Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="StreamOfTheSky" data-source="post: 4590362" data-attributes="member: 35909">I look in the paper for technician jobs and told the temp agencies I sent my resume to contact me for any technical work, engineering or not.  One thing I was worried about the first few months was taking a job I knew I would not want to stay in (like working with power supplies at APC) because then I'd just be looking to hop to a better one.  I'm fully aware a company loses money on an engineer initially, since there's almost always training involved.  I thought it'd look bad if I left a company too quickly.  Only the last few months have I abandoned that.  My mom met an old acquaintance from a semiconductor company the other night.  Before, I would shrug it off because I'm not interested in that, now...I'm looking forward to calling him.  Of course, he said that right now they're laying people off for the first time in two decades and not hiring, so I was going to offer to work unpaid.  Below, you make that seem like a bad idea.I've never turned down an interview.  I have neglected emails for jobs I clearly wasn't qualified for or absolutely did not want to do (usually emailing a thanks for the interest and sending my resume anyway).  I don't think when I interview for a job I don't really want that I let it be obvious, though it is hard to feign enthusiasm for some things.  The majority of phone and in person interviews I've had have been for jobs I wanted, so it's not often a problem.  I'm extremely apprehensive to work outside the New England area initially, though I have applied for work all over the country.I'd say 90% or more of my applications never get a reply (or an automated one only).  If 25% is not bad for phone interviews, then I guess my voice isn't as bad on the phone as I thought.It's not the rate that bothers me so much as how long it has been.  Some companies I have now interviewed for twice.  One of those, I may apply to a third time as they are apparently hiring again.  However, if they didn't hire me the previous time, it seems really pointless to show up again.  I don't want to go back to school, but if I'm supposed to try again at the same places, I feel I need to do something to be "better" than the last time.  Other than IEEE classes and presentations (assuming I could even understand them), what else would you recommend I do?Doing what to solve them?  And I still will have no answer for "Why have you had no engineering job?"  Or any better examples of "how I displayed leadership qualities during an important project" beyond the ones I've used, which clearly weren't good enough.  I'm asked what my goals are, where I see myself in 5 years.  I have no clue.  I have no real goals other than to have a steady job in a pleasant working environment.  No one wants to hear that.  Am I supposed to lie (which I do in such cases half the time)?  Is not wanting to be a leader or have a spiffy title something deficient about me?If I have a degree from a university, and so does the other guy, and our qualifications are the same roughly -- heck, say person B is from the same university!  ...Person B will get the job over me if he is more composed during the interview.  It's not a matter of knowing what you are doing in that case.  And...how can any entry level engineer "know what he's doing"?  I know the mathematics, computer programs, and theory, I won't know what to do with whatever company hires me.  I'll have to learn their procedures and what to do.  I try to research what a company uses for computer programs and devices as best I can before an interview, but most don't really give that information on the website or brochure.I was afraid asking to work unpaid would look bad, but I thought the current economic crisis could be my opportunity -- I ask if they're hiring, they say not currently, I offer: "I realize in the current conditions it is unlikely you would be hiring, but I would still like to work for you.  Would you be willing to employ me unpaid for a trial period?"  Or something to that effect.  To hopefully avoid that question.  So I take it then there is no way to offer unpaid work without them thinking there is something wrong with you?  And there is no way to ever get a job without the standard interview cycle and competing for the job based on how well you present yourself in a small amount of time?  *sigh*Even if the company says they are not hiring (and perhaps even cutting jobs, like the semiconductor company mentioned above), I STILL should not offer to work unpaid?Yes, I'd appreciate more advice.  Sorry I wasted your lunch break.</blockquote>

Verification