Staying on top of industry trends is essential, especially in fast-paced fields like construction, rail, energy, and environmental engineering. Knowing what’s coming next can give you a competitive edge, keep your skills relevant, and help you adapt to new opportunities. Here are five practical ways to keep up to date with the latest developments in your sector. 

1. Engage with Professional Networks and Organisations 

Networking is not just for job-hunting; it’s a powerful way to stay informed. Joining professional organisations and attending industry events can provide direct access to the latest trends and developments. Organisations like the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) frequently share insights, host webinars, and hold events where experts discuss emerging practices. Engaging with these networks keeps you connected and informed. 

Leveraging Online Platforms for Digital Networking – Advance TRS

2. Keep Up with Industry News and Publications 

Reading industry publications and subscribing to newsletters is one of the simplest ways to stay informed. Whether it’s Construction News, Rail Technology Magazine, or The Engineer, many publications focus on the latest news and trends in specific sectors. Many also offer newsletters, which bring curated updates directly to your inbox, making it easy to stay in the know, even if you have a busy schedule – us included, you can sign up, here!

3. Leverage Online Learning and Certifications 

New skills and certifications can set you apart in a competitive field, and online platforms make it easier than ever to stay updated. Websites like LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, and Udemy offer courses on everything from project management to sustainable building practices. Not only do these courses keep your skills sharp, but they also allow you to explore new areas that might be gaining traction and keep up to date with any industry regulations. 

4. Follow Industry Leaders and Influencers on Social Media 

Social media platforms – particularly LinkedIn – are excellent for real-time updates on industry trends. Following influential figures and leading companies can give you insights into emerging developments and best practices. Additionally, LinkedIn groups and discussions around hashtags like #RailIndustry allow you to participate in conversations with other professionals and stay aware of current trends without searching for individual news articles. 

5. Listen to Podcasts and Attend Webinars 

Podcasts and webinars provide a flexible way to stay informed and learn from experts, especially if you’re short on time. Industry podcasts often cover the latest topics and allow you to hear directly from thought leaders. Webinars, often hosted by professional organisations or leading companies, offer insights into specific areas of interest and give you a chance to ask questions in real time. 

Staying Ahead 

Staying in the loop with industry trends is a proactive effort that can significantly impact your career. Whether it’s through networking, online learning, or keeping up with industry news, making these activities part of your routine will keep your skills relevant and your knowledge current. 

Exploring new roles in the industry? Check out our available positions, here

Happy New Year! Many of us have had a Christmas break and you may have had time to think about your career. Maybe you decided that a job change is on the cards for you?

Or maybe you worked over the festive period and this has given you the drive to look for a new job.

Whatever your reason for wanting a new job, you need to know what to do next. So where do you start?

  1. Engage a specialist recruiter

Good recruiters will have a comprehensive understanding of your market and current opportunities. Engaging recruiters is a quick way of tapping into this knowledge to help you in your search. They can proactively represent you! Even better, they already have a relationship with the hiring managers. They will be able to guide you through the entire job searching process. From interviews and salary negotiation to job offer and onboarding they should be there throughout.

  1. Update your CV

It is very important to get your CV right. It is often the first impression potential employers have of you. Make sure you have a clean and clear layout and TRIPLE check your spelling and grammar. Get someone else to check it over for you as well. Highlight your key relevant experiences, education and certifications. Include all the details in your last 3 jobs, as this is likely to be how far your potential employer or a recruiter looks. Make sure your CV doesn’t exceed 2 pages if possible!

You can find our free CV template here.

  1. Update your online CV

Your social media profile can act as a virtual CV, it’s there 24/7 as your own personal advert to the job market. The sites you need to create or update are your LinkedIn Profile and chosen Joboard accounts.

Create a LinkedIn profile or update your existing profile. Detail your relevant skills and experience to maximise your online presence. The more experience you list, the more searches you will appear in. Share your profile edits to draw attention to your refreshed profile among your followers.

The number 1 reason people change jobs is career opportunity. A common way people discover a new job is through a referral. Social professional networks are the number 1 source of quality hires, followed by internet job boards and employee referrals. Now that LinkedIn has over 5 million members, businesses and recruiters are utilising this to look for new talent!

You can choose to show recruiters and hiring managers, who are searching for potential candidates, that you are ‘open to opportunities’ on LinkedIn. This will not be visible to your current company but will alert hiring managers and recruiters that you are open to approaches!

