^^ When I went to the engineering career fair last year I had one company flat out tell me they only had one position open. I mean yeah, I get companies want to promote themselves and it can be a good idea to get your name in the door at a company, but I feel like there should be some partial requirement that your company has some number of jobs actually available for you to be allowed at the fair.

/frustrated job seeker

2/4/2010 9:03:21 AM

I just made an appointment with Census Bureau for February 15. If anyone is interested, call this number to make an appointment, 866-861-2010.
http://www.osbm.state.nc.us/ncosbm/facts_and_figures/census/nc2010/NC2010Jobs.pdf

2/4/2010 12:56:53 PM

Where do you guys tend to do your job searches? Monster.com seems to be mainly bs these days.

2/6/2010 8:55:33 PM

Quote :

"career fairs still amaze me on how many indians are there. I just hope all the indians who come to the US to do their master's don't decide to start doing MechEng instead of the normal EE/CPE/CSC. if they do I might have even more competition than now.."

I got the same feeling at the career fairs I attended in college. Sounds like nothing's changed. I sort of enjoyed watching a line of 150 indian-looking fellows standing in line for Cisco and one of the cisco recruiters yelling for any mechanical engineers to come to the front of the line. A few interested ones went up and were interviewed immediately.

2/6/2010 9:59:28 PM

I seriously recommend you all apply to jobs with the federal government.

Any job that you're qualified for. Just search for "Engineer". If you're just starting out, you'll generally be looking at GS-5/7/9 level positions (which are low-gpa bachelors, high-gpa or some work experience bachelors, and master's degree entry level positions, respectively). The pay and benefits aren't bad, though they may not be as good as what some of you will get in the private industry, and you generally work your forty hours and then go home.

For the times it is NOT a bad place to be, and they are hiring a lot of engineers right now. Especially keep an eye out for general engineer positions, etc. If you've got a few years of experience and are still unemployed, apply to some of the higher level jobs as well. You likely can't get into any supervisory level jobs, but a GS-12 level engineering job isn't out of the question.

They may also pay for your relocation in its entirety, offer you a bonus for certain manpower shortage positions, and give you ridiculous paid travel benefits that are an awesome part of your job. The only issue is that it's a bureaucracy of the worst order in some parts of the government, and you'll probably get annoyed with the performance level of your coworkers sometimes. Still not a bad place to work to wait out the recession.

2/7/2010 10:27:38 AM

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/egr/1591199182.html

Unemployed? Looking for support, networking, or just getting out? Then join us, the Brotherhood of Unemployed Men or BUM's. We're a newly formed organization that is committed to providing unemployed men with the opportunity to network, socialize, and GET THE HELL OUT OF THE HOUSE once a week. Our goal is simple: get unemployed men together in a highly social atmosphere and network over beer, wings, darts, and pool. No stuffy morning meetings all dressed up and drinking coffee with people you know you'll never see again. This is a pretty simple concept, unemployed men helping unemployed men, whether it's finding a job or finding someone to help with that pain in the ass home project you've been putting off for years...this club can help.

We meet every Tuesday at 2pm, upstairs at the Woody's Sports Tavern in Cary (8322 Chapel Hill Road) RSVP appreciated but not necessary. Look forward to seeing you all there!

Bill
919-801-8056

2/8/2010 12:29:08 PM

*sigh*

I am. It's killing me. I've tried companies, the federal gov't, the state gov't, the local gov't... non-profits, ngo's, temp agencies, etc. etc. etc.

Nothing.


You'd think a guy with a law degree and Supreme Court experience would be able to find some kind of job doing SOMETHING, even admin work to get my foot in the door.

But no. nothing. Every prospect and "sure thing" has fallen apart.

Every morning I curse myself for not pursuing an engineering degree, and for going to law school.

2/8/2010 4:17:51 PM

^You passed/taken the Bar Exam yet? Once you pass, a lot of employers will open their doors.

2/8/2010 4:33:59 PM

most law firms are on hiring freezes right now.... unprecedented really

2/8/2010 4:42:44 PM

Big firms are on hiring freezes, but family and personal injury are still doing well (and will always do well). Family is tough because people aren't paying...you just have to stay firm with taking retainers.

Worker's Comp firms are also doing well.

2/8/2010 4:47:59 PM

As is International Law, but then again that's not something you can just hop into

2/8/2010 6:10:54 PM

Quote :

" Every morning I curse myself for not pursuing an engineering degree, and for going to law school."

