Preface: Recently, I have received many calls or messages asking if I have any suitable positions available. Unfortunately, I don't have any. Recently, I happened to read a book titled "Winning on the way", and I applied the ideas from the book to our aluminum processing industry. I hope it can be of some help to some recent graduates or those considering a career change.

 

From the book of "Win on the Road": Job hunting is essentially self-marketing. Employers evaluate candidates based on three dimensions: technical competence, behavioral competency & motivation.

 

Core mindset: Aluminum extrusion is heavy manufacturing. Do not apply for senior high-paying roles directly as a newcomer. Adopt a phased entry strategy. Find the intersection of your strengths and business needs. If you lack industry experience, prepare tangible learning materials to prove your learning agility. Your resume and interview answers shall always focus on how you can solve the company’s practical problems.

 

1. Self-Assessment & Position Targeting

 

1.1.Self-evaluation checklist

 

1) Hard skills: Academic background, English proficiency, CAD, Excel, basic material knowledge, equipment literacy, etc.

 

2) Transferable soft skills: communication, negotiation, document drafting, project follow-up, pressure resistance, on-site learning capability.

 

3) Personal preference & tolerance: Are you willing to entry to production workshops, travel for business, and commit to long-term development in manufacturing?

 

1.2 Newcomer Roles at Aluminum Extrusion Companies

 

1) Sales / Business Development

 

Suitable for: Fresh graduates majoring in International Trade / Business / Marketing; career changers with sales & commercial background

 

(1) Entry roles: Sales Assistant, Business Development Executive, Graduate Trainee (Sales)

 

Daily work: Communicate with customers, prepare quotations, review drawings, track orders, attend industrial exhibitions. Basic knowledge of aluminum alloy grades, extrusion process, extrusion dies, surface treatment and lead-time management is required.

 

Career path: Sales Assistant → Sales Executive → Senior Sales → Sales Supervisor / Regional Market Manager

 

Make up for insufficient experience: Self-study 2/3/6/7 series aluminum alloys, aluminum melting and casting, extrusion workflow, die cleaning, anodizing, powder coating; prepare a brief market research report.

 

2) Technical & Process Track

 

Suitable for: Graduates majoring in Materials, Mechanical, Electric, Automation; career changers with mechanical /electrical and equipment.

 

Entry roles: Process Graduate Trainee, QC Technician, Equipment Assistant, Die corrector Assistant

 

Daily work: equipment operator, learn extrusion parameters, die maintenance, profile quality inspection, equipment maintenance; get familiar with extrusion press, extrusion dies, die cleaning tanks, surface treatment: die nitrriding, anodizing, powder coating.

 

Career path: Technician → Process / Die Engineer → Technical Supervisor

 

Make up for insufficient experience: Learn aluminum extrusion fundamentals, collect typical profile defect cases, compile technical learning notes.

 

Production & Support Roles (Best transitional role for zero-experience career changers)

 

Roles: Production planner, warehouse officer, QC inspector, production admin, procurement assistant.

 

Advantage: Low entry barrier. You can learn the full aluminum extrusion production flow and build industry knowledge, and later transfer to sales or technical positions.

 

1.3. Three questions of Lock primary target + backup role (Avoid mass blind applications)

 

1) What talent does this aluminum extrusion company need most?

 

2) My capability: Can I meet the minimum requirements of this role? What gaps exist?

 

3) Long-term value: Can this role help me build reusable industry expertise for future promotion?

 

2. Build Industry Knowledge & Prepare Supporting Materials

 

No formal aluminum extrusion working experience does not mean you are unqualified. Create tangible learning proof to demonstrate your learning ability.

 

2.1 Learn the full aluminum extrusion workflow: Billet heating → extrusion → quenching → aging → finishing → surface treatment (anodizing, powder coating, polishing, brushing). Master 6061,6063, 2xxx /7xxx aluminum alloys, die wear and common defects such as tail shrinkage, blisters and surface streaks.(Procurement books, online paid learning, various knowledge platforms on the internet)

 

2.2.Research the target company: Find out its main products (architectural /industrial/aerospace aluminum profiles or extrusion equipment), target regional markets, and identify potential business pain points.

 

2.3 Prepare self-made deliverables material

 

1) For sales / BD application: Write a concise regional market analysis or customer development strategy for the company’s products.

 

2) For technical trainee application: Compile learning notes of extrusion process.

