Is engineering boring? 10

[BoredEngineer]

I graduated two years ago with a Mech degree and I found school to be both fun and challenging. I loved it. Since then I’ve held two full time jobs (one with the government and the other a large defense contractor doing CAD) and I’ve found both to be unchallenging and boring - I end up finishing my work after an hour or two, then beg for additional work and ultimately stare at cubicle walls. After a couple of years of this, I’ve become awfully frustrated. I understand that I'm young and I have ALOT to learn, but I've looked around at the senior engineers and their work doesn’t seem all that exciting… Maybe this is engineering?

I would like to get my hands dirty -see what I’m good at and what I suck at. I would like an interesting, challenging and technical engineering job, but I don’t how to go about finding one without job hopping. It seems horribly inefficient for all involved. Any advice on where to go from here? Do I continue taking jobs and hope that one clicks? Go back to school and get into R&D?

 

[moltenmetal]

HgTx, you've got a point. Living in the weeds can get dull after a time. But the position of being "above" the weeds is one you've got to earn by slogging through them for a while first.

MALK's comment reminded me right away of an old friend of mine. He's a really smart guy educated as a mech eng, but his mom used to complain to me that he was useless to her-anything she needed fixed around the house he'd be happy to take apart, but as soon as he found what was wrong he lost interest and NEVER put anything back together again.

Would he be an ideal manager? Perhaps if he's forced himself to hold his nose and work through the details enough times that he can empathize with his staff who actually DO suffer the details- otherwise, I'm thinking salesman rather than manager!

 

[HgTX]

That's what I meant--if he puts in his time now, he might be better upstairs. People who prefer the details to the big picture are better downstairs.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[kepharda]

Reading these posts like "once I saw the how the thing operated, I wasn't really interested anymore" really makes me feel a little better.

I constantly get down on myself for precisely this reason, I typically work really hard and fast on something until I see a solution, then have to force myself to get it completed fully detailed. I mean my mind finds all sorts of better things to do with its time.

this message has been approved for citizen to elect kepharda 2008

 

[KENAT]

Funny, I thought most members here thought they were above certain detail tasks, such as proper drafting. Now you're saying if they aren't interested in detail stuff they should become a manager.

Hmm.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

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

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

 

[HgTX]

There's detail, and there's detail. Drafting is *serious* detail. Finishing the calculation is regular detail. At least from my perspective.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[stanier]

Suggest you look at Randy's last lecture @

http://www.cmu.edu/randyslecture/

If you then think engineering is boring change course.

 

[FeX32]

Come on. So just because you know there is a solution to a differential equation you will not solve it for your self?
Interesting, I wonder what you would do on exams.
BTW, there is a solution to every problem in this world. The 'details' are the remarkable part.


Fe

 

[HgTX]

Come on yourself, FeX32. No one is talking about disregarding requirements for homework, exams, or job assignments, just about what is more interesting.

It's not just knowing there is a solution. It's knowing enough about the solution to know, roughly, how it would go. For some types of problems and some types of people, the most interesting part, by far, is that push from "I don't know how that works" to "I see a way it would work", and then the biggest thing to look forward to is the next problem when one can make that breakthrough again. For some, the bigger joy is in working the solution out fully to make it work.

For some, french fries are delicious. For some, french fries are an excuse to eat ketchup. I'm not sure which is which in this analogy.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[Gstoner]

"For some, french fries are delicious. For some, french fries are an excuse to eat ketchup. I'm not sure which is which in this analogy."

Perfect...just perfect.

"A Designer knows that he has achieved Perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away" - Antoine de Saint-Exupry

 

[mauricestoker]

As long as you don't put mayo on it. Truly disturbing.

 

[KENAT]

Those Darn Europeans

Posting guidelines faq731-376

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

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

 

[FeX32]

I sense some attributed traits......
Maybe theoretical physics is more the game for that type of whom like to 'think' and not 'DO'.

P.S. french fries make your ass stick out.


Fe

 

[weab]

My 2 cents: I agree with those who say that you need to get into private sector. I disagree with "mauricestoker". It is possible to enjoy your work. You seem to want to work and do something constructive.

