Should I mention my unemployment GAP 3

[danchoi03]

Hey guys,

I quited my job in the midddle of September of last year so I could get free time to study for the PE exam in October 2008. I found out that I passed the exam 3 weeks ago. My question is should I mention to future employers that I quited my job to study for the exam or should I make up some excuses why I quited my job? The reason I ask because a lot of recruiters ask me why I quited my job and I told them I need time to concentrate on the PE exam. After I told them that they never return my calls. Now, I desperately need help because I need a job. My discipline is Mechanical and I have 3.5 years of experience under my belt.

 

[Unotec]

Just say you resigned to further your studies/knowledge base. If they ask just mention what you studied, not what for.
I find it odd that such a thing would be a deal breaker, though. Has anybody said to you that this is why they don't call? I seriously doubt it.

<<A good friend will bail you out of jail, but a true friend
will be sitting beside you saying ” Damn that was fun!” - Unknown>>

 

[ctopher]

Not to be hurtful (but helpful), for having a PE, your grammar and spelling should be much better.


Chris
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[Qshake]

I've never known anyone who has quit a job just to study for the PE exam. Taking vacation time, yes. But actually quitting, no.

Perhaps you weren't that satisfied with your job and with the upcoming PE exam you just felt it a good time to quit. Hopefully you didn't expect to return to the same company after you quit......

Regards,
Qshake

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[jerry1423]

I really don't think something like what you mentioned is the reason the the recruiters are not calling you back ... everybody is slow right now.

It doesn't hurt for you to call them back. They can talk to a hundred of people a week, so it helps if you refresh their mind that you are still out there and looking.

 

[geezee66]

Do you need to disclose that you quit your job in September? Yes. Do you need to tell them why you quit? No, you don't have to.

In all honesty, I have a hard time believing you quit for the sole purpose of studying of the PE. Besides, had you quit in September, that would have given you less than 45 days to study and most people spend about 6 months preparing for it. It hits me more like that was a convenient excuse rather than the actual reason for leaving your job.

I also took the PE exam in Mechanical last October with Thermal and Fluid depth. I passed even though I didn't quit my job. (My undergraduate degree was Mechancial Engineering Technology).

 

[Ron]

Q...you took the words out of my mouth...if you're thinking like me, you should be worried! <g>

 

[bk19702]

Thanks for picking up on those items too, ctopher. To the OP; it's 'quit', not 'quited'

 

[EddyC]

I had a friend who took time away from work to get his Medical Doctor's License. Afterwards when he started looking for a new job, no one believed him and he was out of work for over a year. They all thought that there was some kind of "smoking gun" somewhere.

 

[IRstuff]

How did he get a license in only one year? Minimum residency is 3 yrs for Family Medicine.

The licensing exam is usually in the middle of the 3rd year of residency, so quitting then is certainly cause for concern.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[EddyC]

He took time off at the end of residency, in order to study for the exam. This is generally unheard of as most folks continue working while studying for the exam. So you can imagine what goes through people's heads when they hear such a thing. He has come back from all this and is doing well in his career.

 

[geezee66]

I don't there is anything wrong with saying that you are unemployed. It happens to all of us and certainly there are many in the same boat right now with our economy.

I don't think there is anything wrong with saying you used your time to study for the PE while waiting for the economy to come back. It's good that you used for time for something worthwhile.

But to say you quit your job to study? I don't believe it, and it sounds like you're lying to cover something up. Even if that's 100% true, I'd still tell people that you felt you needed change and quit your job. And there's nothing wrong to tell people you are a PE now.

(Congrats, by the way.)

 

[cry22]

I thought you needed a minimum of 4 years of experience to sit at a PE exam. 3.5 years would not be enough to take the PE. Which state lets you sit at PE exam with only 3.5 years experience?

As for telling employers about time off, you don't need to, just enroll with one of those temp agencies and say you are employed with them on a contract basis (in other words, you are NOT unemployed).

 

[danchoi03]

Many of you in here doubt that I have spent 45 days to study for the PE exam. The truth is I did spend 45 days to do rigorous studying. Not only I quit my job to study for the exam but I also tried out the consulting IT business abroad. I managed to pass the exam, but I failed to be successful in the IT business. I cannot tell future employers that I quit my job to pursue other business. I rather tell them I was studying for the PE.

Cry22,

I live in California. In California you only need 2 years of experience, EIT, references, and an engineering degree from ABET accredited university.

Ctopher,

I wouldn't be an engineer if I can write and speak perfect english.

 

[KENAT]

I cannot tell future employers that I quit my job to pursue other business.

Why? I can think of a few potential reasons but what was your thinking.

To me quitting work to study for PE, especially in the economic climate we're in seems a bit foolhardy and would cause me to question your judgement.

However, quitting your job to work on you PE while pursuing some other business interests, doesn't sound so bad.

You can phrase the reason you aren't continuing with the other business without explicitly saying you failed at it. You can say it wasn't your cup of tea and that it made you realize engineering was your true passion especially now you have you PE, or something like that. Or if it does come up that it failed you could at least imply the economic issues were part of the problem, which I'm guessing wouldn't be a lie and would sound reasonable.

KENAT,

Have you reminded yourself of faq731-376 recently, or taken a look at posting policies:

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

 

[controlnovice]

I would question the reasoning of quitting the job to study.

At first glance, it shows the person can't handle multiple tasks: work and self study. Not someone I'd be interested in interviewing.

Now, if the person quit to take vacation, family leave, etc...I would take a second glance.

______________________________________________________________________________
This is normally the space where people post something insightful.

 

[geezee66]

I wouldn't put anything on your resume that brings attention to the fact you're unemployed. You can't lie but you don't need to embellish it.

Anytime spent explaining the reason for your unemployment is time the potential employer didn't think about your qualifications.

Describing a hokey reason (such as quitting your job to study for your PE) is a distraction and adds confusion. Simply tell them you quit because it was time for change and make sure to put your P.E. license on your resume.

 

[swivel63]

@ qshake

me, neither.

i'd look at it kinda funny.

 

[HgTX]

45 days of studying, if it's full-time and not just at night after work, is perfectly believable; most of my PE exam prep was done in 10 days of vacation I took just before the exam.

Quitting the job to do it, though, does sound mighty squirrelly. I don't think I would avoid hiring someone over it, but who knows, if I was looking for excuses to eliminate some candidates from a large pool maybe I would.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[ischgl99]

As a hiring manager with a PE that passed the test while working (during the middle of a tradeshow I was organizing no less) and with small kids at home, I would have serious reservations about anyone saying they quit to take the exam. It tells me several things, you can't multitask, you don't have confidence in your abilities and you have poor judgement and time management skills. The exam is not required for most non-civil engineering jobs, so if you fail the test the first time, you take it again without it effecting your career.

Recruiters want something easy to sell and saying something like that makes them have to put a positive spin on it to their client. I think they are choosing to present the candidates with more experience and less baggage. Stick to a more credible story and I think you will have more doors opened to you.