What is Advance TRS doing?

For more guidance as you consider your job change, take a look at our advance advice page. We have a variety of job searching articles available, from CV writing tips to interview techniques.

If you are looking for a new job in Rail, Water or Construction, contact us today on 01483 361 061 or head to our contact us page. We have plenty of permanent and contract roles across all of our sectors and our recruiters are here to help!

At Advance TRS we pride ourselves on being the best we can be and delivering a premium quality service to our candidates and clients alike. In order to deliver this, we look for people with the right qualities and habits so we can equip them with the tools to be the best recruiters. 

Personally, I didn’t pursue the academic route, but that definitely did not stop me. At my peak, I billed over £1million in a year. How? Because I am tenacious, determined, competitive and I work hard. 

This drive has taken me from a recruitment novice to million-pound biller, and from business start-up to successful business owner, founder and MD of a multi-million-pound business. 

Delivering premium recruitment solutions is not easy, it can be arduous and is hard work. However, as a successful consultant, the rewards can be huge. To rival the biggest billers there are a few qualities that are essential for success. 

Here are some we look for in new starters, see if you think you have what it takes. 

Ambitious

Top performers are ambitious and goal-oriented. We are looking for people who are not satisfied with simply plodding along. We are looking for those who will go above and beyond to chase down their goals and are hungry to push themselves to the next level. 

Hard-working

Inevitably the best recruiters simply work harder and smarter than everyone else. No one likes a busy fool, so implement time management strategies effectively to get the most out of your time, avoid the distractions, and get on the phone. The harder you work, the higher the rewards, your only limit is you! 

Focused

Focus is essential to running your desk. A successful 360 consultant will need to effectively multi-task to keep all the plates of the recruitment process spinning – so to make this easier, keep your desk and your plan focused and organised so you don’t fall into the trap of being busy doing nothing. 

Optimistic

Recruitment can be tough and full of rejection, so having a positive outlook is essential for success. Those who expect to succeed more often than not are the ones who are prepared to put in the time and the work to make it happen. Plus… some studies indicate that optimists outsell pessimists by up to 40%!

Competitive

Our top performers don’t want to just do well, they want to be the best. By pushing themselves and each other the whole team does better. We run regular incentives and competitions in addition to sharing league tables and company records to spur on a little friendly competition in the team. 

Clear communicator

Be it in person, on the phone, via email or social media, recruitment consultants are constantly talking to people. To be successful it is essential that you can effectively communicate with others, to ensure full understanding and effectively market yourself, the business and opportunities. 

Confident

In order to build relationships and networks, you need a little dose of confidence, however, don’t confuse confidence with arrogance. Your clients and candidates need to be sure that you are the right person for the job.  

Self-motivated

A career in recruitment gives you the unparalleled opportunity to build your own business and write your own paycheck if you are motivated to succeed. No one will do it for you, you need to have the passion and drive to get up in the morning and make your desk a success. 

Persistent

Never give up, ever. 

Personable

People buy from people, so we are looking for people with something about them. A character and personality that makes them stand out from the crowd. At Advance TRS we embrace each other’s quirks and look for likeminded people to fit in our band of misfits.

Do you think you have what it takes to give our big billers a run for their money? If you have the qualities we are looking for get in touch to see how we can advance your career. Visit our website or for a discrete conversation contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.

The latest news this week in the Built Environment:

 

Microplastics are most common waste found along Mediterranean coast, study says

Polyethylene used to make plastic shopping bags and cling film forms most of plastic found in coastal waters, according to marine scientists from University of Barcelona. Read more…

EU re-approves NI water protection plans

The EU has given its re-approval for plans to protect water quality in Northern Ireland. Read more…

Graham wins £18m Carlisle cancer centre

Graham has been awarded an £18.3m contract to design and construct the new cancer centre at Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle for North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust. Read more…

Network Rail to spend £42bn on railway improvements to ‘restore public trust’

Network Rail is to spend £42bn on the railway over the next five years in a bid to improve poor punctuality in “the biggest modernisation of our rail network in over a century.” Read more…

Heathrow shortlists 18 construction hub sites

Heathrow Airport today revealed 18 sites left in the running to become construction hubs for the third runway project. Read more…

 

Browse our latest jobs here.

