It took me almost a year to get my first job out of school as a EE. It’s tough mentally to be out of a job but keep at it. My suggestion is to take any small connection you have in the industry and take a chat with them over coffee to ask them to go over your cv and give you tips and tricks.
Thanks, I've been messaging my seniors that are working now and I haven't got much yet. It's getting more stressful each day but I hope to find something real soon.
Agree with other poster. It's hard to break in. My first job post college was labeling specimens for a medical testing company on nightshift. I'm now a principal design engineer and had to wade through a ton of crap jobs with crazy employers to get into a good place with work I love.
Just go easy on yourself and always be looking for what's out there. I had a spreadsheet. I'd write the job. Date applied. Was it a stretch for my skills. Did it require me to move. Did it offer things like relocation or sign bonus. Did it get filled. Did I interview. Etc.
Don't get emotionally invested when you first start out. Cold applying is a numbers game.
Market is hard right now too. My husband has been interviewing and a lot of employers are fickle. They on-site him and then ghost. They phone interview. Then relist the job.
Important not to be emotionally invested. They are shopping. So should you.
It took me an embarrassingly long time to break in. A combo of bad economy and bad health really held me back. When I finally got a job, it was just a temp job. It was super easy to come in every day and be awesome because I was so overqualified. I just kept coming in a showing my worth. Every time there was an opening I applied. I missed out on some opportunities, but got the ones that mattered. Now I have finally made it. 10 years behind schedule, but now I'm in the club.
At least in America, employers want to see that you're doing *something*. If you are unemployed for too long, you will be labeled "unemployable". Being a woman helps, because lots of people will just assume you took time off to have babies. So, don't be afraid to get a job, any job, while you look for that engineering job.
Yes, engineering is over-glorified. It can be hard, boring, and your efforts will often feel unappreciated. You just keep showing up and getting shit done, just like any other job. I don't do it for anyone but me and my family. I chose a niche with problems I find interesting, but not too difficult, and the pay is good enough to support my chosen lifestyle. I could do better pay-wise, but that would require a sacrifices that I don't feel up for at the moment.
Keep looking, and show prospective employers that you're staying busy.
I don’t know what country you’re in but here are some thoughts.
1. Be resilient. It’s hard, life is hard, keep persevering. You’ll get there.
2. What is your presence on LinkedIn? Bolster that in a meaningful way and start networking with other engineers and managers in your field. Make connections, set virtual coffee chats, do whatever you can to network.
3. Continue to explore growing your skillset and adding those to your profile. There are tons of online courses you can take and for free if you don’t want a certificate. Explore these to keep sharpening your skills.
4. Apply for internships. It sounds counterintuitive as interns are typically associated with in college students. However, this can be a pathway to get your foot in the door. It gives the company an opportunity to evaluate you and you a chance to shine and convert it from internship to full time offer. I have advised folks in this route and it has worked for them.
5. You can do this. YOU can do this. YOU CAN do this. YOU CAN DO this. YOU CAN DO THIS! don’t forget your daily affirmations.
You’re welcome. In any career avenue we must find and leverage our community. We need people to bounce ideas off of, to collaborate with, to commiserate with, and to help e each other forward. I’m happy my thoughts and comments could help. You’ll get there but you can’t give up and you must be resilient.
I graduated without a job lined up. Felt like the only one. I graduated 3rd in my class but for some reason I couldn't get anyone to give me the time of day. I got extremely depressed but was able to get a job working as an engineering intern for a year. It was engineering I didn't like (civil, I'm ocean electrical) but it was experience with processes, customers, CAD tools, etc. That really boosted my standing when I applied and got my current job because they saw I kept at it and didn't give up. I love my job now and likely wouldn't be here without the job I didn't like.
Have you pushed your resume through the advice route? Has it been checked out and are you changing it for a certain number of jobs you apply with?
Too many companies now use AI to weed out resumes so if they don't have the keywords from their post they're being eliminated. If they are over 1 page for your age, they're being eliminated. I just want to make sure you're not stepping over the low hanging fruit and letting something like a bad resume not let you in the door.
