need help in finding a job

[LostCanadian]

Hi,

I am a recent Comp. Eng. grad from an Ontario University. I also have more than sixteen months coop experience. Problem is i am having a real hard time finding a full time job...though i never had a serious problem finding a coop.

One of the reasons is that i dont like programming. I can do it but dont really enjoy it and am not that great in it either. So far i have more than ten interviews and no job. therefore i decided to stop applying to programming jobs.

I was wondering if anyone has faced a situation similar to mine. Any ideas what kind of jobs other than programming would be good for me. I tried workopolis and monster but those sites seem crap. Any suggestions for good job sites for new grads ?

Frankly I realized after 2nd yr that i shouldn't have gone into Comp Eng, but was too lazy to switch and coop money kept me lured. I have been applying to systems analyst and QA jobs, but no interiviews yet. Speaking of interivews do u guys know any good sites for interview prep ?

Thanks,

[commie]

Depending on which university you graduated from, you might want to investigate going through the management consulting field.
Many of the accounting/consulting firms (Deloitte, Accenture,CapGemini,IBM,Ernst&Young,BearingPoint,KPMG,etc..) have entry level consultant/analyst positions where they hire undergrads from engineering, commerce, and comp. science.
You will go through extensive training, typically 2-3 months once you start. Some would called it 'brainwashing'. hehehe
After your training is completed, you will be placed in a practice, with a engineering background, most likely it will be in the Enterprise Applications side (ERP,CRM,etc..)....Where you will be part of the implementation team on Large scale applications, like SAP or Siebel.
There is not much programming involved, mostly modifications, and reports, etc...With SAP there might be more with their own scripting language.
Once you are more experienced(1-2 years) and develop more knowledge of the business, you might choose to move to the strategy/process design area, where you help clients come up with their IT process or design. No programming here.
Or you can get involve with project management. The options are really limitless with the amount of training they give you. Plus, you are doing new things with each project, typically projects last 4 to 6 months.

[boxingday_forever]

I have the same problem. I just graduated from computer science major in Apr. and I had 16-month co-op experience too. However, I've been desperately looking for a job (most of them are programming and QA) for more than one month, still no interview yet. Any suggestion?

[AnimeEd]

don't be picky guys
get what you can and then switch when you get the chance

[conundrumfp]

don't be picky guys
get what you can and then switch when you get the chance

That's the whole problem, isn't it.
In the earlys 90s, you could get an IT job with no special training whatsoever.
The late 90s, with training, but even with bad grades.
The early 00s, with co-op, but according to the above, even that's not enough anymore.

To get an IT job these days, you'll either have to know someone who can give you a job, or:

Make a list of companies who you think may have IT people, approach them with your resume, in person, and tell them what you have to offer. That may not sound like much fun, but that's the way it is.
Ads are a complete waste of time. By then there are way too many people looking.

[nano]

rule number 1 of job hunting


dont look on workopolis, monster or any other job sites.

i just graduated from college and i got 2 job offers one at my coop placement and the one i took as a wireless technician with a small company north of toronto.

you gotta look for jobs in unconventional ways, cold calls, informational interviews, you might want to join a few professional associations. the best jobs are never advertised and most decision makers dont have time to intewview people they rather hire someone they know

[lqd_ice]

welcome to the club..
.

[toalan]

nano is right, you gotta be creative. Honestly if your ex co-op employers did not offer you a job after graduation you must have done something wrong, I thought most places would die to hire a new grad that already had a good history working for them.

[UrbanPoet]

nano is right, you gotta be creative. Honestly if your ex co-op employers did not offer you a job after graduation you must have done something wrong, I thought most places would die to hire a new grad that already had a good history working for them.


maybe the fault he admiited to as being a medicore programer is his downfall.
Arent engineers suppose to be good @ that?

[toalan]

Sorry for my last post, in hindsight it was more a dagger in your back than any legit advice.

My personal experience with Monster was pretty bad. When I graduated I already signed an offer with a company, but decided to see what else was available. I put up a profile looking for a hardware job, I forgot about it and 4 years later I log back in and see zero people interested in me. I had like 50 profile views but no messages or anything.

Anyways Congrats on you finishing your degree, comp eng is a tough program. If I could go back in time I would of taken a year off to see the world, but I understand how bad it is for new grads without a job.

I started out in the power industry and it is a decent sector to work in. Try applying to OPG, the IMO, and Hydro One.

