In a market where engineers are in high demand, it's baffling how many skilled professionals still struggle to land interviews—let alone job offers. If you’ve got the experience, technical know-how, and proven results, what’s going wrong?At Engineered Sourcing, we’ve reviewed hundreds of CVs and interviewed thousands of engineers across South Africa and the continent. The truth is: it’s not just about your skills. Often, the bottlenecks lie in how you're presenting yourself—on paper and in person.Let’s break down three of the biggest reasons experienced engineers aren't getting hired.
Your CV is your first impression—and most recruiters only spend 6–10 seconds scanning it. If it’s cluttered, too long, or not optimized for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), it may never reach human eyes.Common formatting issues include:
Fixing your CV format isn’t about making it look pretty. It’s about making it scannable, searchable, and strategically structured for today’s recruitment systems.
Many engineers undersell themselves by using generic descriptions like:
"Worked on multiple infrastructure projects as part of a multidisciplinary team."
This tells us nothing about your value, impact, or technical edge.In today’s market, employers don’t just want someone who can do the job—they want someone who shows why they’re the right fit.Engineers who win interviews:
Even with 10+ years of experience, many candidates fail because their CVs and interview language are misaligned with what employers actually want:
Today’s engineering employers are looking for cross-functional thinkers who can communicate, collaborate, and contribute to larger business goals.Your CV and interview answers need to reflect this shift—from technician to team player to strategic thinker.
