Finding your own Career Path

[Engdoitbetter]

Dear all,

I'm 29 and Five years have passed since my graduation in Mechanical Engineering.
My first job was as a designer in a small firm in the Petrochemical/Energy industry; we manufactured primary flow and temperature elements for international customers.
It was not purely technical, but it was my first hands-on experience and I knew I had to learn how things work, so I didn't bother too much at the time.
Unfortunately the company went bankrupt after only three years, so I sadly had to start again looking for a job.
After a few months of unemployment, mixed with a short experience, which I eventually realized was not bringing me anywhere, I was temporarily hired by a mid-sized railway signalling company, thanks to my experience with 2D CAD. I found railway engineering very interesting, though my job focused almost only on the signalling part.
Anyway, as mentioned above, this job was temporary and I knew that the Company, although willing to hire me again in the future, wouldn't have done that for more than 3 to 6 months every time. This led me to the conclusion that I had to find a "stable" job for the next 2-3 years in order to make up my mind and decide what to do with my career.
This is why I switched to my present job, very similar to the first one, but in a firm which designs piping systems for pharmaceutical companies. The salary is actually lower than before (I'm going through an internship for the second time), but it wasn't an issue ath the time, because I considered it to be an investment for the future.

However, after six months, I just can't see where I'm headed. I do know that the job market doesn't provide lifelong employment opportunities (at least here in Italy); but I would really like to know how to understand at least what I want to do in the future. In addition, I have the opportunity to enroll in a Railway Engineering Master next year (and it seems to provide good job opportunities, given I pass the selection :-D) but I would have to leave my present job and I'm not sure I'm ready to start studying again.

Sorry for the long introduction; my question is: how did you realize what career you wanted to pursue? Was this an accidental event, rational thought, or something else?

Thank you in advance for your kind replies.

Stefano



P.S. Sorry for my English, I'm not a native speaker. :-D

 

[kaconnol]

For me it was an accidental event. When my roommate and I graduated college we both got jobs at the same company; he went to fossil and I went to commercial nuclear. It was just the luck of the draw and I've enjoyed it.

I've been in the commercial nuclear industry for 8 years now and at this point I'm interested in trying something a little different. I think you should pursue the career as long as you enjoy it, but I will say you can get kind of pigeon-holed at a certain point. For instance, I would have a very hard time getting into the automotive design industry now.

Have you checked to see if there is a job market for the railway engineering masters? If there is, then maybe you should go back to school considering your current employment options. If there isn't a market then you shouldn't spend the money.



Kevin Connolly, PE

http://www.TheEngineeringSurvivalGuide.com

 

[Engdoitbetter]

Dear kaconnol,

Thank you for your sound and practical advice.

If I've ever learned anything in these 5 years, is that:

1 - there is no "ideal" job (provided that you can define what "ideal" means, and this comes only with experience), only good or bad ones;
2 - you can influence in some way your career, but you can't really control it. Many factors are at play: chance, personal issues, economic context, location, job opportunities etc.
3 - your job experience is going to shape your career in a way that makes switching career (partially or entirely) not as easy as you might think.

When I started my first job (a few months since graduation, felt lucky :-D), I didn't think it would have influenced my future opportunities since I've always been willing to learn. Now I have to admit that I got the current job because I went through the first one. Nevertheless, working in a small company has been a valuable experience and I don't regret it.

However, my greatest fear is getting stuck in the same things over and over again (pigeon-holed as you said) without a chance to try something different/interesting/challenging. On the other hand, I don't want to leave a safe position only because "the grass is always greener" on the other side.
AFAIK this Master in Railway Engineering is promoted by some of the most important railway companies in Italy (Bombardier is involved too) and most if not all of the participants have been employed there shortly after their graduation, thus it seems to be a sound choice.

I hope to make up my mind soon.