[peterbrowne]

Your options are limited to:
1) Job Sites
2) Become A Realtor (what I would do!!!!!!!!!!!) - PM Me for The How To
3) Go Homeless

[Rehan]

You should've learned a lot more in Comp. Eng. than just programming...in fact, that should not have been the focus of it at all.

You've mentioned what you don't like (programming), but what is it that interests you most? That is the most important question to ask when choosing a job/career. If you could create your 'perfect job', what would it be?


There are lots of techie opportunities that don't require you to be a total geek. commie suggested some. A couple of my former engineering classmates are now working in Ernst & Young's SR&ED consulting practice (http://www.ey.com/GLOBAL/content.nsf/Canada/Tax_-_SRED_-_Overview), so that's another.

[elty]

about being in the management consultant field: in general what are the company looking for? Also, what is the difference between a business analyst and a consultant?

[LostCanadian]

Yeah you are rite, Comp. Eng is not just about programming. It has a heavy emphsis on digital and analogue electronics. But I dont know where the hell to find those analagoue and digital jobs for new grads. I havent seen a single hardware job posting, where they dont ask for at least 2 years of experience in the electronics field.

For my interests, I am definitely good in math. I enjoyed couple economics courses at university but they were basic, so dont know if finance is really a field for me. Actually i took one course about organizational design (production, supply chain stuff), i really liked. But to be honest, i feel like my undergrad program never let me have enough time to think and focus on what i really want.

Anyways these financial companies still sound cool. What is the best way to apply for those jobs. Any suggestions why they would hire engineers over business ppl?

thanks for the help though.



You should've learned a lot more in Comp. Eng. than just programming...in fact, that should not have been the focus of it at all.

You've mentioned what you don't like (programming), but what is it that interests you most? That is the most important question to ask when choosing a job/career. If you could create your 'perfect job', what would it be?


There are lots of techie opportunities that don't require you to be a total geek. commie suggested some. A couple of my former engineering classmates are now working in Ernst & Young's SR&ED consulting practice (http://www.ey.com/GLOBAL/content.nsf/Canada/Tax_-_SRED_-_Overview), so that's another.

[gman]

Yeah you are rite, Comp. Eng is not just about programming. It has a heavy emphsis on digital and analogue electronics. But I dont know where the hell to find those analagoue and digital jobs for new grads. I havent seen a single hardware job posting, where they dont ask for at least 2 years of experience in the electronics field.

For my interests, I am definitely good in math. I enjoyed couple economics courses at university but they were basic, so dont know if finance is really a field for me. Actually i took one course about organizational design (production, supply chain stuff), i really liked. But to be honest, i feel like my undergrad program never let me have enough time to think and focus on what i really want.

Anyways these financial companies still sound cool. What is the best way to apply for those jobs. Any suggestions why they would hire engineers over business ppl?

thanks for the help though.


Did you try ATI? .... assuming you like to do hardware.

[LostCanadian]

Well one of my coop employers told me they are looking for one person but they need someone with at least 5-6 yrs non-coop experience. one of the company i worked for has been firing ppl instead of hiring them. And for the govt organization i worked for... they need approval from four levels of management before they can hire a full time person.

nano is right, you gotta be creative. Honestly if your ex co-op employers did not offer you a job after graduation you must have done something wrong, I thought most places would die to hire a new grad that already had a good history working for them.

[toalan]

I know you said you hate programming, god knows I hate programming, actually I absolutely loath programming due to all the different standards each progamming language has and its sheilding of the hardware from the programmer. But I really love embedded systems, programming for microcontrollers is lots of fun, but once I have to do it for a PC then it becomes a chore.

It is funny because in undergrad, I hated Matlab with a passion. In fact I would always pick someone with a strong matlab programming background for lab partners so that I would do all the analytical work and the other person would be the code monkey. Now at work I love matlab, I only use matlab for all my programming needs. It is not always practical to use matlab but it is the only language for the PC that I like.

It may suprise you but Matlab is used in many industries where math is required. If you ever get the chance look at the financial tool box in matlab, it is an absolute powerhouse.

So when you say you hate programming, you might not have had enough exposure to different languages and platforms. I hope you do not acutally hate all programming or your options will be severly limited. At one point every comp eng was just a code monkey.

[simms]

ATI is defeinetely one place where you may want to cold call.

I've heard cold calling works, so you might want to give it a shot.

