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Screwed up my engineering degree

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  • Jan 28th, 2015 3:07 pm
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Deal Addict
Feb 16, 2010
1088 posts
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Try applying with white name on resume.
Deal Addict
Jan 10, 2007
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Woodbridge
Enginefruit wrote:

I don't get interview offers at all.
you and the rest of us. It seems like every damn job is a lottery these days.
Deal Fanatic
Aug 3, 2014
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Euphoric wrote: you and the rest of us. It seems like every damn job is a lottery these days.
Do you ever see people who are so incompetent that you ask yourself "How the hell did this person get this job?" I wonder what their trick is. (I'm not looking for a job right now)
Sr. Member
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May 29, 2008
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You didn't screw up anything. Like a very wise man who used to post here would say, you successfully completed the most difficult and grueling undergraduate program in Canada. Unfortunately our economy does not understand the tremendous value engineers can bring to organizations.
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Jan 27, 2004
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Euphoric wrote: you and the rest of us. It seems like every damn job is a lottery these days.
hvwozq wrote: Do you ever see people who are so incompetent that you ask yourself "How the hell did this person get this job?" I wonder what their trick is. (I'm not looking for a job right now)
Sometimes you gotta start @ the bottom and work your way up.
Sometimes people think they are too good for that $15/hr paper pushing job... But guess what? It can help pay the bills v.s. $0/hr. It could also lead to much higher positions later on!
Deal Addict
Aug 28, 2014
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UrbanPoet wrote: Sometimes you gotta start @ the bottom and work your way up.
Sometimes people think they are too good for that $15/hr paper pushing job... But guess what? It can help pay the bills v.s. $0/hr. It could also lead to much higher positions later on!
I cringe every time some one says this. Show me this supposed at the bottom $15/hr paper pushing job that just waiting for me, oh wait it only exists in peoples imaginations.

I don't bother with anything that specifically isn't labelled entry level or junior and over the last year I could count on my hand the number of postings I've seen that I'm qualified for.
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Jan 10, 2007
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Woodbridge
^ pretty much. Nevermind the fact that im employed and have been for years. So why would I be looking at $15/hr magical postings that dont exist.
Member
Feb 23, 2013
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There's lots of volunteer programs across Canada and the US looking for engineers. That's a guaranteed way to bolster your resume.
Deal Addict
Jan 10, 2007
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volunteer programs for engineering? Or you mean in general?


Can't say I have ever seen any engineering firm offer up volunteering roles. It just doesnt exist.
Member
Jul 15, 2012
313 posts
167 upvotes
Calgary
saugadealhunter wrote: Can you do internship while doing your masters? If yes, you can try that route since you have very good GPA.
The U of C doesn't offer internship for grad students, so he's fresh out of luck.
Euphoric wrote: volunteer programs for engineering? Or you mean in general?
Can't say I have ever seen any engineering firm offer up volunteering roles. It just doesnt exist.
No, and yes to those questions. It's true that you can't volunteer to do work related to your degree like you could in other fields (e.g. social work volunteer in a non-profit). I believe it has more to do with liability and accountability, being that it would be an unpaid position. There are however, volunteering opportunities that indirectly tie into engineering. OP, if I were you, I would look into volunteering with both APEGA and IEEE. Also, feel free to PM me if you need more info. I will graduate from the U of C this year, but not in EE.
Deal Expert
Oct 7, 2010
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Euphoric wrote: volunteer programs for engineering? Or you mean in general?


Can't say I have ever seen any engineering firm offer up volunteering roles. It just doesnt exist.
The engineering societies does not allow unpaid jobs. It is written in their laws.
Deal Guru
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Nov 21, 2009
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Enginefruit wrote: TD;DR: I did quite well in my studies, but I failed university. University is supposed to prepare you for your future, but I let too many opportunities by.
absolutely not. university is for you to get the knowledge. what you do with that is your problem
Enginefruit wrote: Hello RFD community,

I've dug quite a hole for myself, and I'm not sure how to get out of it. In 2014, I received my Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Calgary. Haha. I was a loser who didn't want to move out from his parents'. Right, so the issue is, I skipped out on my internship/coop experience PLUS I lacked general work experience. I didn't indulge in social interactions particularly much; rather than going to events/parties, I studied. All I've got to show for my four years is a near-4.0 GPA, but just that is useless these days. You know what they say: "it's not what you know, it's who you know."

