how do I "break into" engineering 1

[frankart]

Hey Group,

I need some help when it comes to getting my foot in the door. I have a BS MET degree from Georgia Southern University, 1997. Upon graduation, I accepted a commission in the US Army and served as a maintenance officer for 4 years. I was honorably discharged and took a position as a process engineer with an international tire company, working in the factory in LaVergne, Tennessee. Even though this position wasn't exactly what I wanted since it was more focused on the manufacturing aspects and not designing, I thought I would be OK with it since once my foot was in the door, I might have some latitude to move around. This would've worked, but I resigned after a year to move to central Virginia to get married. I'm now working as a shipping manager for a wal-mart grocery distribution center. Wal-mart is a great company to work for, but being a manager just isn't satisfying for me. I'm good at it, and I think I have a bright future there, but I don't especially enjoy it. There just doesn't seem to be much out there for me, espcially when I'm geographically limited like I am and my degree is 6 years old and I've never really used it.

I'm thinking about applying to Univ of VA for the MS in Mechanical Engineering, but I want some opinions from the people in the real world about whether or not this would get me anywhere. I'm hoping a MS would "refresh" my skills in the eyes of a potential employer enough to give me a shot. The fact is, I've only had one interview in a year for a technical position, and I didn't get an offer, only a rejection letter. I've lost count of how many resumes I've sent out for technical type positions. I've applied for everything from Draftsman to Design Engineer I.

I humbly request your opinions.

 

[TheTick]

I am a design engineer who came from the military.

I was in the navy, an enlisted (E-4) nuclear machinists' mate. I was picked up for NROTC, and went to college. My senior year I was medically disqualified from commissioning, and the navy let me go.

I finished my BSME and hit the job market. Even with shop skills and military experience, I was at a disadvantage, because I had no co-op (internship) experience, since my summers were spent in the fleet.

I made up for this by taking some drafter/designer positions on contract to get experience in the design engineering environment. At the end of my second contract, there was an opening for a design engineer at the same company, which I interviewed for, and I was hired.

"Great ideas need landing gear as well as wings."--C. D. Jackson

 

[Comcokid]

Frankart-
It's not suprising that with a limited amount of experience that you are having trouble finding engineering employment. The current recession has been very hard on the computer/electrical/mechanical engineering professions with engineering unemployment running somewhat higher than general unemployment.

Currently, employers are only looking for engineers with specific experience in particular areas that can immediately impact the projects they have. Emplyers are generally not interested in less experienced engineers who will require time to familiarize themselves with specific needs of a job.

Jobs are available if one is willing to move anywhere in the US and not upset by lower pay. There are also some goverment jobs such as the US Patent office if one is willing to move to the DC area, but such a job may not offer the type of experience some employers are looking for and may limit your future career path some.

Nevertheless, if committed to engineering, a Masters degree is an excellent path to follow and makes you more marketable in the long term.

 

[COKA]

You can also get a minor in a different field. With a Masters degree, you are narrowing down even more your choice of being hired to a very specific field. However, if you have a minor, you are in fact broadening up your knowledge and at the same time refreshing your engineering.

 

[MASSEY]

If you are willing to relocate an entry level engineering job should be easy to get. If you are committed to your present location, for family or other reasons, more degrees probably will not make a difference.

If you would like to stay with Wal-Mart they must have some engineering positions available at the corportate level however more education or experience may be required.

At any rate, refresher courses are strongly recommended if for no other reason to become current with new CAD and other engineering software. Once in class you pick up leads for engineering jobs in your area through your Profs. or other classmates - networking is helpful and right now you don't have much of a chance.

If you want something new or different to happen to your career, perhaps you should try doing something new or different.

Your military experience and time spent carries more weight than you may be aware of, be sure to use this to your fullest benefit.

 

[Lorentz]

Hello:

I am a bit concerned that you may be giving up a good career at Wal-Mart, for who knows what when you obtain your Masters degree.

I get the impression that you are most interested in design work, but that narrows down your job options quite a bit. It may turn out that on completion of your degree the only job offers you will get will be similar to the process manufacturing job you did not like. In that case you will have gone full circle and may be much worse off than if you had stayed at Wal-Mart.

My advice would be for you to first read "Horse Sense" by Al Ries and Jack Trout. If you still are determined to purse an engineering career, I would urge you to enroll at a school that has a co-op program.

Good Luck!

 

[CRG]

frankart

From the limited information that you provided, it is difficult to evaluate the problem. But, my first guess is that the résumé you have sent were a poor match for the positions that you were applying for.

When a position of interest is posted, find out as much as you can about the company. Also, try to anticipate as much as possible about the actual type of work they will want you to do now and in the future. Then, without lying, wordsmith your résumé to make your work experience fit as closely as possible to the requirements of the advertised position and what you believe would make you an asset to the company.

If there is stiff competition for design positions in your area, you need to be creative yet truthful with your résumé. From your post, it sounds like you have been sending the same résumé to each prospect. If you know someone successful in the field of work you are pursuing, have them review you résumé along with the company information that you have researched. Also, join some professional organizations. ASME, ASHRAE, etc. When you go to the meetings, you will meet people who know about the type of work you are looking for. Ask for help and advice from professionals doing the type of design work you are interested in, and be specific with your questions.

After you get selected for an interview, it’s up to you to sell yourself.

CRG

 

[monkeydog]

Frankart,
One thing potential employers may see on your resume, is the MET and years maintinance officer work and process engineer work. And now working as a shipping manager for WalMart. What a potential boss may gleen from that is you may have lost knowledge from school. Also an ET degree is not understood by many (which is a shame). If I were in your shoes I would get the ball rolling for a MS, but in the mean time apply for the FE/EIT exam in your state. If nothing else, you pass the exam, add to your resume "passed FE/EIT April 2004". A potential boss will see that and know you are on at least level ground with new grads from 2004, with experience. After that if you still want the MS go for it!
Monkeydog

 

[jay165]

I would play up your military background and look for a job with a consulting firm that does government work and is involved in regulatory issues. Not what you had in mind, but it would be in engineering and get you out of Wal Mart. Another thing to consider is inspection and construction and/or contract compliance. Don't know what the demand is in your part of the country, but we always seem to be short here in the Gulf South with those skills.

I'm convinced that if you want a sustainable career in engineering, you need to be skilled in areas that require a physcial presence to perform the job (such as construction or maintenance). The jobs that are "office only" or those that can handled by e-mail and the web will eventually get exported to some Third World country where engineers are happy to get $7.00/hr, which is what is happening now to our computer engineering brethren.

Good Luck!

 

[Lorentz]

jay165 makes an excellent point.

The main reason I joined this thread is that I was concerned that frankart seems to have a strong desire to do design work, but many jobs of this type can be easily exported to low-wage areas. In future there will be far fewer opportunities of this type (at least in North America).

My company is too small to set up an overseas operation, but if we were bought out by a larger company, I might be looking for a job at Wal Mart!