just graduated, any advice? civil

[benbo]

I guess it makes more sense to joke about it

Your very first idea that I agree with!

Q: What happened when ironhead went to Mount Olive?

A: Popeye beat him up.

 

[navyasw02]

I was just reading an article that nearly 50% of america is on some sort of public assistance, and the filthy rich want to pull thoes programs out in the name of "small gov" while at the same time shafting everyone out of jobs and good wages. How do you think thats going to end when 50% of the US population is faced with the prospect of homelessness and/or starving once thoes programs are ended because corporations want to pick and choose workers and pay bottom dollar.

50% on public assistance? Really? What defines public assistance, the Bush Tax cuts of 2001?

 

[MGX]

I'd just like to chime in a say lying is bad. Very, very bad. Earning yourself a bad name will follow you around for a very long time and people will never forget it so it's best to never lie, especially on a resume about qualifications and experience.

Personally I know names of such people and they've never recovered. Once people catch wind of your character they'll avoid you like plague.

So lying is bad...mmmkay?

 

[Dleg]

A few suggestions for the original poster:

1. Agree on the military suggestion, if that's something you are able and willing to do. Try to get into the Navy! (my outsider opinion only)

2. Grad school right now might not be a bad option, if it's all lined up for you anyway. You'll probably look back at this opportunity and wish that you had gotten it out of the way if you don't do it now (trust me on that one ).

3. Peace Corps - they'll take you, you'll get experience (of all kinds), and it intrigues some employers. Plus, you get one year (?) of bonus consideration for federal jobs - I think either additional preference points, or even non-competitive selection elegibility. I know several former Peace Corps engineers, and they're either good engineers, or good something-elses (seems at least 25% of them end up as teachers or other professions after finishing their time).

 

[ironman]

Getting your first job out of school without the lottery ticket winner/mommy&daddy provided/4.0 internship is no mans land and right now .....

This is pure bullshit. I didn't have a 4.0 when I graduated and I didn't get my job through mommy/daddy.

As a new grad you need to be flexible with location and expectations. You probably aren't going to get your dream job right out of school. But before you start a Master's you should get some work experience. Even 6 months as an intern would be helpful, you need to make sure you like what you're doing before you invest more money in education to do it.

Agreed. Utter nonsense. There are plenty of jobs out there especially for someone with the right work ethic, personallity, etc...

As an echo to joining the service, I believe that the Jersey Air National Guard has a school loan repayment program as an incentive for enlisting.

Something to consider...

No there isent, there are a few jobs out there and for every job opening there are 100's of applicants making the competition more cut throat than ever. It was "tough out there" in 04, this is now the painful transition to 2nd world standards of living, its a whole new game. Until they completely shut down the boarders and ALL free trade this will get worse.

Close the borders? WTF does that have to do with the current lack of engineering jobs? How many illegals do you see with degrees?

They bring alot of people over from india with supposed "degrees" on H1 Visas, also I see alot of people comming through canada because they have lax immigration policies. I see work being farmed out to califonia to office's full of H1 visa workers from india and asia and managers from canada. The mexican boarder just creates high crime rates which is a different issue.

Work visas are part of the global economy. There's nothing illegal or wrong about it. There's plenty of Americans working abroad as well.

There becomes something wrong with it if the economy sucks and americans cant find jobs. We will see what happens in Nov and what ever happens happens and we just have to do the best we can to survive, but the boom times are over thats for sure

 

[ironman]

I was just reading an article that nearly 50% of america is on some sort of public assistance, and the filthy rich want to pull thoes programs out in the name of "small gov" while at the same time shafting everyone out of jobs and good wages. How do you think thats going to end when 50% of the US population is faced with the prospect of homelessness and/or starving once thoes programs are ended because corporations want to pick and choose workers and pay bottom dollar.

50% on public assistance? Really? What defines public assistance, the Bush Tax cuts of 2001?

Not trying to be rude but have you been out on a boat for the last 2 years, things are REALLY bad right now.

 

[ironman]

No there isent, there are a few jobs out there and for every job opening there are 100's of applicants making the competition more cut throat than ever.

I know that several members of this forum have changed jobs in the last couple of years, some were forced to, some were not. Others have been interviewing and getting job offers just as bargaining chips to secure raises with their current employers. I, for one, have changed jobs twice since the Great Recession started, the most recent of which was June of this year. I think you just might be getting passed over for positions due to lack of intelligence, sense of entitlement, and/or lying on your resume/interviews. You like to point the finger at the economy, illegal immigrants and elsewhere, but you never seem to point the finger at yourself.

Yea I tried to get counter offers to secure raises but nothing came of it. I have put ALOT of effort into my professional carrer (eng degree, PE, outsanding letters of reference, and a solid resume (with changed email). I am thinking its because my market is small and my degree is more specialized. Do you get off on making unproductive nasty comments in bold, I never understood that mentality.

