starting to panic about my kid not finding a job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He graduated end of this summer with an engineering degree from a respectable college and hasn't landed a job yet. He was pretty crushed yesterday because the he had been interviewed several times by a company that does the exact type of work that he wants to do and they told him he was "overqualified education wise but under qualified with work history in the enginneering field". It's like there are no entry level jobs out there to get that work history though. He seems on the verge of begging. He has lots of work experience, but in customer service type jobs, not really as an engineer.

Any advise on what he can do? Is there a temp company for engineering job? Are there internship programs? Could he start his own consulting company?

I asked if he would consider going back to school and that was absolutely refused. He really wants to work and it shocks me that no one will hire him. He graduated from a school like Univeristy of Wisconsin with a good GPA and lots of teacher recommendations-- he worked as grader in his last year for his favorite prof. His alma mater doesn't seem to provide much help for finding a job. Just provides job listings, which, so far, haven't planned out. I'm really regretting that he didn't go to a school with an established co-op program. Although I've heard even students in those schools are having a rough time of it.

750k H-1b in force, majority in tech. 250k H-4 EAD work permits for their spouses.

L1+L2 spouses 375k

OPT/STEM OPT - 242k

7 million Green Card holders and other visa types working in STEM.

And i'm not covering it all... Pile on outsourcing (300k jobs a year) and offshoring (over 2 million in India alone). Wake up - this is a huge problem.

H-1B has just become a shorthand for the problem.

Fyi, we approved 140k H-1Bs last year cuz universities and nonprofits are 'uncapped'.

All taking jobs from US citizens , and yet people don’t care until it happens to them

Not to mention the H1 manager won’t fill a single head count on his team of 30 with American kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did he have internships? Those are so important.

To all the parents on here of high school senior or college aged-kids-your kids need internships. Some internships have applications a year+ ahead.

This, AND remember your application starts long before you start the application.

I’m a hiring manager (interns, entry level, managers/directors). The people I hire for internships have summer work experience and activity leadership experience. I like applicants who scooped ice cream last summer, or served as the president of the outdoor club, or worked as an RA. Or really anything other than “I was accepted into/graduated from the engineering program”.

I think a lot of high-achieving parents in this area think their kids should hold out for an internship (over working), or hold out for a prestige job (over something with “assistant” in the title). It’s the same mentality that pushes us to send our kids to mediocre but “big name” state schools in other states so we can brag to our friends and coworkers.

Yes, internships are valuable, but employers don’t want to be babysitters. Show me that you know how to show up on time, sober and wearing the right clothes, and work all day. I can fill in the rest.

Ideally, an application will show summer jobs for a summer or two, and then an internship in summer two or three.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did he have internships? Those are so important.

To all the parents on here of high school senior or college aged-kids-your kids need internships. Some internships have applications a year+ ahead.

This, AND remember your application starts long before you start the application.

I’m a hiring manager (interns, entry level, managers/directors). The people I hire for internships have summer work experience and activity leadership experience. I like applicants who scooped ice cream last summer, or served as the president of the outdoor club, or worked as an RA. Or really anything other than “I was accepted into/graduated from the engineering program”.

I think a lot of high-achieving parents in this area think their kids should hold out for an internship (over working), or hold out for a prestige job (over something with “assistant” in the title). It’s the same mentality that pushes us to send our kids to mediocre but “big name” state schools in other states so we can brag to our friends and coworkers.

Yes, internships are valuable, but employers don’t want to be babysitters. Show me that you know how to show up on time, sober and wearing the right clothes, and work all day. I can fill in the rest.

Ideally, an application will show summer jobs for a summer or two, and then an internship in summer two or three.

+1 I hire interns for my team and want to see basic summer jobs. I don't want to be your first boss and want to know you know how to show up on time and deal with challenging people. Definitely love RAs too.

[Anonymous]

I would have him apply for internships in engineering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He graduated end of this summer with an engineering degree from a respectable college and hasn't landed a job yet. He was pretty crushed yesterday because the he had been interviewed several times by a company that does the exact type of work that he wants to do and they told him he was "overqualified education wise but under qualified with work history in the enginneering field". It's like there are no entry level jobs out there to get that work history though. He seems on the verge of begging. He has lots of work experience, but in customer service type jobs, not really as an engineer.