Many days I think the opposite.

2/8/2010 6:22:31 PM

^I agree with the above comment. I feel like my BSME degree is worthless most of the time.

2/8/2010 7:19:05 PM

Quote :

"As is International Law, but then again that's not something you can just hop into"

I spent my summers doing Int'l Law in both the Middle East and Europe... it's not opening many doors, but maybe i'm just not knocking on the right ones...


as far as the bar... no, didn't pass it last July. Not taking it this month, waiting for this July to come.


I'm actually somewhat interested in Family Law though

2/8/2010 8:45:00 PM

Quote :

"Quote : " Every morning I curse myself for not pursuing an engineering degree, and for going to law school." Many days I think the opposite."

Agreed.

And all of my friends who went to work straight out of undergrad have had jobs for years now. I went to grad school, got a MS in AE, and can't find a damn thing.

2/9/2010 8:58:37 AM

We have openings for Engineers and sometimes lawyers that never get filled, cause nobody applies:

Engineer Level 1 - 46k, level 2 - 56k

https://apps.dot.state.nc.us/personnel/jobvacancies/

2/9/2010 10:29:07 AM

I got an phone interview with Duke tomorrow. It's for a job I don't remember applying for though.

2/9/2010 10:56:59 AM

Quote :

"Agreed. And all of my friends who went to work straight out of undergrad have had jobs for years now. I went to grad school, got a MS in AE, and can't find a damn thing."

http://www.thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=553730

2/9/2010 11:21:49 AM

True unemployment is hovering around 20% right now and it is especially bad for males. If you've got a job, you'll probably keep it, but I'm finding that employers can afford to wait for exactly what they want. You might be a perfectly good worker, but there are enough people they won't have to train to their standard that they're not going to hire you and make you fit. I've heard of resumes being tossed because you're not close to wherever they are hiring and they're not interested in paying to move you.

2/9/2010 11:37:21 AM

i'm going back to school actually but by the time I'm done, and in the field I'm going for, jobs should be pretty open (patent law at least)

2/9/2010 12:05:21 PM

also:

Quote :

"Men between the ages of 25-54 are frequently described as being "working-age," because, well, they're expected to be working. But as this chart, via Brad Delong, shows, that's happening less and less. Nearly 20% of men in this age group are out of the workforce, and none of the overall second-derivative labor market improvements seem to be helping much. How this trend impacts society more broadly should be interesting, to say the least."

http://tinyurl.com/y9c4kfs


(For the record, female unemployment is somewhere less than 10%)

2/9/2010 12:18:07 PM

Cause we're cheaper

2/9/2010 12:45:53 PM

Meh, not really. Part of it has to do with the fact that the biggest losses have been in manufacturing, which was male dominated and that the biggest single employer in the United States today is the Federal Government which actively discriminates towards females.

2/9/2010 1:06:26 PM

In response to posts earlier on this page (and possibly the rest of the thread) about positions with the federal government: I have to second what was said about pay being slightly less than in the private sector, benefits being solid (not to be confused with perks or bonuses), hours being a standard 40 per week, and especially the bureaucracy-induced underachievement. A few words of warning when applying: I've heard a number of stories from people hiring and people in search of work about positions being advertised solely to fulfill those bureaucratic obligations. Sometimes the person for the job has already been selected - the job listing is for the bean counters.

2/9/2010 1:09:51 PM

I am no longer unemployed.

I was just hired as the weekend meteorologist for KSWO in Lawton, OK. Looks like I am starting next weekend. Man, am I going to get some experience in the heart of Tornado Alley this spring!

2/9/2010 7:11:50 PM

Quote :

"In response to posts earlier on this page (and possibly the rest of the thread) about positions with the federal government: I have to second what was said about pay being slightly less than in the private sector, benefits being solid (not to be confused with perks or bonuses), hours being a standard 40 per week, and especially the bureaucracy-induced underachievement. A few words of warning when applying: I've heard a number of stories from people hiring and people in search of work about positions being advertised solely to fulfill those bureaucratic obligations. Sometimes the person for the job has already been selected - the job listing is for the bean counters."

Ding ding ding. Also government workers/engineers never really work well in normal engineering firms imo, and a lot of higher ups I talk to.

2/9/2010 7:48:25 PM

^^well, make the best of it...

