Has your office/company laid people off? PART 3

[bjstare]

Originally posted by dandia89

i always suggest people to go to U of A or waterloo to participate in the co-op program. it offers a chance to do 4 month terms with different companies and build a way massive network than one 16 month internship. I may be unique, but I had a 16 month internship at a smaller company, by the end of my term the company got acquired and removed all employees I knew so I had no connections to get back at that company.

summer terms are a lot tougher unless you have a relative in the company or extremely high GPA (which I never did)

UVIC has a co-op program as well. No doubt it benefited me, however it screwed some people over. It was mandatory and if you're not able to secure all 16 months of co-op, they prevent you from graduating on time. It can be a double edged sword if you don't interview well/don't have great grades.

[g-m]

I did the 16mo at u of c. I think you learn more but maybe don't make as many connections as 4 short ones. In 4 months you barely learn what your job is, nevermind getting into more in depth tasks. Regardless, everyone should do some form of co-op or internship.

You get help getting the job and it knocks off that 'no experience' stigma. Usually pays well too. I would not have gotten my job without internship even though it wasn't the same company or market segment. Counts for p.eng experience. You'd have to be an idiot not to haha

[ExtraSlow]

As does UofA, memorial, and UBC and UofC does in the 16 month internship.
I think some form of co-op or internship is available from pretty much every engineering school.

[trickyone]

is it possible for newly grad Petroleum Engineering to switch industry? I have over 20 months of coop experience but no luck so far in last 8 months...

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by dandia89

i always suggest people to go to U of A or waterloo to participate in the co-op program. it offers a chance to do 4 month terms with different companies and build a way massive network than one 16 month internship. I may be unique, but I had a 16 month internship at a smaller company, by the end of my term the company got acquired and removed all employees I knew so I had no connections to get back at that company.

summer terms are a lot tougher unless you have a relative in the company or extremely high GPA (which I never did)

My cousin was in a similar situation. 16 month term at a startup and planned to go back but company went under and sold before he graduated.

I don't think 4 months term will teach you anything. 8 month term seems to be perfect length.

Originally posted by trickyone
is it possible for newly grad Petroleum Engineering to switch industry? I have over 20 months of coop experience but no luck so far in last 8 months...

Been a while but isn't Petroleum similar to Chemical, just more focused? May be look into downstream/refinery type of jobs in Alberta but I bet it could be better out in Ontario where they have bigger mfg base.

[lasimmon]

I think you would be hard pressed as a petroleum eng to do much other work. As suggested above I would look at downstream as job potentials.

Petroleum is similar to Chemical in year 2 and partially 3, but most of the classes are specific to petroleum (drilling, production, petroleum fluids, Nat gas eng, etc)

[BavarianBeast]

Construction is the industry to be in

[trickyone]

Originally posted by lasimmon
I think you would be hard pressed as a petroleum eng to do much other work. As suggested above I would look at downstream as job potentials.

Petroleum is similar to Chemical in year 2 and partially 3, but most of the classes are specific to petroleum (drilling, production, petroleum fluids, Nat gas eng, etc)

I have been applying to pipeline and distribution engineer positions, all i get recruiter ask me some questions but never get call back for actual interview from client back probably they can find more experienced person

Originally posted by BavarianBeast
Construction is the industry to be in

I do have one year experience with PCL but unfortunately they have hiring freeze, do u no anyone in construction ???

[dandia89]

Originally posted by trickyone


I have been applying to pipeline and distribution engineer positions, all i get recruiter ask me some questions but never get call back for actual interview from client back probably they can find more experienced person



I do have one year experience with PCL but unfortunately they have hiring freeze, do u no anyone in construction ???

if you're getting pre screened and they DON'T phone you back for an interview, you're doing something wrong.

i'm betting you're scaring them off with your salary expectations or something else. go google some sites and figure out how to answer those questions.

[realazy]

^

I think he's talking about "recruiters" as in head hunters. Head hunters always ask first, then say they'll get back to you.

[dandia89]

Originally posted by realazy
^

I think he's talking about "recruiters" as in head hunters. Head hunters always ask first, then say they'll get back to you.

that makes sense. i've had a recruiter back when i wasn't working straight up tell me to stop calling him(i think i called him twice a month), that i'm wasting my time and his, and i'm not gonna get a position through them. it was awesome and a little disheartening, sometimes you need to realize that avenue is not the right one

[killramos]

One option wrt co op that a lot of people overlook is that you can get the equivalent experience to a coop but not extend your degree by being diligent in getting summer work. ie: working 3 4 month summer terms = 12 months of work experience.

It should be noted that anything more than 12 months of intern experience before graduating does not count as experience towards p eng. (so if you take 16 months only the first 12 count. You also need to make sure that you start your coop after your "5th academic term" ie you need to do 1 term of third year before starting coop or it doesn't count. I knew some people who had this happen to them and they missed out on half of their coop experience. Not a huge deal, but something to know.

Personally I did the 3 terms of summer work and completed my degree in 4 years path. Which had me working 1 year earlier than people I went to high school with who did coop. Also it gets you 4 months ahead on your peng as it allowed me to half 16 months of eligible experience( 1 year plus 1 summer term) when the rest of my friends graduated who only had the max 12 months of pre grad experience. Also one year further along on the pay scale if that matters to you.

Just food for thought, the way I did it was definitely in the minority where I went. 90% went coop. Coop is definitely easier as I had to take extra courses to make up for the lack of one academic term that the coop students had.

[trickyone]

Originally posted by dandia89


if you're getting pre screened and they DON'T phone you back for an interview, you're doing something wrong.

i'm betting you're scaring them off with your salary expectations or something else. go google some sites and figure out how to answer those questions.

lol I am working as a security guard these days to pay bills, if i m offered a engineering position on minimum wage i will happily accept it bcoz i no i can get a p.eng after few years.


All these recruiter belongs to requirement companies like adecco.

[90_Shelby]

Originally posted by trickyone
is it possible for newly grad Petroleum Engineering to switch industry? I have over 20 months of coop experience but no luck so far in last 8 months...

Originally posted by trickyone


I have been applying to pipeline and distribution engineer positions, all i get recruiter ask me some questions but never get call back for actual interview from client back probably they can find more experienced person



I do have one year experience with PCL but unfortunately they have hiring freeze, do u no anyone in construction ???

Originally posted by trickyone


lol I am working as a security guard these days to pay bills, if i m offered a engineering position on minimum wage i will happily accept it bcoz i no i can get a p.eng after few years.


All these recruiter belongs to requirement companies like adecco.

When the recruiter asked you questions, was it through email? Were you required to type a reply?

[trickyone]

Originally posted by 90_Shelby








When the recruiter asked you questions, was it through email? Were you required to type a reply?

Telephone interview...

[Feruk]

Originally posted by trickyone


Telephone interview...

That really went right over your head.

[bjstare]

Originally posted by 90_Shelby


When the recruiter asked you questions, was it through email? Were you required to type a reply?

[killramos]

Definitely the easiest way to turn a person away from you as an applicant.

But what do i know i don't even know how too use the word to properly

[lasimmon]

You guys realize that a lot of companies right now when they are hiring are getting hundreds of applicants, doing maybe 20 - 30 phone interviews and bringing in 10 or less people to interview in person right?

I have chatted with about 5-6 companies that are hiring and all were following this process essentially.

[jwslam]

Originally posted by killramos


Definitely the easiest way to turn a person away from you as an applicant.

But what do i know i don't even know how too use the word to properly

Nor punctuation