<p>Jobless claims came in at 395,000 marking the first number under 400K (that wasn’t revised) in several months. Hiring picked up in July though the debt-ceiling issues could certainly dampen things for August.</p>
<p>Jobless claims back over 400K today. Stock market got killed, problems in Europe, Philly Fed report today was awful, reports EU and US might slip back into recession. Despite the bad news, I see a pickup in job postings in the job boards, from son’s school and from recruiters. It appears that companies are coming out of the summer lull - at least for tech jobs.</p>
<p>I read the comments and “sewhappy” is dead-on. I am an engineer with about 11 years of experience. The early years were tough. I graduated into a recession back in the 90s, and I was unemployed when I got my bachelor’s from a prestigious university. So I went to graduate school and studied biomedical engineering. After that, I still had a tough time with a job search until I chose to focus on electronic medical software. My 1st real engineering job was with software engineering and electronic medical records. That only lasted a couple of months until I was laid off. The programming was extreme - about 100000 lines of C code. Then I went onto a job with medical robotics and firmware engineering. The project required C++. From that, I went on a gradual upswing on different projects and got multiple raises and promotions each time. Then the recession of 2000 hit. I spent about a year on the brink then just chose to most from the west to the east out of desparation for a job. But I got a new job in medical software. I earned another master’s to study government regulations and was employed in the same place for nine years. I am now heavily inundated with calls from technical recruiters. My dual background in healthcare regulations and a strong foundation in medical engineering and software have me under ridiculously high demand. The job market is hot for biomedical engineers who have strong software knowledge and at least a few years experience - the more the better. My 11 years put me in hot demand by tech recruiters. I get emails and calls every week. It gets annoying after awhile. I have a high paying consulting job right now that allows me to telecommute.</p>
<p>But the early years were tough. I remember digging ditches in between projects. I’ve done that in extreme heat of the southwestern desert and the extreme cold of the mountains. I was watching that movie “Office Space” when the main character Peter was digging scrap metal at the end. He was an engineer doing labor after his project ended. That reminds me of the early days of my career. I can laugh about it now, but back then it was horrible.</p>
<p>My advice is to take that excellent foundation in mechatronics and focus on software while working on a master’s degree in biomedical engineering. If your son learns embedded software for firmware engineering and stepper motors the job market will be hot. His demand will be high. Here are the fundamental skills.
- embedded C/C++ on unix
- FDA regulations
- human biological sciences like anatomy and physiology
- testing skills for medical device software like unit testing, code reviews, design reviews, use cases, test cases, etc.
- electronic medical records from the view of systems engineering
- a thesis in radiology, minimally invasive surgery, etc.
- some additional master’s work in wireless engineering for medical devices</p>
<p>The job market is extremely great right now for biomedical engineers with the right skills.</p>
<p>The best thing to do is go to [Dice.com</a> - Job Search for Technology Professionals](<a href=“http://www.dice.com%5DDice.com”>http://www.dice.com) and search these key words
- FDA
- GMP
- 21 CFR
- medical device
- embedded C
- unit testing C++
- unit testing C#
- device driver
- robotics</p>
<p>Then research these master’s programs that can help with the skills above.
master’s in biomedical engineering
example at Purdue
<a href=“https://engineering.purdue.edu/BME/Academics/BMEGraduateProgram/[/url]”>Academics - Biomedical Engineering - Purdue University;
<p>master’s in medical informatics
example at UC Davis
[Health</a> Informatics Program - UC Davis Health System](<a href=“http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/informatics/]Health”>Health Informatics | UC Davis Health)</p>
<p>master’s in regulator affairs for FDA
example at UW
[UW</a> Professional Master of Science in Biomedical Regulatory Affairs](<a href=“http://www.biomedreg.uw.edu/]UW”>http://www.biomedreg.uw.edu/)</p>
<p>I studied FDA laws for my 2nd master’s for government regulations. It helps me right now. This whole response emphasizes a multi-disciplinary approach from different aspects of engineering (hardware/software) and the field of healthcare regulations. It will sound unorthodox, but that’s why it works. Not a lot of engineers go that route. I figured that out on my own after the early years of tough unemployment periods. So now I am constantly in demand with high paying engineering jobs. The tech recruiters have been annoying me lately with their constant phone calls and emails about jobs they want me to work with.</p>
<p>Son had an interview at a very nice company in Cambridge yesterday. I went over the interview with him afterwards and I pointed out his errors. One of the problems was the same problem that he had in a 4-hour job interview earlier this year (we think that he would have gotten the job except for that issue). His approach to teamwork in school projects is to often do the entire project himself when it looks like other team members aren’t meeting milestones. He couldn’t come up with team programming projects where he didn’t do most of the work himself. I recalled one team project from a university programming competition where he worked in a team and told him to use that as his “teamwork story” in the future. He had forgotten about that as it wasn’t a class project.</p>
<p>First time unemployment claims were higher than expected this week - mostly due to the Verizon strike. The strike is over now so those people are hopefully back to work. I still see lots of job postings but son is planning on continuing grad school if he doesn’t get the job that he just interviewed for.</p>
<p>I haven’t posted here in a while but thought I would chime in.
