non-eng job after college

Hi, I'm a chemical engineering undergrad. So the university I currently go to (will not be named) is not exactly highly-ranked and so I've heard, on average, it takes the average chem engineering grad about a year after graduation to find a salaried engineering-related job.

I'm actually not interested in working right after I graduate, at least not in anything related to chemical engineering. I know that sounds really odd and silly and non-practical, but I want to relax, work part time, and do something non-technical, before I start being a salaried full time engineer, and work 50-70 hour work weeks.

I plan on working at a restaurant or retail or tutoring for about a year, before I start officially job hunting in the fields I'm interested in. Which, based on the information I just told you, means it may be another two years before I land a job, which I'm fine with.

I'm just wondering how will I look to potential hiring managers? What should I say when they ask "how come you haven't gotten a job yet, out of college, after two years?" Also, will my resume be looking weak, since all my school-related chem engineering experience will be two years old at the youngest?

Any advice or information would be much appreciated.

Note: I'm not interested in a masters or PhD until I can afford it.

I wouldn't recommend it. Competition is pretty tough these days for new engineers, from what I gather. Being a slacker for a year will pretty much knock you out of the running, IMO.

If you don't want to be an engineer, change your degree. If you don't want to work in some "typical engineering job" that you have pictured in your mind, then consider some other types of jobs. Some types of difficult-living-and-working conditions field jobs will hire just about anyone, on the premise that 95% will not be able to handle the work. When I graduated, I was not interested in sitting at a desk and being a part of a giant engineering office, working on one small piece of some huge project (aerospace was the big hirer at the time), so I took a field engineer job with an oilfield services company, and got something entirely different than a 50 hour week behind a desk - a 100 hour week in the field.

I don't want to be rude, but if there is a fact of life, it is that everyone eventually discovers they have to "work". My advise to you would be to suck it up and take whatever job you can get when you graduate. The easier times tend to come later in one's career, not earlier. Work hard now, and better jobs will open up to you. Slack off now, and you very well may never get that first job - believe me, I have met plenty of people with engineering degrees, who are now teachers or even lifeguards, after having taken some "time off" after graduation.

I agree with Dleg. you will start competing with fresh grads with and I would much rather higher someone fresh out of school than someone who took a year off to work an entry level job, let alone a part-time job.

It sounds like you would have been better off going to school part-time just taking longer to graduate.

No offense, but the time to work non-technical, part-time jobs is while you're in school (and I'd even go further and say high school--interning or co-oping in college is a huge resume boost), unless of course your circumstances require it (i.e., illness, layoff, etc.). The job market nowadays is tough, and taking a year off after college to "relax" will probably raise some questions in the hiring managers' minds about your commitment.

I understand needing some time off before starting a career. But I would encourage you to do something that will look better on a resume than retail. I took a year off ( or several...) between years at college, and someone suggested Americorps VISTA, so I applied.

I spent a year working in a rural community and it was one of the best experiences of my life. Later on it actually opened job opportunities by giving my resume an edge. If you eventually want to be an engineer but feel you need a break, then spend a year doing something worthwhile or future employers will think you just don't want to work.

frazil said:

I understand needing some time off before starting a career. But I would encourage you to do something that will look better on a resume than retail. I took a year off ( or several...) between years at college, and someone suggested Americorps VISTA, so I applied.
I spent a year working in a rural community and it was one of the best experiences of my life. Later on it actually opened job opportunities by giving my resume an edge. If you eventually want to be an engineer but feel you need a break, then spend a year doing something worthwhile or future employers will think you just don't want to work.

Click to expand...

Thank you! Do you think teaching be good as well? Like a "Teach English abroad" program?

To others: Thank you for your advice. To address one of your concerns: I definitely want to become a chemical engineer, I just don't want to go straight into it. I've met so many engineers who have been working for years and years, and have been stressed since the day they started. Don't get me wrong, I know I can do it, I just want to have some freedom before I give it all up.

A friend from softball got his civil degree but decided to relax and work his part-time bar job for another couple months after graduation.

Fast forward about four years - he applied to take the PE exam and was two weeks short on work experience. All his classmates got to take the exam six months before he did.

I'm having difficulty with the concept that you want to study Chem Eng, graduate with a degree, and then put it on hold.

Seems to me the better route is to put the whole engineering thing on hold and take your non-technical relaxed job break now.

