Trouble obtaining first full time job 4

[sutherbj]

I was hoping to obtain some advice regarding obtaining my first job. I graduated this last December and took a month off for personal reflection regarding where I want to go with my degree, and so I've been interviewing for about 2 months now. I graduated with a 3.3 from the University of Wisconsin, and have co-op experience, volunteer research experience, etc.

I think my credentials are sufficient, and my communication skills are decent (for an engineer at least), though I'm having trouble both getting interviews and going past the first interview.

I used to use Monster, Careerbuilder, etc. but found that they are pretty useless. Most of my interviews have come from recruiting agencies finding my resume on those websites and contacting me, and also for signing up for interviews on campus from visiting companies.

Can anybody give me some suggestions on other ways of landing interviews? Does it normally take this long of searching to obtain a job?

Also, ANY suggestions about getting an interview for a job outside of my local region would be great, everything so far has been too close for me personally.
Thanks in advance.

 

[mechengdude]

2 months is not long to look for a job for a recent grad. with the way, the economy is headed. Plan on 6 - 9 months. To find a job, network! Talk to friends from school, where are they working, does their Dad have a job for you, etc. etc. Contact some of the full time employees you know from your co-op. Use headhunters; use Yahoo Yellow pages and find regional headhunters in various parts of the country and get them your resume.

Be patient, good things will come.

 

[KENAT]

2 Months of searching is nothing.

Really you should probably have started searching/applying before you graduated but it's too late to worry about that now.

I graduated in June (had already applied to one or two places) and didnt' start work till October.

Decide what industry you want to be in and search that industry. I wanted to be in aerospace so went to the library, found a directory of British Aerospace Companies and worked my way through it sending my resume and a targetted cover letter to anyone that looked interesting. These days you can probably achieve similar by searching online.

In terms of getting a job further affield, well how about applying further affield for starters, contacting firms directly.

If your college has careers fairs or similar take advantage.

A lot of people feel strongly that networking is the way to go. So join any local engineering societies. Also let people you know know that you are looking etc, be it people at your church, your parents friends, proffessors, old school buddies....

There have been lots of posts on this and similar topics so take a look. thread731-212295 is a recent one that's vaguely relevant.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[Zogzog]

Go towards an ocean! Business is booming on both coasts in most industries, I just got out of Michigan to NC and they cant keep the infastructure up with the Yankees moving down here.

Oil refineries are rocking in CA ($100+/barrel helps), tech industries in the south, industrial in the NE. Seems everone is doing great except the Midwest. I was just at a conference last week and all the engineering firms there were saying the same thing.

Besides that your best bet is get your hands on trade magazines of whatever industry you want to be in and look in the back for trade specific recruiters, they tend to know everyone who is looking, if you are willing to move, you shouldnt have a problem.

Networking is by far the best way but is tough when you are just starting out, that will help you more later in your career.

 

[Gymmeh]

A) Keep in touch with friends from school as much as possible.

I got a job for one of my friends, then I got a job offer from one of my other friends.

B) If you are going to use a recruiter, get a reference from someone you know. A lot of the recruiters are crap and will charge the company, 50% of your starting salary as commission! This may keep companies away from you because they don’t want to make that kind of investment in an entry level engineer. (I ran into this problem)

If you don’t have a “significant-other” and don’t mind traveling, consider applying for a contractor firm, to get your foot in the door at a bigger company.

 

[ivymike]

Assuming your degree is mechanical engineering, in the midwest you have several engine/equipment manufacturers who are working on Tier 4 emissions currently, and probably hiring: Deere, Cat, Cummins. You also have Navistar who might have someone working on an engine program for 2010 on-hwy in Chicago, and who might have a truck program going on in Fort Wayne, IN. Have you tried any of them?

 

[sutherbj]

Gymmeh, can you give me an example of a contractor firm? Thanks.

 

[tem1234]

One thing that i have found is that email isn't always good to find a job. The best is to talk with somebody on the phone (or in person), and after recall him some time later to ask him where they are in their recruiting. You must not get on their nerve, but you have to show that you WANT this job.

The best time to call them is like 9h00 in the morning. If you call them at 4h00 pm, they'll probably have much more important thing to finish before the end of the day, an they won't pay attention much on you.

And if you go on the first interview, ask them when they'll make their decision, and call them back at this moment. If they're hesitating between some candidates, by recalling them you'll show your interrest and maybe you'll go on the top of the list.

and as other said, 2 month isn't that long

good luck

 

[tripleZ]

UW-Madison? I'm located 30 minutes from you in Janesville. Entry levels are a bit hard to find around here, especially with the way the economy is heading. So, for some local ideas:

Harley-Davidson (obvious) - use their internal website, not Careerbuilder as it can be out of date.

