That's awesome, congrats! I've sorta started a side project that I have been working on at home. It's a learning experience project that I thought would be fun, but then after some market research, it looks like maybe something I could sell and build at least a side hustle with, even if not a full-blown company.
I loathe working for somebody else, tbh, simply for the fact that I will never get what I perceive to be appropriate compensation. I don't like answering to somebody else, particularly people I consider to be morons. I usually always like my direct manager who is an engineer, but those above that, I find frustratingly dumb/arrogant usually, lol.
Pretty exciting times to come, though. Good luck- I hope it all goes well. I'm sure there will be plenty of stressful times, but plenty of exciting ones too.
Are you producing a product you've designed/came up with? Or what? You don't have to detail the specifics of course; just curious in general your process and what led you to biting the bullet? Whether it was you coming up with a product(s) or whether you could see an area where you can provide a service to others? Seems sorta like the latter from your response below.
Good points. I really want to get a master's. Aspects of a PhD appeal to me, but Idk if I'd enjoy it overall. I also hate all the red tape the further up you get. Like oh, to apply to our master's program we require 3 letters of rec, bull**** letter of intent, taking basically the ACT again in the GRE, etc. Like dude, just look at my GPA and resume, lol. I also always saw the MS/PhD thing as personal thing for me rather than a career thing, outside of the patent law thing which you mentioned. I'm not sure the cost justifies it for me, but I could definitely see what you're saying with unexpected opportunities and it makes sense.
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07-25-2017, 07:30 PM #3931Gal Gadot Crew
Madelaine Petsch Crew
Victoria Justice Crew
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07-26-2017, 05:37 AM #3932
- Join Date: Dec 2008
- Location: Texas, United States
- Posts: 24,146
- Rep Power: 84630
I have a leg up in a very nichy area in upstream semiconductor production. Basically reproducing OEM parts for lower cost. Currently getting to know big players in the game and producing for them where I am now (Samsung, Avago, Freescale,...). I'll try to stay diverse as I've sold parts to GE and BHI, LHM,...I'm going to sublease a space in a guy's building and move a 5-Axis machine in. It was the machine, or a mortgage on a house so I chose.
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07-26-2017, 06:05 AM #3933
The GRE is not much work or shouldn't be. I took mine cold without the first clue what was even on it. I believe I was even still a little buzzed from activities of the previous night. I'm not that innately sharp or anything. I did well enough but not great. You don't have to go to MIT. There are lots of grad schools that don't require being the "best of the best of the best, sir."
I have two MS degrees and a PhD (I didn't want to grow up) and didn't pay a dime for any of them. Find a university with an engineering department that does good research (ie, is well funded) and pick up a RA or TA position. The department should cover the cost of your tuition and even pay a stipend. Of course you'll be making just enough to get by, which sucks compared to making a real salary for the same few years you'd be in school.
I hope this is just a die (re-)packaging outfit or something similar and not basement counterfeiting2 + 2 = 5 (for extremely large values of 2)
Try SCE to AUX
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07-26-2017, 06:36 AM #3934
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07-26-2017, 03:46 PM #3935
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07-26-2017, 08:32 PM #3936
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07-27-2017, 11:39 PM #3937
Speak for yourself. I graduated in May 2013 with a 3.13 GPA in ChemE. I never got an engineering job, and eventually had to settle for part-time ranch work for $10 an hour, making a whopping 4K per year with no benefits.
It is more than possible to fall through the cracks with a chemical engineering degree.
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07-28-2017, 07:07 AM #3938
- Join Date: Dec 2008
- Location: Texas, United States
- Posts: 24,146
- Rep Power: 84630
Mingled with TMAC and ARMA last night at top golf, things went well and people are interested. Also I'm expected to take the Black Belt exam in september but don't know if I'm ready.
You guys still in school, keep on keepin' on. I've gotten some applications recently and noticed a downward trend in what ~2 years or less engineers are asking for. Older guys are asking for more than ever. Something will give and you all will be alright. This may just be my opinion, but do not apply for tech positions unless you're still in school.
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08-01-2017, 12:47 AM #3939
Hey guys, I have to make a "Why you should hire me video" for grad school that will be used for employment purposes in the next few days.
Since I literally don't know who the video is going out to, I can't sit there and talk technical skills.
