Recent grad, determining career path 1

[root9]

Hey guys, I graduated (BSME) this spring and now I'm trying to put a plan together. I got a job offer right off the bat: a position working with insulation and refractory material, primarily in and around large power plant boilers. It wasn't my ideal first choice but my resume wasn't too hot as far as past experience. So far, it's been a bit of a joke. The only thing I've done in the past 9 weeks that could possibly be construed as vaguely related to engineering is measuring pipe lengths and calculating wall areas from a few drawings (to be used to estimate how much insulation would be needed for a job). They have me doing loads of manual labor though. Roughly 60% of my time so far has been spent in the field doing manual labor with the crew. This isn't specialized work at all.. things like stuffing old insulation into trash bags or carrying 5 gallon buckets of demolished refractory out of boilers for 12 hour shifts. Apparently that's supposed to help me learn the job? To say I'm not happy about the sheer volume of manual labor would be an understatement.

So now I'm at a fork in the road. The first road is to try to stick it out where I'm working now (nope). The second road is to start hunting for another job while still employed. I suppose the third road would be to quit and then job search. I'd really love to quit now because of how soul crushing I find the notion of going into work every day. Unfortunately the income is needed. I'd only last about 4 or 5 months with no income due to the recent move and new car payments. I'm trying to take the second road as effectively as possible

The idea of applying for other jobs while still employed is new to me. Could this come back to bite me? I can't imagine my current employer finding out but you never know. Are applicants viewed differently if they're currently employed? I'm also a little worried about how it will look to basically bail on a job after two months. Is that not a big deal in the eyes of a company looking for an engineer? For someone with little job experience, it really only shows that I'm at least capable of obtaining an engineering position. Better than nothing I suppose.

I'm hoping for some sort of position in product design or manufacturing. Any tips would be much appreciated. Should I just go for it, update the resume, and start applying?

 

[GregLocock]

Are applicants viewed differently if they're currently employed?

-yes, we call them sensible.

I'm also a little worried about how it will look to basically bail on a job after two months. Is that not a big deal in the eyes of a company looking for an engineer?

-no, when you list it on your resume just emphasise the manual labor side of things, don't dress it up as an engineering job.

Cheers

Greg Locock


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[IceBreakerSours]

I agree with Greg's suggestions. You should feel free to be honest and straightforward (without disparaging your previous job profile) by saying something that conveys the feeling that it wasn't for you or it wasn't what you had expected in terms of the kind of labor involved or you weren't a good fit because the ratio of physical/intellectual labor wasn't what would fit with your skill-set and liking.

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[tygerdawg]

Feelin' your pain and fully understand your desire to "learn Engineering" with the basic skills attained in your education. However...

Many of the grumpy old graybeards will say something along the lines of "this is how you learn the fundamentals so that you don't design huge mistakes or tell those essential laborers to do something stupid when you get to your REAL job assignment." There's merit in that.

I think it is entirely valid to go to the Boss, explain your concerns, and ask if there is some sort of "development plan" in play here that they neglected to tell you about. These "development activities" should have a terminal point on them. If the answers aren't to your satisfaction, start looking to move on "to where [your] skills, talent, drive, and educational background are better utilized." On the other hand, think about what to do if the answers ARE to your satisfaction.

I had a job for which I interviewed in mid-career that would develop into a "leadership position in the Engineering Department". Told that would happen in 6 months. Lying b@stards. Because I had the skills, I was sent on service calls for a terribly designed POS machine we sold. I was deployed and stranded at hostile customer sites for multi-week assignment and had to resolve machine problems with little/no company support. Did so successfully, but was very stressful and I complained about the treatment to all who would listen. On return from second assignment Boss took me to lunch to determine "my intentions." I calmly explained I was hired for that (now passed-over) leadership position, and I did not move my family across the country to be a Field Service Monkey. Three weeks later I was told I was going out of the country to do another bad assignment where I knew they'd strand me again. I calmly & with much diplomacy walked out two days later. I was delivered into a very nice new gig shortly thereafter.