Thank you again and regards,

Stefano

 

[rotw]

Imhotep123, As I was reading the OP I also thought about Steve Jobs, so when I reached your message it was funny you quoted him
Steve Jobs said (approximately) : "You've got to do what you love". so "Keep looking and don't settle";

When you love something and you keep "knocking on heaven's door" destiny will open ways for you that your best imagination does not suspect and that will let you do what you love. Why it does that ? I don't know. Maybe its the power of life - even in the middle of a nasty world - something - a superior generosity - is there to make sure it will happen. Or if you reverse the thinking it might be you... you who is pursuing something that deep inside of you know somehow it will happen...

So at the end it all comes down to a gift of mother nature which either you have or not : the passion you have for something.

"If you want to acquire a knowledge or skill, read a book and practice the skill".

 

[Engdoitbetter]

Dear rotw,

While I acknowledge that doing a job you love/like is a good thing, I find it difficult, at least for me, to have a "passion" for the profession.
I have some interests which I pursue during my free time only because of my passion for them, but they're still hobbies and not a job. Daily work is full of menial task, things/people which you may not like, schedules etc. all things I would define "duties" rather than "made out of passion". As someone put it in this forum, you have to find a position where the good outweighs the bad.

Besides, I have lately come to value my free time activities more than ever; I see them as a way to "keep calm and carry on" notwithstanding the difficulties I have to face. Perhaps I'm a bit disillusioned as far as the engineering profession is concerned, I don't know. What I do know is that I don't want dissatisfaction to dominate my life; I want to state my purposes clearly and not feel depressed simply because at face value "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" and because I'm looking for an ideal which doesn't exist in real life. Things must be seen as they are, not as we would like them to be.

Coming back to the OP, I find Railway Engineering interesting. On the other hand, committing myself for 1 year, during which I could be gaining my salary, is a luxury during hard times like these. Therefore, as kaconnol correctly said, it really comes down to job opportunities.

I feel thhat I'm beginning to see things more clearly :-D

Regards,

Stefano

 

[Lomarandil]

If you're in Power, don't even worry about it. Update your LinkedIn profile and the headhunters will come to you.

Seriously, the shortage in Power is insane right now... I did a year doing Civil/Structural design for a power firm, and to this day I'm contacted about once a month by someone looking for a power EE.

 

[Lomarandil]

Sorry, wrong thread

 

[rotw]

Dear Engdoitbetter

quote
As someone put it in this forum, you have to find a position where the good outweighs the bad.
unquote

There is a great writer who said : "A vocation is having one's passion as a profession";

Thank you for clarifying that by "career path" your did not mean "vocation"



"If you want to acquire a knowledge or skill, read a book and practice the skill".

 

[Engdoitbetter]

Dear rotw,

I'm simply pointing out that, as humans, we have various interests/hobbies/passions, but doing something simply because you enjoy it and doing it as a profession (though you may like it) are two completely different beasts.
Career choices involve many factors which are not at play in a hobby (just think about the money) and parting from a hobby is pretty much easier than from a job.

This thread has been very helpful to me since I've come to realize that looking for an ideal passion/path in my career is pointless; there will always be good things and bad ones, so it is just a matter of balance. If it is new and fresh challenges that I'm looking for, maybe I should go back studying again, who knows.

Regards,

Stefano

 

[SAK9]

To share my own experience,I graduated in the 80s when the economy was not doing great like it is now.My first job was in an oil refinery in operations.I got bored after a while as I was not happy with my rate of learning on the job.I realised that I needed to get to the bottom of things(the why,how etc) to satiate my appetite for knowledge.So I moved onto a job where I had to design,install and commission HVAC systems.Everyday was challenging,I was learning new things everyday,I was solving problems every day.I was dealing with good and bad customers,contractors,vendors everyday.The job helped me develop both technical and management skills.
So I think you need to find out your true calling and follow your heart.You are going to be spending about 1/3 rd of your remainder of life at work.So if you do not enjoy it,life is going to be miserable.Do a self introspection,write down what you enjoy doing most and try to align your likes with the requirements of various career options and choose one that best fits with your interests.