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Finding Jobs are hard

dukebound85

dukebound85

macrumors Core
Original poster
Jul 17, 2005
19,218
4,342
5045 feet above sea level
So I just graduated this May with a BS in mechanical engineering. I am finding it fairly difficult to find a job.

I have no idea why, I have done practice interviews with counselors at my school and they say I do a great job. I use the same technique when during the actual interview and always feel confident at the end of it

For instance, one example is I made a cut of 54 applicants down to 4 for in face interviews in which I made the final 2 but only one was chosen. This was a job I really took an interest in.

Same thing happened with BMW and Lockheed, etc for the most part.

It's just REALLY frustrating when I worked my tail off in college to graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 3.96 gpa and yet cant seem to land a job in a field im interested in. I mean filling out applications and going to interviews and such is very time consuming. I feel like Ive reached the point that Im just wasting my time applying in a sense


Any advice or consoling words?

Any cool companies that you would recommend looking into?

Thanks
 
....

I graduated with a 3.99 and it took forever to find a job, so I know what you mean. It's very frustrating.

Did you do any internships? I focused more on school than getting actual real world experience and I think this may have been a mistake. So, I ended up doing some part time stuff until I built up my resume a little more.

Also, are you looking for a job all across the country or just in a certain area? I made the mistake of moving before I found a job. To make matters worse, I moved to a city that had tons of young graduates looking for work (Austin, TX).

I've only known a couple of mechanical engineers and they both ended up moving to Seattle for jobs (one from TX and the other from CO).

Good luck.
 
Hey, getting to the final two more than once is definitely a good sign. Just keep at it. Expedite's advice about considering a move is good.
 
dukebound85 said:
...REALLY frustrating when I worked my tail off in college to graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 3.96 gpa and yet cant seem to land a job...

...I mean filling out applications and going to interviews and such is very time consuming...

...I feel like Ive reached the point that Im just wasting my time applying in a sense...

...Any cool companies that you would recommend looking into?...
Click to expand...


umm, yeah that's tough to find out that gpa means crap in the real world. sorry about that.

you think applying is time consuming, try working full time, it takes up the whole damn day! and sometimes even part of the night.

so you could work you 'tail' off for a gpa, but are getting tired filling out apps? just saying, not the best foot forward for a company looking for production.

thought you were looking for a job, not a company. do what matters to you, forget the 'company/ballpit/casual day' thing.

just my 2 cents. best of luck.

ps. it should be 'finding jobs IS hard'.
 
The degree is just the price of admission to the party and certainly doesn't guarantee a dance. Meaning, really, that you can put down that you have a degree and not be lying. That's about it.

Depressing, ain't it?

Now you're in Phase 2, which is also known as "Eating S*** For The Next Five Years." Basically, it boils down to this: you end up with a job that pays the bills, doesn't really recognize all that hard work, and you do a lot of scut work as a "Junior Associate Engineer (Apprentice I)," or something else equally demeaning. If you haven't chucked it all in by then and taken a job counting dead fish in Puget Sound just to avoid the BS, you will either be moved up one notch (to "Apprentice II"), or find work with a smaller company that appreciates you like you wouldn't believe, but pays less than job #1 did.

All this time you're working for a guy who got a degree in Business Management and did nothing but party for five years, and graduated with a 2.01 GPA. Oh, and he makes twice your salary.

Still there?

The best part is that it will never be as bad as all that, and with perseverance, patience, and a little good timing, you'll end up fine. Just don't take too much of this initial foray too seriously. This is the Process, and it's designed to pull you down to Earth, quickly and rudely.

Another thought, as you have a degree in an engineering discipline (well, a degree in anything, really), have you considered the Uniformed Services? Automatic accession as an officer (meaning you'll make more your first month than I did after 20 years), and specific opportunities in your chosen field. Don't forget, too, that it's not just Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard, but NOAA and USPHS as well. Good way to pay off them student loans, have a lot of benefits on top of a decent salary, and a career start in management. Even with a six-year stint, you're a good ten-fifteen years ahead of your classmates in experience and employer desirability.
 
The problem with college is that it doesn't prepare you for the real world.

And as one poster already mentioned, GPA doesn't really matter much either. It's all about related experience.

Good luck finding a job. I graduated 2 years ago and still have no idea what I want to do with my life. Nor am I working where I want to be.
 
I'm having a hard time finding jobs the traditional way. I wanted to try my hand at job hunting before walking into a job through friends, family, contacts etc.
 
If you're ready to work 40 or 50 hours a week, you should be prepared to spend the same kind of time looking for the "right" job.

If you put in a "true" 40 hours a week looking for a job and doing the necessary evils to get the job (networking, resumes, returning calls and emails), you should be able to land the gig. Also, as mentioned, be willing to put the time in (possibly for lesser pay).

That said, that GPA and degree, you should have a VERY bright future. My youngest brother is a Civ Eng and just passed his PE. He's been doing the sh#t work for 5 years, now it's paying off.

