Engineering Career Advice for New Grad

[discofishing]

I'm seeking advice on how best to market myself as an electrical engineer. I graduate the 17th of May with a BS EE from UT Dallas and want to get into the field as soon as possible and start producing. I have a avionics/aircraft electrician and leadership background from the Army (8+ years) and will graduate with ~3.2 GPA. I've had some interviews already, but no offers as of yet. I'm still positive and optimistic about finding a good job and believe I have WAY more to offer than a 22 year old kid (even the ones with way higher GPAs). However, it seems like they're the ones getting the good jobs. I would like to stay in the DFW area and very much prefer to stay in the defense/aviation industry. I know there's some engineers that frequent this site and I was hoping one (or many) of you guys could pass down some wisdom. Otherwise, I might be the most over-educated burger flipper in Texas.

[fiskerwad]

I'm seeking advice on how best to market myself as an electrical engineer. I graduate the 17th of May with a BS EE from UT Dallas and want to get into the field as soon as possible and start producing. I have a avionics/aircraft electrician and leadership background from the Army (8+ years) and will graduate with ~3.2 GPA. I've had some interviews already, but no offers as of yet. I'm still positive and optimistic about finding a good job and believe I have WAY more to offer than a 22 year old kid (even the ones with way higher GPAs). However, it seems like they're the ones getting the good jobs. I would like to stay in the DFW area and very much prefer to stay in the defense/aviation industry. I know there's some engineers that frequent this site and I was hoping one (or many) of you guys could pass down some wisdom. Otherwise, I might be the most over-educated burger flipper in Texas.

Congrats on the upcoming graduaton, disco.
I don't have much in the way of advice for job hunting, last month was my 4 year anniversary of retirement so I am very out of touch with what employers are wanting. When I hired into GD, they were hiring everyone who got through the gate. There was even a rumor that some of the old guys working there were rabbit hunting and got caught inside the fence when the plant was finished so the company just issued buttons and put them to work!

As for educated burger flippers, during the A-12 layoffs, the PhDs got those jobs, the rest of us got "paper or plastic" positions.
Best of luck in your search,
fisk

[discofishing]

Thank you sir! I sure hope employers want more than just a high GPA. I can actually do this thing called "produce", as in solve problems that have never been solved before. I'll flip a burger for a month or two until something good comes along.