 

[ironman]

I'd just like to chime in a say lying is bad. Very, very bad. Earning yourself a bad name will follow you around for a very long time and people will never forget it so it's best to never lie, especially on a resume about qualifications and experience.
Personally I know names of such people and they've never recovered. Once people catch wind of your character they'll avoid you like plague.

So lying is bad...mmmkay?

Yes I agree, I was wrong.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

Do you get off on making unproductive nasty comments in bold, I never understood that mentality.

Only to the extent that you get off on making barely comprehensible, rambling posts with scores of grammatical errors and bad advice.

 

[ironman]

Do you get off on making unproductive nasty comments in bold, I never understood that mentality.

Only to the extent that you get off on making barely comprehensible, rambling posts with scores of grammatical errors and bad advice.

I agree making up experience to fill gaps is not a good idea. As far as the grammer, its a message board not a PhD thesis so sue me.

 

[navyasw02]

I was just reading an article that nearly 50% of america is on some sort of public assistance, and the filthy rich want to pull thoes programs out in the name of "small gov" while at the same time shafting everyone out of jobs and good wages. How do you think thats going to end when 50% of the US population is faced with the prospect of homelessness and/or starving once thoes programs are ended because corporations want to pick and choose workers and pay bottom dollar.

50% on public assistance? Really? What defines public assistance, the Bush Tax cuts of 2001?

Not trying to be rude but have you been out on a boat for the last 2 years, things are REALLY bad right now.

So I guess this isn't valid since you cant provide a source.

I'm still in the Navy, and have been for 12 years. My wife has to change jobs EVERY 2-3 years when I get new orders. I know how tough it is to see my wife make half of what she made at her last job after 6 months of looking. I know full well that it sucks out there right now, but your quote that half of the country is on public assistance of some sort is pure nonsense. That would mean statistically speaking half of my family would be on public support, which they're not. Half the people I know would also be on public assistance, which is also not the case. In fact, I dont know ANYBODY on public assistance. Maybe my sampling of the population isn't the same as the two people in the trailer park that this so called study used for their sample, but I have a hard time believing this.

 

[navyasw02]

Getting your first job out of school without the lottery ticket winner/mommy&daddy provided/4.0 internship is no mans land and right now .....

This is pure bullshit. I didn't have a 4.0 when I graduated and I didn't get my job through mommy/daddy.

As a new grad you need to be flexible with location and expectations. You probably aren't going to get your dream job right out of school. But before you start a Master's you should get some work experience. Even 6 months as an intern would be helpful, you need to make sure you like what you're doing before you invest more money in education to do it.

Agreed. Utter nonsense. There are plenty of jobs out there especially for someone with the right work ethic, personallity, etc...

As an echo to joining the service, I believe that the Jersey Air National Guard has a school loan repayment program as an incentive for enlisting.

Something to consider...

No there isent, there are a few jobs out there and for every job opening there are 100's of applicants making the competition more cut throat than ever. It was "tough out there" in 04, this is now the painful transition to 2nd world standards of living, its a whole new game. Until they completely shut down the boarders and ALL free trade this will get worse.

Close the borders? WTF does that have to do with the current lack of engineering jobs? How many illegals do you see with degrees?

They bring alot of people over from india with supposed "degrees" on H1 Visas, also I see alot of people comming through canada because they have lax immigration policies. I see work being farmed out to califonia to office's full of H1 visa workers from india and asia and managers from canada. The mexican boarder just creates high crime rates which is a different issue.

Work visas are part of the global economy. There's nothing illegal or wrong about it. There's plenty of Americans working abroad as well.

There becomes something wrong with it if the economy sucks and americans cant find jobs. We will see what happens in Nov and what ever happens happens and we just have to do the best we can to survive, but the boom times are over thats for sure

From under what kind of rock of ignorance did you crawl? Americans cant find jobs because somebody is here on an approved, legal work visa? Yea cause there's so many folks in India with a PhD just waiting to pounce on the first job opening that comes up in America. You're drastically overestimating the number of foreign workers here. The reason people cant find jobs is because jobs are being cut, not because the floodgates are opening.

 

[ironman]

I was just reading an article that nearly 50% of america is on some sort of public assistance, and the filthy rich want to pull thoes programs out in the name of "small gov" while at the same time shafting everyone out of jobs and good wages. How do you think thats going to end when 50% of the US population is faced with the prospect of homelessness and/or starving once thoes programs are ended because corporations want to pick and choose workers and pay bottom dollar.

50% on public assistance? Really? What defines public assistance, the Bush Tax cuts of 2001?