Predictably, I am having an impossible time finding a position - engineering or otherwise. Doesn't help that there's a glut in the engineering job market, what with the flood of new grads every year. I'm yearning for that engineering job to the extent that I'm even willing to do unpaid work for it. There aren't opportunities like that of course, since being unpaid usually means you have little accountability. I'm trying to be active and get all the help I could get (networking events, info sessions, job fairs, career counselors, asking/talking to acquaintances), but no cigar so far. The "2-year expiration" for a new engineering degree is fast approaching, so I have to do something quick. I'm finding it very unlikely that I'll secure an engineering job in the next year.

What can I do?

I am considering (actually, already applied) going back to school for a MSc. But, just researching and writing a thesis isn't really going to help my lack of work experience. I'm also a bit burned out, especially compounded by disappointment and uncertainty in the future.

I'm desperate to the point where I'm willing to start all over so that I can have a better chance at a job - either taking another engineering degree (most likely petroleum engineering), or, go to SAIT for a Power Engineering diploma. Then again, with the low oil prices these days, outlook don't look great either. Power Engineering also looks to be very saturated from all the promises of easy bucks right out of school.

I'm not sure what I can do to be a productive member of society.
go and do the masters. you will have more chances finding a good job now or in the future with the masters degree.
Newbie
Jan 20, 2015
6 posts
1 upvote
Madden, AB
I recall the Bank of Canada saying something about volunteering in the area of your profession if you can't get your foot through the door. I think that's sound advice, but like a few posters have said, it's a bit hard to do that in engineering. I am open to volunteering (having done a bit in the past few months). I guess I am looking at reception or event organizing work if I am volunteering for engineering associations.

Right, so I would be glad to move anywhere to land that job. I'm looking to try my chances in the United States. Does anyone know much about the engineering job market in the States? They kept stressing about a shortage of electrical engineers/technologists in the coming years as retirement looms.

But of course, everyone's been saying about how engineers are in high demand. The U of C is even expanding its engineering complex to pump out more engineering graduates. Looks like the next few years, I make it or break my degree.
Deal Addict
Aug 28, 2014
2641 posts
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Toronto, ON
Enginefruit wrote: I recall the Bank of Canada saying something about volunteering in the area of your profession if you can't get your foot through the door. I think that's sound advice, but like a few posters have said, it's a bit hard to do that in engineering. I am open to volunteering (having done a bit in the past few months). I guess I am looking at reception or event organizing work if I am volunteering for engineering associations.

Right, so I would be glad to move anywhere to land that job. I'm looking to try my chances in the United States. Does anyone know much about the engineering job market in the States? They kept stressing about a shortage of electrical engineers/technologists in the coming years as retirement looms.

But of course, everyone's been saying about how engineers are in high demand. The U of C is even expanding its engineering complex to pump out more engineering graduates. Looks like the next few years, I make it or break my degree.
That's right, the universities are making a killing right now. Their business isn't selling graduates to industries; their business is selling degrees to graduates. More suckers paying for pieces of paper with a 1 year shelf life requires them to expand their facilities; it's a pretty sweet racket, their product purchases itself!
Newbie
Jan 20, 2015
6 posts
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Madden, AB
nabiul wrote: That's right, the universities are making a killing right now. Their business isn't selling graduates to industries; their business is selling degrees to graduates. More suckers paying for pieces of paper with a 1 year shelf life requires them to expand their facilities; it's a pretty sweet racket, their product purchases itself!
That's how a cynic would look at it. Nonetheless, it sure looks that way! An employment survey done near the end of last year showed unemployment rates of 25% for some of the engineering disciplines (EE, and I think Mechanical were the worst hit; Chem/Petroleum's numbers were really nice though, but that's because the oil price crash didn't hit full force yet.). So on one side, you've haven't got nearly enough positions for grads, and on the other side, you're pumping out even more grads.

Well, on the bright side, I got by on scholarships and living at home. Then again, I feel guilty that those generous donations didn't amount to anything...
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Jan 27, 2004
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nabiul wrote: I cringe every time some one says this. Show me this supposed at the bottom $15/hr paper pushing job that just waiting for me, oh wait it only exists in peoples imaginations.

I don't bother with anything that specifically isn't labelled entry level or junior and over the last year I could count on my hand the number of postings I've seen that I'm qualified for.

With the way the world looks these days... It seems like norm is to work in jobs that aren't in your field. I see a few engineers working in non-engineering jobs making tons of money in middle management and upper management at my company. Lots of business analyst and consultants with engineering degrees.
I imagine engineers doing the same at other large companies too.
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Apr 20, 2011
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[quote="DavidY" post_id="21367665" time="1421934926" user_id="3"]If you want to be involved in business, a MBA might be worthwhile. However, typically, one needs a couple of years of work experience first.

