pride ourselves on employing the right candidates for the right jobs, and with our wealth of expertise and experience, we fully support both candidates and clients to fill the vacancies on offer.

So, if you’d like to see our vacancies, take a look at the current mechanic contract roles overseas that are open for applications. Alternatively, contact one of our expert team today to find out more and start your next career move, without a doubt in mind!