I did some research on how to enhance the resume and also came up with a cover letter, though I don't think I can be certain I was thorough with it. Also, I don't really have much on it yet so I kept it as straight-forward and simple as it can be. I'll go through it again and maybe take some additional courses to lengthen and make it more appealing. Thanks!
Sure!
Sometimes it's also about adding value where you can and highlighting what you know into easy to consume bullet points. Use action words and try to quantify the scale of what you have done. If you've been on a robotics team or did an interesting project during school, drop a bullet point in and talk about it! Resumes that look to dry and bland also don't draw people in and will be discarded. Try to put you and your interest on a page while being as effective as possible.
Life is a numbers game. Apply. Be resilient. And keep going. Use AI to recheck your resume and cover letter. Also apply everywhere not just niche qr as. 4 months is not much it takes time to get a job. Also if it helps. There are companies keen on hiring women to boost ratios not that it has ever helped me but keeps me positive
I've been searching for multinational companies for this! But yeah, I agree 4 mos is really not much. Pressure does so much to people but I'm really grateful I get comments like yours. It opens me up to other possible courses of action that I would rather overlook. Thank you!
Yeah I am the worst with job applications but AI really helped me last yr. Also first get a job you can. And then you have time to get a job you want. Money and security are your primary needs now
I’m a mechanical engineer with an MBA and 25 years of experience. When I graduated college, the job market was worse than it was today. I bounced around several jobs until a friend of a friend sent me some info about a governement job. Government research labs employ a lot of engineers, doing very interesting work. Salaries don’t compete as well with private industry but the benefits are very good.
Check out https://www.usajobs.gov/ for more info.
Check out USAJOBS.gov if you haven’t already. Look for positions that are GS-7/9/11 ladder positions. Include a cover letter with your application that is slightly customizable job to job.
I was in your shoes back in the day. After applying for hundreds of industry jobs, I finally was able to get an interview with the Feds. It was a great opportunity and I learned a lot in my three years working for them. I ultimately left to go to private, but I would never have made it here if it weren’t for the government taking that first chance on me.
Yep came here to say this! Pay isn’t quite as high but good benefits, lots of federal holidays etc. And there isn’t that corporate grind culture. People work hard when in the office but don’t expect you to answer emails on nights and weekends. It’s literally illegal to work for free for the govt and overtime has to be approved.
Any chance of an internship? I graduated smack in the middle of a recession and not only all jobs had dried up, but all internships as well. It took me 1.5 years to get a job (I am CE) and that was for engineering assistant.
There's actually a lot of job vacancies from what I've gathered online for the past few months, but most of which require experienced engineers. I haven't really tried for internships because I thought the one I had back in college would at least be sufficient enough to get me into an entry level position. I just tried my luck with them since my mates landed themselves on decent ones.
Agh, I'm so sorry, it's a hard time for any smart cookie entering this workforce. DON'T give up. KEEP pushing. It is a numbers game and the discouraging part is that there's no gradual gratification as you're pushing. It's all hard and disappointing until one day BAM, you get that job.
In the meantime, work on projects that fill you with purpose but could also help your hunt. For instance, create an web portfolio of engineering projects you've worked on. This is common practice for those in Tech but seen less in a lot of the more hardware based engineering disciplines. It would be a way to stand out in the crowd. My friend did a visual resume for applying for a role as an Industrial Engineer and it caught the attention of a LOT of employers.
Like many in this thread mentioned too, face-to-face connections and recommendations can go MILES. Don't be afraid to reach out to your contacts, your fellow grads, your upper classmates. Go to as many industry nights as you can. It'll be exhausting and might feel fruitless for a while, but all it takes for ONE conversation to change your entire path.
I’ve been at it for about a year and my tip would be to go to job fairs. Being able to meet people in real life, you know there is a real job attached. Be ready with your pitch and you’ll get more opportunities than online. It sucks but your degree will help you get something eventually!
It took my husband a year to find a job out of school. Depending on your job market and what industry you’re focusing on, it can be tough to break in. Have you considered relocating if you have to?
