Difficult Job Question

[macmet]

Over the last 6 months, I have been trying to find a master's project in a specific area. I have had a tough time doing so and I'm about to just give up. The reason i was looking in a specific area is because i'd like to get a job related to it and i felt it would make me more qualified. I'm tired of looking, emailing and getting nothing at all and I know larger companies have entire departments dedicated to this field.

So, can anyone tell me if it's a good idea to just get in touch with some of these companies? I have had trouble online because they're usually online forms to fill out, or they'll just say they have no openings at all and tell you to check back later. I know people who work at the companies I have been looking into, is it proper to get them to look up the people for me to contact? What would your reaction be if you got contacted by someone random about a job? Would it be a good or bad thing? Would I end up being blacklisted for any future openings?

I would really like to try to find a job in this area, but I'm worried about going about it the wrong way. I have a job now, so I'm not desperate I wuold just prefer a (slightly) different field.

I hope that made sense,

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[14159]

If you just cold-call people out of the blue, you probably will just get ignored and waste your time, not get blacklisted.

Unless your professors are worthless (an unlikely proposition), they are the ones to talk to rather than industry folks. That's what they get paid for, so they should be interested in helping you determine a project.

About to give up on your MS degree because of this? No way. It's true that your research topic will affect your future, but lack of a MS will affect you more. Unless you have other compelling reasons to quit, you should get the degree even if you have to choose another topic.

DBD

 

[IRstuff]

While it's desireable, I wouldn't recommend getting hung up on this.

Unless you're looking at a doctorate, your master's thesis is generally only a demonstration of your capabilities in researching a topic and "mastering" it. You might get some extra brownie points for having a thesis in the area you apply for, but I'm not convinced that it's worth THAT much.

In fact, most companies go through so many changes that someone who's stuck on one topic might actually be viewed as a liability, compared to another who's more flexible and agile.

TTFN

 

[GregLocock]

" What would your reaction be if you got contacted by someone random about a job? "

In the past I've reacted with a tolerance level of zero. If they sent me an intelligent and appropriate communication I /might/ have forwarded it to the appropriate quarter, but any screw ups at all would result in it being deleted.

Thinking about it, I get about two of these per year, none of them have ever got anywhere, so my new policy as of today, is that they all get binned.



Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[epoisses]

On-line forms suck. Or rather, the people that are supposed to respond to them do. Or rather, anyway, there's something with online forms that just doesn't work.

Not answering an email is easy. Not answering a person on the phone is less easy. Take the yellow pages, call company X, ask the HR department and see if they can help you. Note the names and coordinates of helpful people. Confirm in writing afterward. Good luck!