S left on Tuesday for an ESL teaching job in Shanghai. He has a year long contract.
He speaks Mandarin and was not having much luck in job hunting prior to his graduation in June. He’s double major East Asian Studies and Economics.
He took an ESL certification course over the summer, had a few interviews and he’s off!
I’m sure this time will also fill some of his wanderlust urgings.
He’s making a fair amount of money for China and thinks he can save some $ for grad school. I highly doubt that will actually happen. 
I think a lot of travel is in his future.</p>
<p>I hope he has a blast! I know another young woman who met the man she later married while teaching English in China. She had taken Mandarin thru HS & college. She & he are now in Taiwan, again teaching English. 
I hope your S has a great time! It is amazing how quickly money disappears while on travel. :)</p>
<p>It is hard for many of our kids to talk about teamwork if they end up doing the lions share because other team members don’t pull their weight. Good that you talked with him about positive examples he can point to where the team really DID work and produce more than otherwise would have been possible.</p>
<p>Sorry I didn’t reply to all the suggestions, I embarrassed myself complaining and was afraid to come back. XD</p>
<p>Right now, it’s looking like I’d have to get a second job at around 20 hours a week (assuming minimum wage) in order to make the bare minimum for a safe-ish apartment, and with my autism I’m just not comfortable loading myself up with that much work-- I am already occupied from 6am to 7pm by my current job, and if I don’t get that time to myself to recharge I get into trouble. I looked into getting roommates but the expenses that are killing me are things that wouldn’t be split-- it costs me over $320 a month just for gasoline for my car not doing any driving besides to work and back, and there’s car insurance, and my loan payments are going to be over $500 a month. Right now with all my projected expenses taken care of I only have $200 a month left that could go toward rent, and utilities aren’t that much to begin with so splitting them doesn’t help much. I’m not trying to factor in any serious extravagances here-- no internet or cable, an old junker of a car because there is no mass transit, teeny tiny apartment, no non-essentials factored in at all. But it’s just not happening right now. My parents offered to pay for my cell and car insurance and I’m still several hundred dollars off.</p>
<p>As I’ve mentioned, my relationship with my parents is a bit tense. If I end up getting into trouble I’m going to ask my grandparents if I can stay with them for a while. They live only a mile or two away from my work and they have the space, but it would cause a big fight between them and my dad if they took me in so I can’t really go there unless something is going on that is already going to cause a fight.</p>
<p>I’m making do. I love my job and I’m making friends for the first time in my life. I feel like people who say college are the best years of your life must not have ever graduated or done anything else! I’m making pretty good money since I only have to pay gasoline, health insurance, and student loans while I’m at my parents. I’m taking advantage of the cash flow to get myself some things I needed for my room and that I will need for an apartment someday-- unfortunately I had to throw a lot out because my parents wouldn’t let me keep things, but I got myself a much needed new bed and a dresser. I’m hoping to get a newer used car at some point that’ll get less atrocious gas mileage to cut that bill down, and so the threat of $1000+ repair bills won’t be hanging over my head so much as it does now. Then my plan is to just save as much as I can so I can try and take a big chunk out of my loans all at once so I can get my payment down lower. If it weren’t for that loan I’d make more than enough to live very, very comfortably in this area (scout’s right-- Michigan), but that payment is going to be choking me for a while. </p>
<p>It is what it is, I guess! I’m trying to make the best of it. Keeping my eye out for potential roommates/carpool buddies at work!</p>
<p>Emaheevul07 – I continue to be impressed at your competence. It hasn’t been an easy path, but you’re doing it one step at a time. Bravo!</p>
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<p>Our son has done a few interviews in the Boston area which is quite far from our home but my mother lives in the area near a convenient MBTA (light rail) station so living with her might be an option. Should would probably welcome the company along with having someone tall and strong around.</p>
<p>I am a planner and can get overwhelmed when it becomes apparent that my plan is not going to work, which is what my post before last was-- though I wasn’t blowing anything out of proportion, it really is just that bad. I was diagnosed with clinical depression as a ten year old (and most definitely had it) and a lot of it was linked to living in this house and in this environment, and everybody kept telling me to just hold on, life with your parents is not forever, all you have to do is finish school and get a good job and you’ll be out. So I took it very, very hard to realize that I am still going to be stuck here for what will most likely be a period of several years-- I was expecting that in school but got my hopes up when I found out I’d be making so much more money than I’d expected. It’s hard for me to see sometimes that I really WILL be out someday. I was so much better off mentally when I was living in the dorms and had some space between me and my parents, it was hard to get that taste and then come back to this and know that I have no idea when it will ever change. I might not be able to make enough money to move until I get married and can combine incomes with someone, which may not even happen, those are the kinds of things weighing on my mind. But I have to try and think smaller for now and focus on the little things until the bigger ones are better. Back into the survival mode I lived in in high school.</p>
<p>I ended my engagement around the same time I found out about the financial situation, too, which was a bit of a kick to the face. He went from being a guy that never raised his voice or called me names or ever lost his temper at all, to a guy that screamed at me over little things and kicked and punched furniture. I was afraid of what would happen if I happened to be standing too close when he went into one of those rages. I suspect alcohol abuse. I was fully and 100% committed to the relationship but there are just some things I won’t do. </p>
<p>It’s really a good thing that I got my job when I did. Having a solid steady income, my health insurance, something to do every day, and blossoming friendships is really what’s making this tolerable. It has been a hell of a couple weeks. :(</p>
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<p>Definitely good that you found this out before getting married.</p>
<p>I moved in and out from home until around 25 when my consulting gig was converted to a full-time job and there was relatively inexpensive and quality housing nearby. I think that opportunities will come but you have to be patient for them. I had a lot of career growth between 20 and 25 and I think that is common in the early twenties. It sounds like you have a good gig right now with growth in the future.</p>
<p>Emaheevul07 , I too have been following your story here and am so very impressed with your maturity in navigating difficult issues in your path.</p>
<p>I’m a parent of a 25 yr old recent grad and can understand your challenges in starting your new life. Hang in there and continue taking one step at a time.