There isn't much to do here in Norman, so I can't imagine how boring it is to live in Lawton.

Oh, and the severe weather will only be for about 2 months (maybe 3 this year if El Nino is still hanging around)...after that it'll be at least 95-100 everyday from June-August, a few storms in Sept/Oct, then cold/windy weather through the whole winter.

At least you are kind of close to Meers, you can get a fantastic burger there.

2/9/2010 10:02:05 PM

^^ This is absolutely true. This is why, should you have any desire or ambition for succeeding in the private industry you should move back to the private industry in no more than four years. For the time being, the federal government is an amazing opportunity to be able to eat and pay your rent and save up some money without worrying about whether you will be fired next week. Apply to entry level positions, or at the least don't bother applying to any supervisory level positions. Apply to three or four dozen of them.

I'm not sure I intend to stay with the federal government but for so long because my job has a remarkable way of presenting situations to me which are unsafe and could lead to me or somebody else getting killed. I've already had one near miss which caused me some minor injury. Numerous people have been injured or killed since I started work, though I work in a big place. It's just a worrisome environment and it's most certainly not as safe or structured a job as I'd have in the private industry. However, it puts insulin on the shelves and food on the table so I will continue to work here as long as is necessary.

Note: Not all federal jobs are even remotely this dangerous, I'm a special case because I'm ambitious and investigative of problems and assigned tasks. In short: I don't like to sit on my ass and I investigate what people ask me to investigate. YMMV.

[Edited on February 9, 2010 at 10:10 PM. Reason : pe...]

2/9/2010 10:09:47 PM

^I am glad I dont have to worry about dying with my fed job......

2/12/2010 1:00:45 AM

after 5 years you qualify for retirement, so it seems a bit silly to leave after 3 or 4 unless you're making a lot more money

2/12/2010 2:46:58 AM

^Exhibit A: government worker attitude

2/12/2010 3:49:00 PM

Eh, he has a point. Given the situation, it is not a bad idea to wait just one more year until the 5 years are up and then ditch it for the private sector. I don't see what is such a bad suggestion there...

2/12/2010 4:16:37 PM

Quote :

"after 5 years you qualify for retirement, so it seems a bit silly to leave after 3 or 4 unless you're making a lot more money"

You have no idea what you are talking about

http://www.opm.gov/retire/faq/pre/faq11.asp

At least, I assume Mindstorm is in fact not 57

Or perhaps you mean he'll get a slice of the government retirement benefits once he puts in 5. That is correct, but not starting until he is 62 and of course they'll be heavily prorated.

[Edited on February 12, 2010 at 5:46 PM. Reason : .]

2/12/2010 5:45:00 PM

^ pretty sure that last statement is exactly what he was talking about

2/12/2010 6:01:02 PM

20 of my coworkers were released from our account today. That's probably like a third of them.

2/12/2010 10:26:44 PM

It's not silly to leave your job after 3 or 4 years. You do realize what government jobs are, yes? It's primarily a bureaucratic mire, and you don't do much real engineering work. I spend most of my time tracking down information on systems and creating write ups on accidents and trying to create instructions and procedures for different systems/equipment. The people who do the real engineering and design work are outside of my organization. The government can be a huge talent hole, and if you want a career that isn't plagued by politics and backroom deals then you won't want to make a career out of it. The federal government is a very broken organization as a whole, but pay is steady, benefits are solid, and your position can be very secure despite having lousy performance (including such issues as: glaring incompetence, unprofessional attitude, complete refusal to do work, etc).

Again, different organizations in the federal government perform differently! I hear NASA Langley is such a great place to work relative to other places, and I just happen to work in a group that is really screwed up right now. That's why I suggest you get out, because the really good organizations are hard to get into, but the other organizations will tend to be easier to get into because they have a higher turnover. Not saying that the jobs that will hire you are the bad ones, just that the risk is there and you have to be aware of it and you need to be ready to move back to the private industry if you find out that your organization has major issues that would make your career miserable. Because of the times we live in, high-quality talent is being pulled into some of the best government jobs available, and the jobs that entry level engineers can get will vary between the good and the bad. That's where the "get out while you can" mentality is coming from.

2/12/2010 10:48:46 PM

^ Very true. I left state a pretty good electrical engineer...and for the last 6 years I have done maybe two things that made use of my degree. The position I applied for was actually electrical engineering related... If your looking for a place to actually apply your degree go to a private company...if you are looking for a mind-numbing job go Federal.

