So about me
I am a physics and aerospace engineering major at a big 10 school.
I have 3 years of internship experience in science and technical fields.
I always have outstanding reviews from supervisors.
Marginal gpa
Since adding my aerospace engineering I have been applying to internships for the past 5 months (100+ applications) and haven’t heard back from anyone. I have applied everywhere from big aero companies to small engineering firms, and I haven’t even got a phone interview. I am upset I don’t even get a chance anywhere.
Is engineering really that hard to get a job in?
Given that, if I were to ever get a job, engineers seem to be treated worse than any other employee in a company.
So what should I do?
Are there careers where any amount of hard work and cleverness pays off, is business one?
Am I alone on thinking this?
And if not then why do smart people ever pursue engineering?
Have I been tricked?
You have to find the right employer or accept that you may have to work in some other specialty within engineering.
There are only so many firms like Boeing.
I am not set on working in exclusively aerospace. I really don’t care at this point as long as I am able to use my brain and at least some skills I have learned. My previous internships are in nuclear physics research, materials research and management
Let’s take a step back from the ledge, my friend. I am reasonably sure that the fact that you added engineering as a major has nothing to do with your internship woes right now. Why do I say that? Because I see tons of my own students getting internships every summer, tons of my friends getting them back when I was in school at the height of the recession, and I talk to companies all the time who tell me they are so short on engineering talent they will hire literally any type of engineer to fill roles as long as they can be taught how to do their job. I’d suggest looking for something else to blame other than “engineering” here.
Where does this statement come from? This hasn’t been my experience, nor have I ever heard anyone claim this until right this moment.
I have no idea if business would qualify for that, but careers like that exist aplenty within engineering.
I don’t know about alone, but certainly in the minority.
I’d say probably because it can be challenging but also very rewarding, it generally involves a relatively high, stable salary, and there are lots of jobs available.
That’s hard to say since we know next to nothing about you, your situation, or what sort of preconceived notions you had.
The first step is to stop blaming “engineering” for your woes and objectively assess the situation. I can almost guarantee there is something you either are not telling us or don’t even realize is a factor.
If it begins with a 2, you may be facing an uphill struggle, since, according to NACE, about 70% of employers screen college student applicants by GPA, and 60% of those use a 3.0 cutoff.
Objectively
I have a 3.18 gpa as a dual degree physics and engineering major.
I have a previous internship as an REU researcher at Notre Dame’s nuclear physics facility (left with high recommendations and was sponsored to present the research done there at an international physics conference)
I have a previous internship as a quality operations engineer at Trane.inc where I managed multiple employee s and was responsible for organizing quality procedures for the entire factory campus
I currently am lab technician (not really intern but do the same things) at 3M in material research.
I am involved in physics club and SAE formula club.
Skills: C++, java, Matlab, solidworks, CAD, R, high vacuum system design, gas filtration system design, some electrical design
I have had 4 career counselors look at my resume and approve
So objectively what is missing? Why can’t I get a call from anyone? (And I am applying to everywhere)
Do you have a career placement center at your U? What do they recommend? Have you have your resume reviewed by your career center on campus? Have your practiced interviews at your career center on campus? Do you go to career fairs and go to all interviews you may qualify for on campus?
Often former supervisors can champion workers they really like and see if they can find funding for them to get a permanent position. Have you contacted your former supervisors of your internships about potential openings or any leads they may have for you? Are you willing to relocate and take a job which is perhaps not your ideal but has growth potential?
One of my relative’s nephews got a degree in aviation engineering and had to go back and get another degree in EE so that he could get a job. He absolutely couldn’t get any degree in flying nor anything else with his aviation engineering degree. With the 2 bachelor’s degrees, he was able to get a job with Boeing.
Getting an internship is very competitive and can sometimes simply fall down to random luck. My son has struggled with this too, even though on paper he’s very solid. Last summer he applied to about 40 positions. He was qualified because he got to the tech interview phase at SpaceX, Tesla, and MIT Lincoln Lab. He didn’t land any of them, but they are hyper-competitive positions. He did land a good position, but what was interesting is that he didn’t hear a peep from any of the lesser “safety” companies except the one he landed at…not a word. To add insult to injury, as you know, applying to each one takes a ton of effort. The good news is, the job market, interestingly enough, is far less competitive. Keep applying. Keep your chin up.
Is it worth it for me to stay an extra year for my engineering major or graduate this year with just my physics?
If I did that I would probably go back for comp sci.
I would say I had a similar experience, eyemgh, last year where I heard nothing from the small places I applied but I was interviewed and offered a position at Lawrence Livermore notional laboratory (I had to turn it down unfortunately do to finances)
Is your LinkedIn profile up to date? To be honest I see the same dynamic at my DD school for anyone but CS major and it puzzling me a little. I would think the name of this school would open any door, but her friends in a different engineering majors can’t land an internship for the second year while CS students had multiple offers as early as September their freshman year.
Graduated with an EE degree and never worked a day in my life as an engineer. Couldn’t stand it actually, only finished because of my scholarship. Having said that it did open a lot of other doors for me, so I could find out what I really liked doing (and that is what I do now).
Aerospace engineering may be too specialized and focused on a particular industry with its ups and downs, and where those from other engineering backgrounds (commonly mechanical) can compete for the same jobs. Meanwhile, non-aerospace mechanical engineering employers may believe that an aerospace engineering applicant may leave as soon as s/he finds an aerospace engineering job.
Could you switch to mechanical engineering (perhaps with aerospace electives)?
@CU123 You say you "never worked a day in my life as an engineer. Couldn’t stand it actually. ". In another thread, you say " I am also an engineer (and hire engineers). ". Which is it as your responses are confusing?