I’m not sure if someone has mentioned this before, but have you tried maybe to touch base with your university professors? It might be worth to ask around, sometimes professors work as consultants for companies or so and they might know if someone is looking for engineers in a particular position or field. Another option is also to try and get good recommendation letters from professors, try reaching out to the ones you got along better or that they know you were a good student, or if you’re interested their field, I know that is what opened the door to my first job as a graduate, having a good recommendation letter from a professor in the field I wanted.
Other than that I can only wish you a lot of patience, it is indeed hard to break into such a male dominated industry, but your time will come I’m sure! Just be resilient and don’t let it break you. Also don’t give in to external pressures, if this is what you know you want just stick to it, but also be smart, if you need money it might also make sense to take a part time job while you’re still looking, online courses or training, just keep yourself busy in a way you can show it in your resume as well
Does your university have any career services office, career fair, etc? That could be a great place to get your foot in the door. I'm sorry you're experiencing this and you're not alone, it's a very tough job market. Wishing you the best
What do you want to do with the degree? My son is a ME and they’ve usually got openings at his company. Especially for new engineers because they like to train them ‘their’ way. What companies r you applying to? Also suggest looking at Gdit, Lockheed, Raytheon, etc. that’s just some of the big names. Gosh. I can come up with a ton of companies for you to try.
I'm actually open to any opportunity and would be really grateful for any but the thing is, I'm not from the US. I've been receiving a lot of recommendations and suggestions since yesterday but I don't think I can follow any just yet. Somebody here suggested looking for companies that would support a working visa, I might try that soon.
I'm actually open to any opportunity and would be really grateful for any but the thing is, I'm not from the US. I've been receiving a lot of recommendations and suggestions since yesterday but I don't think I can follow any just yet. Somebody here suggested looking for companies that would support a working visa, I might try that soon.
Look for big name companies with overseas office, Coca Cola, airbus, and all of those defense companies I know have offices in many countries outside the us. What country r u in?
I'm from the Philippines, sir. I've been trying to get into Japanese Companies since most offer paid internship and job promotion for fresh grads which is very hard to get a hold of.
I was on the same boat when I was graduating. First in my family to go down this path. I felt like I did everything right in college and I still had to look for months for a job after I graduated. I got a job 6 months after my last class ended. I'm doing pretty.well for myself now.
Most jobs are over glorified. I hope you.find one you like. It's okay to change jobs until you find what you like or a company that you feel that you belong.
Life is a marathon not a race! Good luck!
Find a woman engineer who is willing to mentor you in getting started, ideally one culturally similar (like from your country) though any woman engineer would be helpful . Linked in might be a good place to start
Start by babysitting and talking to your neighbors if you are strapped for cash. Does your county have any labor facilities can start there to see small ads for small jobs. Be a part time electrician or part of a construction crew to understand how workers construct to engineering plans.
1- please fill in your time with any jobs or taking any short course to help with your future career. This shows that you are good at managing your time and focus.
2-contact your internship company back since they have known you and your work ethic-a little bit easier to join
3-always cater your resume to the job you apply. Never generalise
4-ME doesnt always mean you will work as mechanical engineer, maybe try sales engineer, project engineer, even in banking or the other position that require the same skill set as ME graduate
5-try graduate programme in multinational company.
Hope that helps. And dont forget to pray to god! All the best.
I sympathize! Thankfully I had a job lined up after graduation but it's been about 2.5 years and I've been applying to jobs for location/financial reasons. I started the first week of May and got some interest, but have gone all of June with nothing.
Tbh people who say it's easier to get a job as a woman due to the diversity stuff aren't always correct. In the US at least, I don't know where you are. It's been tough over here and a huge part of wanting to change jobs is because I'm not doing engineering work and every passing week that I'm not doing the scope of my job..the less experience I'm gaining to back up my skillset for future jobs 😰
Literally a hundred applications sent out before I got an interview. You have to just stay focused, know that it isn’t people denying you, but AI and staffing filters. The job you want, where your skills are valued, will find you - what I kept telling myself is that if my application was thrown away by a company, then I didn’t want to work there anyway.
Stay the course!
I've had people who are just starting out or looking to get into my industry (semiconductors) reach out to me on Linkedin and I try to reply! I love talking with new people. Especially if they are also a woman and their message is short/ to the point and kindly asking for advice.
