Transition to aerospace from automotive - looking for advice

[durablack2]

Hello everyone, I have a mechanical engineering degree and about 2 years of experience in the automotive industry. I am looking for some advice on how to transition from the automotive industry to the aerospace industry. I currently work up in Michigan and am trying to relocate to somewhere in Texas (preferably Houston) due to personal/family reasons. I have applied to quite a few jobs but have only got 1 or 2 bites from recruiters which have led to 1 or 2 emails then nothing. I currently do a lot of testing and development work with engines and handle projects that involve all aspects - electronic control, fuel, thermodynamics, flow, overall performance, etc. I also do a TON of data analysis and some research. I do not A LOT of design work but I do some - I did do a decent amount in undergrad (graduated in 2013). Also, although my job is very detail oriented and I absolutely have to understand everything that goes on within an engine, I feel like since my job is very general and I do not have an exact concentration, I may not get the looks from a lot of recruiters that are looking for someone who is an expert in say controls, or structural design, or CAD, etc. Does anyone have any advice on what I should do? Is it a problem that I have had 2 years of experience in a very general mechanical engineering field? I have access to CAD programs right now, should I buy a book and sharpen my skills so I can emphasize ability in CAD - Pro/e, CATIA, etc? I could also take a class at the college near me since I am currently part of the MSME program, would that be the most helpful thing I can do?

I am also thinking that since I am in Detroit, recruiters in Texas do not want to deal with me since I am so far away. Should I try and work for an aerospace / defense company in Michigan for 6 months - a year and then transfer to Texas? I obviously do not want to quit my job and move to Texas without an offer either. Any advice would be very helpful.

I have also attached my resume, if you guys want to give it a look and see if there are any red flags I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks.

 

[SWComposites]

Forget recruiters. Apply for entry level jobs directly with companies. Talk to your college placement office about help getting contacts and interviews; they will often help recent alumni.

 

[monkeydog]

First blush, you sound like a Test Engineer - you may try that tact to enter Aerospace.
You can always transfer to another position after a year, once you are "in the company".

 

[Fasteddie82]

In order to get around the location thing, I've heard of people changing their address on the resume to one of a PO Box or a friend/family in the area. Hard to tell if you are being turned down just based on your location, but it probably can't hurt.

Seems like a decent resume. Couple things off the top of my head though. Standard disclaimers apply, all information is free and potentially worth what you pay for it.

Houston is heavily reliant on the Oil and Gas industry, which is kind of in the toilet right now due to low oil prices. You may be competing with oil and gas guys looking to get out of their industry.

Have you tried NASA, or one of their contractors? Someone more knowledgeable than I can probably comment on the hiring environment at Johnson Space Center. Here's a link with a bit of an outline of different contractors there:

http://www.bayareahouston.com/content/Regional_Profile/aerospace

 

[durablack2]

Thanks for the responses guys! I really appreciate the suggestions. I will certainly start looking for more "test engineer" jobs since I am involved heavily with testing at my current job.

Fast Eddie, I did actually start putting a Houston address on the contact information - I was weary at first but I don't see what harm it can do. I would hate to be filtered out because I live in Michigan... I haven't tried NASA though, thanks for sharing the link - looks like I have a whole new list of companies I can look into now!

Keep the suggestions coming guys!

On a side note, I've been sharpening my CAD skills in CATIA after work at the college. Not sure if it'll pay off but hey, you never know. I'll probably try and incorporate some more "modeling skills" into my resume / profile. Turns out CATIA is pretty similiar to some of the other programs I've used before so it's coming along smoothly.

Thanks again!

 

[zappedagain]

Watch your grammar, as the non-engineers will be reviewing your resume first. You bounce back and forth between past tense (did) and present tense (doing) many times. Pick one or the other.

The resume has lots of good detail. I suggest you make it less wordy (keep the specifics) and then explain why you are a good fit for the job on the cover letter that you tailor to each application.

I suggest consolidating your 'related coursework' to the extra stuff you did; you can leave off the stuff that every ME does.

Z