 

You may present these materials during interview to show you are not applying randomly and have studied their business in advance.

 

3. Resume Writing

 

Core rule: Resume is your value proposition, not autobiography.

 

3.1 Do NOT use one universal resume for all positions. Customize your resume for each job and align keywords with the job description. Highlight commercial skills for sales roles; emphasize hands-on & documentation skills for technical roles.

 

3.2 Avoid empty adjectives. Use action + measurable results. Career changers shall transfer previous experience to relevant competencies.

 

Example (Career changer applying for aluminum extrusion sales)

 

❌ Weak version: Good communication and quick learner

 

✅Optimized version: Liaised with clients, drafted commercial emails/callings independently, rapidly mastered new product knowledge, organized product documents and tracked orders, improved client response rate.

 

Resume section guidelines

 

1) Professional Profile (Opening value statement): One sentence to state target position + core strengths + your commitment to aluminum extrusion industry.

 

Sample: Applying for Aluminum Extrusion Sales Executive. Proficient in written & spoken English. Self-learned aluminum extrusion workflow, aluminum alloy grades and die fundamentals. Committed to long-term development in aluminum processing market, skilled in client documentation and business calling communication.

 

2.) Work & Education experience

 

>>Fresh graduates: Focus on academic projects, lab training, competitions and internships. Map project experience to job competencies.

 

>>Career changers: Extract transferable abilities (client communication, project follow-up, equipment documentation, data analysis). Minimize irrelevant industry descriptions.

 

>>Bonus section for newcomers: Self-directed Industry Learning. List your study of aluminum extrusion process and industry document compilation to offset the lack of formal industry employment history.

 

>>Format: Keep it 1 page. No grammar/spelling mistakes. Remove empty descriptions like “hard-working, quick to learn”.

 

4. Application Strategy & Interview Preparation

 

Job search channels

 

1) Channels: aluminum extrusion exhibitions, industrial communities, employee referrals (most effective for manufacturing hiring). Then use job platforms, companies website, search keywords: aluminum profile, aluminum extrusion, aluminum processing.

 

2) Do not send bulk applications. Revise resume before every submission. Prefer mid-sized aluminum extrusion /extrusion equipment manufacturers with structured graduate training programs.

 

4.1 Interview preparation

 

Interviewers assess three dimensions: technical competence, behavioral competency & motivation.

 

1) Self-introduction: Emphasize why you choose aluminum extrusion industry and this specific company, instead of only listing your personal background.

 

2) Prepare STAR stories to demonstrate your pressure resistance, learning ability and communication skills.

 

3) Pre-learn industry interview questions:

 

(1)Basic aluminum extrusion process and common aluminum alloy grades

 

(2)Company’s product portfolio and target markets

 

(3)1.Two-way evaluation: Interview is not only the company screening you. You also assess the factory management, technical strength and training system to judge whether it fits your career plan.

 

4.3 Mindset

 

Rejection is normal. Collect feedback after each interview to optimize your resume and presentation. Job hunting is self-marketing rather than begging for a job. Manufacturing employers highly value your willingness to stay in manufacturing and long-term commitment.

 

5. Action Checklist

 

1) Complete self-assessment, confirm primary target role + backup transitional role.

 

2) Learn aluminum extrusion knowledge, research target company and finish a simple industry analysis note.

 

3) 4.Customize resume, highlight transferable skills and self-learning achievements.

 

4) Apply via referral /industry channels; avoid mass application.

 

5) Mock interview, prepare industry Q&A, bring your self-compiled learning documents.

 

6) Debrief after interviews and continuously polish your resume and expression.

 

Here is what I have learned from my own experience:

 

1.Do not change jobs casually, and at least, avoid switching industries lightly. I still remember Mr. Lin, the owner of Foshan Wangeshi, a friend of my first boss, once told me: Working is like digging a well. If you frequently change jobs, you keep starting to dig new wells over and over again, making it nearly impossible to dig deep. Try not to switch industries at will. Of course, there are many talented people in the world who can switch industries every few years. But if you are an average person, stick to the steady, simple approach and build experience step by step.

 

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2.Find a career where your income grows as you gain seniority, such as roles in sales or technical management.

 

3.Be grateful. Respect and appreciate your employer at all times. No one wants to promote someone who is arrogant and self-righteous.

 

Finally, I wish everyone success in finding a job they truly desire.