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

 

Balfour Beatty delivers 2-3% construction margin goal

Balfour Beatty chief Leo Quinn has achieved his goal of returning the business to industry standard margins by the end of this year. Read more…

VolkerHighways to replace Skanska on Bath roads

Bath and North East Somerset Council has picked VolkerHighways to deliver its £49m highways maintenance services for the next seven years. Read more…

Modular village to be built in Corby for London commuters

Groundworks will start this month on a new modular village in Corby, Northants targeted at London commuters. Read more…

Big Yellow 20-floor flats and storage scheme approved

Big Yellow Group has gained planning for a 20-storey residential block and separate self storage building in South London. Read more…

RSK buys scaffolding and traffic specialists

Expanding consultant RSK Group has acquired another raft of companies after securing a new financing package. Read more…

 

Browse our latest Construction jobs here.

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry:

 

Kier selected to deliver £45m Northstowe Education Campus

Kier has been chosen by Cambridgeshire County Council to carry out the first phase of the design and construction of its brand new £45m Northstowe Education Campus. Read more…

£300m Blackpool leisure development plans announced

The Blackpool Central development is set to bring world-class attractions to the Golden Mile. Read more…

Kier scores November contracts league double

Kier has come top of the monthly contracts league for work won in November and continued to hold pole position in the 12-month rolling league table. Read more…

Forrest falls into administration

Contractor Herbert T Forrest Limited has lost its fight for survival after administrators were appointed to the company. Read more…

£2bn Elephant & Castle shopping centre scheme final go-ahead

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has rubber-stamped £2bn plans for the redevelopment of the Elephant & Castle shopping centre in South London. Read more…

 

Browse our latest Construction jobs here.

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Advance TRS’s Rail & Infrastructure Director, Mick, and our Principal BD Consultant Andy, were pleased to attend the Welsh Transport Conference which was held at the Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel & Spa on Thursday 29th November 2018.

This one day conference brought the leaders from the region together to discuss devolution, new technology and innovation, funding and investment, the skills shortage and how we are going to align apprenticeship programmes to fit the needs of the sector, electrification, smart ticketing and much more.

There were some brilliant talks and speeches, one held Brian Meechan, BBC Wales Today Business Correspondent, followed by a Keynote Address by Simon Jones, Director of Transport for the Welsh Government. He spoke about the challenges and opportunities for Transport for Wales across all transport modes.

Attendees also heard from representatives from Siemens, Network Rail, Balfour Beatty, Keltbrayn, Wifi Spark, and there were talks from many other speakers. The conference also offered technical seminars from Furrer+Frey, ABB Ltd, AD Comms, TfW, SPL Powerlines, Centregreat and Atkins.

“This event proved to be a brilliant Networking opportunity, as well as a great way to find out what is happening in the Industry and specifically, what is happening with Transport in Wales. I am always looking for new opportunities to connect with people so this was a great new event to attend” Explains our Principal BD Consultant, Andy, who specialises in recruiting for OLE and Civils.

To view the latest jobs we are recruiting for in the Rail industry, click here!

The latest news this week in the Built Environment

 

Coca-Cola Invests In Supply Of 100% Recycled PET Plastic

Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) is making a new strategic investment from Loop Industries to purchase a supply of 100% recycled PET (rPET) plastic to accelerate the increased use of recycled materials in the creation of its bottles. Read more…

ISG lands £70m refurb deal for Canary Wharf tower

ISG has been awarded a £70m contract to refurbish the former Canary Wharf offices of the Financial Conduct Authority. Read more…

Severn Trent creates machine learning to help tackle leakage

Severn Trent has started to use machine learning to help transform the way it approaches leaks. Read more…

Network Rail awards first CP6 contracts

Railway specialists Story Contracting and AmcoGiffen have bagged the first major contracts to be let by Network Rail for the CP6 control period from 2019 to 2024. Read more…

Cheaper digital signalling, more exports and better data-sharing: DfT launches the Rail Sector Deal

The government has today announced the new Rail Sector Deal in order to help the government work better with the rail industry, reduce the cost of infrastructure, encourage greater use of digital technologies, and double the UK’s rail industry exports by 2025. Read more…

 

Browse our latest jobs here.