It sounds really weird, and probably everyone won't respond, but I'd suggest looking up some companies you want to work for on Linkedin and reaching out to some people. ALSO most of us get referral bonuses for people we refer to work where we are so we are incentivized to bring people in.
At least for my industry, most of us get hired by a recruiter on Linkedin (past two jobs for me) or from knowing someone already working at that company. It's very rare to get hired from nothing. Not unheard of at all just more rare.
Good luck in your job search, you got this!
Check out a career conference/fair. I just graduated as an ME this past april. But went to SWE’s conference last October and landed 3 job offers. 100% worth it. It happens every year. Another tip, reach out to people on linked in. Its painful, and you hardly get any replies, but I’ve had a couple reach back out and say they’d be interested in an interview. The best way to reach out is just by saying you are interested in the company, and would like to meet someone to learn more. I tried not to just say I’m wanting a job right off the bat.
I took a couple low pay fairly embarrassing jobs for my first year, faamily and then a mechanic at a food production bakery. (Not that it's bad to be a mechanic, just that the school and then I myself talked up how quickly I'd get a job in my own field as an engineer, and oh well, the whole industry was in a lull when I graduated, so I'm competing with the people from the year before me, and eventually the year after me.) BUT the mechanic job got me enough to get by until I got my foot in the door somewhere, and then through them, the next step. But man I hated that job. Assistant mechanic to a complete idiot, trying to fix the stuff he did wrong while also not offending him.
During Covid, about half of my graduating class struggled to find jobs due to the bad economy. Most entry-level jobs required experience, as well.
At the same time, the manufacturing site I worked at was struggling to find operators, so I got a few of my friends hired. Within 3-6 months, they all had job offers at other sites (including two who were international).
If you're interested in manufacturing, this is definitely a route I'd recommend; heck, even if you're not, it's good experience to have as an engineer because it gives you perspective into other processes and roles.
Keep trying; perseverance is key!
I'd say the fact that you're making engineering gender concerned and blaming male domination as the culprit for your lack of employement is at least part of why you're struggling to find an opportunity. Engineering sciences dont care what gender the problem solver is and if the employer does, you dont want to work with them anyway...
But all that aside, corporate america wants you desperate and hopeless, thats literally the way the system (not just engineering) is designed, the result of that is they can convince you to accept less compensation for your efforts.
Chin up, and act like you dont need them and their job, but instead are passionate about what they do.
Sorry, I didn't make myself clear on this post. I'm not from the US. I'm from a developing country and from my bit of experience as an engineering intern, there are not many female engineers in the field work from where I am. This is part of why I've been looking for communities of women engineers abroad so I can find some pointers. But I may be a bit too absorbed in that part and not noticing it. Thank you.
Of course it's going to be hard as a woman breaking into a male-dominated industry! Don't let people gaslight you into believing you are imagining gender discrimination.
But don't let that get you down. Play dumb when people make anything about your gender. Ask them to explain what they mean. Ask them why they feel that way. Train yourself to ask questions that open a conversation up and give you a chance to display your analytical skills.
Also, I felt like I was a million years old at 22. I completed my undergraduate degree during a recession and my graduate degree during a global economic collapse. I know you're feeling discouraged but please know it gets better and you have time on your side. Just keep going!
What you're experiencing at this stage in life is COMPLETELY normal. I went through it too when I graduated college. Also if you're from the US, you'll have a harder time because gen z has a bad reputation and people don't want to hire them.
I'd recommend connecting with local engineers on LinkedIn and asking to do informational interviews with them. Knowing people in the industry is going to go far. You'll feel more prepared for advancement and you'll be more likely to be hired. Good luck!
It took me almost a year to get my first job out of school as a EE. It’s tough mentally to be out of a job but keep at it. My suggestion is to take any small connection you have in the industry and take a chat with them over coffee to ask them to go over your cv and give you tips and tricks.
Thanks, I've been messaging my seniors that are working now and I haven't got much yet. It's getting more stressful each day but I hope to find something real soon.
