If your currently a predictive maintenance professional or a reliability engineer out of work, don’t lose hope……Industry Week reports that the latest survey from the National Association of Business Economics (NABE) shows that the number of companies adding jobs has doubled since July. William Strauss of the Federal Reserve Bank says this increase “provides new evidence that the U.S. recovery is underway.”

So what does this mean? Even though the profit margins widened for the first time in seven quarters, we are not in the clear. The number of companies hiring that will add jobs is expected to keep rising over the next six months. Although it is not a sign of an immediate turnaround, it does provide hope for those out of work that they could soon be re-entering the workforce. The best thing for predictive maintenance professionals and reliability engineers to do is to stay up-to-date with new techniques that are being used, certifications, and/or new software the field is using. Also, update your resume and post it on NextUp Careers. NextUp is specifically designed to help people in the reliability and predictive maintenance fields find jobs. With more jobs being added everyday, don’t be the one to not have your resume out there!

Out of the millions of American veterans that served in the military from 2001, approximately 170,000 are unemployed. The increase of unemployed veterans may be due to the difficulties of applying their military background to available jobs, though many veterans are strongly encouraged to work in careers like Predictive Maintenance or Reliability Engineering because of their military experience. So, why are so many veterans unemployed? It is difficult finding these types of jobs. No one is pointing veterans in the direction of jobs that require their skills and experience, besides military occupations. However, it is difficult finding military jobs because the increase in competition. What should the veterans do to find jobs in this economy? Look beyond the regular career building websites. Find the field that seeks expertise common to yours and go to websites that hire solely for those positions. Stop going to the same “career building” websites and start going to the “obtain a career” websites. For example, NextUp Careers is a website designed specifically for the predictive maintenance and reliability engineering fields; which, as previously mentioned, many veterans have experience in these areas. NextUp Careers can help you obtain the job you have been looking for. There are so many companies seeking veterans with experience, now you just need to start looking in the right place.

It doesn’t matter how young or old you are, professional development is always key. Continually improving and sharpening your professional skills is crucial to maintaining your marketability. With the workforce, economy and business constantly changing, it is important to have a plan that accounts for contingencies. Professional development does not fall solely on the lap of your current employer; you need to be the one to set goals and build an action plan for yourself.  For example, predictive maintenance professionals and reliability engineers should be attending seminars, staying up-to-date on certifications and be familiar with new technologies that will be used in the field. Here are some professional development tips that can be applied to any one:

•  Have a vision
• Develop a road map
• Capitalize on opportunities
• Conduct yourself with integrity
• Become a better communicator
• Commit to lifelong learning
• Maintain and expand your network
• Stay visible

 By constantly staying on top of your career and skills, you are putting yourself a head of other reliability engineers and predictive maintenance professionals.