# Career Advice - UPDATED



## FTC35 (Jul 26, 2006)

I'm gonna try this and hope that I don't lose my entire post again. I posted it a few hours ago, but the board went down while I was typing :brick:

Anyhow, I'm new here. :wav I came across this board and had to join. Seems like a good bunch of guys... and womenz.

I also thought this might be a good place to get some advice.

So is anyone in the automotive engineering field? What do you think of it? I might have an opportunity (2nd interview is coming up) to get on board at a major OEM and aftermarket (belt tensioners, pulleys, brackets, dampers, etc) company. I work at a manufacturing plant right now; I like it, but I don't love it. We make a completely different type of product than the new job, and we specialize in custom stuff, but it's a small company (125 people total) and it doesn't have an established engineering department. In fact, I'm the only guy there with a degree and I'm the only one with an engineering label. It's also my first job out of college. I've been there almost a year and a half (interned for about half of that). The pay is good and the benefits are great, but I really don't feel like I'm learning anything and I would really like to move closer to home (girlfriend, family, and friends live 2 hours away).

This new place is a lot closer to my family and it would let my girlfriend move back in with me. She moved down where I'm at this summer, but couldn't find a good enough job (it takes a miracle to get a decent job here, damn rural towns), so she had to move back. But there are plenty of employment opportunities where I would have to move to, and she could finish her degree at the same school, just at the main campus, which would be 10x better for her degree. Cost of living would be higher though.

A little about the job. They have a training program to go through. It takes almost 2 months and I would be in a town about 2.5 hours from where I would be working. They pay for an apartment and any mileage to drive back home whenever I need to. Then, whenever I get back, I would have a mentor to follow around and learn from. That really excites me because I have zero guidance where I'm at, and forget about any training. Don't get me wrong, where I work now is a good job, but I don't think it's doing me any good for my career, especially starting out. Did I mention there's no room for advancement? Also, this new place is very professional, and they have a structured environment. There's also a team of engineers that I'd be working with. Nothing better than that, as far as I'm concerned. And they have some PEs, so I could put my EIT license to use.

Side note: My interviewer told me that the reason I got a call back was because I have my EIT license. They wanted someone with about 3+ years of experience in that field. So take the FE all you youngins!

Oh, another quick question. Is it normal for them to pay mileage and other expenses to come to an interview? I've never had anyone do that before.

Wow, that was long. Ok, I'll finish. So if you read all that, please leave your opinions... even if it's just to tell me to shut up, haha.

:fool: I pity the fool


----------



## DVINNY (Jul 26, 2006)

I'd be on the way to the interview.

Then, if they make you an offer, do you decide if you'll take it or not. To me, sounds like taking it is a good thing.


----------



## cement (Jul 27, 2006)

take the interview, take the job. training is an investment they are making in you, and you are making in yourself, go for it! paying expenses is normal for larger companies. and you have no rent for two months - bonus! mentoring and guidance is huge, especially after you have been unguided, I've been there. It sounds like a great deal! :thumbsup:

I have a question for you, did you study automotive engineering? Is that an ME degree or is there an ABET AET degree? What school?

My kid is going into senior year in HS and attended a summer engineering camp at Univ Arizona where they designed cars and stuff and now he is hooked. He is also real interested in Materials Engineering and Manufacturing. We are planning campus visits this fall and are looking for ideas.


----------



## EdinNO (Jul 27, 2006)

Sounds like a great deal! I would seriously consider it.

One thing to consider: I didn't really know what field I wanted to go into. Somewhere along the way, I took a job in the HVAC industry because I thought it would pay well (I was to get bonuses based on our branch's profits, etc...). That was over 8 years ago. I am way no longer working at that company but I am sort of now stuck in this industry.

There are plenty of jobs in this industry, but there are plenty of people as well. The pay is nothing to write home about, which is frustrating. The work can be boring at times, which is also a bit frustrating.

What I am saying is that you might want to look at the long term outlook on the particular field you are in and/or getting into. In case you don't work at the new place forwever, are there other jobs available in that field so that your experience transfers over well? If not in that exact field, is there something similar enough manufacturing-wise so that your experience counts? How strong is this field overall? Will it last in the US or will the manufacturing eventually be shipped off to China? How is the pay in your field as compared to the average? Can you find a job in your field anywhere you may want to move to in the future? Is this really the line of work you enjoy? Can you move up within the company to even include some management opportunities if you choose?

Just a few things to weigh out. If the answers to most of those questions are positive then I think it could be a no-brainer. I wish you well on the remaining interviews.

Ed


----------



## singlespeed (Jul 27, 2006)

I have been in the automotive industry for over 20 years - it's a big industry here in MI. Overall, it has been kind to me: put a house over my head, food on the table, and kids into college.

Over the years though, I've seen the cyclical hard times with friends and coworkers booted out onto the street looking for employment, sometimes near the T-Day and X-mas holidays. I have been fortunate to escape the mass layoffs seven times at four different companies in those 20 years, but last year I didn't.

EdinNO has some good words of advice - always look to see if your experience will transfer; that is broaden your opportunities rather than pigeon hole you.

Good luck!


----------



## FTC35 (Jul 27, 2006)

Thanks for all the advice guys. I really don't know if manufacturing is what I want to do the rest of my life, but if this turns out to be a good job, I can't pass it up. I would rather be working in a firm doing consulting, but that's really hard to get into when I'm this young and not experienced.

Anyways, I'm really excited about this interview. I'll let ya know how it all turns out.


----------



## FTC35 (Jul 27, 2006)

> I have a question for you, did you study automotive engineering? Is that an ME degree or is there an ABET AET degree? What school?
> My kid is going into senior year in HS and attended a summer engineering camp at Univ Arizona where they designed cars and stuff and now he is hooked. He is also real interested in Materials Engineering and Manufacturing. We are planning campus visits this fall and are looking for ideas.


I just have a mechanical engineering degree. I didn't study anything in automotive. At my school, you could really only focus on HVAC or nuclear. I focused on HVAC.

One piece of advice for your son. If he truly loves automotive things, maybe he should stay away from it (career wise). I know of guys who love doing something, but when it becomes a job, they lose that "passion." I know all growing up, I was really into high sound quality stereos (home and car) and I was really good at it, but I started installing at a shop during the summer and next thing I know I didn't want anything to do with car audio. I also remember talking to a car salesman who was a big time automobile and motorcycle enthusiast. He had some nice cars, but then he became a salesman and said he just doesn't get that feeling anymore. He pointed over at his Warrior street bike and said that no matter what happens, he would never start selling bikes because he loved them too much, he didn't want to lose his interest in them.

That is another thing that sort of worries me with this job. I love getting out there and working on my truck and other peoples rigs, and I hope this job doesn't make me lose that. Hopefully there will be enough difference in the two so that I won't lose it.


----------



## EdinNO (Jul 27, 2006)

Strange. I'm in the HVAC consulting side of things and never wanted to be. I always wanted to be in manufacturing (and was for a period).

Ed


----------



## Kipper (Jul 27, 2006)

FTC35, it sounds like you are already leaning toward taking the job, based on reading your post. Go with your instincts and don't look back. You pointed out a lot of pros and little to no cons. :thumbsup:

So now that you have found this board and you have your FE, when will you be taking the PE?

:wel


----------



## FTC35 (Aug 21, 2006)

Well, I had my 2nd interview at the end of last week. They put me up in a hotel room the night before and even took me out to lunch after the interview.

I got to meet most of the team. Good bunch of guys. It was a little intimidating because it started out with about about 8 or 9 of them at a conference table with me and they just asked all kinds of questions. I think I did pretty good, probably not as well as my first interview (which they said went perfect), but it's a lot harder when there are that many guys that you're trying to impress.

I'm expecting an offer soon. Now that it's come down to it, I'm a little nervous about the whole thing. I'll definitely be a lot busier there and it'll be a lot harder work, but I mainly just hope I like it. I really like all the guys, so I'm sure that will make it a good job all by itself. Also, going away for 3 months (worse case scenario) and being about 4 hours away from my girl is going to be hard too. But, no rent, no bills, and gas expenses paid will really help out there.

I'm also nervous about telling my current employer. They are sending me to a trade show about the time I'm wanting to quit (if I take this job) and I'm in the middle a couple big projects. One is done (well the design part is). The other is close to being done, but needs a lot of testing (and tweaking I'm sure). I hate to leave in the middle of those.

I don't know. I guess I gotta be a little stingy and do what's best for me.

Thoughts?


----------



## Kipper (Aug 21, 2006)

> I hate to leave in the middle of those.
> I don't know. I guess I gotta be a little stingy and do what's best for me.
> 
> Thoughts?


Remember, don't look back. If you have done your job, and it sounds like you have done more than that. Then all you have to do is look ahead. You are not being stingy!! :thumbsup:

Good luck! I hope you are an inspiration for all the others that are not happy with their workplace and will go out on a limb and make the change.

For the better of course.


----------



## DVINNY (Aug 22, 2006)

Are you currently in the same town as your girl? and how many hours a week do you work now vs. how many will you work?

I know money is tempting, because 2 years ago, I followed the $$ and have been worn out and have had health problems since.

CORTISOL will kill ya. But if you think the new place won't be any more stressful, then by all means GO GO GO.


----------



## FTC35 (Aug 22, 2006)

Thanks for the words. My girlfriend lives about halfway between where I'm at and where I'll work at. She's going to a smaller college right now, but wants to transfer up to the main campus which is up by where I'll be working. So that will work out really well.  Also, the majority of my family and friends live up there. This opportunity definitely has a lot of positives... that's why it's making me nervous. It almost seems too good to be true! haha, 

But... I got an offer from them today. $8k more than I'm making now (before bonuses). That's gonna be a nice perk. Benefits are just as good if not better (more vacation!). Also, I'll be around guys that are more like me, so I think that will make the job a lot better.

I'll be accepting their offer within the next couple of days. I'll also be telling my boss within the next couple of days. Depending on his reaction, I might be starting this new job a lot sooner than expected. I think I'll get a positive reaction though, and maybe a counter-offer, but ya never know.


----------



## FTC35 (Aug 22, 2006)

Forgot to mention that I'll be working the same amount of hours, except they are really flexible about when I come in and when I leave. That's gonna be REALLY nice. No more waking up at 6 to be at work by 7! They told me the only time to expect overtime was when there was a major deadline coming up and work had to be done, but that isn't very often. Which is better than what my forecast at my current employer looks like. Every week I've been having to work a little more (probably only 2 extra hours at the most), but they like to tell you at the last minute that you have to work a Saturday. I haven't had to yet, but a lot of the other guys do (programmers and such). But my boss has been very subliminally suggesting that I work more. Overtime is such Bullshit. Seriously. The Europeans got it right when it comes to their workload.


----------



## Kipper (Aug 22, 2006)

> CORTISOL will kill ya.


Wow, DV. A coworker was just telling me that very thing today. He went into all the problems with having too much in your system.

I hope you are doing alright now.


----------