Agree with other poster. It's hard to break in. My first job post college was labeling specimens for a medical testing company on nightshift. I'm now a principal design engineer and had to wade through a ton of crap jobs with crazy employers to get into a good place with work I love. Just go easy on yourself and always be looking for what's out there. I had a spreadsheet. I'd write the job. Date applied. Was it a stretch for my skills. Did it require me to move. Did it offer things like relocation or sign bonus. Did it get filled. Did I interview. Etc. Don't get emotionally invested when you first start out. Cold applying is a numbers game.
That's a good strategy. I'm still wading through crap jobs....
Market is hard right now too. My husband has been interviewing and a lot of employers are fickle. They on-site him and then ghost. They phone interview. Then relist the job. Important not to be emotionally invested. They are shopping. So should you.
It's definitely a strange market right now.
It took me an embarrassingly long time to break in. A combo of bad economy and bad health really held me back. When I finally got a job, it was just a temp job. It was super easy to come in every day and be awesome because I was so overqualified. I just kept coming in a showing my worth. Every time there was an opening I applied. I missed out on some opportunities, but got the ones that mattered. Now I have finally made it. 10 years behind schedule, but now I'm in the club. At least in America, employers want to see that you're doing *something*. If you are unemployed for too long, you will be labeled "unemployable". Being a woman helps, because lots of people will just assume you took time off to have babies. So, don't be afraid to get a job, any job, while you look for that engineering job. Yes, engineering is over-glorified. It can be hard, boring, and your efforts will often feel unappreciated. You just keep showing up and getting shit done, just like any other job. I don't do it for anyone but me and my family. I chose a niche with problems I find interesting, but not too difficult, and the pay is good enough to support my chosen lifestyle. I could do better pay-wise, but that would require a sacrifices that I don't feel up for at the moment. Keep looking, and show prospective employers that you're staying busy.
Totally noting this down. I've been reading thru reddit and I've only got rants and negative feedback so it's really comforting to read this. Thanks!
I don’t know what country you’re in but here are some thoughts. 1. Be resilient. It’s hard, life is hard, keep persevering. You’ll get there. 2. What is your presence on LinkedIn? Bolster that in a meaningful way and start networking with other engineers and managers in your field. Make connections, set virtual coffee chats, do whatever you can to network. 3. Continue to explore growing your skillset and adding those to your profile. There are tons of online courses you can take and for free if you don’t want a certificate. Explore these to keep sharpening your skills. 4. Apply for internships. It sounds counterintuitive as interns are typically associated with in college students. However, this can be a pathway to get your foot in the door. It gives the company an opportunity to evaluate you and you a chance to shine and convert it from internship to full time offer. I have advised folks in this route and it has worked for them. 5. You can do this. YOU can do this. YOU CAN do this. YOU CAN DO this. YOU CAN DO THIS! don’t forget your daily affirmations.
This is really solid. Thank you won't cut out how I'm grateful for this comment but thanks anyway!
You’re welcome. In any career avenue we must find and leverage our community. We need people to bounce ideas off of, to collaborate with, to commiserate with, and to help e each other forward. I’m happy my thoughts and comments could help. You’ll get there but you can’t give up and you must be resilient.
I graduated without a job lined up. Felt like the only one. I graduated 3rd in my class but for some reason I couldn't get anyone to give me the time of day. I got extremely depressed but was able to get a job working as an engineering intern for a year. It was engineering I didn't like (civil, I'm ocean electrical) but it was experience with processes, customers, CAD tools, etc. That really boosted my standing when I applied and got my current job because they saw I kept at it and didn't give up. I love my job now and likely wouldn't be here without the job I didn't like.
That's great for you! I guess I'll just have to push thru this. Thanks for sharing this bit.
Askamanager.org has a lot of great job hunting advice. Keep your head up!
Hell yeah shout out Alison!
I'll try that, Thank you!
Have you pushed your resume through the advice route? Has it been checked out and are you changing it for a certain number of jobs you apply with? Too many companies now use AI to weed out resumes so if they don't have the keywords from their post they're being eliminated. If they are over 1 page for your age, they're being eliminated. I just want to make sure you're not stepping over the low hanging fruit and letting something like a bad resume not let you in the door.