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The latest news this week in the Construction Industry

 

Half-way point for UK’s biggest road upgrade scheme

The £1.5bn project to upgrade 21 miles of the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon has reached the half-way point. Read more…

£150m Bournemouth Winter Gardens scheme gets go-ahead

Plans by Bournemouth Development Company for the Winter Gardens scheme in Bournemouth have been approved by Bournemouth Council Planning Board. Read more…

Engie to buy Forrest housing and energy arms

French energy services giant Engie is set to buy the social housing refurbishment and energy operations of stricken North West contractor Forrest Group. Read more…

Bouygues wins £100m London Royal Mail scheme

House builder Taylor Wimpey has awarded Bouygues a £100m-plus contract to deliver the first phase of its redevelopment of an old Royal Mail and Post Office site in London. Read more…

Researchers at Cambridge Uni to develop self-healing concrete

Researchers at the University of Cambridge are using microencapsulation technologies developed by Dolomite Microfluidics to develop self-healing building materials. Read more…

Go-ahead for £270m Swindon ski and cinema centre

Plans to build a 500,000 sq ft regional leisure scheme in Swindon featuring a big snow centre have been given the thumbs up. Read more…

 

Browse our latest Construction jobs here.

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The latest news this week in the Property Industry

 

Expanding Weston Homes invests in logistics division

South east volume house builder Weston Group is ramping up its fledgeling logistics arm as part of a big expansion drive. Read more…

Mears buys Mitie housing upkeep arm for £35m

Mears has agreed to pay £35m for Mitie’s social housing repairs and maintenance business. Read more…

Countryside completions up 27% against 2017

Housebuilder, Countryside, has announced that it has enjoyed “another year of strong growth” with total completions up 27% against 2017. Read more…

HUB gets go-ahead for 424-flats in Maidenhead

Developer HUB and landowner Smedvig have got the green light to redevelop The Landing site in Maidenhead town centre. Read more…

The state of the FM recruitment market in 2018

The FM industry certainly had a sobering start to 2018 with the collapse of Carillion, yet it remains a highly buoyant sector to be working in – and one that will always be a critical part to any business. Read more…

 

Browse our latest Property jobs here.

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Traditional vs modular: Deconstructing building methods

Traditional and modular construction are very different from one another. Premier Guarantee examines the pros and cons. Read more…

Hill bags £300m Aldershot and Farnborough town centre revamps

House builder Hill’s investment partnerships arm has signed off a development deal with Rushmoor Borough Council to transform both Aldershot and Farnborough town centres. Read more…

Atkins wins Wylfa nuclear power station civils design

Atkins has been signed up to deliver civils design for the Wylfa Newydd nuclear power station on the Isle of Anglesey. Read more…

Despite slowing growth, construction’s profits continue to rise

An analysis of the accounts of more than 1700 construction companies has shown that average annual profit before tax has grown from 11.5% to 17.1% over the last three years. Read more…

Civils specialist Nexus sees orders surge 45% to £290m

Publicly-listed civils specialist, Nexus Infrastructure, has enjoyed a sharp uplift in orders driven by both its civils and house building utility connection businesses.

London boroughs get £1bn council homes construction boost

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has confirmed more than £1bn in funding for 26 boroughs in the capital to ramp up the construction of council homes. Read more…

Browse our latest Construction jobs here.

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Mount Anvil ramps up London homes pipeline to 4,125 flats

Central London property developer and contractor Mount Anvil has significantly expanded its new homes pipeline. Read more…

Savills snaps up two independent NW businesses including leading newbuild specialist

Case McNair and Knutsford branch of Meller Braggins are soon to be subsumed into Savills’ operation in the region. Read more…

How much does it really cost to get on the property ladder?

It’s common knowledge that buying a property is expensive – and getting more so by the day. However, it’s pretty easy to underestimate just how much goes into the total cost of getting on the property ladder. Read more…

House-builders continue to set the pace for whole industry

Latest information from the Office for National Statistics indicates that construction output in Great Britain increased by 2.9% in the three months to August 2018, showing continued recovery from a relatively weak start to the year. Read more…

Deeley sets up affordable housing arm

Coventry-based Deeley Group has launched an affordable homes division to work in partnership with landowners, local authorities and social housing providers. Read more…

Failed planning system halts affordable housing in UK’s deprived areas

The latest report from the Town and Country Planning Association has revealed that a failed planning system is delivering next to no new affordable housing in England’s most deprived areas. Read more…

Browse our latest Property jobs here.

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