Then get back on track, got to and complete your degree and continue on and pursue a job in that field. You also say that your school doesn't have a strong reputation in your selected field. Maybe it's a good opportunity to rethink the whole thing and apply to a school with a stronger ChemEng program when you get ready to make the Chem Eng committment.

Just my 0.02.

Get a real job! And a haircut! And get off my lawn!!

If you want to delay your big-person job, at least do something you can put on your resume. I had several friends do the fraternity/sorority cosultant or study abroad routes with success. Or try to get a sales gig in the same realm you eventually want to become a designer. Just don't leave it so your only story is "I wasn't ready to work full-time yet."

Stay in College! travel for a semester instead of class, or take up a minor, or something if you want to prolong going to work.... But dont' graduate and do nothing. It will really work against you.

Take the time now if you want extended freedom. Don't wait until after the degree is obtained. Companies will look at it badly, I have friends with ChE degree dealing with that. Not sure what sort of freedom you are trying to obtain...just a period to get over the college burnout? It really doesn't take that long to get over it. Find that job and just make your start a month after grad.

Working retail is a PITA, been there done that, not sure why you would want to do that after obtaining the degree to prevent that scenario in the first place.

Travel is still possible when working fulltime...it might take another yr or 2 to built up the time, but is possible.

Retail? Part-time? Seriously? Thats some bullshit. Get to work.

Sorry my answer is snippy but after re-reading the OP it seems to me like you want some validation for being a slacker. The best way to get over college burnout is to realize that any engineering job is going to pay you a **** ton more then some BS retail job. And you can use that money to do fun stuff during a week minus the 40 hours your at work.

Get a job put all your learn into society. Why waste your talent on a retail job?

This reminds me of the day I finished my final exam in my final semester at college. I was so totally burnt out and tired. As I walked out to an absolutely beautiful Spring day, there was a guy mowing the lawn on the campus. I thought to myself, I have no desire to start working a stressful desk job. Wouldn't life be better if I could just ride a lawnmower around on a warm, sunny day?

Then as I passed closer to the guy, I saw his face...the answer was definitely no.

Peace Corps. I know a few engineers who went into the Peace Corps right after school. Two of them have had successful engineering careers, one became a teacher. Plus, it gets your foot in the door for federal employment after you're done.

Thank you everybody for your advice. I understand it doesn't look too good that I don't go straight into full time engineering work after college, but it's something I know I need. I understand that this is difficult to relate to since many of you did not consider such a route after graduation. Regardless, I'm grateful for everybody's advice, but I'm especially grateful to those who suggested taking a break now, americorps, delaying graduation, and peacecorps. These are all good options, much better than what I had in mind, and I am sure I will end up doing one of them.

Thanks again, everybody. Happy holidays!

I would not delay graduation because some schools recycle credits also most upper division classes require you to know the previous material so if it gets rusty thoes 400 level classes could get alot harder. You want that piece of paper, you dont want additional classes looming over your head while you are trying to relax. I did not work for a year (not even part time) after graduation (but that was not from choice) and I eventually got a 40 hr week design job and went on to get my PE and am working on a masters part time while I work in EE (I am a chemE for my BS). If a hiring manager asks why you were unemployed just say the economy was bad and nothing turned up.

you are asking the wrong crowd here man. this is an "engineer board" so the responses you are going to get -- sorry bout this but it's true -- aren't exactly going to be too worldly and wise.

I have many friends who graduated with business degrees many years ago and "took it easy" for a year... or more.. started out working retail... travelled, worked in bars... then went on to make mega bucks with whatever company they finally wound up in moving quickly up the corporate ladder.

Several of these guys traveled the world... backpacked in asia... learned a little chinese... I don't think they ever had little voices in their head telling them they are slackers... at least i never got that impression.

but I am sure now they have plenty of engineer employees well down below them on the corporate ladder.

sad but true.

washing machines work very hard but are not highly compensated.

So are you recommending he change his degree to finances, or business management????

What works in one profession doesn't work in another. Yes, he was asking engineers BECAUSE HE IS TRYING TO BE ONE. He didn't ask what it takes to be a suck-up, all-for-one ladder climber.

OP, I don't mean to ruin the fun for you...but I've been looking for entry level jobs and most of them ask for someone who has been out of school less than a year. Your job application may not look as good compared to a young pup, with the same education and work experience, that has just finished school and been actively searching.

Even if you work for fancy companies/organizations, if it is out of your field, it still raises some questions about your commitment to the profession that you pick. Just apply for a job in your field here and there. By the time, you score a real one, you are probably bored with your non-engineering job already.

my :2cents: