should I take this job?

[HITMANVQ35]

I haven't landed a job yet, a head hunter contacted me the other day about it and I wanted to ask for some opinions.

It's for HVAC technician position. It only pays 40K

I have BSME and EIT, but never worked for a consulting firm to do actual engineer type work. I thought that's eventually the path I would take because of my degree and become a P.E.

However, with the economy I don't know if opportunities will come by.

I think I would enjoy the hands on work. But I am also interested in the design aspects of hvac. However, from what I hear, load calculation and autocad can get boring pretty fast. And I don't know if I'm the office type being a yes man and all. So I really could use some advice.

What's the earning potential for hvac technician. And is this a career you can perform until the ripe old age of retirement?

 

[Dleg]

Just a "technician"? Not an "engineer"? I would avoid it if that's the case - it won't count toward your PE license, and you cant get those years back if you find yourself regretting it later, not being able to get a PE license... or an "engineering" job.

Just my opinion, though. I do not know the HVAC industry.

 

[SuperAlpha]

I understand you gotta eat but engineering is the #1 most recession proof career now. 50000 engineers come out of college per year. Many are foreigners. The H1B visa program is nil. The demand for engineers is 80000 per year! But it gets better. That is today's demand. Many are about to retire and there aren't enough juniors let alone seniors!!!!!!

Move to the jobs. Don't dilute your hard earned degree because you cannot undo that!

 

[goodal]

However, from what I hear, load calculation and autocad can get boring pretty fast. And I don't know if I'm the office type being a yes man and all. So I really could use some advice.

I have to disagree with this statement. This is exaclty what i do and i have never gotten bored with the work (as long as there is something to do). Now you may not be the office type, but in my situation the work has been challenging and rewarding and ive been doing this for almost 9 years now.

 

[nashbmattPE]

However, from what I hear, load calculation and autocad can get boring pretty fast. And I don't know if I'm the office type being a yes man and all. So I really could use some advice.

I have to disagree with this statement. This is exaclty what i do and i have never gotten bored with the work (as long as there is something to do). Now you may not be the office type, but in my situation the work has been challenging and rewarding and ive been doing this for almost 9 years now.

I've been in the HVAC consulting buisness 28 years and I still find it very interesting and enjoyable. You may start out doing a lot of repetitious task but as your proficiency increases so will the difficulty of your assignments. I have never been bored by any of my projects. Just as badal stated the boring times are when there is nothing to do. That is the case no matter what your job is.

You also have to decide, Do I want to be a field guy when I am 50+? I did some HVAC contracting when I was younger and it is brutal in the dead of summer and winter. Just think what you will be able to deal with as you get older. I know I enjoy being in an office, but sometimes you may be forced to accept a position because of economics.

 

[RevMen]

I do a lot of repetitive calculations sometimes, but the beauty is I'm free to do them using whatever tools I like, which means after 6 years I've got some neat tricks to do things quickly. That means higher billable rate and more time for things like visiting engineerboards.com.

The really nice thing about being a consultant is you do get to go out into the field on occasion, which mixes things up. I don't have to go out into the field every day, only when a project warrants it. And now that I work fairly independently, it's pretty much up to me when I do go out.

If you can, skip the technician jobs and try to land a real engineering job. It might be harder at first and you may not get exactly the job you like at first, but once you start down the road as a technician your choices will become more limited.

 

[EM_PS]

I understand you gotta eat but engineering is the #1 most recession proof career now. 50000 engineers come out of college per year. Many are foreigners. The H1B visa program is nil. The demand for engineers is 80000 per year! But it gets better. That is today's demand. Many are about to retire and there aren't enough juniors let alone seniors!!!!!!

:Locolaugh: whatever you're smoking, pass it this way!

 

[HITMANVQ35]

I understand you gotta eat but engineering is the #1 most recession proof career now. 50000 engineers come out of college per year. Many are foreigners. The H1B visa program is nil. The demand for engineers is 80000 per year! But it gets better. That is today's demand. Many are about to retire and there aren't enough juniors let alone seniors!!!!!!
Move to the jobs. Don't dilute your hard earned degree because you cannot undo that!

where did you get those figures from? If true, it is somewhat comforting.

So I met with the head hunter today and scheduled an interview with the company for next friday.

She told me something that doesn't sound right. In 2-3 years I could be making 60K. That's almost 150-200% jump. Does this sound reasonable or do you think highly unlikely.

Also, I think working as a technician may help me become a better engineer if were to pursue that path in the future. So once I take this job, will it be hard for me to seek a career in design?

 

[Dexman1349]

In the interview, find out what your job description would be. If the description sounds like something you want to do, and the pay is in-line with what you think those duties are worth, I would consider taking the job. Obviously, keep in mind your future career goals (benefits, $, and position) and how this new job would work towards reaching those goals.

I ended up taking a 8% paycut when I went from construction to consulting, but the consulting world offered more opportunities towards my goals of being a Civil PE. It also offered a more stable job (location & hours), which was something I was looking for after my oldest child was born.

 

[EM_PS]

Just a "technician"? Not an "engineer"? I would avoid it if that's the case - it won't count toward your PE license, and you cant get those years back if you find yourself regretting it later, not being able to get a PE license... or an "engineering" job.

however don't forget, any job experience - especially industry related experience - is better than a glaring hole or gap in your chronological history if you fail to find tangible work. Despite some gushing optimism here, jobs are very scarce right now & the competition is fierce. Firms are making do with cutback staff accustomed to doing more with less. These are lean times, it will be a number of prosperous work cycles before employers feel comfortable enough to hire in to their companies.

 

[Dexman1349]

All work experience qualifies in CO as long as it illustrates "progressive engineering experience" per the requirements. If you can show that being a "technician" contributed to your progressive experience, it counts.

 

[MGX]

Any port in a storm will do. You still need to provide for your family.

It would be hard to take a job knowing you're still looking for the job that matches your education and might bail at any moment, but employers are used to that I suppose. A technician and engineer do very different things and the techs/draftsmen are the ones who do much of the routing and drawings and the tinners just put crap wherever they think is easiest. That's several steps down the line from where you want to be so I don't know if that will directly help you but I'm sure some experience would be beneficial.

PS. I work in an office and I've far from a yes man. I always listen to our fitters and installers for their input but I personally don't want to be in a 125 degree attic in the middle of summer fighting with equipment when I'm 50 years old.

 

[SuperAlpha]

I understand you gotta eat but engineering is the #1 most recession proof career now. 50000 engineers come out of college per year. Many are foreigners. The H1B visa program is nil. The demand for engineers is 80000 per year! But it gets better. That is today's demand. Many are about to retire and there aren't enough juniors let alone seniors!!!!!!

:Locolaugh: whatever you're smoking, pass it this way!

http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/artic...reer-leadership

ETA: My facts are a little off but the same result.....

 

[SuperAlpha]

We have had 2 job openings in my department since last February. The reqs were online and through a large local technical staffing firm. I received maybe a total of 25 resumes over the year. I expected a TON of resumes. Of those, I interviewed around 10 "senior" engineers. As for their experience and capabilities, they would have to start as BEGINNERS because they had no design experience. We finally found 1 and hired him a month ago. He is excellent. Most good design engineers are still employed...

 

[SSmith]

My recommendation: accept the job and keep looking.

I would avoid it if that's the case - it won't count toward your PE license, and you cant get those years back if you find yourself regretting it later, not being able to get a PE license... or an "engineering" job.

Umm... You can't count time you aren't working towards a PE either.