You have what it takes and I know you will succeed.</p>
<p>I’m not understanding why you don’t move in with your grandparent. If you have a tense relationship with your parents, you should leave - amicably. “Hey Mom and Dad, I think I’m going to go keep grandma and grandpa company for a while. They get a little lonely, and I will save $200 a month on gas costs alone.” You mentioned your grandparents live only a mile or two from your work!</p>
<p>Emaheevul;
I’m sorry about your family drama. Remember: You may get raises in the future so your stay at your folks’ may not be as long as you fear. Let’s just hope housing and other prices don’t go up! It would sure be great if you could live with your grandparents, however. . . .</p>
<p>I was a sociology major when dinosaurs roamed the earth and have forgotten what little math skills I once had so I can’t work backward from that $500+/month figure. For future reference and reality check, I am wondering what total student debt load generates payments that high. My daughter is unlikely to major in a STEM field, and I know she will have to take out some student loans.</p>
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<p>In most families (I hope), parents want what is best for their
children but there are families that want control over their kids
or expect their children (or their spouses) to provide services
for the parents. Emaheevul seems to have parents that want to
control some aspects of her life - this stuff happens.</p>
<p>My parents would completely lose it if I tried to leave. They pretend nothing is wrong and get really offended if I suggest otherwise. It would cause world war III in the entire extended family if I tried to stay with any of the relatives. Moving into an apartment, if I could afford it, would be fine-- involving others not so much.</p>
<p>As for the debt load, I have somewhere between 50 and 55k-- I forget the exact amount, eventually it just turns into “too much.” Long story short I didn’t qualify for financial aid because of my parents income, struggled mightily with LDs in high school and didn’t do well enough for scholarships, and my parents saved nothing for my education. My guidance counselor told me college was too important not to go and I believed her, so I worked my way through community college (debt free) and transferred to my flagship (decidedly NOT debt free). Jury is still out on whether or not I’m a complete moron for doing that. It’s been made pretty clear my alma mater is why I got the job I did, so I guess it’s not all bad. Probably wouldn’t do that twice for obvious reasons.</p>
<p>They mentioned an annual increase in pay when they hired me, and I’m starting off with no experience in the industry so I feel like I have a LOT of room for growth in these next few years as I do gain experience. I’m also in the unit that’s the most lucrative by far. I need to be making a pretty significantly larger salary to make it but it has to happen for me sooner or later.</p>
<p>You can take ad hoc weekend jobs–house sitting, babysitting, dog walking, etc. It’ll give you a little more breathing room in your budget.</p>
<p>So my d. (the international accountant) just got offered a part-time job by KPMG where she can set her own hours, work as many as she likes, and make almost $30/hour. (She already accepted a full-time job with them to begin next August, after her year of grad school.) She can also make $300-$400 a night playing the piano at area piano bars and wineries. </p>
<p>Sometimes these things have a way of working themselves out, and sometimes not. My mother just told me about a friend’s son - a 26-year mechanical engineer (prestige college degree) with a baby who was let go (not for cause) six months ago (in Florida) and can’t even get an interview. (And he can’t move 'cause he takes care of his elderly mom to boot.) Sigh.</p>
<p>Thank you to all who were crossing fingers for Dragongirl2’s interview. She just finished week one on her new job! It’s in her field, has benefits. Salary is fine for a non-profit (and since she lives cheap and wants to save the world, non-profit was her goal) Alumni networking got her the interview, which got her the job.
Unfortunately her piano playing is good but not good enough to make $300 in tips on a Saturday night.</p>
<p>EMa,
What if you stayed with your grandparents during the week (you could say for convenience as you need to work longer hours, special training, whatever excuse you can come up with), and came home (for a while) on weekends, or at least stayed random weeks with your grandparents until it became not a big deal either way?</p>
<p>You should be so proud of yourself!</p>