First job killed my hireability?

[fairlane46]

Ok, I graduated in 2011 with an ME degree and found an oilfield company looking for a Mechanical Engineer. There was no job description on their site but I filled out the app, got the interview and hired.

I was shown to my office and... well that was about it. No boss (I did later find out that officially I reported to the engineer in the next office), no job description, no tasks, but the pay was good. Eventually I landed a few small projects (college homework level tasks) and ended up working heavily on an ERP implementation.

Five years later I'm moving and can't seem to land an interview in a manufacturing-heavy area of Tennessee.

To get to the point: I am considering going back to school and getting a Masters to try to re-boot my career but I would really like to stay in the workforce. Any suggestions? Tips? Will going back to school really help? Or mabe Im just ranting...

 

[JNieman]

If lack of applicable experience is hindering your job prospects, additional diplomas don't seem to address the problem.

 

[MadMango]

Leverage that ERP experience, in a "manufacturing-heavy" area that should get you something. Switching industries is like starting over if they are too far apart. Oilfields seems as far apart from manufacturing as you can get.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of these Forums?

 

[fairlane46]

JN-
No, but thats not how I was approaching it. My thinking was to use the attendence to "start over" instead of looking like I just didn't do anything for 5 years, use the resources to find local employers looking for new graduates. When I was in college they were crawling around the place. I just couldn't take any of them because I was moving out of state (I seem to do that a lot).

Many of the job postings I'm finding credit a Masters to experience in their requirements.

Mango-
I have been courting switching to Bussiness Analyst for the ERP. That resume looks really good. I have gotten more bites on that than engineering, even a few interviews. I'm just not to sure about leaving engineering. It was hard won.

I do have a few of the ERP accomplishments on my eng-resume.

 

[KENAT]

Did you just do ERP, or did you need to learn things/pick things up along the way in order to do the ERP work?

An example might be configuration control.

How about 'lean manufacturing' or what ever the term is for optimizing BOM structure etc?

Kind of like CAD, ERP is a tool. There is a small market for experts of the tool itself, bigger market for people that can make use of the tool to perform related business functions.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

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

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[Panther140]

https://www.isixsigma.com/new-to-six-sigma/getting-started/what-six-sigma/

Don't panic! Problem solving is a means to getting a job that is problem solving itself. Now tailor your resume for each position. Quality of resume/cover letter is more likely to get you a job than quantity is, IMO.

"Formal education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed." ~ Joseph Stalin

 

[fairlane46]

Kenat-
The BOM and route setup does give me a few ideas to restructure my qualifications. Thanks!

Panther-
The lean manufacturing and six-sigm are HUGE buzzwords in all mfg job descriptions and that is what I would focus studies on should I go back to school. My curriculum never touched on it so im a little in the dark.

 

[1gibson]

Ideally you could find a place with a mess of an ERP system (or no ERP system but a desire for one) that is a little thin on engineers but not enough to post an open engineering job. Get in, sort the ERP out, help with engineering tasks as required, and once the ERP is running smooth ask to transition. You'll still be the go-to when there's an ERP problem.

 

[fairlane46]

If I can only find them, absolutely!

 

[FreddyNurk]

If ERP is what you want to do, and you're looking for ways to make inroads into other employers, the book "What Color is your parachute" gives some idea on making contacts and possible opportunities to find such places with less than ideal (or none...) ERP implementations. Of course, its relevant for a whole heap of other things too if ERP isn't it.

Its arguable as to what level of relevance ERP experience has in terms of engineering, but for people who have the understanding on what needs to happen for the process and how to arrange the ERP to do what the business wants, an engineering background would probably help. There are plenty of places with a half baked ERP that would be in need of assistance, you're correct, the hard part is finding them, and convincing them that you're the solution to their problems.

 

[SkipVought]

Ditto regarding "What Color is your Parachute."

Skip,
[sub]
Just traded in my OLD subtlety...
for a NUance![/sub]

 

[fairlane46]

Thanks all for the advice, the book looks very insightful. Im putting in an order for it now. I have decided for the time being to keep on the job search in both areas and continue looking into school. Whichever one happens first gets the hook.

I've gotten pretty far by making a bad situation work for me by keeping a lot of irons in the fire, I don't think this will be any different.

On a side note: I may have been misleading in my original post, a Master's is something I have been thinking lightly about for a long time, not just a whim or excuse for having trouble finding work. My wife just graduated with her Bachelors and she is suggesting for me to go back to school too(we have been trading off school and work with each other for about 15 years, time to switch sides).

Wish me luck and thanks again, everyone.

 

[jpankask]

You don't have to go back to college to learn lean manufacturing and six sigma. There are numerous training programs for six sigma. Lean manufacturing, probably as well, though you really can learn the concepts on your own. There are books that cover it. I would say you just need to change up your resume, and in the meantime, maybe start learning about six sigma and lean manufacturing, so you can speak the language and put some buzzwords on your resume. Good luck.