Any of you posters Engineers? Wanna throw a soon-to-graduate a bone?

[Essenar]

Hi all,
I'm in my senior year as an engineer and I'm about to graduate this June. I'll be done done in late July though (Stupid general education class I forgot about). I'm currently throwing out job applications in double digits just trying to get whatever I can.

I do my best to make each application "personal" to the job because I know recycled cover letters and generic qualifications is a good way to get dismissed. I know all about "cooking" my resume to match each position but it's a tiring and lengthy process. I'd really like to at least have a solid offer for something before June so I can at least KNOW I'll have something.

My brother in law graduated from the California POST (police officer training) last May and he still hasn't found a job. I know times are hard but I didn't go to school for something that has trouble finding a job (the BA degrees, art, etc).

Anyway, I'm wondering if any of you engineers have maybe a word you can throw in with a paid internship or maybe some leads you can throw my way. I'm Environmental Engineering in a program that tends to focus on mechanics versus structural/civil. I did take statics and mechanics but not to the extent a civil engineer does. I'm familiar and experienced with AutoCAD, MATLAB, Inventor, SolidWorks, Pro-E, Python and pretty solid at Excel (Numerical analysis, standard deviations, functions, plots). Ideally I'd like to lean toward the sustainable civil/structural development route in a drafting capacity but I can also work with FEMAP.

Sorry for the lengthy post, I just figured maybe there's an engineer here who knows of something, thanks!

 

[chown33]

I'm an engineer, in software.

Reading your post, my thoughts were:
1. Took way too long to get to "I'm Environmental Engineering".
2. Your current location is...?
3. Can you relocate or not?

I mention these not because I have an open position, or even know of one, but because anyone who does will want to know those, at minimum.

 

[RITZFit]

I was in your shoes not too long ago...my focus was automotive and I applied to hundreds of positions at different companies (literally, I'm still getting rejection letters ). I finally landed a job w/ a great company roughly 2 months after graduation. My advise, persevere and don't let the stress get to you. Job searching is literally a job within itself!

Out of curiosity, have you taken the FE? Not that its mandatory, but that kind of stuff can also look good on a resume...coming right out of school is the best time to take it too.

 

[G51989]

Hi all,
I'm in my senior year as an engineer and I'm about to graduate this June. I'll be done done in late July though (Stupid general education class I forgot about). I'm currently throwing out job applications in double digits just trying to get whatever I can.

!

Good idea.

I am an engineer myself. I also run my own business now.

I do my best to make each application "personal" to the job because I know recycled cover letters and generic qualifications is a good way to get dismissed. I know all about "cooking" my resume to match each position but it's a tiring and lengthy process. I'd really like to at least have a solid offer for something before June so I can at least KNOW I'll have something.

Well, you need to personalize it to each position. Sorry, but most companies, large and small don't even look at generic applications.

Not only that, just drilling out applications wont get you anywhere.

Also look at small local companies, and actually just go down there to the office or their location.

That speaks volumes.

 

[MacNut]

Not to waste the money you spent on college but you might have to bite the bullet and take a meaningless job for a while. Don't expect to just find that perfect job out of the gate. This is not to say your education is a waste, but will you sit on the couch for 6 months waiting for something or actually earn a paycheck in the meantime.

 

[Peace]

Send a resume to Apple. I hear they are big on environmental engineering.

 

[Essenar]

I'm studying for the EIT right now, I'm pretty confident I'll get it, mostly because all my friends who graduated before me that took it recently passed it and I've actually studied more of the EIT: Environmental specialty questions than they have. Our program doesn't require environmental chemistry, water treatment, solid waste treatment and the EIT for Environmental has those questions. I'm pretty solid at thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer and I heard the questions don't get too in depth.

In terms of relocation: I am absolutely willing to relocate to major metro hubs. I'd be willing to move to SF or bay area in California, Seattle, Portland, Pittsburgh (Maybe not Philly), definitely New York, Toronto or even Boston. I know it'd be easy to land a job out in the country or in Indiana or something. A few of my friends have rushed into those offers but they look very defeated about leaving California.

I understand what you're saying MacNut but it's not a question of there not being jobs that I can perform, it's a question of having experience. And taking a "meaningless job" will not give me the experience I need to stay in my field. That'd be the equivalent of being an MD that hasn't done residency yet who gives up on being a doctor after he already graduated.

Thanks for the replies guys, I guess I'll keep making each cover letter personal and going for personal touches on every job.

 

[Dontazemebro]

I have a computer science degree but I haven't been working in my craft in ages. You say you're an environmental engineer. If you you don't mind relocating and willing to work long hours, at least 5am to 9pm maybe weekends, maybe not. Sometimes 12 hr shifts for 2 weeks straight then 7 days off. And or 24 hrs nonstop (these happen rarely) ........ Then there are plenty of employment opportunities in the Oilfield. I'm an engineer at a hydraulic fracturing company (one of the many Oilfield service companies) . Mostly on site correspondence with the company man and data collection. A lot of it is OJT so no specific training is really necessary.

