Best Careers 2009: Engineer

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time is money so utilize in this world and do better work

asifali 12:06PM March 18, 2011

Pipeline engineering is a good field to get into. The market is good since you have constantly aging pipe infrastructure coupled with a growing population and growing needs for pipelines, particularly water and wastewater but also energy. Working for a company like Insituform (www.insituform.com) would be a great career move for many young engineers.

James of MO 5:28PM March 17, 2011

hey i m B.E. civil Enggi. , i want the best career option for future, i want to study but hat can i choose i m confuse in this.

vini 1:40PM January 18, 2011

it would be a terrible move you idiot.

ding dong of AZ 12:43AM January 12, 2011

I am a young boy of 14. choosing career was hard for me,since that was the year i was going to secondary school,but i looked into myself and saw what i am meant to be in future.

Ibrahim olalere of NJ 6:20AM December 27, 2010

Hey Dave:
I, too, am an engineer of an age similar to yours. Being 52 years old, I spent 15 years in my early career being told that I was inexperienced. Now that I am experienced, I am constantly being overlooked for younger inexperienced engineers (???). Additionally, though this comment may not be politically correct, many corporations are overlooking males and intentionally hiring foreigners and women in lieu of even considering who is most qualified.
Engineering is too skill specific and a life time in one job will go no where in even assuring minimal competency in another. Yet, given how specific the field is, the pay is moderate and the stability is terrible. Additionally, there are no standards in engineering: We have 2 years associate degrees, GED grads, Engineering Technology degrees, and so on. Somehow , they are ALL engineers. At Whirlpool, a large portion of the last lay-offs included 4 year BSME Abet people while those with no or minimal education stayed on.
The money is is Law, Medicine and Business, even though these fields are easier to graduate in. I am with you: Get out while you can.

Steve Parish of OH 6:47PM September 01, 2010

I am currently studying veterinary science and have been considering switching to industrial engineering (opposite end of the spectrum, i know.)
don't you think it'd be a good move?

Siobhan 12:35PM August 11, 2010

I am a metallurgical engineer, although with broader experience than in just metals and metallurgy. I am also a dual citizen of Canada and the U.S. and have been out of a job for a year. It is very true that age is a significant factor in the difficulty of obtaining a job, as I am 54 and am regularly ignored for positions I should be getting interviews for. Based on my experiences over the 30 years since I graduated, I would not choose engineering again. Business and marketing are where the money and opportunities are at. It is high school guidance counselors and parents (who have never been in engineering) that push students toward engineering and describe it in wonderful superlatives that it can't possibly measure up to, and doesn't. It's an average occupation that will get you an average standard of living, nothing more. That's if you can survive the recessions and layoffs, which I finally did not.

Dave 3:06PM August 05, 2010

Hey sean of TX. I personally think that you may be a bit mistaken here regarding the salaries vented out to engineers. The problem arises because you are converting the dollar straight away into a lower currency ( like INR or yuan). You are not accounting for the fact that the cost of living here decreases in that order too. I am not talking about something like japan where the rates are just ridiculous. Countries like India for example have a reasonable cost of living index. Average starting salary for an engineer is Rs 320,000 or $8000 per annum. Now it may not seem like much but the fact is that the commodities here are similarly priced too. Of course, the good thing about the states is that basic level of privilege and comfort assured to a citizen is many stories above in India. I repeat, the standard of living in the states will always be higher no matter what. But dont think you are in for a bad deal if you do come here.

Bhavya Pabby 11:59PM July 05, 2010

What field of engineering did you study? My husband has a easy time getting engineering jobs. The thing is is that, unfortunately, most companies are looking for an exact match between what they want and what you do. So just try to match bullet points of your experience/educational background with what they are looking for as close, but honestly, as possible. You want to match each skill, no matter how insignicant or easily learned it may seem, to the skills listed for the job. Do this as well and apply to entry level positions. If you get in and do well, you can easily move up quickly in skills and pay.

roadrunner of NV 2:45PM June 14, 2010