[biosh]

It's time to fly the coop - perhaps you could start your own business - lots of people have home networks these days - maybe you could install, organize, and optimize them...

[nano]

talk to your family and friends let them know you're looking for a job

[UrbanPoet]

talk to your family and friends let them know you're looking for a job

how do you know his/her family has these kinda hookups?

[Mint]

You should've learned a lot more in Comp. Eng. than just programming...in fact, that should not have been the focus of it at all.

You've mentioned what you don't like (programming), but what is it that interests you most? That is the most important question to ask when choosing a job/career. If you could create your 'perfect job', what would it be?


There are lots of techie opportunities that don't require you to be a total geek. commie suggested some. A couple of my former engineering classmates are now working in Ernst & Young's SR&ED consulting practice (http://www.ey.com/GLOBAL/content.nsf/Canada/Tax_-_SRED_-_Overview), so that's another.
I think so too. You should try to decide what you really enjoy. As it will help narrow down the different companies you want to apply to and your interest will also show during the interviews.

I sorta went through the same thing. I graduated in 2004 from mech eng at ryerson. In my 4th year I went into the thermodynamics stream and really ended up hating it (I should have went to solid mechanics). And although, it was only one year in that stream i felt it made things difficult for job hunting.

I applied to many solid mechanics jobs and for the interviews i did get, i usually got past the 1st one (which is usually HR, where they ask the behavioral stuff/scenario stuff). But when i got to the 2nd interview (usually the engineers/pro managers), i didnt really have any thing to show them. I didnt have previous work experience, my Thesis was a thermo thesis, and my big projects were all thermo projects.

For the thermo jobs i applied to, again i usually got past the 1st one and also had a lot of relative experience, but during the 2nd one i found i couldnt force myself to 'show that i was interested'.

So i was doing non-engineering work for a year. My advice, is the same as rehan. Find what you want to do and assess what you need to get the job. ex: take some extra courses or volunteer in that area. And try to stay positive, i'm assumming you just graduated so its only been a month! + you're still young :).

For me, i'm heading back to ryerson to do my masters (although i would have definitely preferred some work experience). And this time im doing something im interested in (bio/mechanical stuff). the MASc is funded, so its not bad (only opportunity lost) and not adding to the osap debt.

[nano]

how do you know his/her family has these kinda hookups?
everyone knows someone that knows someone... remember were all connected

[me!]

don't set your expectations too high. everyone starts at the bottom and works their way up. ONly the lucky few get a head start and get the prime jobs.

nothing wrong in doing basic stuff. But at least try to do bottom feeding stuff in your field. It would be easier to move up from there.

[Montecore]

talk to your family and friends let them know you're looking for a job
you cant just assume all people have family and friends , some of us lead sheltered lives .

[UrbanPoet]

you cant just assume all people have family and friends , some of us lead sheltered lives .

hjahaha im imagining trying to get my family and friends to hook me up.
so lets see... Factory worker, whare house, factory, small electronics company... more ppl working in small electronics companies...
drug dealers... loan shark... bookies..... erm... ppl still in college/university...

see it doesnt work that way -_-

[Montecore]

hjahaha im imagining trying to get my family and friends to hook me up.

well at least you got family and friends , most people cant be bothered to refer or network for the fear of rejection .

[UrbanPoet]

well at least you got family and friends , most people cant be bothered to refer or network for the fear of rejection .

poor monte
http://img161.echo.cx/img161/4029/console8xj.gif (http://www.imageshack.us)

[webdoctors]

teach english in Korea for a year, it'll expose U to different engineering environments.

[gnunn]

A company I used to work for here in Toronto called Workbrain (http://www.workbrain.com) has an opening for a QA Analyst specifically targetted at new grads. They seem to be one of the few companies out there advertising positions specifically targetted at new graduates.

[bluga]

I am having the same problem too, I just graduated from Comp Eng. and I am still jobless for more than a month now.

[webdoctors]

I am having the same problem too, I just graduated from Comp Eng. and I am still jobless for more than a month now.

relax dude, i have frnds who graduated last yr and just got a job last week....prepare for a long N hard search , GL

[mrspuff]

poor monte
http://img161.echo.cx/img161/4029/console8xj.gif (http://www.imageshack.us)


ahahahha......i love the comforting face moving towards the other face. never seen that before. how cute. RFD needs to expand their list of faces to choose from.