Science and Engineering Jobs Stall in the U.S.

[palladin9479]

The good jobs are not handed out to recent college grads unless there are no other qualified people looking (wrong skill sets / ect..). Your going to have to start at the bottom, help desk technician, field service worker, ect.. and build your experiences up. The first and foremost thing we're looking for is experience (specific skill sets), not that you took some course but that you actually utilized that skill set in the relevant field. After that it's credentials (certifications / professional memberships) then finally education. Internships work sell because you can treat those are experience, especially if you can give specific responsibilities you were assigned and successfully performed in.

Another thing to look into is security clearances. The number of IT jobs that require a security clearance is relatively small, but the applicant pool is even smaller. Finally, be willing to relocate and possibly work outside the USA. There are quite a few lucrative jobs, but they involve you leaving the country for a few years, not many want to do this and thus you have a smaller application pool to compete with.

 

[drapacioli]

[citation][nom]palladin9479[/nom]The good jobs are not handed out to recent college grads unless there are no other qualified people looking (wrong skill sets / ect..). Your going to have to start at the bottom, help desk technician, field service worker, ect.. and build your experiences up. The first and foremost thing we're looking for is experience (specific skill sets), not that you took some course but that you actually utilized that skill set in the relevant field. After that it's credentials (certifications / professional memberships) then finally education. Internships work sell because you can treat those are experience, especially if you can give specific responsibilities you were assigned and successfully performed in.Another thing to look into is security clearances. The number of IT jobs that require a security clearance is relatively small, but the applicant pool is even smaller. Finally, be willing to relocate and possibly work outside the USA. There are quite a few lucrative jobs, but they involve you leaving the country for a few years, not many want to do this and thus you have a smaller application pool to compete with.[/citation]


Sure, but even then there needs to be a demand for said jobs.

 

[Guest]

I'm seeing it very clearly--I was out of engineering from 2001 to 2010 (was married and running a freelance writing business), and when I came back in, it was holy hell finding a job! And 95% of the jobs in my area (Austin, Texas) are contractor positions. Yes, there are plenty of jobs in Houston, but I don't want to move back there, I want to stay in Austin.

It is SO bad for us mechanical engineers that I'm seriously considering changing careers into Fire/EMS....I'm already a volunteer Firefighter and am halfway through the EMT-Basic course.

Sure, a Fire or EMS job wouldn't pay as much...but compared to what? An engineering job I CAN'T GET because every mech. eng. job in Austin attracts 200 applicants?

At least with a Firefighter or Medic job, if I do my part, there are NO lay offs, regular pay raises, and my boss won't call me and annoy me on my own personal time unless it's to offer me extra work.

Fire/EMS is sounding better and better...especially EMS with our aging population and sinking health care system.