unimpressive work experience? 2

[Rhuynh]

Hello Everyone,
I recently graduated with a Bachelor's degree and i am currently looking for a work. I feel that my previous work experiences are not impressive at all, and that they are dated. I've been looking for engineering work for about 6 months, with very few replies. I'm beginning to think this isn't normal, and my experience is to blame.

My question is:
How long after graduation did it take you to find a position that is fitting with your level of education? I mean an Engineering graduate working as an Engineer, not an Engineering Technician.

 

[KENAT]

Graduated in June, got my 1st Engineering job in October, no relevant work experience. This was in 1999 though, so job market was maybe a little better.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

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

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[Qshake]

Overall the market is very slow right now and depending on where you are geographically it could be worse.

Regards,
Qshake

Eng-Tips Forums:Real Solutions for Real Problems Really Quick.

 

[GregLocock]

In some places the market is desperate for engineers and depending on where you are geographically it couldn't be any better.

It /all/ depends on location and skills.

FWIW I have had to move for every single engineering job I have ever taken.



Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

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

 

[ctopher]

Don't know where you are located, but lots of jobs in South Carolina, Oklahoma, Virginia.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2013324521_boeingokla03.html

Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP4.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[Lion06]

I don't think this is a fair economic climate to judge your situation relative to the past. I graduated in May, but had a job lined up the December before I graduated. Again, the job market was a lot better then. I also had little engineering experience - really just a long internship.

 

[GregTirevold]

I had a job as a design engineer lined up before I graduated. However, I had also been working full time for two years prior to graduation as a Product Engineer and had 5 quarters of co-op experience with a natural gas utility engineering department prior to that. The result was it took me 6 years to graduate but when I did I had no student debt and enough relevant experience to step right into a mechanical engineering design position.

As a result I am a big supporter of Co-Op/Part time engineering student programs. There are simply too many thing you WON'T learn in any college class and employers know this when hiring new engineers. The degree just shows you know the fundamentals but without any evidence of applied engineering there often isn't much to make one graduate stand out from the next.

Also, to echo what others have said, this job market is not pretty and while there are thousands of engineering jobs out there, new grads often are competing against engineers with 2-5 years experience and in most cases experience wins. The one thing new grads have as an advantage over other engineers is the ease with which they can relocate.

If I were a new graduate who had been looking for 6 months I would certainly entertain the idea of taking a contract/full-time CAD job just for the experience and networking. Thinking that such jobs are "beneath your level of education" is just a fast track to nowhere IMO.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/gregtirevold

 

[cleveland180]

Don't get discouraged!
I started looking for a job last year in November (graduated in may), and had 4 terms of CO-OP at a Refinery, I didn't even get an interview until September of this year. I did finally land a job, pay is below average, but there is a lot of room for growth and I am thrilled to be working where I do.
Just be persistent! Throw your resume on monster and all those related sites and hopefully recruiters can help you find a good job.

 

[SomptingGuy]

Graduated in 1990, got my first engineering position in 1986. Current position started the day before I actually got my final degree result.

As Greg (L) said, moving is par for the course.

- Steve

 

[mauricestoker]

I interned with Union Carbide, and had a job lined up coming out of school. Oops, Bhopal. Lined up a second job with a solar firm. Opps, bought out by a large oil company and shuttered. Went to plan C, accepted a job on the other side of the country, oops, the guy behind my new desk says his uncle gave him the job (though I did get a free week of drinking on Pearl Street). I pumped gas on the night shift for 5 months before getting a job. Life is like a box of chocolate laxatives-you always know what you are going to get. 25 years later it doesn't seem so bad.

 

[KENAT]

While getting your resume out on Monster etc. per Cleveland isn't necessarily a bad thing (kind of how I got my current job), it's probably not the best way to look for a job either.

There have been a bunch of threads about finding work so I won't bother repeating stuff, but I will say you need to be a bit more proactive than just getting on Monster etc.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

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

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[Rhuynh]

Thanks Everyone for your valued insight. It was really helpful and encouraging, an i really appreciate all your comments.