My plan was to talk about character traits that make me an asset to any company. I wanted to go from my work ethic and how I never settle for average by showing all the different things I was balancing my senior year of undergrad (senior design, student org project, president of student org, research) to ending with showcasing two clear cut deliverables: my engineering student orgs final report when I was VP vs when I was President: the amount of projects doubled, amount of professional/networking events doubled (with higher turnout), mass-attendance of a national conference for first time in school history, etc. so I am trying to make the statement that where I go, good things happen.
My problem is I want to say all this without the video being 5 minutes of "I did this and I did this and wow I'm really ****ing great." Obviously that last bit I will definitely thank the executive board I had with me to make all the improvements to the org that we did, but for the rest of it I don't want to come off as self-centered.
If it helps my undergrad was in bioengineering and my graduate degree is in biomedical engineering (they're for all practical purposes the same). My goal is to work in the medical field for awhile and then go more in the business direction and then try and get myself into MBB for consulting.
Any advice would be appreciated.
EDIT: for the first bit I guess my options are between talking about character traits or my experience (not the greatest but I could spin it well). I'd like to keep the ending because it will be very obvious things changed in very good and easily quantifiable ways between when I was VP of a student org vs President.Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Misc translation: Who mods the mods?
MISC Plug.DJ crew (◣_◢) http://plug.dj/misc-edm/
RIP frvrmuscle.
Aziz Shavershian inspired me. Zyzz made me laugh. There's a difference,RIP
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Reps for life: bfmv69
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08-03-2017, 01:03 PM #3940
I live in a landlocked state, I'm old and so-so at math. The idea of being an engineer appeals to me, but I'd also like to work with ships/boats/the sea. Is there any discipline of engineering that would allow me to mix the two? I know that marine engineers are a thing, but again, I live in a landlocked state and the closest school with a Marine Engineering/Naval Architecture curriculum is roughly 2.5hr away.
MMMC
"If you think, you're late. If you're late, you muscle. If you muscle, you get tired. If you're tired, you die." Saulo Ribeiro
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08-04-2017, 10:45 PM #3941
Just updating here now that I've worked for this company for about 5 months..lmao @ the logic I had a few months ago. I have come to find that yes this company doesn't give a **** about me. The worst work experience I've ever had, being treated like complete ****.
Will be looking to get a new job ASAP
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08-04-2017, 11:13 PM #3942
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08-04-2017, 11:46 PM #3943
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08-06-2017, 02:06 AM #3944
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08-07-2017, 06:07 PM #3945
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08-07-2017, 09:27 PM #3946
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08-08-2017, 12:31 AM #3947
Why the neg, KingofLifts? What do you mean, "wrong"? What is so wrong about sharing my situation? What is so wrong about telling the truth that it is more than possible to fall through the cracks with a chemical engineering degree? Do you understand what "more than possible" means? It doesn't necessarily mean "probable". I am proof it is possible, and the fact I'm not alone shows it is more than possible.
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08-08-2017, 08:41 AM #3948
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08-08-2017, 11:19 AM #3949
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08-17-2017, 08:12 PM #3950
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08-17-2017, 08:54 PM #3951
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08-21-2017, 10:02 AM #3952
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08-21-2017, 10:06 AM #3953
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08-25-2017, 09:02 AM #3954
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09-02-2017, 09:10 AM #3955
Alright boyos! Last semester started. Only taking two classes and interning on Mon, Wed and Fri. Now let me tell you guys something. I WISH I started interning my very first semester. I have learned WAY more applicable **** than I ever had in my whole school career, srs. I'm very happy I got this internship because it forced me to learn what real problem solving is. I'd probably have a panic attack if I had to go through what I did in a big company if they gave everything I have now with actual expected progress and not some thought "he's just an intern. Good if he gets it. Whatever if he doesn't."
It's time to start applying for jobs. My GPA dropped to a 3.65 this semester but I still think that and having an internship will be good for me. I'm applying every where but I really want to stay in NY for financial reasons. I can still complete my goals outside of NY but it won't be as easy saving for it while paying for rent, food, utilities, etc. I'd also rather not be in Manhattan. But from my understanding, for your first job out, you grab what you can. Can anyone confirm? What did you guys start at? At minimum, I have to make 60k for my goals.
I also want to do what I'm doing now as an intern. Which I don't even know the title because I'm at a start-up and I'm doing everything imaginable. Programming MCUs, designing circuits, building servers and programing it, designing PCBs, etc. I feel like the electronic version of Monster Garage or Monkey Garage.
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09-08-2017, 09:27 PM #3956
When one door closes another opens. Geez what a fkn ride this is.