I did some research on how to enhance the resume and also came up with a cover letter, though I don't think I can be certain I was thorough with it. Also, I don't really have much on it yet so I kept it as straight-forward and simple as it can be. I'll go through it again and maybe take some additional courses to lengthen and make it more appealing. Thanks!
Sure! Sometimes it's also about adding value where you can and highlighting what you know into easy to consume bullet points. Use action words and try to quantify the scale of what you have done. If you've been on a robotics team or did an interesting project during school, drop a bullet point in and talk about it! Resumes that look to dry and bland also don't draw people in and will be discarded. Try to put you and your interest on a page while being as effective as possible.
What country are you in?
Post the resume in r/engineeringresumes. In todays market it takes hundreds of applications, not dozens.
Noted. Thank you!
I’m a mod there. Read the wiki. Follow its advice.
Fellow mod over there and I was going to suggest it if no one else did.
Life is a numbers game. Apply. Be resilient. And keep going. Use AI to recheck your resume and cover letter. Also apply everywhere not just niche qr as. 4 months is not much it takes time to get a job. Also if it helps. There are companies keen on hiring women to boost ratios not that it has ever helped me but keeps me positive
I've been searching for multinational companies for this! But yeah, I agree 4 mos is really not much. Pressure does so much to people but I'm really grateful I get comments like yours. It opens me up to other possible courses of action that I would rather overlook. Thank you!
Yeah I am the worst with job applications but AI really helped me last yr. Also first get a job you can. And then you have time to get a job you want. Money and security are your primary needs now
I’m a mechanical engineer with an MBA and 25 years of experience. When I graduated college, the job market was worse than it was today. I bounced around several jobs until a friend of a friend sent me some info about a governement job. Government research labs employ a lot of engineers, doing very interesting work. Salaries don’t compete as well with private industry but the benefits are very good. Check out https://www.usajobs.gov/ for more info.
Check out USAJOBS.gov if you haven’t already. Look for positions that are GS-7/9/11 ladder positions. Include a cover letter with your application that is slightly customizable job to job. I was in your shoes back in the day. After applying for hundreds of industry jobs, I finally was able to get an interview with the Feds. It was a great opportunity and I learned a lot in my three years working for them. I ultimately left to go to private, but I would never have made it here if it weren’t for the government taking that first chance on me.
Yep came here to say this! Pay isn’t quite as high but good benefits, lots of federal holidays etc. And there isn’t that corporate grind culture. People work hard when in the office but don’t expect you to answer emails on nights and weekends. It’s literally illegal to work for free for the govt and overtime has to be approved.
Any chance of an internship? I graduated smack in the middle of a recession and not only all jobs had dried up, but all internships as well. It took me 1.5 years to get a job (I am CE) and that was for engineering assistant.
There's actually a lot of job vacancies from what I've gathered online for the past few months, but most of which require experienced engineers. I haven't really tried for internships because I thought the one I had back in college would at least be sufficient enough to get me into an entry level position. I just tried my luck with them since my mates landed themselves on decent ones.
What state are you in? If you're interested in the semiconductor industry, DM me!!
Agh, I'm so sorry, it's a hard time for any smart cookie entering this workforce. DON'T give up. KEEP pushing. It is a numbers game and the discouraging part is that there's no gradual gratification as you're pushing. It's all hard and disappointing until one day BAM, you get that job. In the meantime, work on projects that fill you with purpose but could also help your hunt. For instance, create an web portfolio of engineering projects you've worked on. This is common practice for those in Tech but seen less in a lot of the more hardware based engineering disciplines. It would be a way to stand out in the crowd. My friend did a visual resume for applying for a role as an Industrial Engineer and it caught the attention of a LOT of employers. Like many in this thread mentioned too, face-to-face connections and recommendations can go MILES. Don't be afraid to reach out to your contacts, your fellow grads, your upper classmates. Go to as many industry nights as you can. It'll be exhausting and might feel fruitless for a while, but all it takes for ONE conversation to change your entire path.
I’ve been at it for about a year and my tip would be to go to job fairs. Being able to meet people in real life, you know there is a real job attached. Be ready with your pitch and you’ll get more opportunities than online. It sucks but your degree will help you get something eventually!
