Should I just give up? 15

[TheMechanicaGenius]

I have had zero luck getting a job actually doing engineering. I had a technology degree and got stuck in a job doing nothing but drafting for five years. I got disgusted and quit. Returned to school to a BSME. Graduated from Penn state with a 3.1 GPA 3.3 in major GPA. Tried to get a job at medium to large sized company and either never got an interview or had an interview and got rejected. I'm now stuck at another job doing drafting. Day in, day out. Just cad and other menial tasks that I could have done in 5th grade. I'll be 33 this month. I am wondering if I should just give up and try another career. I was wondering if anyone has ever been in a situation like this. Will I get to the point where I'll get to do something else or is this experience a dead end? Some people have said if you're in my position at 30 you're stuck in a cubicle doing cad you should just get out of engineering, others say you won't get to do actual engineering until you have many years experience. I really feel like I could do great things but noone will give me a chance. Just feel lost and have no direction or career path. Any advice would be helpful.

 

[Jboggs]

From what I've seen I'm not sure the OP would be happier in any other engineering job. I've had LOTS of them, and for the most part enjoyed them all. Maybe I missed it, but I don't think we have heard from the OP what he thinks he would be happy doing, just what he is unhappy doing. For me, I have always enjoyed both the design part and the documentation part of my job(s). I enjoy coming up with ideas to solve problems and then documenting my solution in such a way that it communicates completely and accurately, looks professional, and gives the reader the impression that the author knew what he was doing.

I also enjoy learning new and better ways to do my work. I started on the board. Never had a single class in AutoCAD or Solidworks, but am the "go-to" guy in our office for either one. I've written numerous special commands that save myself and my co-workers a lot of time. I sit at home and think about what I'm doing at work. Work is not something I "escape" from.

I also have enough experience to know what I do not enjoy: Anything that involves management level business accounting puts me right to sleep, FAST. ZERO Tolerance. I've accepted the fact that because of that little issue I will never rise to the level of management that isn't really involved in daily engineering problem solving.

I feel lucky that I identified at an early age what my career calling was. I would recommend that the OP find his soon.

 

[AutomotiveErKP]

Greetings All!!

Great insights from everyone.

I am in job-search phase since December 2014. Sometimes, I feel the same as you mentioned in your posts OP-theMechanicalGenius; but one thing that I always keep at the back of my mind is : I REFUSE to Give In and I shall thrive!

I agree with many people in this thread, that MINDSET is what matters the most. It does not Just give us Hope, but it also shapes our character.

I do not want to go all 'quoty' on you, but since you mentioned Zero Luck.. here it goes : 'I'm a greater believer in luck, and I find..the harder I work the more I have of it” - Thomas Jefferson

I am not that experienced enough like others in this group, but I would suggest OP.. Never Give Up, Buddy.

Well-wisher.


Best regards,
K.
--------------------------
“Though the problems of the world are increasingly complex,
the solutions remain embarrassingly simple.” - Bill Mollison

*Stay hungry*

 

[jdunfee5]

I had a similar past, and in fact left a stable drafting job when I realized that I was never going to be permitted to do any true engineering work. But, then I still didn't find any engineering work for many years. I ended up with the job at I have now because it was a long-time friend I had done drafting for early in my career. It is a 5-man company, and he is paying me at least 1/3 less than what I might be able to earn doing some of the advanced drafting work I have done in the past. And, even now, at least 75% of my work is drafting. But, that remaining 25% of my work doing engineering and research is extremely satisfying. Eventually, I may need to leave my current job if he is not able to pay me more, but then I will be able to add the word "engineer" to my resume.

The reason I stick with the lower pay, is that I have realized that I am an engineer, and cannot really be happy ignoring the gifts God gave me. It is not unusual for a job to not be where our talents lay, and you stick with it because you must pay your bills. So in that situation, it is is important to use your creative engineering talents somewhere outside of work. E.g. a robotics hobby. But, at some point, it is certainly worth doing more job hunting to find work that will use your education.

I will also mention another issue. Since I had so many years of work, that did not involve engineering after my eduction, that engineering knowledge started to fade. When I look over my notebooks, and see all the types of problems I really can not do now, I am disappointed. And even now, I feel very much on my own, and would have much preferred to have worked for several years as a junior engineer, with someone to go to with questions. So, that is another factor to weight.

Sometimes we just accept the situation as it is, because of other priorities. I have not pursued jobs in other cities, because I really like where I am now. You may have a family that takes priority, and that is a good choice. Most of the people I have worked for, had degrees in other areas. Though they were often somewhat related. I suppose they had to follow the opportunities as they presented themselves.

There is also a type of inertia that can set in once you get into a job. While you do need to show some stability to future employers, if you have been at your current job for several years, and don't see prospects for a good future there, you need to keep looking and networking for your future job. It may also help to discuss this with your current employer, and come up with a plan for you to start doing more engineering. But, most of the advice I have come across, say that you normally need to change companies to advance.

-Joe

 

[someguy79]

We heard you that you do NOT want to be a drafter as a career. What do you WANT to do?

Have you considered a field engineering role? Those people don't have much time or use for CAD stations, and they get their hands on all kinds of stuff quickly. It would also be a good way to get in close with how project management works.

There are engineering jobs out that involve little or no CAD. I have one of them. I spend too much of my time trying to figure out how to keep pumps running and get things through our procurement process to worry about CAD. I actually work with dedicated drafters and designers and have for years.

I thought about giving up on, but eventually I found jobs that I really like.

Good luck in your search!

 

[SkipVought]

What do you WANT to do?

What Color is your Parachute?

This handbook, published in 1970 and updated every year since 1975 I believe, is an excellent reference for, among other things, figuring out what you want to be when you grow up, which for me, happened when I was about 40.

Skip,

_{Just traded in my OLD subtlety...
for a NUance!}