Can anyone give some advice here..I'm applying for field engineer positions, my degree was mechanical engineering. I have my senior design project on my resume though it has nothing at all to do with the type of positions I'm applying to. Should I keep this on my resume? I figured I'd leave it on until I finally landed an actual engineering position then take it off later on down the road. Not sure if there's a point in keeping it on.
Also I've come to find out (complete FA here, didn't do this in college much) how important networking is. It kind of blows my mind. I really recommend and encourage everyone to network as much as possible.
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09-16-2017, 10:08 AM #3957
Anyone here in grad school or applying to grad school for next fall?
I'm a ME senior with two semesters left and I'm really torn right now between working after I graduate or going for my masters. I haven't started applying yet nor have I taken my GRE.
Any advice? I definitely want to go into R&D so I want a masters degree.
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09-16-2017, 03:25 PM #3958
So when I graduated in 2013 with a BSEE, I graduated with a 3.60 engineering GPA in EE while having taken about 1/3rd of ME, 2 internships in R&D
My first job: $71k + $10k sign-on bonus
My personal value system for fresh grads with a BS, YMMV:
I think anything > $60k is "acceptable"
>$65k is "good"
>$70k is "great"
>$75k is you really hit some good pay
But when you're evaluating offers, you need to make sure you are keeping everything in mind:
Location
Position (R&D, Apps, Systems, etc)
Benefits (401k, ESPP (employee-stock purchase plan), pension, etc)
I chose to sacrifice on location because everything else was what I wanted. You need to figure out for yourself what you really care about.
As far as, "you grab what you can." I actually disagree with this to an extent. I think you evaluate your position in the market and whether what you have been offered is good relative to what you have to offer. For instance, if you have a 2.5 GPA with no internships and you get an offer as *insert whatever position you don't want to do here* for $60k, then you may have to realize that you may not get a better offer, or at least not anytime soon.
On the other hand, if you're a > 3.0 GPA, 1+ internships, etc, then you can probably afford to wait for a position and/or pay that you really want. IMO it's a fine line between knowing when you're starting to get too greedy for what you can offer and when you should push for better/more.
In my case, I was wanting a minimum of $60k and R&D/Design. I was not willing to go lower than that on salary and I could have considered other job functions had everything else been good with an opportunity to go into R&D later on. I straight up told people interviewing me no when asked if *insert salary less than $60k here* was asked as "ok with me." If I didn't get what I wanted, I was prepared to stay in school another year to finish up the ME degree and I was perfectly content with doing that.
I would leave the project on there. No reason not to until you have other things that are more important.
Networking can be important. Just depends. It's better to have a network in case you need it than to have no network at all, that's for sure.
So all my internships/jobs have been in R&D and I only have a bachelors. I haven't felt that I was limited by not having a MS/PhD. For instance, one job that I was competing for was against an MS and a PhD. It came down to me and the MS as they weren't particularly impressed with the PhD technically, interestingly enough. I ended up edging out the MS. A LOT of companies hire all 3 levels and you simply come in at eng I, II, or III depending on which degree you have.
With that being said, I want(ed) to do grad school, for no reason other than simply personal goals/for fun. I agree with those who told me it is much harder to do once you are out of school as you tend to start having less time and more responsibilities. I tend to agree. I still plan on doing it, but as I don't feel it a necessity to do what I want (which is R&D/design), I'm not in a rush. It would have been much easier to just delay working an extra year while completing a MS. The plus side to doing it once you graduate is that you're getting paid salary and most engineering companies will pay for it. Ironically, I'm at one of the few who won't atm, which is why I haven't. I was actually signed up at USC, but then they denied me tuition reimbursement, so now I'm waiting to go to another company that will pay for it.Gal Gadot Crew
Madelaine Petsch Crew
Victoria Justice Crew
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11-19-2017, 12:22 PM #3959
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11-20-2017, 01:28 PM #3960
- Join Date: Jul 2012
- Location: Washington, United States
- Posts: 1,298
- Rep Power: 26769
I graduated in 2011 with a BS in Computer Engineering. My school is ACCSC Accredited and ABET Accredited. I am trying to finally pursue a master's engineering degree, but so far the colleges have said no just because my school isn't "Regionally Accredited." Not sure what to do, they have the national accreditation and Engineering Accreditation, but because they don't have some regional accreditation it doesn't matter.
Do you guys have any insight on what I can do?
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