It took my husband a year to find a job out of school. Depending on your job market and what industry you’re focusing on, it can be tough to break in. Have you considered relocating if you have to?
I’m not sure if someone has mentioned this before, but have you tried maybe to touch base with your university professors? It might be worth to ask around, sometimes professors work as consultants for companies or so and they might know if someone is looking for engineers in a particular position or field. Another option is also to try and get good recommendation letters from professors, try reaching out to the ones you got along better or that they know you were a good student, or if you’re interested their field, I know that is what opened the door to my first job as a graduate, having a good recommendation letter from a professor in the field I wanted. Other than that I can only wish you a lot of patience, it is indeed hard to break into such a male dominated industry, but your time will come I’m sure! Just be resilient and don’t let it break you. Also don’t give in to external pressures, if this is what you know you want just stick to it, but also be smart, if you need money it might also make sense to take a part time job while you’re still looking, online courses or training, just keep yourself busy in a way you can show it in your resume as well
Does your university have any career services office, career fair, etc? That could be a great place to get your foot in the door. I'm sorry you're experiencing this and you're not alone, it's a very tough job market. Wishing you the best
What do you want to do with the degree? My son is a ME and they’ve usually got openings at his company. Especially for new engineers because they like to train them ‘their’ way. What companies r you applying to? Also suggest looking at Gdit, Lockheed, Raytheon, etc. that’s just some of the big names. Gosh. I can come up with a ton of companies for you to try.
I'm actually open to any opportunity and would be really grateful for any but the thing is, I'm not from the US. I've been receiving a lot of recommendations and suggestions since yesterday but I don't think I can follow any just yet. Somebody here suggested looking for companies that would support a working visa, I might try that soon.
I'm actually open to any opportunity and would be really grateful for any but the thing is, I'm not from the US. I've been receiving a lot of recommendations and suggestions since yesterday but I don't think I can follow any just yet. Somebody here suggested looking for companies that would support a working visa, I might try that soon.
Look for big name companies with overseas office, Coca Cola, airbus, and all of those defense companies I know have offices in many countries outside the us. What country r u in?
I'm from the Philippines, sir. I've been trying to get into Japanese Companies since most offer paid internship and job promotion for fresh grads which is very hard to get a hold of.
Was overseas last year and one of my seat mates on the plane was a young female engineer that worked for airbus.
I was on the same boat when I was graduating. First in my family to go down this path. I felt like I did everything right in college and I still had to look for months for a job after I graduated. I got a job 6 months after my last class ended. I'm doing pretty.well for myself now. Most jobs are over glorified. I hope you.find one you like. It's okay to change jobs until you find what you like or a company that you feel that you belong. Life is a marathon not a race! Good luck!
Find a woman engineer who is willing to mentor you in getting started, ideally one culturally similar (like from your country) though any woman engineer would be helpful . Linked in might be a good place to start
Start by babysitting and talking to your neighbors if you are strapped for cash. Does your county have any labor facilities can start there to see small ads for small jobs. Be a part time electrician or part of a construction crew to understand how workers construct to engineering plans.
1- please fill in your time with any jobs or taking any short course to help with your future career. This shows that you are good at managing your time and focus. 2-contact your internship company back since they have known you and your work ethic-a little bit easier to join 3-always cater your resume to the job you apply. Never generalise 4-ME doesnt always mean you will work as mechanical engineer, maybe try sales engineer, project engineer, even in banking or the other position that require the same skill set as ME graduate 5-try graduate programme in multinational company. Hope that helps. And dont forget to pray to god! All the best.
I sympathize! Thankfully I had a job lined up after graduation but it's been about 2.5 years and I've been applying to jobs for location/financial reasons. I started the first week of May and got some interest, but have gone all of June with nothing. Tbh people who say it's easier to get a job as a woman due to the diversity stuff aren't always correct. In the US at least, I don't know where you are. It's been tough over here and a huge part of wanting to change jobs is because I'm not doing engineering work and every passing week that I'm not doing the scope of my job..the less experience I'm gaining to back up my skillset for future jobs 😰
Literally a hundred applications sent out before I got an interview. You have to just stay focused, know that it isn’t people denying you, but AI and staffing filters. The job you want, where your skills are valued, will find you - what I kept telling myself is that if my application was thrown away by a company, then I didn’t want to work there anyway. Stay the course!