 

[cleveland180]

Oh yeah, I would never say monster is the best, or even very good, but its one of many things you should be doing... While I was looking for a job I tried to put in about 3 hours a day looking and applying for new jobs, and had a huge list of companies I applied at. From what I have experienced, nothing works faster than knowing someone, Personal connections seem to get interviews much faster than the Monster route.

 

[TDAA]

In '96 it too me until Sept. to actually start working from a Spring graduation.

My wife convinced me to apply for that job, even though I did not like the looks of it (technician type work with some added responsibilities).

As it turns out, I quickly moved up at that company, and worked there for 8 years before deciding to move on. The time actually doing field work was extremely valuable, and gives me a good understanding of what is happening on the projects I supervise. Additionally, our techs enjoy working for me more than others in our firm that had little to no experience doing what they do. Consequently, the techs do more for me (as I can do more for them) and my projects run smoother.

Do not discount a job as beneath you when you can be gaining experience in the field, and learning about the business. You will also be more exposed to more information about other firms you may wish to work at.

 

[HPRifleman]

Back in 1994 I got my first job 2 months after graduating with a BSME.

When I was laid off in 2000 it took me 3 months to find my next position.

I lost my job last year and I have spent 13 months looking for another one. This economy has made companies more fickle when trying to expand their talent pool.

In this engineering job market I would probably be better off if I had about 10 years LESS experience. More positions seem to be for the 3-5 years of experience candidate.

As a new graduate you face the same challenges that experienced engineers do. We all need to differentiate ourselves from other job seekers. That can be difficult to do when you just got out of school. To potential employers you may look exactly the same as someone else who just graduated.

I'm not familiar with Civil Engineering but put yourself in the shoes of a company that may hire someone like you. What's in it for them? What kinds of skills are they looking for? What is the nature of the position that they want to fill? Are there any special skills that they want that most graduates do not have?

As mentioned before, maybe a CAD class would get your resume noticed more. Or maybe knowledge about a particular specialty.

 

[KENAT]

I don't know, seems like (from posts here on eng tips) civvies and their ilk tend to look down on drafters/CAD jockeys more so than is now common in the mechanical world.

Posting guidelines faq731-376

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

(probably not aimed specifically at you)
What is Engineering anyway: faq1088-1484​

 

[kan123]

The job market may not be very good for new grads right now (or for awhile longer for that matter), so you may have to settle for a job that is beneath your skill level. But if you do -- don't get comfortable! You'll have to be doing something else in parallel that will make you interesting to your next employer. Whether it's taking graduate classes or working on an invention in your garage, you'll need a convincing story to tell in your cover letter to explain why you are ready to move up to a better job.

 

[Ron]

The job market is very fickle. In many cases, graduates have jobs before they graduate... those days might be gone for a while (but they'll be back!).

When I graduated, I had a job...actually started before I graduated...but that was 34 years ago. Due to the commoditization of engineering services and the economy, it's tough right now.

In my opinion, it is better to work in a sub-level job that to have no job at all....this can be explained. If you have no job, the interviewer immediately thinks "not diligent...doesn't want a job.

Good luck.

 

[trey25624]

Keep your head up, it's a tough time to find a job. I graduated in 2002 and it took me about 3 months to find something in an alright economy for a really low salary.

The good news is that as a civil you can do a lot of different things. Don't think your first jobs is what you will be doing for the rest of your life. It won't, believe me. Don't be afraid to try something out that seems different from your vision. Getting in the field would be great. As a civil I would suggest things like:

-Working for a land surveying company if you can find it (great experience)
-Working for a geotechincal firm doing soil borings or inspections / material testing
- Look to at government positions, federal, state, and local cities
- doing internships may be a way to get your foot in the door at some consluting firms

My biggest piece of advice in this economy is NETWORK!!! Just sending out resumes on Monster is not going to get it done. Email / call old professors, friends, people you may know in the industry and tell them you are looking for work. Just having lunch with someone you know in the industry can open up doors. Maybe join a professional organization like ASCE or ACEC and network. When what you are doing isn't working, it's time to do something different.

 

[kacarrol]

In Ontario the average time to find a job as of June this year was 8 months.