Industry Change Advice 3

[Dashpot]

Hello all,

I'm new here, but am looking for advice on possibly starting the search for a new job. A short summary of my situation:

I graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree back in May. While I was in school, I wasn't entirely sure what field I wanted to go into, but felt like I would probably like to do something with energy / oil and gas (and had a good summer internship with a large energy company). Unfortunately, I needed to stay in the area after graduation due to personal obligations, so I took a took a job with a mid-sized company in the automotive industry. The job isn't terrible, but I've realized that there's little room for career growth in the long term. Additionally, the personal obligations I mentioned earlier are no longer a factor, so I'd like to start looking at jobs in energy / oil and gas.

I've heard that a general guideline is to wait 2 years before taking a new job, but I'm also worried about staying too long with a company where the experience I'm gaining doesn't really relate to the industry I want to be in.

Should I stay a certain amount of time at my current company, or take off at my first opportunity? Does staying at a first job for less than a year look worse to a potential employer than unrelated experience?

Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.

 

[KENAT]

Is the field you want to get into actually hiring much at the moment? While things are rarely as simple as headlines say you should consider this issue.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

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

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

 

[GregLocock]

It is rather hard for me to imagine what engineering experience could be 'unrelated' for a recent graduate, so long as you are doing something more technical than photocopying. BTDT got the T shirt, in the days before collating photocopiers. So if I were you I'd carry on at your current job while looking around, and don't stress if it for the next year you don't find anything.


Cheers

Greg Locock


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

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

 

[1gibson]

Stay, learn as much as you can about the quality processes used in automotive. Sure you could look, but I doubt you'll be finding an oil and gas job in the next year anyway...

 

[Dashpot]

Thanks for the replies, all.

Just to clarify, I'm not asking whether or not to leave my current job without a better offer lined up. I've just seen that jobs available to new graduates are typically less specific in what skill sets are required than jobs for "professionals". I guess I'm just afraid that having a couple years experience designing brackets and building extrusion caging at my current job might be a hindrance for what I want to do long term. Also, I wanted to balance this concern against applying for jobs right now, and possibly creating a bad impression for a recruiter who sees that I haven't been at my current job very long.

Anyways, it seems to me that the general consensus is that it can't hurt to look, but don't quit my day job?

 

[JMirisola]

I don't see the issue. If you find an open position that interest you, apply for it. In your cover letter you can explain away the short period of time you've been at your current job. Or, if you're working with a placement company, they can explain it away for you.

So, yes, it can't hurt to look.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWE
My Blog

 

[Terratek]

Two years is a heavy price to pay for a single item on your resume. If your resume shows 6 months at your two first jobs and then 3 to 5 years at the third, you'll have nothing to worry about.

The happiest and most successful people I have known are those who pursue what they want, not what they think other people might want to see. If you are lucky enough to know what you want, don't take that for granted. Go and get it.

 

[1gibson]

It may be what you want, but probably not right now. I wouldn't change into an industry that a lot of people (many against their will) are getting out of right now. There will be stiff competition, and if you do land something it may not meet your expectations because of the current economic climate. Wait and see is an easy call to make right now. Just my 2 cents.