Searching for a Job in Light Industrial — Everything You Need to Know!

A pearl forms when a tiny, irritable speck of dirt, or even a parasite, worms its way into an oyster. To defend itself from the unwelcome guest, the mollusk secretes a fluid coating the debris layer by layer until a pearl is formed.

There’s a life lesson in this –sometimes, the debris and the “little, irritable specks” in our lives provide an opportunity for a treasure to form.

The world has gone through an incredible upheaval in the last couple of years. (Let’s call this upheaval our “tiny, irritable speck.”) Perhaps this has caused you to do some significant re-valuation and make changes in your life –such as a career relaunch.

If so, have you considered a career in light industrial?

Here’s the what, the why, the how of starting a brand new career in light industrial. It just might be your next best thing!

What is Light Industrial Work? 

Part of the manufacturing family, the distinction of light industrial work is found in the manufactured type. Rather than large products built from raw materials, light industrial work involves producing and distributing smaller products and components of larger goods. It also involves more manual labor and smaller machines, often on an assembly line.

Some job descriptions within light industrial include:

• Distribution and fulfillment
• Quality control
• Machine Operator
• Maintenance Technician
• Welder (in some cases)

Light industrial work spans many industries, with food production being the largest (and with the most demand for candidates). Other industries include:

• Consumer electronics
• Home furnishings
• Automotive assembly
• Garment manufacturing
• Printing

Why is Light Industrial a Good Career Path? 

As you can see above, the variety to be found is limitless, with different roles within a broad range of industries.

Light industrial jobs are also in demand — manufacturing as a whole has remained a strong industry despite COVID.

Finally, the pay is excellent. The national average base is $14.95/hour, which is more than twice the amount of the national average minimum wage.

Light Industrial Job Search Tips and Tricks 

There’s steep competition out there when it comes to landing a light industrial job. So, here are some top tips to help you out in your job search and set you apart from other candidates.

Network: According to a LinkedIn survey, 85% of jobs are found through networking. It’s all about who you know and when you know them. Let your friends and family know about your job search. Start building relationships with business people in the community, passing out business cards, and attending business gatherings.

Brush Up on Your Skills: Light industrial work involves quite a few soft skills, so you must work on refining them within your skills wheelhouse. Some of the skills employers and recruiters look for are:

• Attention to detail
• Flexibility
• Dependability
• Organization
• Leadership/mentoring mindset
• Strong work ethic

In addition, some light industrial jobs do require certification, such as welding or driving forklift, so make sure all of your credentials are up to date.

Prepare for the Interview: It’s tempting to assume a light industrial interview will be very casual. And while it might be more relaxed than an interview for an office job, don’t make the mistake of treating it as such. Instead, prepare for your interview just as you would for something much more formal.

• Come prepared with questions
• Dress professionally and neatly
• Arrive on time
• Have extra copies of your resume
• Prepare your references ahead of time

Start Your Light Industrial Career Today

Partner with a Staffing Agency: One of the best ways to land a job in light industrial is to partner with the people who have a foot in the door. At Career Concepts, we can help you do that! For over 50 years, we’ve been helping the right people find the right jobs. So let us help you create a pearl, and Call us today!