Not sure if I'm happy at work. Advice? 6

[CivilTom]

I have my first career.. I was told it would consist of engineer tasks but I haven't done anything engineer related yet. I am pretty much a cad zombie drafting telecom towers all day. I am however paid like an engineer, if I put some overtime every week I am scheduled to earn over 65k. Should I be content? Or look for some real engineer work even if it means ill make 10k less?

 

[Mr168]

Is that extra $10k enough to make you wake up every morning and not hate what you do? Right now, it sure doesn't sound like it.

 

[macmet]

How long have you been there?

 

[zdas04]

If you are not sure if you are happy, then who the hell do you think will be sure of how YOU feel. "Should I be content"?????????????? Give me a break. Your feelings are a pretty personal thing that are not subject to audit.

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

"Belief" is the acceptance of an hypotheses in the absence of data.
"Prejudice" is having an opinion not supported by the preponderance of the data.
"Knowledge" is only found through the accumulation and analysis of data.

 

[CivilTom]

Well let me be more clear. I dont want to ask YOU if im happy. I am asking you, experienced engineers if I should be content. Given the position type, money, entry level experience...should I be content? Or would it be more rewarding to my future If I looked for a real engineer position even if it means a pay cut.

 

[Latexman]

[jedi knight mind control] Yes Tom, you are content! [/jedi knight mind control]

Good luck,
Latexman

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

If you are not happy/content doing what you are doing, it will eventually reflect in your attitude & work output. Seeking other employment should be an ongoing process. The best time to look for a job is before you lose the one you have. Move on when you find something more suitable to your aspirations.

Money isn't everything ... but it sure helps pay the bills.

 

[kylesito]

How long have you been there is a good question.

If you haven't been there that long, you might still be in the entry level stages. Sorry...until you have more experience then you aren't really all that valuable as a decision maker. You might just be being brought up to speed and given some menial tasks until you learn the ropes and can understand more about the profession. Maybe you need to learn the basics before they are going to have you start meeting clients and making decisions.

Don't know...just my take. I just know I got pretty bent out of shape when I was early in my career because I wasn't getting responsibility...but I look back now and realize that I couldn't have handled it if I had been given it until I had gained some time just being in the game.

Your salary is pretty nice to have you just sitting there doing drafting...are you sure you aren't in line for something else in the near future?

That being said, whether you are religious or not, the parable from Luke in the New Testament is a good one in this situation and the quote that pertains is "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much". Do your best at the job you are given and when you do more (better) opportunities will open up.

PE, SE
Eastern United States

"If a builder builds a house for someone, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built falls in and kills its owner, then that builder shall be put to death!"
~Code of Hammurabi

 

[JedClampett]

You need to look, find and get a new job. Once you're slotted as a competent CAD operator, you're likely to stay there forever. And if they feel guilty and slide you a few engineering tasks, you'll still be called on to do CAD in a pinch. And there will be a lot of "pinches." Unfortunately there's a real shortage of CAD personnel, so companies are loathe to lose one. But that's not your problem.
And since you can count your current job as experience, ther's no reason to have to take a job at $55k. There's jobs out there for new grads that pay $65k, and more if you have some experience. Just be honst, that you're been doing CAD, you've learned drawing layout and picked up a few things, but now you want to do your own designs.

 

[ctopher]

You be content you have a job, much less in engineering.

Chris
SolidWorks 11
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[CivilTom]

Thanks for the advice everyone! However I do encounter one problem. I have worked here for only 2 months and it took me a few months to find this job. I've read that it isnt recommended to show a job on your resume that is under 1 year in duration. So if I wear to leave this position I would have an emtpy space of over 5 months on my resume.

 

[cvg]

unless your working environment is lousy or your boss is a jerk, you have not been there nearly long enough to know if you will eventually like engineering.

Or as Confucious say - "patience Grasshopper"...

 

[JedClampett]

Don't worry about the hole in your resume. If anyone asks, you have a perfect story and it's honest. You took a couple of months to find a job and you've been doing CAD work just to be employed. It's not like you were in jail or something.

 

[TomDOT]

You've only been there two months? Have you told your boss you are interested in taking on more challenging projects?

 

[IRstuff]

"I am asking you, experienced engineers if I should be content."

Really? Without knowing anything about you? And if everyone says you should be content, you will be? That hasn't worked for anyone else in the entire history of the human race. I don't know how good these guy's control of the Force is, but it's highly unlikely that it would make much difference. The bottom line is that you ARE NOT content, and no matter what anyone says or does, that's not going to change much.


TTFN
faq731-376

 

[jmcoope3]

You're young. 65k isn't bad unless you're in Chicago, NY, or Cali. You're getting experience and bailing on the job before a year mark is a death sentence unless you got sexually harassed or have a documented moral issue.

You can either:

1) Make some money, get some experience (1~2 years), and slide on to another job before you get pigeon holed.

2) Ask for more responsibility, take it on without asking for more money (you just got there, remember that) and get some meat on the resume so you can pick your targets a bit on the next job hunt.

3) Take initiative as stated in 2, impress the suits, and try to move up.

There's a lot of b*tch work on the ladder to becoming a PE (You're not an engineer if you don't have a stamp - especially civil/structural), if you don't like doing CAD work and basic calculations, get a masters degree.

 

[Latexman]

Life is too short to be unhappy. Talk to your boss, but don't be stupid - jobs don't grow on trees these days. Ask what future work is coming down the pipeline for you. She/he should be able to see 1-5 years down the road. Are there other Engineers there you can compare notes with? Then, make a decision. Are you in, or out? If out, discreetly find a job you want, THEN give notice.

Good luck,
Latexman

 

[CivilTom]

I do live in Chicago... 65k for an entry civil position isn't good? Sources say 55k is average.

 

[CivilTom]

Thanks for the overall advice.. I won't stop searching, and hopefully I can find a engineer position that will provide experience necessary to fulfill the P.E. requirement. Jmcoop you mentioned a master degree will get me out of basic calcs and cad work.. How so? Are you assuming a master degree will give me a management position?

 

[jmcoope3]

I was referring to cost-of-living vs. income... 55k means very different lifestyles depending on where you hang your hat (At-least that's the argument that my California based company can pay 60% of what they pay locals because we operate in southeast).