Anxious about my Entry Level job I just got hired for 19

[Space213]

HI guys, Its been a struggle since I graduated in May'16 to get an Entry Level ME job. Just last week I finally got hired by a startup company with a nice decent starting pay. They initially just want me to do solid works modeling for them and then later jump into more engineering type roles as they mentioned. Without any technical questions they ended up really liking me since my reference called me and mentioned the same.

I was honest and upfront and said I am familiar with solid works just not at a senior level and the CEO mentioned thats fine we will train you. So I guess I'm nervous I want to prove to them that they made a great choice in hiring me and will work my butt off no question. The thing is the overall goal is they want me to design a more sophisticated aeration system from the one they already have so its not easily reproducible by others. I am worried because how can an entry level engineer be expected to innovate? there is just so much you would have to know. They mentioned they will train me so it should be fine. My biggest thing now is I got the job but can I keep it? even if i work my ass off day and night. Please any advice would be much appreciated if you were in my shoes how would you go about this? Thank you!

 

[weldstan]

Don't be anxious (fearful). Be exited and as confident in the abilities that you currently possess and will increase upon!

 

[Space213]

I'm super excited to help them create a really useful product. I have honest desires to help them grow as a company and grow myself as an engineer. I am feeling good now with all the practicing I've been doing. Let's see tomorrow.

Thanks again to everybodies feedback.I will post back and let everyone know how it went.

 

[jari001]

I predict that you will pass their test

 

[berkshire]

As long as you can open a file , create and edit a model then save it, you will have no problem . They will teach you the finer points of what they want once you are in.
B.E.

You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.

 

[Space213]

Really? Id imagine they would make it a bit harder because he wanted to test my Solid works skill. But if that's the case I should do just fine

 

[berkshire]

Space 213,
Remember THEY are going to tell you what kind of model to create, do not relax, too much.
B.E.

You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.

 

[Space213]

Berkshire,

As you can see from my other replies, I'm not relaxed at all. I've just been on YouTube trying to work on my solid works skill all day for the past week. hopefully it works out.

 

[berkshire]

Space213,
Run through the tutorials one more time. You are already familiar with them , you will pick up little things you missed the first time around.

I do not use Solidworks so much any more, I use a program called Alibre instead, but every once in a while I have to use Solidworks and upon firing it up it takes me about a day to get into the swing of things with it. That's when I find out the changes they have made and I too have to go back to the tutorials .
This is also something you need to watch for, if you have been using a student version , they are generally one year behind the latest version. As a general rule the differences are not that great from year to year, but you do have to be aware of it. There is also a Solidworks Forum 559 on this site where you can get specific answers to questions you may have after you get the job.
B.E

You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

Tests like that are meant to show if you know where the major buttons are, so to speak. Do you understand how to edit a face's dimensions, how to use boolean operations on components, properly label items of interest, create manufacturing drawings, etc. They won't expect you to know the finer details or "hidden" commands, just show an understanding of how to use the program to create a widget that can be manufactured from drawings created by it.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[HamburgerHelper]

The heaviest thing in the world for some people to pick up is the phone. One call to a vendor or whoever can save you a lot of time and rework.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't understand it yourself.

 

[Space213]

Hi everyone, so I locked down the job! I'm very thankful for the opportunity and the test was really just my first day at work. It was really difficult to grasp their idess. I felt dumb at times then felt smart at times. it was just up and down all day but I really enjoyed it.

All they are saying is you don't have to be amazing right now. Just have the will to learn and work hard. Which I am, I hope I can pass the 90days which will be the next challenge.


Thanks again to everybodies help

 

[zeusfaber]

Excellent news. Congratulations.

Just remember to keep all those promises you made yourself (and don't forget to enjoy the challenge).

A.

 

[berkshire]

Space 213,
Congratulations on landing the job .
Now sit there like a sponge and soak up everything that you can. You do not get smarter by saying "Yes I already know that" when something is being explained to you . Let the guy/gal finish , then say "I think I got it." They will think a lot more of you if you do not come off as a smart ass. Good luck.

B.E.

You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.

 

[Space213]

Berkshire,
Thankyou for your advice. I'm by no means really happy because i see the work that lies ahead of me. I'm excited for it and hope I can grow quickly. My next challenge is the 90days probation and proving to be a good choice. I got a much better idea on what to practice on in Solid works that relates to their concepts.

 

[epoisses_]

I can work my butt off and even take work home to do my homework on things I'm weak at so I don't need to waste anybodies time at work.

No, man. The other people are paid to help you get up to speed as fast as possible. You're not wasting anyone's time at work by being trained - formally or informally. You'd be wasting your own private time if you took work home and learn in a less effective/efficient manner than if you "dared to waste anyone's time" at work.

Feeling dumb, feeling smart are recurring patterns even after 20 years in the business

 

[jari001]

I agree with Epoisses and I will say as someone who isn't that much further along than you, the business may not have time to wait for you to take it home and finish things. Ask for help when you need it and try to anticipate what areas you are weaker in than others. If there are parts of your SW knowledge that you think needed "remedial" review, you could catch up at home but things that come up at work that you can't figure out yourself or with Google, get help so that the work gets done. I also recommend plying your elders with lunches now and then to get more in depth details and such

Also, congratulations!

 

[SandCounter]

Congrats! Love the attitude here. Stay coachable and keep striving to grow.

I used to count sand. Now I don't count at all.

 

[Space213]

Right now I'm a bit slow to the style of engineering drawings they want but I've been sort of thrown into the fire with new tasks given to me quickly without fully understanding the previous job. i work with a joking and sarcastic team which is nice but I feel i am not as smart the people who are mentoring me. I am learning a lot day by day. Start ups don't really have the best formal training program so i have to pick up quickly.

Hopefully I can get past the 90days. amy advice on what i can do to get better?

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

amy advice on what i can do to get better?

Don't stress out during or after work (leave work at work), get plenty of sleep each night, set short term goals that help break up larger projects or tasks into smaller ones, setup a to-do list with deadlines and stick to them, be prepared to do overtime but don't make it a habit, watch solidworks training videos and follow along within solidworks, learn how solidworks parametric features work (they're very powerful), review other team members work and ask questions on why they did what they did, buy the office donuts every once in a while.

Down the road, become the office expert at something. If at 90 days you're they guy they go to for [X], you've made it.

Ian Riley, PE, SE
Professional Engineer (ME, NH, MA) Structural Engineer (IL)
American Concrete Industries

https://www.facebook.com/AmericanConcrete/

 

[Space213]

So far the job seems stressful..but its also because they are barely training me. Im sort of being thrown into the fire but I want to keep progressing and working through these road blocks hoping the job won't be as stressful later. Im stuck trying to figure how to do certain things where everybody else is just just but doing things they know how to do not stuck staring at the cpu screen because the engineers have different views on how to design things and have you doing solid works designs in circles lol the people are nice and they tell me I'll get the hang of it so I'll keep pressing through