Try not to be angry or bitter...this is simply one of many life lessons & bad experiences you'll have to endure along the path to retirement. It'll grow character. (Always wanted to say that )

TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Virtuoso Robotics Engineering

http://www.bluetechnik.com

 

[MikeHalloran]

I worked as a maintenance mechanic while between engineering jobs (actually, the same project, which changed companies, but that's another story). It was a Teamsters shop, so I had to join The Union. The membership voted on my application, and agreed that I would be allowed to join and pay dues, but I could not come to their meetings, because they regarded me as a Management Spy. ... Halleluiah!

I actually was sort of a spy; once I had found an engineering job, in the exit interview that was a condition of my employment, I had a long chat with the maintenance manager about whom he should promote. I suggested the unlikeliest candidate, Don, the guy who was always bitching, about everything. My point was that he bitched because he cared, and always wanted to do better.

Several years later, I was between jobs again, and pumping gas (which is not a bad job, just because it doesn't go home with you and interfere with your sleep), and who shows up but Don, now an experienced maintenance supervisor, and he thanked me for the good words.

You never know whom you'll meet again.


As for management worrying about you seeking another job, they're idiots if they don't just assume you are.

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[root9]

"Three weeks later I was told I was going out of the country to do another bad assignment where I knew they'd strand me again. I calmly & with much diplomacy walked out two days later. I was delivered into a very nice new gig shortly thereafter."

I bet walking out of there felt great. The middle of your career too, you'd think they'd know you wouldn't go along with that

"Many of the grumpy old graybeards will say something along the lines of "this is how you learn the fundamentals so that you don't design huge mistakes or tell those essential laborers to do something stupid when you get to your REAL job assignment." There's merit in that."

The engineers don't interact with or boss around the laborers, that's a job for the foreman/superintendent on site all the time. It seems the engineers here go into the facility and determine what needs to get done. Then determine what materials, tools, equipment, etc are needed to make that happen. Then, for the sake of the estimate/bid, we would estimate how many guys we'd need doing labor and how long it would take them. Most of the stuff is straightforward.. you're not going to get wild variations in required labor for insulating a flat wall or gunning refractory inside a massive boiler.


"Try not to be angry or bitter...this is simply one of many life lessons & bad experiences you'll have to endure along the path to retirement. It'll grow character. (Always wanted to say that bigsmile)"

If I make it to retirement lol. I got a call on Sunday night saying I'd need to be at a site 5 hours away by 630am. I had time for an hour of sleep before driving 5 hours to the site where, surprise, I stuffed insulation into trash bags for 12 hours. I fell asleep about 4 times trying to drive to the site on time. The hours and travel suck too. Some day my car won't alert me quick enough and I won't wake up before wrapping around a tree. Maybe I'll bring that up when I quit in the politest possible manner.

Thanks for the help guys. I was legitimately worried I was just being an entitled engineering grad for feeling I shouldn't have to put up with this kind of stuff.

 

[GregLocock]

" I got a call on Sunday night saying I'd need to be at a site 5 hours away by 630am. "

I'd resign now. That is not a reasonable request, especially for a manual laboring job. What you describe is just about illegal in Australia (technically I suppose because it was the first day in the week it is OK). We have a mandatory 10 hour break rule enforced by the insurance coverage of traffic accidents and work related injuries.

Cheers

Greg Locock


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[root9]

I really need to get another job first. To do so, I need to get my resume in order. Would it be absurd to post it on career forums (or even here perhaps) for some reviews? After scrubbing the personal data of course. At this point I'd even pay for a solid review

Edit: nevermind, just saw a thread here doing exactly that with a resume. I was worried that'd be asking too much.

 

[tygerdawg]

That's hellish company / supervisor behavior. Just to add a counterpoint for consideration: is there something going on we don't know about with you & the company?

I've seen & heard about this kind of dysfunctional company behavior before. Company wants to get rid of an employee but doesn't want to formally terminate them (with all the attendant paperwork, records, and perhaps severance costs). So they purposely treat them like dirt in order to make them quit.

Regarding that last-minute 5-hour drive assignment, I would have used "career & sanity jiu-jitsu" and replied "sure, you bet" and went back to sleep. Got there when I got there and if they didn't like it they could write me up. I've never much been a fan of supporting idiot management.

TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Virtuoso Robotics Engineering

http://www.bluetechnik.com