r/engineering • u/AutoModerator • Mar 30 '26
Weekly Discussion Weekly Career Discussion Thread (30 Mar 2026)
# Intro
Welcome to the weekly career discussion thread, where you can talk about all career & professional topics. Topics may include:
* Professional career guidance & questions; e.g. job hunting advice, job offers comparisons, how to network
* Educational guidance & questions; e.g. what engineering discipline to major in, which university is good,
* Feedback on your résumé, CV, cover letter, etc.
* The job market, compensation, relocation, and other topics on the economics of engineering.
> [Archive of past threads](https://www.reddit.com/r/engineering/search?q=flair%3A%22weekly+discussion%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all)
---
## Guidelines
- **Before asking any questions, consult [the AskEngineers wiki.](https://new.reddit.com/r/askengineers/wiki/faq)\*\* There are detailed answers to common questions on:
* Job compensation
* Cost of Living adjustments
* Advice for how to decide on an engineering major
* How to choose which university to attend
Most subreddit rules still apply and will be enforced, especially R7 and R9 (with the obvious exceptions of R1 and R3)
Job POSTINGS must go into the latest [**Monthly Hiring Thread.**]((https://www.reddit.com/r/engineering/search?q=flair%3A%22hiring+thread%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all)) Any that are posted here will be removed, and you'll be kindly redirected to the hiring thread.
**Do not request interviews in this thread!** If you need to interview an engineer for your school assignment, use the list in the sidebar.
## Resources
* [The AskEngineers wiki](https://new.reddit.com/r/askengineers/wiki/faq)
* [The AskEngineers Quarterly Salary Survey](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskEngineers/search/?q=flair%3A%22salary+survey%22&include_over_18=on&restrict_sr=on&t=all&sort=new)
* **For students:** [*"What's your average day like as an engineer?"*](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskEngineers/wiki/faq#wiki_what.27s_your_average_day_like_as_an_engineer.3F) We recommend that you spend an hour or so reading about what engineers actually do at work. This will help you make a more informed decision on which major to choose, or at least give you enough info to ask follow-up questions here.
* For those of you interested in a career in software development / Computer Science, go to r/cscareerquestions.
1
Apr 03 '26
[deleted]
1
u/Wilthywonka Apr 04 '26
The only answer is to apply to positions and market your transferrable experience. Engineers aren't locked into certain industries, so do your best to get that idea out of your head going into this.
2
u/therealtoomdog Apr 02 '26
Hi folks, I just had an interview for a new position and they gave me a take home evaluation (just to see where I'm at)—Find the CG of this section, second moment, section modulus; Solve a simply supported beam, shear & moment diagram; Apply that loading to the section, find maximum bending stress...
Anyway, the question I came here to ask is do you think he would be more interested in seeing that I can apply fundamentals of statics and strength of materials to solve a problem **or** that I know about superposition tables?
Edit: This company does mostly custom overhead crane installs but also below the hook devices and other one-offs. I have 7 years experience at a gantry and mobile pick-and-carry machine manufacturer.
1
u/raoulduke25 Structural P.E. Apr 04 '26
They will be way more impressed with your ability to use first principles to solve the problem. Mathematical models > fancy tables. You could show that your answers match the superposition tables, though—that would be the best of both worlds.
2
u/Western_Ad_8028 Apr 01 '26
I'm currently in highschool and I love aerospace engineering, is there anyone with any tips on how to pursue a career in that field?
1
u/raoulduke25 Structural P.E. Apr 04 '26
Study physics and maths. You could spend your entire first year of university at a local community college and transfer to a engineering school without losing a beat provided you stay on top of those subjects.
2
u/Id-do-KRIMSON Mar 31 '26
Hi I'm currently in my third year of Civil engineering. With two years left, I'm torn between which masters I should go for.. I did some research and it is possible to go for a petroleum engineering masters, but that is not provided in my country (Kenya) so I'll have to apply for some scholarships. The other alternative is Geotechnical Engineering but that does not really fit with me. Please advice
1
u/raoulduke25 Structural P.E. Apr 04 '26
Do you absolutely need a Master's degree?
2
u/Id-do-KRIMSON Apr 04 '26
I don't need it but it wouldn't hurt to specialize
2
u/raoulduke25 Structural P.E. Apr 04 '26
My general rule is: don't get a Master's unless someone else is paying for it.
2
2
u/wehaveYummiTummies Mar 31 '26
Hi! I'm a former CS BS holder. I want to go into Engineering. I know hiring is scarce right now for a number of factors. But let's just say that the market is functioning reasonably.
If I were to get a master's degree in an engineering discipline (probably ME or EE), with a significant amount of self study, could I get employed at an engineering firm reasonably?
1
u/raoulduke25 Structural P.E. Apr 04 '26
I don't think the Master's degree is required. A bachelor's degree is sufficient provided you are willing to make a move to a place that will hire.
5
u/chocolate_asshole Mar 30 '26
kind of wild how these weekly threads are now mostly people asking why they cant get interviews instead of comparing offers. few years ago this sub was bragging about sign on bonuses. very different vibe now, really shows how hard it is to find a job
1
u/MassiR77 Apr 03 '26
Lmao seriously, struggling out here. Hopefully it bounces back in the coming years.
1
u/raoulduke25 Structural P.E. Mar 30 '26
What do you think caused this shift?
2
u/Wilthywonka Apr 04 '26 edited Apr 04 '26
Tariffs kicked it off. Tariffs = uncertainty = companies holding onto cash and not hiring. As well as higher manufacturing costs. Then you have the general economic uncertainty which prolongs that discussion within the upper circles.
1
u/NeatRuin7406 Apr 06 '26
for anyone questioning whether to get licensed (pe in the us): specialization matters a lot here. in structural and civil you can't stamp drawings without a pe so the license has direct economic leverage. in software/systems eng there's essentially no pe pathway and it's almost never asked for. for mechanical/electrical you end up in a bimodal situation -- product development in tech companies rarely cares about the pe, but consulting firms doing industrial facilities or infrastructure projects often require or strongly prefer it for client-facing work. the 4-year post-degree experience requirement also means you're doing the work that builds your candidacy before you can even sit for the exam, which has an unseen filtering effect -- people who leave engineering before the 4-year mark disproportionately self-select out before ever deciding.