I graduate in May with a Mechanical Engineering Degree
So, I am in my final semester and I am currently searching for a full-time job. The search has been tedious with almost no tangible results. I struggle to even get interviews with my resume. I have had 3 internships in different roles with different companies. Yet, I am unable to make ground. I go to the University of Houston, my GPA is about a 3.55. I interned at Whirlpool as a Mechanical Engineer. I also interned at ITW as a Quality Engineer. I am currently interning at Cummins as a Mechanical Design Engineer. I look at the job description for roles like Product Development, Program Management, and Project Management. They look like roles I believe I am capable of performing well. So my question is, how do I standout to recruiters?
Mechanical engineer with 9 yoe here. Don’t even bother product development or program management roles. What qualifies you for those roles ? I am capable of Tim Cook’s role but I am sure they are never going to call me even if I apply. You need to start as associate design engineer and work it out for 5ish years and then move into project management.
ME here with 7 yoe. I concur with the what the other guy said. I'd get a few years of design experience before trying for a PM role. Even if you manage to land a PM job, you'll drown. Its a job that requires asking the right questions to gather the correct requirements. As a new grad you dont know what questions to ask or how stuff will be impacted down the line with certain decisions being made.
Learn coding and say bye bye to mechanical. Become computer mechanical or learn electrical and become electro mechanical. Mechanical engineering has gone to shit.
Look into Milwaukee Tool. Incredible company with a strong early talent program and amazing culture.
I can tell you Cummins has a lot of open positions right now. I would be surprised if they don’t offer you a full time role after your internship. Maybe it isn’t your dream, but you’ll atleast have something to fall back on. And that is a big advantage. And I agree with the above comments. Not easy getting into those roles as a new grad. (They sound cool I can tell you that :) coz I was thinking on similar lines at one point ) I would recommend getting a few years of experience and building on those skills needed for get into PM.
Do you need sponsorship? There are many companies hire new grad but don't sponsor visa
Raytheon and Lockheed Martin hire a lot in Texas and constantly have positions open. Boeing has quite a few open too. What sort of mechanical work are you looking at doing?
Are you working through your school's placement office? If not, do so. When my daughter graduated with a BS-ME/MS-AE her female and POC classmates found jobs before their caucasian male peers, but within 6 months of graduation everyone had a job. Hang in there, keep applying, and take anything to get your foot in the door. The economy is heading into a recession so you will want to find something sooner than later.
Why do you say recession? Source?
Don’t trust this guy! “Before Caucasian male peers” Okay! Send me your resume if you are willing to move to Bay Area and you have strong fundamentals of engineering
I agree that having experience before going into PM is good, but I will say that I don’t think it’s necessary. If you have the drive to learn and a good team to support you, you will be fine. That being said, it’s difficult getting hired into those roles without prior experience. I was hired straight into a project management role out of college and sometimes I do wish I had more technical experience and other times I think about the people I work with who do have the technical background that aren’t as effective as a PM as I am. Follow your dreams :) but also don’t feel bad if you have to take a position that you’re not fully passionate about as your first job and work your way from there.
Are you applying for mechanical engineering jobs ? And why didnt you just full time at the place you interned?
Yes, I apply for Mechanical engineering roles. Genuinely, there are different reasons and personal constraints. For example, at whirlpool I did not like the company culture. Plus, I did not feel like I could make a change by working on Washers and Dryers. I have targeted companies I am trying to get an interview at because of the company’s structure and how they treat their employees. My current targets are Meta, Apple, Tesla, Rivian, Lucid, Microsoft, and Google. In no order, those are my dream companies.
Beggars can’t be choosers…those companies all get 50+ applicants per job posting. Try applying to the Michigan based automotive companies and work your way up from there.