<p>i am EE. i think i can do IT consulting =)</p>
<p>respekt..lol you are cool</p>
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I'd rather design and make stuff than give people suggestions
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<p>Well, let's not romanticize the actual job of engineering. The fact is, most engineers don't really design anything, and their connection to actually making stuff is rather loose. Many (probably most) engineers out there work in manufacturing facilities and hence never get to design anything at all. Instead, the design has already been completed by others (and perhaps is a well-understood industry-standard design), and your task is to simply oversee the execution of that design and troubleshoot the inevitable production problems that arise. While one could say that you are "making" something, what you are making is usually just an intermediate good within a long chain of processes that processes raw materials to the final good. </p>
<p>As a case in point, since I see that people are talking about chemical engineering, let's talk about it. The traditional job of a ChemE has always been a process engineering job in an oil refinery. In such a job, the typical job for at least the first few years would be to oversee just one step in the entire refining operation. So if you are assigned to run the hydrotreater, then basically all you'd be doing is taking intermediate organic product and hydrogenating/desulfurizing it. {Actually, more specifically, you'd probably be put in charge of just one step within the hydrotreating process. } So while I suppose you could say that you're "making" something, that "something" is little more than just a desulfurized compound, which will then be further treated in later steps. I don't know that saying that you convert compound A to compound B (which after numerous other steps finally becomes end-product Z) is exactly the most interesting job in the world. </p>
<p>But then again, we have to keep the situation in perspective. The fact of the matter is, the vast majority of people in the country don't exactly have very interesting jobs either. Let's be honest - most jobs are pretty boring. As an engineer, while you may end up with a boring job, at least you'll get paid relatively well. Plenty of other people have jobs that are both boring and ALSO don't pay well. </p>
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Well, Industrial Engineering is good for Consulting...but i mean there s no point in majoring in chemical engineering if you want to consult.
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<p>Well, obviously the idea is that if you can't get a consulting offer, at least you can still get a relatively well-paying job as a chemical engineer. Not everybody who wants to become a consultant will get an offer.</p>
<p>how do you quote stuff?</p>
<p>[.quote] copy and paste whatever you wanna quote
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<p>PS- dont put that period before the first 'quote'</p>
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Well, let's not romanticize the actual job of engineering. The fact is, most engineers don't really design anything, and their connection to actually making stuff is rather loose.
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<p>My brother graduated from Montana State this spring without honors and is now designing steam turbines. I think it's definitely possible to get a very interesting job in engineering.</p>
<p>I prefer GE</p>
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My brother graduated from Montana State this spring without honors and is now designing steam turbines. I think it's definitely possible to get a very interesting job in engineering.
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<p>Nobody disputes that it is possible to get a very interesting job in engineering. But it is also possibly (indeed, highly probable) that you will end up in a boring engineering job. For example, most engineers end up in production/operations work, most of which is, frankly, rather boring. But somebody has to be doing that work.</p>
<p>So yeah, if you don't want to take that risk, DON'T MAJOR IN ENGINEERING. If you want to work for a bank or financial firm, major in that.</p>
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So yeah, if you don't want to take that risk, DON'T MAJOR IN ENGINEERING. If you want to work for a bank or financial firm, major in that.
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<p>A boring engineering job that still pays 50k is not much of a risk if you ask me. Having a degree in something like business management (edit: or worse, art history) and then not being able to get a job on wall street sounds like the real risk. Those guys would probably love to get that boring job that still pays pretty well.</p>
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but i mean there s no point in majoring in chemical [or any] engineering if you want to consult.
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...except, what if you enjoy that particular field and you are better at coming up with new ideas than maintaining other peoples? I'm in computer engineering, but it's only for the skills. Applying for a normal engineering job is my "last resort" plan. (although it becomes peoples priority all to often because of debt. Not to mention it's nice to have such a well paying "backup" plan...)</p>
<p>I think the best and most fulfilling engineering job would be working at a start-up on something you love. If it fails, start another. Rinse and repeat. The wide range of experience you will gain is second to none.</p>
<p>Consulting comes next on the list because of many reasons including variety and benefits. I feel the best part of consulting is the application of the ideas behind engineering in lieu of cubicle/line work. You wanna help design things instead of maintain them? Then this is another good place to start. (not to mention you'll most likely get a free ride to B school for your MBA if you choose to accept it.)</p>
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So yeah, if you don't want to take that risk, DON'T MAJOR IN ENGINEERING. If you want to work for a bank or financial firm, major in that.
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<p>Uh, like others have said, the REAL risk is that you won't even get a good financial job (as plenty of people who want such a job won't get an offer). At least an engineering job will secure you a fairly decent-paying job, even if it's somewhat boring. That's better than being stuck with a job that is also boring AND is low-paying, which is what plenty of other college graduates get. Engineering is, if anything, the risk-averse choice.</p>
<p>well put sakky</p>
<p>and when you do shoot for higher risk engineering careers, you've got a nice starting tee.</p>
<p>hey,</p>
<p>I've heard that consulting has very low job security but that it does indeed pay well. So I was wondering if someone with a degree in EE can then fall back as an electrical engineer in case he or she gets fired from his or her consulting job for whatever reason.</p>
<p>Also, what fields, besides IT consulting (I've heard the market is ESPECIALLY unstable here), in consulting can someone do with an EE, and either double major in EE/Econ or major in EE and minor in Econ?</p>
<p>What about goverment jobs? Engineers who work for New York City make a very good living, get very good benefits and are always claiming hundreds of hours in overtime every month at high pay rates.</p>