There might be a lot of engineers looking for work in Calgary and Edmonton (and most big cities). Engineering jobs are available in the smaller markets where many of my engineering classmates were not willing to go....it was Vancouver or bust attitude for engineering jobs back in the 90's. I prefer the small towns and cities. Not as much traffic or as busy (ie. rat race).

Dave[/QUOT]

UBC has a baby-mba, which is their ECM program. Its designed for people who have no work experience, who have an undergraduate degree in anything except Business. Its focus is on management, similar to an MBA.
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Jun 12, 2009
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you are aware - great, now act:

1) lie on your resume. Say you worked at places and fill in your volunteer exp.

Screw ethics, you are desperate. Google for how to do this right.

2) alumni and profs are your best allies. Contact and get help finding a job.

3) cold turkey: call and show-up with resume in hand.


You think you are burned out now? It sounds like you did f-all on applications and post-grad networking. Now? The fun starts.
Physicists are made of atoms. A physicist is an attempt by an atom to understand itself.
Newbie
Jan 24, 2015
1 posts
Fort McMurray, AB
Enginefruit wrote: I failed university in the sense that I didn't develop myself enough to be competitive enough in the job market. I'm effectively a high-school grad, with only the knowledge of a university grad. Unless I go into post-grad education or alternatives, chances are that my engineering degree will be going in the way of a liberal arts degree in terms of usefulness.

I mostly focused on power systems (transmission, bit of generation) in my EE degree, and didn't particularly like electronics. Silicon Valley jobs weren't really a fit for me. I've been chasing the likes of AltaLink, Enmax, Fluor and co. I've also applied for smaller, lesser known companies.

I am genuinely passionate about advancing in this field. My original plan was to get the Masters, after a few years of engineering work experience to gain insight into the profession (and the much needed break from academics). However, since full-time work isn't coming any time soon, I don't mind going back to school. I enjoyed being a student far more than being "funemployed". Part of the reason I wanted to get a Power Engineering Technologist diploma was because it might lead a way back "home", so to speak. Of course, I would be aiming for a First Class ticket since I have a very strong background in math, physics and chemistry, it's just a matter of getting the right steam time. I was hoping that doing the design work of a First Class PE will either count as relevant experience for a P.Eng - or will be a stepping stone towards an actual engineering position. I don't mind 12-hour shifts (not like I had a social life anyways), and I enjoy troubleshooting/optimization. The compensation is just icing on the cake.


I don't get interview offers at all. I've had my resume & cover letters looked at by 5 different career counselors. At this point, would I be more successful by just hiring a professional resume writer to do it for me?

Aside from looking for engineering jobs, I've been searching for regular part-time/full-time jobs too for the past year. I haven't been able to secure much other than a tutoring gig for 5-8 hours a week. I think there's a stigma against new grads (especially engineering) that we wouldn't stay long for the position until we find a better one, so they'd rather not waste training on us.
Hey there,

I'm also pursuing my EE and currently doing an internship. What I can personally recommend you do is enroll in either an MEng or MSc program (assuming you have research experience for the latter). This will allow you to pursue an area of interest, while being considered "student" which qualifies you to do work terms as a co-op. Some schools offer this as part of their program, while others allow you to take time off to do these work terms. If you end up impressing the company you intern for, you may not need to finish it, although I would recommend you do. I'm not an expert by any means, but let me tell know that most people working in co-ops are not special by any stretch of the imagination. Skills we apply here are easily picked up, but your strong GPA and degree can help you branch out into higher education and fields (I'm talking MBA, law, medicine, etc). All in all, I would apply for graduate programs asap. Please PM if you would like to discuss further.
Deal Addict
Jul 7, 2013
1514 posts
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Digital Gulag
Enginefruit wrote: I failed university in the sense that I didn't develop myself enough to be competitive enough in the job market.
OP you sound either
a) a pessimistic person
b) one of those people who cry when they got an 95 instead of 100 on an exam (for attention)
c) a very dramatic person.

Why did you not work during your early high school years (IE waitering, gardening, cashier work)? Some jobs just want to know you are able to demonstrate soft skills like time management and organizational behavior. If you can relate these skills through any of your capstone projects that you've done that would be great. Ive seen a lot of EE students make their own websites demonstrating their skills, hobbies and current projects. Do that. Easy stuff for a 4.0 EE.

At the end of the day, it really comes down to how motivated you are. Employers can tell how willing and motivated you are to take a job. That IMO is a lot more important than deep technical knowledge and GPA etc..

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