When to give up the job search and go China to teach English
When to give up the job search and go China to teach English
(OP)
I've been unemployed for a little over 2 months (after being fired) and of course things are dismal. I'm 27 and with only 2 years of experience and a B.S. s in Aerospace and Physics. I'm a big believer in doing something rather than being unemployed, both because being unemployed tends to sap your self esteem and the whole resume gap issue.
My question is in your opinion, will doing something like teaching for a year or two in a foreign country significantly limit my prospects of working as an engineer afterward? I like the idea but others may see it as a lack of focus or it may not know what to think.
I have always been under the vague impression, not confirmed or denied by any real data points, that once you got off the engineering career path you were basically done. But I can go teach over there very quickly and at least survive (I hope).
What's the crossover point where the being unemployed here is worse than being employed in something unrelated over there?
Anyways, sorry for yet another "help I'm unemployed wtf do I do" post. I know there's a lot of them.
My question is in your opinion, will doing something like teaching for a year or two in a foreign country significantly limit my prospects of working as an engineer afterward? I like the idea but others may see it as a lack of focus or it may not know what to think.
I have always been under the vague impression, not confirmed or denied by any real data points, that once you got off the engineering career path you were basically done. But I can go teach over there very quickly and at least survive (I hope).
What's the crossover point where the being unemployed here is worse than being employed in something unrelated over there?
Anyways, sorry for yet another "help I'm unemployed wtf do I do" post. I know there's a lot of them.





RE: When to give up the job search and go China to teach English
Cheers
Greg Locock
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RE: When to give up the job search and go China to teach English
As for the gap in employment, that is very easily explained. You were laid off and with the job market so bad you decided to take the opportunity to learn the Chinese language and culture, an opportunity you will not likely have in the future once you have established your career and have a family.
At your age, my company sent me to Germany for 8 months for training and it was a great opportunity, something I would not have traded for anything. I would have gone back for two more years several years later, but the company waited too long and I ended up getting married and declined the offer. Do this while you can, I do not think it will effect your career negatively at all.
RE: When to give up the job search and go China to teach English
I guess a big part depends on if you have a long term interest in working for a Chinese (or which ever country's) company, or a company that has relations with China. And also that you take the time to learn the language, which means hanging out with the locals. Good luck, it's been quite an experience for me
RE: When to give up the job search and go China to teach English
RE: When to give up the job search and go China to teach English
So, while it's probably not ideal, you can get back in if you have a skill set someone is looking for.
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: When to give up the job search and go China to teach English
I'm finally working again but this after 10 months of unemployment. You probably saw my thread a couple of months ago. Anyways 2 months is nothing and so don't give up so soon. If you do want to to teach in a foreign country, then why not? You can do it for a couple of months while looking for something in your field. Besides it shows you have initiative to do something productive with your time.
RE: When to give up the job search and go China to teach English
RE: When to give up the job search and go China to teach English
Sad to say, but I see Engineering in the United States as being doomed within the next 20 to 30 years. American companies will need experienced senior engineers for a long time to come, especially specialists like myself. The problem is that most of the engineering work that is getting offshored is low level work, the kind of stuff that is perfect for fresh grads out of school. But how can a U.S. engineering grad compete with someone in India or China who probably has at least a Masters degree and will work for $6000 USD/year? I have seen the brain drain already. Alot of the old timers are retiring, and there is no next generation of young engineers to pass the torch to. Years of tribal knowledge is being lost for the sake of the almighty dollar.
RE: When to give up the job search and go China to teach English
I feel like the people doing this outsourcing grew up and worked during the postwar boom, and basically still see the world from the viewpoint of that era. "America is #1 and always will be because we're Americans and Asia makes cheap knock off junk and our stuff is high tech and high quality and that's were the real money is anyways and We've Got To Do What's Best For The Business". What about what's best for America, pal? Ever give that any consideration at all? But I guess the way a corporation is set up, you HAVE to do what will maximize profits or you else that's negligence and shareholders can sue and so on and so forth... it's just that the incentives are all wrong.
I do hope some of you old timers spend your retirement writing down some of this "tribal knowledge" so it's not all lost.
RE: When to give up the job search and go China to teach English
However, this is arguably off topic.
What is Engineering anyway: FAQ1088-1484: In layman terms, what is "engineering"?
RE: When to give up the job search and go China to teach English
RE: When to give up the job search and go China to teach English
Countable and non countable nouns
Regular and irregular verbs
Regular and irregular nouns etc...
Yeah, 2 months is not long enough. Try broaden your search. If you are willing to move to China, then you should search a job in all 50 states (or the ones you like). Dont just search in your state. Good luck!
I was unemployed for 3 months. Hang in there!
Never, but never question engineer's judgment
RE: When to give up the job search and go China to teach English
My son's business was challenged by Chinese who wanted to buy the business. He resisted strongly. Sell commodities to China if you can, but do not buy from China.
Chinese interests bought a local Holiday Inn and posted dragons at the front door! There are a number of new shopping center stores with Chinese tenants. One is a big box store had almost exclusively Chinese made products.
I have a theory that Big Oil money from the gulf is undergirding China. Keep your eyes and ears open!
RE: When to give up the job search and go China to teach English
Hg
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