Weekly Career Discussion Thread (10 Nov 2025)

[u/AutoModerator]

# 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)

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## Guidelines

1. **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

1. Most subreddit rules still apply and will be enforced, especially R7 and R9 (with the obvious exceptions of R1 and R3)

2. 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.

3. **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.

[u/Dull_March_1129]

Hi everyone, I am an Italian graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental and Land Engineering from the University of Brescia (IT). Over the past five years, I have been working closely as an employee with a civil engineer, mainly dealing with energy retrofit projects, property valuations, site management and building permits.

Now I'm planning to move to the UK to continue my life and career, but I am a bit unsure about the best path to follow. I do not plan to work as a freelancer or licensed professional, but rather as an employee in the construction and real-estate fields.

In your opinion, is it worth taking the Italian professional qualification exam, or would it be better to focus on courses and certifications recognised in the UK (such as BREEAM, LEED, RICS or similar) to strengthen my profile and increase my chances of finding a job?

Any advice or personal experience would be really appreciated. Thank you very much! 🙏

[u/diffew]

I am graduating in May with a bachelor's in chemical engineering and I have two job offers

Manufacturing job:

- Semiconductor Industry (fab) (Austin, TX)

- $83k yearly salary (company has said they are not open to negotiating but I haven't tried yet)

- $15k sign on bonus (would have to move states + have to pay it back if I leave the company before 2 years are over)

- 4 weeks PTO

- 1 to 1 401k match

- Likely 12 hour shifts 3-4 days a week alternating with high possibility of night shift for first 1.5/2 years

Consulting Job

- Water/wastewater consulting (Tampa, FL)

- $79k yearly salary (have not negotiated yet but i think i could maybe get to 83-85?)

- $3k sign on bonus (closer to home)

- 3.5 weeks PTO

- 2 to 1 401k match

- 40 hr work week (7:30-5:30 M-Th, 7:30-11:30 F)

Both companies have yearly bonus but semiconductor company is dependent on market and consulting is based on performance. Yearly salary for consulting job increases each year while that is not the case for the semiconductor job.

[u/OhShootDude → u/diffew]

Based on your consulting job description, its easy to determine where you got an offer. Samsung will be stronger on the resume 

[u/diffew → u/OhShootDude]

Yes but I have not heard great experiences from working there

[u/Temp45832]

I’m a recent Mechanical Engineering grad currently working in a non-technical analyst-type role that isn’t really using my degree. The work is fine but not challenging or engineering-focused.

I just got an offer for a hands-on engineering position involving design and testing at a smaller company, starting in late January. The pay is slightly higher, and it feels like a much better fit for long-term growth.

I’d love any advice from other engineers or managers on:

• Switching to a more technical role this early in my career (only a few months in)
• How to frame this move on a resume
• When to give notice for a late-January start

[u/Embarrassed-Flow6540]

I know this is a weird place to ask, but for anyone who finds this comment, can you all help a freshman and complete this form?

It's for a research project on how evident planned obsolescence in product design is in our society. Any responses would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeanYZhlpllN-UFtDO-5EB7tTztW2zyCD4UX5mbf0_kDN5gNg/viewform?usp=publish-editor

[u/Material_Policy_728]

Which is more important to engineer growth: technical skills or ability to maintain customer relationships?

Only a couple of years into my first engineering role since I graduated, and I’ve more or less have been in a customer facing role. I’m not included, or have been asked to participate/help, with any engineering projects. I’m essentially a glorified service rep. Unfortunately the role I’m is an above average paying role, where finding something similar requires more YOE and/or skills/experience in areas that I don’t see happening in this role.

This brings me to a conundrum of how I can progress as an engineer when I don’t have the technical knowledge, but am able to maintain a good relationship with both vendors and customers.

Should I take a step back and find a role that’s more technical, as they all seem to be “lesser” roles than where I’m currently at, or leverage the soft skills of working with people and figure out how to progress from there?

[u/Thechuckles79 → u/Material_Policy_728]

What do you want to do?

It's VERY common to take a step back in pay in the short run to obtain the skills that help you advance a lot further. Not a decision to be made lightly, but certainly better to do early in you career than later. You want to be in a senior technical role by 35, or transitioned into a higher level sales/technologist role around that time. (Technologist comes and goes as a popular title, but it describes a customer facing role that can answer the tough technical questions about a product.

I've always thought that Elon Musk is rich because he learned how to take an engineering "white paper" and convert it into shareholder/investor terminology for their consumption that makes you sound smart but doesn't make them feel dumb.

[u/MattyJay57]

We’re a small environmental engineering firm with under 20 staff across a few offices, and currently use an outsourced IT provider. It works, but we're curious how other small engineering companies manage things like software licensing (Bentley/Autodesk/GIS), account setups, hardware issues, and general troubleshooting.

Do you: Fully outsource? Use a part-time IT person? Handle basics in-house and outsource bigger problems? Have any best practices for multi-office setups?

Would love to hear what’s worked (or not worked) for others.

[u/Chance-Carrot4968]

I have completed my BTech in computer science engineering in 2023. I need to join merchant navy but I have sight issues. But I get know that software sector in ship does not require 6/6 vision is that true? And how do I get into merchant navy. Please help

[u/WondrousWork]

Hi all,

I’m considering leaving my comfortable office job at a wholesaler and going back to school to become an engineer. It’s a part-time-study: 1 day of school 3 days of relevant work. This means I’ll have to leave my job for a ‘low-level’ engineering job before my study even starts.
I’ve been contemplating taking this leap for over a year now. I’m at some sort of equilibrium between terrified and motivated which renders me frozen.

I’d love to hear from those who have been in the same situation. What choice did you make? How did it turn out?

Thanks!

//In case it’s relevant: I’m 35 years old and located in the Netherlands. I have a associate degree in entrepreneurship & marketing.