Any advise on what he can do? Is there a temp company for engineering job? Are there internship programs? Could he start his own consulting company?

I asked if he would consider going back to school and that was absolutely refused. He really wants to work and it shocks me that no one will hire him. He graduated from a school like Univeristy of Wisconsin with a good GPA and lots of teacher recommendations-- he worked as grader in his last year for his favorite prof. His alma mater doesn't seem to provide much help for finding a job. Just provides job listings, which, so far, haven't planned out. I'm really regretting that he didn't go to a school with an established co-op program. Although I've heard even students in those schools are having a rough time of it.

I know he is an engineer but while looking for an engineering job he can work an electrical apprentice, or mechanic etc....let him get his hands dirty a bit

Good luck to him

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look into entering the military as an officer?

He want to build not kill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I'm regretting posting this-- poor timing considering all the people in their 30s - 50s facing unemployment right now.

My son will be OK. Maybe he won't get a job in the engineering field but he can go back to doing customer service or maybe get certified in a trade. Or he could move to a different country that still needs entry level engineers.

There are real problems in the world and this is pretty small in whole scheme of things. Sorry to waste DCUM time.

You did not waste anyone's time

It is concerning and awful for anyone looking for a job right now. He is not alone.

My neighbor is 32 he has worked for all the FANG companies as an engineer graduate of Stanford. Got laid off 4 months ago no one is even reading his resume.

Wow Stanford + faang and unemployed 4+ months. I am not longer looking at my $110k salary at 47 as peanuts. Its brutal out there. I am glued to my job right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would he ever think to work for someone else? What can he do or learn to work for someone else?
He can work any retail or restaurant job while he figures out what service he can offer as an engineer.

Please enough with the retail/restaurant recommendations. Every time someone looking for a job restaurant/retail restaurant/retail

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My neighbours daughter got a great job at epic in Wisconsin. Apparently they do a lot of hiring and just looking for smart kids.

They have a lot of churn- my cousin's son was so miserable at Epic he quit in this environment without even getting another job. He didn't even consider it a mistake when it took him awhile to find a job- he was THAT miserable.

Your first job is not supposed to be comfortable. The real.world is tough. Sometimes starting at rough place being miserable serves you in the long run..and you are not working from free you are getting a paycheck right? Aye the privilege of some..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look into entering the military as an officer?

He want to build not kill.

Are you OP?

I had a list of good suggestiong that are hiring entry level engineers that I was going to share, but I won't now if this is OP.

[Anonymous]

My kid has been out of grad school since August 2023 and is unemployed, no health insurance. Yeah, it's scary.

[Anonymous]

OP,

What branch of engineering? Civil? Structural? Environmental, Mechanical etc?

Folks on here can help but we need to know the specialty.

In my state the Civil and Structural engineers have to intern as E.I.T.'s, engineers in training before they can take the licensing exam.

What is the path for your graduate to get licensed in your state? Is he studying for the licensing exam?

I highly recommend that he look at smaller firms.
I'm not an engineer but I worked at a firm with 6 Engineers--Some Civil, some Structural and some Environmental.

We generally had 3-4 EIT's--Engineers in training. They worked with us until they passed their licensing exam and then they moved on to other firms as they could now sign and seal documents.

We always had a lot of work.

I'd have him look to smaller firms and wear his white shirt and tie and drive around and drop off his resume in person. He will get noticed.

I know another small firm that does Structural. They are always swamped with work and concentrate now on inspections.

Focus on small firms.

Also the military hires Engineers and has a big need for engineers. He would go in as an officer.

[Anonymous]

The job market is horrible. Ours graduated in may of 2024. She has a job, but it’s not in her field and it’s not a professional role. It’s been hard.

[Anonymous]

Electric Boat in Groton CT hires tons of new engineers. It's a subsidiary of General Dynamics with a big Navy contract ftir submarines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If he just graduated this past summer, he should apply for an internship. It is sometimes easier to get a non-summer internship. I do know a few kids who had no job lined up, took internships after graduation (and filled in any empty time with other jobs like retail) and then were able to turn the internship into a full time offer.

Internships all the way. They are great to get a foot in the door and for experience.