Developing and Working with other Engineers 1

[Disgruntleddave]

Greetings

I'm still new to working. I have an undergrad and masters degree and about a year of experience. I've been given an offer but am a bit unsure of it because of the environment I'd be in.

I came from a company where I was working with many other engineers directly that I liked. I thought it was good for development too. This would put me as the only engineer at a location, and I'd be working indirectly with other groups. The primary engineering work would be done in a different company.

It's in the right field, it's in the right geographical location, but it makes me nervous about potential development or lack thereof that I might otherwise get from a boss and coworkers with experience in engineering.

Does anyone have input on his others contributed to your development? Has anyone taken a similar job in a similar position as this?

 

[GregLocock]

Actually I'd be pretty gruntled to get a job offer in a vaguely relevant field, with only one year's experience. Getting the first job is the tricky part, you seem to have managed it twice(in effect). I'd be inclined to take it if you have no other realistic short term prospect.

Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

 

[Disgruntleddave]

Well, thanks for the input. It comes down to "take what you can get, especially if it's in your field of interest" vs. "job won't be good, run".

My main concern is not having a mentor I can go to who has the experience to draw upon. Nearly as important, not having like minded coworkers to work directly with might translate into this being a very lonely job, which would probably affect me a fair bit.

Stupid real life, with no single and clearly correct answers.

 

[SNORGY]

The trouble with getting too attached to and dependant upon one mentor or small group of mentors - especially your first one - is that you tend to propagate that person's or group's single bias rather than develop your own judgement. Stick to what you know when you make autonomous decisions, and get help, even from afar, if there's something a bit too deep. Who knows? Your calls might turn out to be just as good or better than anyone else's.

Take it for a while. If it isn't right, you'll soon know.

Regards,

SNORGY.

 

[moon161]

Of all of the jobs that I've had, good and bad, clean, dirty, working in offices, ceilings, basements, crawlspaces, factories, call centers, a garage, bike shops,a military base, a meatball factory, working with cool people, distractingly hot people, miserable people, manipulative jerks, volcanic PTSD cases, cashing an unemployment check (well, clicking submit and waiting for a direct deposit) was the worst. That's just me, whom you may or may not resemble. If you're not going to work, at least volunteer. Habitat for Humanity, Engineers w/o borders, city mission, anything.

As far as a mentor, if you're willing to learn, that's the most important part. At least for you. Cross your fingers on the engineering results ;-)

 

[FreddyNurk]

Having been in a similar position, I can assure you that you can survive, even prosper in such a situation.

You do, of course, need to be mindful of the limitations of your own abilities, and be aware of when to ask for help. If you have any contacts, mentors or friends that can assist you at your former place of employment, call on them when you have to. Don't limit yourself to your immediate support at your new employer. Be aware of confidentiality issues of course, but seek help when appropriate.

Snorgy is spot on too, one of the big issues I see at my current employer with Graduate Engineers is that they all consider that the company's current workings are the best in the industry and no other company has anything that works, something that appears to be developed as the graduate program progesses.

The truth is that no company is perfect, and there is some benefit to be exposed to different aspects of work and ways of doing things.

 

[PipelineTZM]

Just get that job Dave. I feel 1 year experience is good enough. All you need is having confidence in yourself and the things you'll be doing. If at anytime you're stuck just come here here and post your problems. I've seen guys here post their daily assignments and I wouldn't doubt that they are getting good responses.
I was in a similar position myself & I had zero experience but my confidence, no mentor just foremen to supervise and 3 years down the line I'm supervising guys with 10 years more experience than me.
JUST GIVE IT A TRY!

 

[satchmo]

What makes you so certain you won't get mentored? You could make nice with some of the corporate folks and albeit a long distance mentoring, it is mentoring none the less. You discuss getting a chance to spend some time at the overseas design authority and get some face time with the engineering group. Could be a great experience.

 

[csd72]

i never got time to read all the posts above so apologies if I repeat anything.

I am working in that type of position where I am the only engineer of my profession in the sub company. I do have distance relations with other engineers in the greater company but only for occasional guidance.

I have 13 years of experience and am competent in my knowledge, I would not have felt comfortable in this position if I had only one years experience.

With one years experience I thought that I knew a lot but now i look back and realise that I knew nothing.