First Job Offer In Controls Opinons wanted 1

[bullsonparade]

Got offered a position as a Controls Engineer with a fairly large ($18 billion) tech company that has fingers in lots of pies, mainly IT but has this engineering division. Job location is in a large town (250k pop.) in rural south GA.

They're offer is 48k plus from what I can tell decent benefits which they estimate to be worth 15k.

401k equivalent (call it matched asset plan) I can put in 15% of base they will match 50% of first 3%. Medical/Dental/Vision/Prescription, 3% after tax pension, 2weeks vacation (rolls over), life insurance, disability etc.., education compensation 5,200 yearly.

I've been researching salaries, asked fellow EE grads from GaTech. EE's overall are reporting 51k average starting. Controls seems to command a little more ~53. All my friends who are doing controls stuff seem to have started out lower or with worse benefits.

I have the following as leverage, company offered another Tech EE, he turned it down, they had to start the process over again. I was the only one out of 6 that knew what PLC's were and only one that got a second interview.

They were looking at either experienced or entry level, chose entry level. So perhaps they may be willing to pay more.

I have another phone interview this Friday about another manuf. controls job in Des Moines.

I still have some other leads, though no other offers.

I have a specific background in controls vs. general EE degree.

What do you guys suggest ? I want to say to them, that if they make a strong offer in the 50's I will commit to the offer.

 

[bullsonparade]

They gave me another week to decide, didn't ask any questions.

Now to focus on the interview on friday. They said I'd interview with some engineering teams and the project lead for a couple of hours. I have no idea what they might ask. The interview with the other company was more them letting me know what they did rather than them asking me what I knew. I guess I will continue to research DCS and process/batch control and try to relate my experience to those concepts.

 

[controlnovice]

Much of the time, interviews aren't throwing technical questions at you. They have questions to find more about what type of person you are, such as:

What did you do the last time someone disagreed with you on a technical position or area? How do you react if someone were given a promotion over your and you felt you were better qualified. If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?

You're fresh out of school. They should know you don't have the experience in DCS and batch control experience, so the technical questions on these should be light.

______________________________________________________________________________
This is normally the space where people post something insightful.

 

[bullsonparade]

Controlnovice,

That makes sense. I've been going over those types of questions extensively and using the STAR method and all the stuff the career dept. usually throws at you. This seems like a pretty good resource:

http://www.thinkenergygroup.com/thi...penform&v=(documents1)&cat=Interview Tips&Cou

This list of questions in particular:

http://www.thinkenergygroup.com/think.nsf/InfoNFR/SampleInterviewQuestions?Opendocument

 

[bullsonparade]

Came away from the interview Friday with Yokogawa feeling pretty good, should hear from them early next week. I did however catch a lot of questions about how as an EE I would fit into the Process/Batch controls arena.

That's what I'd like to ask you guys. Do you feel that process/batch application/hardware controls require a ChemE background. How do you think EE's with systems and controls backgrounds fit into process/batch ?

 

[itsmoked]

As an EE you should have had some serious chemistry courses that gave you the basics and the big picture as it were.

You could read a few books on the subject. That's what most good engineers do when they need some understanding in an adjacent field.

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[bullsonparade]

Keith,

My point wasn't that I felt that I couldn't learn or fit into the work environment. It was that the engineers with ChemE backgrounds didn't realize that in addition to being an EE I've taken fluids and thermo classes (I would think this is more relevant to batch/process than chemistry). No doubt they have had far more experience with fluids, thermo and process design but I had to stress the point that if you're talking about DCS I understand network topologies, protocols, sensors, microprocessors, interfaces, computer applications, drivers, hardware/firmware etc... all practical aspects of the daily job.

 

[BigInch]

If they're talking to an EE, I don't think they're really interested in what you can do process wise. Its like this example; "Fluency in written and spoken English is required, other languages are a plus". Don't worry about it. If you know something, say so, if you don't, just be honest and say, "I haven't had the opportunity to learn about that yet, but I would sure like to.", and you'll do fine.

Going the Big Inch!

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.msn.com

 

[itsmoked]

bulls; Roger that sounds like you probably did fine.

BigInch's quote is a good one.. Would work well.

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[rmw]

If you have had a comprehensive engineering education then you will have had enough background in chemical/mechanical/civil et al in order to handle controls for a variety of processes. If not, you are young (I assume) and can go back and pick up the odd courses you need for your field. Most EE's doing controls in all processes have had no more than the standard engineering education. All an engineering education is in reality is the foundation to be able to learn.

The members here have given you excellent advice. I started out in the path of field engineering and was quickly disillusioned by the enormity of the extensive travel involved while I loved the work. I left that and went into a design position, the complete opposite in my view, but my field experiences were very helpful in guiding designers and drafts persons to think about the field implications of their designs.

Many years later the combination of backgrounds from those two early jobs along with subsequent jobs combined with second and third languages (learned since university) to help me recently land a new position at 3 times your age, a hard thing for us geezers to do.

So, as has been recommend, weigh the factors of job challenge/satisfaction, life's goals (hunting/fishing vs going to the opera/theater) social issues (wife or significant other would/would not like travel/foreign assignments, etc) and pick the one that you think suits you the best and dive in head first.

rmw

 

[bullsonparade]

I landed the job with Yokogawa. Unfortunately due to my big mouth (I told them my first offer was 48k) they are offering me 49k.

 

[itsmoked]

HAHAHAHA!! There's a lesson you won't forget.

???????????

Cut and paste into:

http://babelfish.altavista.com/tr

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[itsmoked]

Well that was annoying. It Previewed but then switched to ????????. Dang.

Well here it is again.

Translation: "Being foolish, the young engineer."

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[bullsonparade]

Thanks Keith! ~

 

[bullsonparade]

Ok, so tomorrow is the big decision day. I tell CSC thanks for the offer but I am going to go with Yokogawa. And I tell Yokogawa that I want more money I will ask for 55k see if they bump their offer up a bit. I've read that I shouldn't pit the two companies against one another in the salary negotiation and I shouldn't attempt to negotiate salary with the company whose offer I don't plan on taking.

I am going to go with Yokogawa because they are a bigger company in the controls market and the position is a design position. CSC offers a smaller probably less stressful environment and very interesting performance/bonus possibilities though I didn't get that in writing. I liked the project manager at CSC he was a very nice guy and I would like to move to Columbus, would be a change from where I am currently (I'd live in the same place if I take the Yokogawa job).

 

[itsmoked]

Wow the guy you work under could be very important to your happiness and ultimately your happiness in the profession.. I would indeed think carefully about this. Maybe go visit again?

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[bullsonparade]

I took the job with Yokogawa today. They bumped up the salary a tad bit and I asked for a company shirt for my younger brother and they hooked me up with a tee for him and a dress shirt for me, pretty sweet.

I start on the 21st. I appreciate all the input guys, thanks a bunch.

dM

 

[Ashereng]

Congrats on your new job. Good luck with it.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
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