Not trying to be rude but have you been out on a boat for the last 2 years, things are REALLY bad right now.

So I guess this isn't valid since you cant provide a source.

I'm still in the Navy, and have been for 12 years. My wife has to change jobs EVERY 2-3 years when I get new orders. I know how tough it is to see my wife make half of what she made at her last job after 6 months of looking. I know full well that it sucks out there right now, but your quote that half of the country is on public assistance of some sort is pure nonsense. That would mean statistically speaking half of my family would be on public support, which they're not. Half the people I know would also be on public assistance, which is also not the case. In fact, I dont know ANYBODY on public assistance. Maybe my sampling of the population isn't the same as the two people in the trailer park that this so called study used for their sample, but I have a hard time believing this.

I read the article on yahoo, but I did a quick google search and right out of the gate I saw 18-25% of course these numbers are always down played just like unemployment is (unemployment is WAY higher than 10-15%, thats just the number of people that are still eligible to collect, the people off unemployment and who are just destitute or living with family are no longer counted, also underemployment is not counted so we dont really know but im guessing its close to 33-40%). If you are in the military I can gaurentee your sampling is totally anicdotal because likely every one you know is either in the military or a military dependant so there is no reason for public assistance. I also dont know anyone on public assistance but my Dad traveled to Minnisota this summer and said it was BAD. You can squable with me over the percentage but the bottom line is things are going down the toilet in a hurry. Stay in the military as long as you can because pretty soon there is not going to be any funding for it, where do you think your pay check comes from, tax money from civilian jobs, if everyones wages are being deflated and rich people are moving money over seas where do you think that money will come from.

Its happening way faster than I thought it would happen, things are being artificially proped up because its a major election cycle. If the new politicians dont do something we are all screwed.

 

[ironman]

Getting your first job out of school without the lottery ticket winner/mommy&daddy provided/4.0 internship is no mans land and right now .....

This is pure bullshit. I didn't have a 4.0 when I graduated and I didn't get my job through mommy/daddy.

As a new grad you need to be flexible with location and expectations. You probably aren't going to get your dream job right out of school. But before you start a Master's you should get some work experience. Even 6 months as an intern would be helpful, you need to make sure you like what you're doing before you invest more money in education to do it.

Agreed. Utter nonsense. There are plenty of jobs out there especially for someone with the right work ethic, personallity, etc...

As an echo to joining the service, I believe that the Jersey Air National Guard has a school loan repayment program as an incentive for enlisting.

Something to consider...

No there isent, there are a few jobs out there and for every job opening there are 100's of applicants making the competition more cut throat than ever. It was "tough out there" in 04, this is now the painful transition to 2nd world standards of living, its a whole new game. Until they completely shut down the boarders and ALL free trade this will get worse.

Close the borders? WTF does that have to do with the current lack of engineering jobs? How many illegals do you see with degrees?

They bring alot of people over from india with supposed "degrees" on H1 Visas, also I see alot of people comming through canada because they have lax immigration policies. I see work being farmed out to califonia to office's full of H1 visa workers from india and asia and managers from canada. The mexican boarder just creates high crime rates which is a different issue.

Work visas are part of the global economy. There's nothing illegal or wrong about it. There's plenty of Americans working abroad as well.

There becomes something wrong with it if the economy sucks and americans cant find jobs. We will see what happens in Nov and what ever happens happens and we just have to do the best we can to survive, but the boom times are over thats for sure

From under what kind of rock of ignorance did you crawl? Americans cant find jobs because somebody is here on an approved, legal work visa? Yea cause there's so many folks in India with a PhD just waiting to pounce on the first job opening that comes up in America. You're drastically overestimating the number of foreign workers here. The reason people cant find jobs is because jobs are being cut, not because the floodgates are opening.

Its a combination of NAFTA, in sourcing H1 visa worker, out sourcing manufacturing to near slave labor nations like china and not having enough tarrifs to protect american workers from having to compete with 10 cents an hour over seas. Also what effects engineers is our national prioritization of major infrastructure projects which can be attributed to EPA and other onerous regulations. So its not just H1 visa workers its a combination of things, however, I have seen with my own eyes offices full of "engineers" on H1 visas and I have seen work in my office "work shared" or out sourced to these offices, they have shabby credentials but they work for cheap but are not real engineers. China is not even an academicly credible nation, India does a little better and they have a few nobel prize winners but per capita they are just as useless as China.

Seriously dude whats up with the bolded comment, is this like your internet talk because I know you dont talk like that to superiours in the military no matter what you think. I always thought military had more couth than that.

