Engineering or Technician jobs

poker_face

Hello all,

I need some advice preferably from fellow engineers. I've just graduated from electronic engineering with a 2.1 and I am finding it pretty difficult to find employment. I only started looking this September which didn't me too much favours as alot of graduate positions were filled by that stage. Whilst looking for engineering work I have come across many technician posts. I was just wondering would it be a good move applying for these and hence getting my foot in the door for future engineering positions. Most of these positions require a diploma would it be an advantage/disadvantage being over-qualified. My main concern is that if I am employed as a technician, would it effect my future engineering career in a negative way? I am especially interested in the views of people who were in the position of hiring engineers in the past but all advice is welcome.

Borzoi

I wouldn't hire you for a technician position, as you point out, you're overqualified so you'll be unsatisfied with the job/money and leave when you get a better offer.

If someone did hire you, well any experience on your CV is better then none.

AS you've only started looking in September, you need to relax and bide your time - don't get stressed, you're only looking for two months now

copacetic

I wouldn't take a technician job, it doesn't look at all good on the CV and would be noticed. Hold out for a graduate level job.

However if you are desperate and can't afford to hold out, take one and keep looking, you can always leave that out of your CV and say you were travelling or be creative with the job title. In a few years it isn't going to matter.

Maybe be a bit more flexible about what type of graduate job you are looking for, eg take a software one, as there are a lot more of them around than HW ones. From a quick search on the jobs websites it looks like there are a few positions outside dublin are you willing to move/where are you based.

Finally most companies don't advertise for grads, as you say they have prob all done their recruiting for this year but getting on to all the HR depts of every electronic company is the way to go...

Salmon

Take the Tech position, It looks good on a CV that you have some hands on experience and it will help you no end when it comes to interviews. Also if you are good at what you do in the tech role, you may be offered an Eng position in the company you are in. All I'll say is Qualifications are great, but they dont mean jack unless you have a good work ethic and are prepared to graft and are hands on to some extent!

copacetic

a tech position does not look at all good on a CV. hands on experience as a technician is not the same as hands on experience as an engineer.

It will be obvious that the OP couldn't get a grad job and had to take a tech one, it's not the end of the world but certainly doesn't 'look good'

Salmon

I would disagree! I'm speaking from an industrial background and I know that those who show the initiative to take an entry level position instead of sitting around waiting for things to happen get on better! At the end of the day Tech experience is great exposure to the 'real' world, and this is invaluable when going for job interviews. Also you have to make ends meet, and everyone in the engineering profession is aware that good engineering jobs are hard to come by so the ones I know wouldnt look down on those who began as technicians!

thats my 50 cents!

Eoin

daveym wrote:

a tech position does not look at all good on a CV. hands on experience as a technician is not the same as hands on experience as an engineer.

It will be obvious that the OP couldn't get a grad job and had to take a tech one, it's not the end of the world but certainly doesn't 'look good'

Do you mean that it won't look as good as an engineering job, or it will actually look bad on the CV?

copacetic

eoin_s wrote:

Do you mean that it won't look as good as an engineering job, or it will actually look bad on the CV?

purely that if I am looking at a CV and looking for experience as an engineer the technician part doesn't really count as part of the experience as far as I am concerned. Not that it isn't a good way to learn. It also all depends on the technician position. In electonics these are mostly being told exactly what do do positions with little room for initative...

salmons point of view is valid of course, but the OP did ask would it look bad on the CV and I think it would. I do have a lot of Engineers CVs come across my desk and we get so many it can be a bit unfair maybe to some people how easily there CV is written off.

Eg two people with similar 3-4years experience (min we would normally look at) - all else being equal if one of these guys has 1.5 years as a technician he just lost out...