Also, as mentioned earlier, if you're willing to move...head my direction (maybe send your resume first). Two dueling monsters for a Gas Pipeline are going to fist-a-cuffs, including Conoco Phillips and BP on one side and Trans Canada on the other. Gas prices up, we're gonna have to get more oil sooner or later if we (America) keep pissing everybody else in the world off:) Yep, I am in Alaska....been here 25 years and our housing market is up 3% this year. No ill effects on our economy so far and the jobs (especially technical and engineering) are plentiful

Good Luck

Jer
 
It took me five months out of school to find my first job. I also took a lower paying position than I was qualified for but it paid off and I was soon promoted to the job I wanted after a few months. Do what you have to do to get your foot in the door and get some experience. Good luck.
 
Though there is also the problems of graduating near the top of the class, and those people usually are passed on for a similar middle of the pack people because it is easier to underbid those people and stuff them into the low level job.

That and lock them into the job by tossing them the occasional bone, the smart people are going to network their way out as soon as they are trained.
 
JohnNotBeatle said:
The degree is just the price of admission to the party and certainly doesn't guarantee a dance. Meaning, really, that you can put down that you have a degree and not be lying. That's about it.

Depressing, ain't it?

Now you're in Phase 2, which is also known as "Eating S*** For The Next Five Years." Basically, it boils down to this: you end up with a job that pays the bills, doesn't really recognize all that hard work, and you do a lot of scut work as a "Junior Associate Engineer (Apprentice I)," or something else equally demeaning. If you haven't chucked it all in by then and taken a job counting dead fish in Puget Sound just to avoid the BS, you will either be moved up one notch (to "Apprentice II"), or find work with a smaller company that appreciates you like you wouldn't believe, but pays less than job #1 did.

All this time you're working for a guy who got a degree in Business Management and did nothing but party for five years, and graduated with a 2.01 GPA. Oh, and he makes twice your salary.

Still there?

The best part is that it will never be as bad as all that, and with perseverance, patience, and a little good timing, you'll end up fine. Just don't take too much of this initial foray too seriously. This is the Process, and it's designed to pull you down to Earth, quickly and rudely.

Another thought, as you have a degree in an engineering discipline (well, a degree in anything, really), have you considered the Uniformed Services? Automatic accession as an officer (meaning you'll make more your first month than I did after 20 years), and specific opportunities in your chosen field. Don't forget, too, that it's not just Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard, but NOAA and USPHS as well. Good way to pay off them student loans, have a lot of benefits on top of a decent salary, and a career start in management. Even with a six-year stint, you're a good ten-fifteen years ahead of your classmates in experience and employer desirability.
Click to expand...

I have looked into the navy and airforce officer commishing programs

however, the noaa sounds really interesting. i have always been interested in atmospheric science. thanks for the tip. im really excited now!
 
I understand your plight. After graduating at the top of my class 10 years ago I had the hardest time getting my first job. I eventually did with very low pay and in a different field, but am doing okay today.

As someone else has suggested the Military is a great option. Personally it wasn't for me and maybe it's not for you either.

I would suggest getting a Summer Internship. The biggest mistake that students make is thinking their college GPA is gold. In reality it is worth ****, but without it you have zero chance. What matters with employers is experience.

I would suggest posting your resume here (without the identity details) and we can help you out.
 
Frisco said:
I understand your plight. After graduating at the top of my class 10 years ago I had the hardest time getting my first job. I eventually did with very low pay and in a different field, but am doing okay today.

As someone else has suggested the Military is a great option. Personally it wasn't for me and maybe it's not for you either.

I would suggest getting a Summer Internship. The biggest mistake that students make is thinking their college GPA is gold. In reality it is worth ****, but without it you have zero chance. What matters with employers is experience.

I would suggest posting your resume here (without the identity details) and we can help you out.
Click to expand...

good idea, feel free to critique it
 
resume
 

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Enjoy your time off. I landed my first job about a month before graduating and I've been working nonstop ever since. Looking back, I wish I had taken six months--maybe even a year--to travel.
 
ClassicBean said:
Enjoy your time off. I landed my first job about a month before graduating and I've been working nonstop ever since. Looking back, I wish I had taken six months--maybe even a year--to travel.
Click to expand...
I just graduated myself. Mom wants to drag me along to visit the family but I don't mind one bit. I hope to take a roadtrip this weekend.

dukebound85 thanks for the résumé. It's nice to see one to make improvements on my own. I'll tweak mine and hopefully post it here as well. I'm out of school with 4 years of job experience under my belt already. :rolleyes:
 
Eidorian said:
I just graduated myself. Mom wants to drag me along to visit the family but I don't mind one bit. I hope to take a roadtrip this weekend.

dukebound85 thanks for the résumé. It's nice to see one to make improvements on my own. I'll tweak mine and hopefully post it here as well. I'm out of school with 4 years of job experience under my belt already. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

glad i could help if you saw anything you liked:)
 
I feel your resume looks fine. Just keep at it and you will land your first job out of college. It's not easy I know. Congrats on your accomplishments so far! Very impressive.

Many good replies, but I think JohnNotBeatle had the best suggestion on the Uniformed Services!

Good luck my friend. You'll be fine. Oh how I wish I were back in college ;)
 
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