I worked for a large government contractor and all I was given was small tasks. My work ethic at that time wasn't necessarily the best and I didn't pursue more for myself, but I look back and realize that I would have been doing little tasks forever. I wasn't pressed to work. When I went to the private sector, I needed to perform and, fortunately, my work ethic changed once I realized that I enjoyed my work.

The point is that if you are bored, you are working in the wrong place. You need to make a move. There are all types of companies out there.

It is possible to work at a place that challenges you, is interesting, is ethical, and is not a sweat shop. Just make sure that you know what you want, and think long term such as if you'd like to be a project manager, field engineer, etc. Make sure to convey this to a prospective employer. They will appreciate the honesty and won't hire you unless they can provide you with what you are looking for. When you get hired, it will be a win-win situation.

Good Luck!

 

[MALK]

Glad to see I stoked up some debate. Engineering is the best desk bound job you can get, just it gets infected with (important, afterall the devil's in the detail) paperwork. You could say the ultimate detailing is making the stuff and for one offs I love that. I possibly dislike the grinding to a finish part because I realise it has to be done properly. Plenty folk 'finish' a job only for rectification to have to take place later.

Anyhoo, be happy in what you do. Funnily enough I am trying to get into a management post at he moment. Also I try to give any graduate engineers reporting to me interesting work to do and I do emphasise the importance of dotting the is and crossing the Tees.

 

[200180]

Engineering jobs are interesting no doubt in that... May be you are struck in the job you don't like. Take the free time to learn new things available in the office! or in the web
You have eagerness to learn... You will get a job you like... May be in the pvt sector.

Product Design Funda!

http://www.productdesignfunda.com

 

[spongebob007]

I don't like the details either. I learned this early on and got my MSME and relaized the R&D, consulting, and leadership roles (doesn't have to be management types. I am a lead engineer and I enjoy being a leader without all the BS that comes with actually being the boss) are better suited for my personality. Taking the differential euqation analogy that FeX32 made one step further, I think of myself of the guy that dervies the differential equation and I would happily leave the details of the solution to someone else. I know how to solve it, I just prefer not to.

 

[IRstuff]

Even people who loved each other at one point in time get divorced.

If you love someone, you put up with a certain of irritation. If you don't, then you won't put up with any irritation.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[TomLaxey]

There is no need to be bored in most careers, and certainly not engineering. As an engineer you can work on all aspects of the creation of products, from research through production, and in-service. You can also do this for manufacturers, or customers, or governments.
The trick is to get to know yourself, and what you like - what is it that really gives satisfaction - an obvious contrast is between people who like to be 'hands-on' and design the article, through to those who prefer think in the abstract or 'system' level.
For me, I worked in a govt R&D situation for a few years, and then, thinking I wanted get more specialised, I went to Industry. Now been there 18mths, and the work seems repetitive, and lacking the interest that makes me want to be an engineer, and I looking to get back into investigative work.
Hope this helps

 

[spongebob007]

As far as government vs private industry goes....

Your chances of getting into more high tech and interesting work are higher in government than industry. However, it all depends on your skills and the size of the company. If you work for a large defense contractor you are one of hundreds of engineers, and a lot of those jobs are boring. The products that those companies make are very cool, but unfortunately you will be such a small piece, that the coolness factor is somehow lost in the day to day grind.

I went from one such company to a small privately owned manufacturing firm. I found life at a small company not to be much better. The engineering department at this company was four people. There was no room for advancement and no cash for cool toys. We didn't even use 3D CAD (this was around 1998). We did our drawings (which were done by us engineers) using some no name 2D CAD program. There was no FEA and no calculations. Nearly all of our new products were just derivitives of existing products, so designs were based not on engineering principles, but on experience and rules of thumb-very low-tech. I was a glorified draftsman and paper pusher. By Thursday of my first week on the job I was bored silly. I lasted one year there.

I have found that I prefer medium sized defense compaines. There is more real engineering going on (analysis on nearly every project) and even R&D. There is more money and overall better pay. Plus, there is room to grow and advance within the company.

My ideal company has between 200 to 400 employees.

 

[MALK]

Just curious now, what kind of positions / job function do all you guys /gals have. I've moved within the company recently to a job with a faster paced day to day manufacturing problem solving type of work from design / analysis. The pace certainly suits me better and I haven't had to totally give up the design aspects - still looking tho