Career Guide for Engineers and Computer Scientists

philip.greenspun.com ^ | 2003 | Philip Greenspun

[nightdriver]

"...My career has gone full circle."

We're in the same boat, buddy. Just as I have the experience and knowlege to avoid all sorts of pitfalls in engineering projects, I'm considered worthless.

Whata surprise.

[Aquinasfan]

As a BSEE of the University of Washington, I recently got to work as a landscaping digger on my alma mater. I was making $8.63 an hour as a temp, and I only get work about half the time.

I can't believe this. I graduated as an ME in '84 although I've never worked as one (by choice). I remember that EE's could write their own ticket back then. My how times have changed. I also remember that EE was very, very tough. It has to be tougher than med or law school.

[harpseal]

Ping on or off let me know

[harpseal]

Ah yes the American engineers are out of work or no longer in engineering so we can give experience to foreign engineers primarily from India and China in the latestest and greatest technology.

[sauropod]

hmmmmm....

BTW, I am a Mechanical Engineer.

[zoso82t]

It's hard to say what it involves, because there's a piece of everything in there. I do structural/civil type stuff for offshore structures and coastal landscapes, mechanical aspects of ocean-going systems such as pumps, also electrical when it comes to instrumentation and acoustics. Basically, it's every kind of engineering rolled into one degree, all based on aquatic applications.

[Travis McGee]

It's either the worst treason or the worst stupidity in history, or both.

[harpseal]

Since the people doing it are supposedly brilliant managers I think we have the evolution of the term Free Traitor for them.

[Travis McGee]

"Free Traitor!" I love it, did you come up with that?

Classic libertarian capitalists who sell rope to Lenin, or rockets and nuke designs to the Chinese.

[Nataku X]

Career Guide for Engineers and Computer Scientists

1. The best shopping carts are at Safeway's. Wal-mart's shopping carts are trash.
2. Refrigerator boxes make a nice instant private bedroom.
3. Beg for quarters and spend it on day-old bakery goods. You won't starve.

I've changed my career direction from getting a Ph.D. in computer science to getting a Ph.D. aimed at doing medical research.

[Porterville]

My PHD goal is Economics or possibly fluid dynamics.

[Diverdogz]

A lot of what I've learned about Photography is due to Greenspun's website. Interesting fellow.

[harpseal]

I can not claim credit for teh Free Traitor line but it is very common on teh trade threads I ping. people were turned in for personal abuse in the past for using it but it is just so perfect a description.

[Allan]

Bump

[clamper1797]

Might be useful.

Might be needed ... 9 weeks out and still looking

[Bitman]

9 weeks out and still looking

I went 6+ months... Finially picked up work at a 15% reduction in base salary, plus (or minus) a higher cost of living and a 700 mile relo (Will never use U-Haul again). Not one reject letter the whole time, but plenty of those auto-generated "Thanks For Your Interest..." emails.

[luckystarmom]

I've been a stay at home mom for 8 years. Before that I was a software engineer. What I want to do is go back to school and become a speech therapist.

Unfortunately, my husband just got his layoff notice, and he's a software manager.

I thought it was so great that we had a 2 engineer family, and now I don't think it's a great idea. We have lots of friends where the husband is an engineer, and the wife is a nurse. I think that is a great combo. At least one of them should always be able to find a job.

I definitely think health care type jobs are good ones to have. They are not going to be shipped overseas.