[Edited on February 14, 2010 at 11:32 PM. Reason : meh]

2/14/2010 11:31:45 PM

Ummm, I think he means you can keep your benefits if you leave the feds after 5 years of service....you dont get shit in retirement $$ after just 5 years and you shouldn't...

If you want job security (after a year) fed job is the way to go.....especially now and days when in the private sector they can fire you anytime...also the retirement is pretty descent, private sector you have to work until you die.


[Edited on February 15, 2010 at 12:03 AM. Reason : w]

2/14/2010 11:45:18 PM

Interview Tuesday!!

2/15/2010 12:33:32 AM

Quote :

"pretty sure that last statement is exactly what he was talking about"

yep, i'm pretty sure that, all things being equal, having a pension is always preferable to not having a pension--regardless of how small it is

[Edited on February 15, 2010 at 1:32 AM. Reason : ]]

2/15/2010 1:27:56 AM

I just joined this club Friday.

So whats the over under on engineers getting hired?

2/15/2010 9:30:26 AM

^ I was of the opinion when I was look (Feb 09 - Aug 09) that if you were willing to move you could probably land a job relatively quickly if you aren't a complete boob.

Of the ~100 test engineers at our location, the ones that got the jobs in the area were the best guys with the most years experience and had to take pay cuts anyway.

Quite a few people moved for work, several of them stepping down from mgmt positions to engineer positions.


I still think the hiring situation is weak. I still see this job posted:

http://tinyurl.com/ycy47by

and had a recruiter contact me about it in October of 08. It's a 6 month contract position and I assume they are hiring as bare bones as possible until they see some certainty in the market.

2/15/2010 10:45:41 AM

I got my second interview with Duke tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

2/15/2010 9:56:20 PM

i realized today that I called in for an interview with a scam company....ZMS / Global Marketing
I thought it sounded familiar and guess what i found .. message_topic.aspx?topic=523760

first hit on google. im glad i checked this out before wasting my time. i found so many links on google for others to just stay away that im skipping this one.

[Edited on February 16, 2010 at 11:49 AM. Reason : sdfsd]

2/16/2010 11:44:43 AM

^I actually went to a ZMS interview...

I ended up laughing in his face and walking out.

2/16/2010 10:53:36 PM

If interested, you can go make burger buns for McDonalds.. pay isn't bad.. $42k plus benefits
http://www.wral.com/business/story/7093018/

2/22/2010 12:41:50 PM

wow 42k to make buns? No wonder jobs are being pushed overseas

2/22/2010 12:47:34 PM

I didn't get the job at Duke. However I did just have a phone interview with another pharma co but didn't really last long. IDK about that one.

2/26/2010 10:23:34 AM

http://bluenc.com/burr-shows-his-disdain-unemployed

Quote :

"Once again, Richard Burr and his Republican colleagues oppose helping those who need it the most: ----------- Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) said yesterday that he is willing to hold an extension of unemployment benefits hostage in the Senate unless he is given the opportunity to cut taxes for the very wealthiest estates in the country. And other members of the GOP caucus are not making things any easier. First, Reid attempted to pass the extension by unanimous consent late last night, only to see the attempt thwarted by Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY), who blocked the measure because of “a dispute over how it should be funded.” Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), meanwhile, said that he would support a short-term extension of benefits, but doesn’t want to accommodate Reid’s request for a full-year extension: "If we intend to have some immediate impact on the economy through what we’re doing, why would we be extending unemployment insurance for a year??" ----------- I want to take this time to address a meme that's been hot off the tongue of Conservatives lately, that being the theory that extending unemployment benefits keeps people from pursuing work, and if we would just cut off this funding, people would be forced to take jobs they've previously considered below them. Pardon my French, but that's a load of foutaises. I've had at least four companies tell me I'm "overqualified" for entry-level manufacturing jobs to which I've applied, and I've actually contemplated chopping my resume down to reflect less experience and knowledge. The competition for jobs at the bottom rung is even more intense than those higher on the ladder, and "starting over again" is not just a mental hurdle to overcome."

2/26/2010 11:32:48 AM

3 weeks wasn't too long...I got lucky, or I'm awesome. I'll side with both but leaning on the latter.

Got the offer Thursday.

Army Research Office... and it pays more!

2/27/2010 7:13:31 PM