 

[navyasw02]

Quoting two posts here:

I read the article on yahoo, but I did a quick google search and right out of the gate I saw 18-25% of course these numbers are always down played just like unemployment is (unemployment is WAY higher than 10-15%, thats just the number of people that are still eligible to collect, the people off unemployment and who are just destitute or living with family are no longer counted, also underemployment is not counted so we dont really know but im guessing its close to 33-40%). If you are in the military I can gaurentee your sampling is totally anicdotal because likely every one you know is either in the military or a military dependant so there is no reason for public assistance. I also dont know anyone on public assistance but my Dad traveled to Minnisota this summer and said it was BAD. You can squable with me over the percentage but the bottom line is things are going down the toilet in a hurry. Stay in the military as long as you can because pretty soon there is not going to be any funding for it, where do you think your pay check comes from, tax money from civilian jobs, if everyones wages are being deflated and rich people are moving money over seas where do you think that money will come from.

Its a combination of NAFTA, in sourcing H1 visa worker, out sourcing manufacturing to near slave labor nations like china and not having enough tarrifs to protect american workers from having to compete with 10 cents an hour over seas. Also what effects engineers is our national prioritization of major infrastructure projects which can be attributed to EPA and other onerous regulations. So its not just H1 visa workers its a combination of things, however, I have seen with my own eyes offices full of "engineers" on H1 visas and I have seen work in my office "work shared" or out sourced to these offices, they have shabby credentials but they work for cheap but are not real engineers. China is not even an academicly credible nation, India does a little better and they have a few nobel prize winners but per capita they are just as useless as China.

Seriously dude whats up with the bolded comment, is this like your internet talk because I know you dont talk like that to superiours in the military no matter what you think. I always thought military had more couth than that.

First off, you're not my superior. Second, you have no clue about what I do and the people and industries I've worked with. Third, the only thing you've proven from this whole discussion is that you have zero ethical credibility and an axe to grind when it comes to foreigners for some completely irrational reason. Fourth, again you dont have a source for your argument other than your own anecdote about your dad going to Minnesota and some nonsense you supposedly read on yahoo.

 

[ironman]

Quoting two posts here:

I read the article on yahoo, but I did a quick google search and right out of the gate I saw 18-25% of course these numbers are always down played just like unemployment is (unemployment is WAY higher than 10-15%, thats just the number of people that are still eligible to collect, the people off unemployment and who are just destitute or living with family are no longer counted, also underemployment is not counted so we dont really know but im guessing its close to 33-40%). If you are in the military I can gaurentee your sampling is totally anicdotal because likely every one you know is either in the military or a military dependant so there is no reason for public assistance. I also dont know anyone on public assistance but my Dad traveled to Minnisota this summer and said it was BAD. You can squable with me over the percentage but the bottom line is things are going down the toilet in a hurry. Stay in the military as long as you can because pretty soon there is not going to be any funding for it, where do you think your pay check comes from, tax money from civilian jobs, if everyones wages are being deflated and rich people are moving money over seas where do you think that money will come from.

Its a combination of NAFTA, in sourcing H1 visa worker, out sourcing manufacturing to near slave labor nations like china and not having enough tarrifs to protect american workers from having to compete with 10 cents an hour over seas. Also what effects engineers is our national prioritization of major infrastructure projects which can be attributed to EPA and other onerous regulations. So its not just H1 visa workers its a combination of things, however, I have seen with my own eyes offices full of "engineers" on H1 visas and I have seen work in my office "work shared" or out sourced to these offices, they have shabby credentials but they work for cheap but are not real engineers. China is not even an academicly credible nation, India does a little better and they have a few nobel prize winners but per capita they are just as useless as China.

Seriously dude whats up with the bolded comment, is this like your internet talk because I know you dont talk like that to superiours in the military no matter what you think. I always thought military had more couth than that.

First off, you're not my superior. Second, you have no clue about what I do and the people and industries I've worked with. Third, the only thing you've proven from this whole discussion is that you have zero ethical credibility and an axe to grind when it comes to foreigners for some completely irrational reason. Fourth, again you dont have a source for your argument other than your own anecdote about your dad going to Minnesota and some nonsense you supposedly read on yahoo.

Thats cool, so I guess the economic melt down is all just a myth and all is well. Carry on with your head in the sand.

Anyways I think the OP's question has been answered, things are at a new level of "tought out there", if you can hide out in grad school for a little while it will give you some time to feel out the market without being in a position/status of unemployed, every day that clicks by in that status hurts your ability to find a job.

 

[benbo]

things are at a new level of "tought out there"

I'm thinking of going out to a steak place tonight, but the last time I went the steak was a little tought.

 

[maryannette]

I'm thinking of going out to a steak place tonight, but the last time I went the steak was a little tought.

The steak was a little tough or a little thought?

I prefer to have steak at home.

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

Tought crowd here.

 

[cement]

don't go getting your toughty whiteys in a bunch