Generac - power equipment, located in Whitewater

Sub-Zero - right in Madison. I don't know anybody that works there that doesn't have good things to say.

Husco Int'l - Whitewater & Waukesha

Dresser Wayne - they are hiring. The nearest facility is located in Waukesha. One of their supply chain guys gave a presentation to my MBA class a couple weeks back and said they're looking for people to move into global sourcing positions (with Waukesha Engine, engineering skills help I gather).

Want to get into powdered metal? Cloyes Gear is hiring in Arkansas if that industry interests you. They have an add up on the APMI website under classifieds.

Let's see, moving onto Rockford. You can pretty much drive around Airport Drive looking at all of the different companies and who might be hiring. I don't think Kennametal is hiring (metal products are down), but some other companies like Delta Power are making equipment.

That's a start. Are you looking FAR away from here? If so, where exactly?

 

[tripleZ]

As an addendum, I've never had success getting placed in other states without using a recruiter or having an industry contact. HR will often get tons of resumes, and a lot of firms aren't necessarily keen on hiring a green engineer and having to pay relocation expenses. Bigger companies like Raytheon and Boeing would consider it, but many of the smaller companies I talked to would not.

 

[jeebusmn]

MOVE TO HOUSTON

 

[Senselessticker]

Some perspective for you...

I graduated college with a BSEE in 2004 at the age of 27. I had worked full time since I was 16... and almost full time since 14. And yes, I worked full time while obtaining my degree.

My advice... (and without trying to sound too condescending)... learn what it means to have a full time job before you go looking for your first one...

Good luck to you...

 

[IRstuff]

This is a listing of temp agencies in the Silicon Valley area:

http://www.mvlaae.net/center_resources/info_tech_resources/temp_agencies_engineering.htm

But, obviously, some of the listings are not just local. Additionally, if you do some websearching, you can find other temp agencies:

http://www.becogroup.com/

or

http://engineering.aerotek.com/Default.aspx?source=yssp

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[Gymmeh]

I had a frustrating time with ThinkEnergyGroup.
I flew across the country, and was literally a perfect match for the job, exactly what I had been working in for 1 year, rather specific field, just a lot better company. The interview was awesome I even went around town after with the head engineer and he took me out to dinner (extra on top of taking me for lunch). Everything looked awesome, he said the numbers looked right (salary and relocation). He said, the only problem was if the recruiter would not lower their commission charge, to re apply in a year if I didn’t hear back from them and I was still interested. He told me their commission was 50% or something crazy, which was way to much investment for an entry level candidate.

good luck

 

[csd72]

Use cold calls/cold letters e.t.c. to get you CV out there. Graduate jobs often dont get advertised because they have graduate CV's already.

Any related job is experience, dont be too fussy. A year or two experience will help you get your dream job next time.

 

[vpl]

As far as I know, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is still hiring. Jobs are mostly in the DC area.

Patricia Lougheed

Please see FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies for tips on how to make the best use of the Eng-Tips Forums.

 

[ChrisConley]

Come to Canada. Under NAFTA I'm pretty sure we'll let you in if you have a degree in engineering and a job on this side of the border (at least, I know it works the other way). Sure you're leaving the US but: we speak English, we get most of the US TV channels, we use dollars...

The praire provinces are undergoing a boom that sucks up anyone with the ability to add two numbers together. I hear things aren't bad in Ontario either.

Just a thought.

 

[mshimko]

As others have said before, 2 months is a very short time. Most recent college grads I know (and hire) start looking the end of their JUNIOR year, and are working hard to get interviews DURING their senior year, hoping to have a job when the graduate or within a month or two. Fact is, you're only 2-months into what is often a 9-month drill.

What about where you co-oped and volunteered? Go visit both, try for a formal interview, and assuming you're not hired, ASK FOR ADVICE AND LEADS!

Last - the "hardest" approach is also what works the best; the easiest approaches (internet, magazine ads) are long shots at best.

 

[csd72]

sutherbj,

The good news is that the first one is the hardest, you will probably never have to look this hard again once you have experience.

This is bad news also as you have to work hard to get it. Just remember, you have very little to ditinguish you from the other graduates out there, so any experience is better than none. Dont be too fussy for the first job as there is always the opportunity to get your dream job the second time around.

 

[COEngineeer]

dont use those job websites. Only look for ads posted by employer. Also, I would just google the type of work you want to do and find companies that do that line of work. Check out their websites. If you like the company, send your resume (even if there is no indication that they are hiring). Send as many resumes as you can. Good luck!

Never, but never question engineer's judgement