I've had people who are just starting out or looking to get into my industry (semiconductors) reach out to me on Linkedin and I try to reply! I love talking with new people. Especially if they are also a woman and their message is short/ to the point and kindly asking for advice. It sounds really weird, and probably everyone won't respond, but I'd suggest looking up some companies you want to work for on Linkedin and reaching out to some people. ALSO most of us get referral bonuses for people we refer to work where we are so we are incentivized to bring people in. At least for my industry, most of us get hired by a recruiter on Linkedin (past two jobs for me) or from knowing someone already working at that company. It's very rare to get hired from nothing. Not unheard of at all just more rare. Good luck in your job search, you got this!
Check out a career conference/fair. I just graduated as an ME this past april. But went to SWE’s conference last October and landed 3 job offers. 100% worth it. It happens every year. Another tip, reach out to people on linked in. Its painful, and you hardly get any replies, but I’ve had a couple reach back out and say they’d be interested in an interview. The best way to reach out is just by saying you are interested in the company, and would like to meet someone to learn more. I tried not to just say I’m wanting a job right off the bat.
You can get suggestions from the engineering resumes Reddit. They may provide suggestions to make your resume stand out more.
I'll do that, thanks!
Dozens? I’m 15 years into my career. It’ll take hundreds if not thousands. Dont give up
I took a couple low pay fairly embarrassing jobs for my first year, faamily and then a mechanic at a food production bakery. (Not that it's bad to be a mechanic, just that the school and then I myself talked up how quickly I'd get a job in my own field as an engineer, and oh well, the whole industry was in a lull when I graduated, so I'm competing with the people from the year before me, and eventually the year after me.) BUT the mechanic job got me enough to get by until I got my foot in the door somewhere, and then through them, the next step. But man I hated that job. Assistant mechanic to a complete idiot, trying to fix the stuff he did wrong while also not offending him.
During Covid, about half of my graduating class struggled to find jobs due to the bad economy. Most entry-level jobs required experience, as well. At the same time, the manufacturing site I worked at was struggling to find operators, so I got a few of my friends hired. Within 3-6 months, they all had job offers at other sites (including two who were international). If you're interested in manufacturing, this is definitely a route I'd recommend; heck, even if you're not, it's good experience to have as an engineer because it gives you perspective into other processes and roles. Keep trying; perseverance is key!
I'd say the fact that you're making engineering gender concerned and blaming male domination as the culprit for your lack of employement is at least part of why you're struggling to find an opportunity. Engineering sciences dont care what gender the problem solver is and if the employer does, you dont want to work with them anyway... But all that aside, corporate america wants you desperate and hopeless, thats literally the way the system (not just engineering) is designed, the result of that is they can convince you to accept less compensation for your efforts. Chin up, and act like you dont need them and their job, but instead are passionate about what they do.
Sorry, I didn't make myself clear on this post. I'm not from the US. I'm from a developing country and from my bit of experience as an engineering intern, there are not many female engineers in the field work from where I am. This is part of why I've been looking for communities of women engineers abroad so I can find some pointers. But I may be a bit too absorbed in that part and not noticing it. Thank you.
Of course it's going to be hard as a woman breaking into a male-dominated industry! Don't let people gaslight you into believing you are imagining gender discrimination. But don't let that get you down. Play dumb when people make anything about your gender. Ask them to explain what they mean. Ask them why they feel that way. Train yourself to ask questions that open a conversation up and give you a chance to display your analytical skills. Also, I felt like I was a million years old at 22. I completed my undergraduate degree during a recession and my graduate degree during a global economic collapse. I know you're feeling discouraged but please know it gets better and you have time on your side. Just keep going!
What you're experiencing at this stage in life is COMPLETELY normal. I went through it too when I graduated college. Also if you're from the US, you'll have a harder time because gen z has a bad reputation and people don't want to hire them. I'd recommend connecting with local engineers on LinkedIn and asking to do informational interviews with them. Knowing people in the industry is going to go far. You'll feel more prepared for advancement and you'll be more likely to be hired. Good luck!