All said & done, it's really long hrs, and can take you away from your family for weeks. Though the payoff is good. Starting salary is no less than a hundred thousand a year. But where you hit em is the bonuses. It can easily match your yearly salary.

 

[chown33]

I understand what you're saying MacNut but it's not a question of there not being jobs that I can perform, it's a question of having experience. And taking a "meaningless job" will not give me the experience I need to stay in my field. That'd be the equivalent of being an MD that hasn't done residency yet who gives up on being a doctor after he already graduated.

That has been known to work out.

 

[MacNut]

I'm studying for the EIT right now, I'm pretty confident I'll get it, mostly because all my friends who graduated before me that took it recently passed it and I've actually studied more of the EIT: Environmental specialty questions than they have. Our program doesn't require environmental chemistry, water treatment, solid waste treatment and the EIT for Environmental has those questions. I'm pretty solid at thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and heat transfer and I heard the questions don't get too in depth.

In terms of relocation: I am absolutely willing to relocate to major metro hubs. I'd be willing to move to SF or bay area in California, Seattle, Portland, Pittsburgh (Maybe not Philly), definitely New York, Toronto or even Boston. I know it'd be easy to land a job out in the country or in Indiana or something. A few of my friends have rushed into those offers but they look very defeated about leaving California.

I understand what you're saying MacNut but it's not a question of there not being jobs that I can perform, it's a question of having experience. And taking a "meaningless job" will not give me the experience I need to stay in my field. That'd be the equivalent of being an MD that hasn't done residency yet who gives up on being a doctor after he already graduated.

Thanks for the replies guys, I guess I'll keep making each cover letter personal and going for personal touches on every job.

I didn't say give up, I said find something in the mean time. You might not find a engineering job for a year. What will you do in the meantime?

 

[G51989]

I understand what you're saying MacNut but it's not a question of there not being jobs that I can perform, it's a question of having experience. And taking a "meaningless job" will not give me the experience I need to stay in my field. That'd be the equivalent of being an MD that hasn't done residency yet who gives up on being a doctor after he already graduated. /QUOTE]

Wrong. Coming from someone who was an engineer and now runs a company hiring engineers and mechanics,machinists and electronic techs. Taking that " meaningless job " looks AWESOME when you apply.

Look at it from my preservative as someone looking for a new employee.

Candidate A and B both went to similar schools, did similar internships, and had the similar education, as well as glowing reports and letters of recommendation. And both have send me good ideas, projects. And I've talked to A and B on the phone, interviewed them both. Hard to c hoose right?

Candidate A:

Did nothing to find work somewhere else for 5+ months, never took any more training, or certifications. He wouldn't even get a meaningless job to occupy their time. How I see it? They sat around and did do nothing. To me, that shows me two things.

1: He considers a " meaningless job " beneath him.
2: He has poor work ethic.
3: He isn't interested in learning things

Candidate B:

Has the training, the classes and the certifications he needed, he couldn't find a job at first?

What did he did he do? He got a job down at his local Advanced Auto Parts for 10.50 an hour selling oil filters and brakes and other assorted car parts, to walk in customers, and delivering them to local shops. Then I call that manager at that Advance Auto Parts ( whom are actually paid 60,000+ a year ),that manager tells me that Candidate B did not know a damn thing about customer service, cars, car parts, any of that. Learned all of it, and that he never showed up late, almost never called off. And he was sad to lose his worker.

What does that tell me as someone debating between two people?

Candidate B:

1: Has a better work ethic
2: Doesn't think any job is " beneath " him.
3: He has delt with people before, and clearly can sell things. There is not much of a difference between selling a customer in a Auto parts store the brake cleaner, or the extra hardware to reduce noise after install, and getting a client to go for something extra in a meeting
4: He didn't know a damn thing about cars, but in working in a parts store, he managed to learn a new basic skill set.

So if your me, and have applications out the wazzzo, who would you hire? A or B?

Let me add this in, the thing above actually happened to me, I went with candidate B.

Which I found Ironic, the same thing happened to me when I graduated FSU, I couldn't find a job right away..took me 8 months. I took a job at a local AutoZone, did the same thing as a guy I hired.

When Boeing hired me, the guy who hired straight up told me he hired me because at least i went out and worked, rather than laze around.

I'm not saying to work at McDonalds, find a job doing something learning something new, go work at an autoparts store, learn cars. Change oil, learn how to work on cars, something like that. you can make alittle bit of money, have zero gaps in your work history, and when that manager at that place gets called, and gives you a good word. You'll be in a much better position.

I mean, I see a 6+ month gap in work history from a college grad? Its in the garbage before I read it.