Job advice...
Author
Discussion

AlecG

Original Poster:

1,361 posts

243 months

Friday 6th February 2009
quotequote all
Well, after moving to London to be closer to a job that I enjoyed I've been given the boot today for the company "not haivng a role for me" hmm... Guess I should have looked at moving after my 6 months probation.

So what next? I graduated with a 2:1 BSc in Product Design in 2007, and have since done various CAD roles, using solidworks, SPR, I_deas and Unigraphics, am competant in 3d studio max and photoshop... The first role I was at for 5 months until the company went bust, the second role I was at for 9 months but it was only temping, and now this... I also have a years work placement experience!

Do I carry on going down the Desinger/Design Engineer route or look at something else? I've always been interested in the Accountancy route, and been told I would be good at sales roles...

A bit scary being jobless with rent to pay in central London, but trying to keep a PMA smile

ETA: I'll no doubt get a flaming but hey!



Edited by AlecG on Friday 6th February 15:14

Davel

8,982 posts

287 months

Friday 6th February 2009
quotequote all
Ouch!

Nothing clever to say but good luck!

shirt

25,376 posts

230 months

Friday 6th February 2009
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start looking at graduate recruitment schemes again. back to the bottom but you haven't been out of uni long and will have miles more to talk about at interview than fresh grads.

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

227 months

Friday 6th February 2009
quotequote all
AlecG said:
Well, after moving to London to be closer to a job that I enjoyed I've been given the boot today for the company "not haivng a role for me" hmm... Guess I should have looked at moving after my 6 months probation.

So what next? I graduated with a 2:1 BSc in Product Design in 2007, and have since done various CAD roles, using solidworks, SPR, I_deas and Unigraphics, am competant in 3d studio max and photoshop... The first role I was at for 5 months until the company went bust, the second role I was at for 9 months but it was only temping, and now this... I also have a years work placement experience!

Do I carry on going down the Desinger/Design Engineer route or look at something else? I've always been interested in the Accountancy route, and been told I would be good at sales roles...

A bit scary being jobless with rent to pay in central London, but trying to keep a PMA smile

ETA: I'll no doubt get a flaming but hey!



Edited by AlecG on Friday 6th February 15:14
I did Product Design many years ago. It's a very fickle industry, with not a lot of jobs, and a real peaks and troughs WRT vacancies even in good times.

I ended up specialising in Ergonomics as there were more and more jobs being created in this field - especially in the High Hazard Industry. However, you could end up working on anything that people operate, from cars to fighter jets to complex chemical and nuclear facilities. You'd need to go back and do a Masters though.

Salaries range from about £25-30k starting to whatever limits you set yourself if you're self employed.

AlecG

Original Poster:

1,361 posts

243 months

Friday 6th February 2009
quotequote all
rhinochopig said:
AlecG said:
Well, after moving to London to be closer to a job that I enjoyed I've been given the boot today for the company "not haivng a role for me" hmm... Guess I should have looked at moving after my 6 months probation.

So what next? I graduated with a 2:1 BSc in Product Design in 2007, and have since done various CAD roles, using solidworks, SPR, I_deas and Unigraphics, am competant in 3d studio max and photoshop... The first role I was at for 5 months until the company went bust, the second role I was at for 9 months but it was only temping, and now this... I also have a years work placement experience!

Do I carry on going down the Desinger/Design Engineer route or look at something else? I've always been interested in the Accountancy route, and been told I would be good at sales roles...

A bit scary being jobless with rent to pay in central London, but trying to keep a PMA smile

ETA: I'll no doubt get a flaming but hey!



Edited by AlecG on Friday 6th February 15:14
I did Product Design many years ago. It's a very fickle industry, with not a lot of jobs, and a real peaks and troughs WRT vacancies even in good times.

I ended up specialising in Ergonomics as there were more and more jobs being created in this field - especially in the High Hazard Industry. However, you could end up working on anything that people operate, from cars to fighter jets to complex chemical and nuclear facilities. You'd need to go back and do a Masters though.

Salaries range from about £25-30k starting to whatever limits you set yourself if you're self employed.
OK thanks for that, I will look into doing a Masters, it can only benefit me...

Was thinking of looking at Graduate jobs again and temping in the meanwhile, but then again I can do a masters whilst temping to fund it and the rent!

What CAD packages are the ones to have skills in for the Design industry?

V8mate

45,899 posts

218 months

Friday 6th February 2009
quotequote all
AlecG said:


Lost my job.

ETA: I'll no doubt get a flaming but hey!
Why would you get a flaming?

No-one likes to hear of genuine misfortune; best of luck and stick with the PMA beer

parakitaMol.

11,876 posts

280 months

Friday 6th February 2009
quotequote all
shirt said:
start looking at graduate recruitment schemes again. back to the bottom but you haven't been out of uni long and will have miles more to talk about at interview than fresh grads.
And also the AGR (Association of Graduate Recruiters) has a lot of info on their site.

AlecG

Original Poster:

1,361 posts

243 months

Friday 6th February 2009
quotequote all
V8mate said:
AlecG said:


Lost my job.

ETA: I'll no doubt get a flaming but hey!
Why would you get a flaming?

No-one likes to hear of genuine misfortune; best of luck and stick with the PMA beer
Errm dunno just because its pistonheads and I'm a recent(ish) graduate and that!

Had a few beers this evening courtesy of 99p pints at weatherspoons, and I think the job situation, although not ideal is a blessing in disguise, but a rather scary prospect!

Edited by AlecG on Friday 6th February 19:23

Frik

13,677 posts

272 months

Friday 6th February 2009
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AlecG said:
What CAD packages are the ones to have skills in for the Design industry?
Solidworks certainly seems to be on the up and up. Pro/Engineer still has a few fans too. Surfacers like Alias are more important too. IME design companies tend to work in whatever product their clients are using, so having a range of packages under you belt is useful.

Any specific areas you want to work in (automotive etc) and do you want to stay in London?

AlecG

Original Poster:

1,361 posts

243 months

Friday 6th February 2009
quotequote all
Frik said:
AlecG said:
What CAD packages are the ones to have skills in for the Design industry?
Solidworks certainly seems to be on the up and up. Pro/Engineer still has a few fans too. Surfacers like Alias are more important too. IME design companies tend to work in whatever product their clients are using, so having a range of packages under you belt is useful.

Any specific areas you want to work in (automotive etc) and do you want to stay in London?
Well, I've got the house in London until september, and having moved here recently I like it a lot, however if I have to move out of here to get a decent job then so be it!

I'm pretty easy in the areas I'd like to work in, I did my work placement designing false limbs which I really enjoyed, worked in Manchester as a CAD monkey doing wall panels, and more recently have been a Biomedical Design Engineer... But I have a keen interest in all aspects of design, have a passion for cars, and always will have, as well as music, and pushbikes!

I would say I'm strongest at Solidworks, whcih is good news...

okgo

42,071 posts

227 months

Friday 6th February 2009
quotequote all
Why do people say you would be good at a sales role?

There are still sales jobs out there, and its a quick way to make some decent money if you are any good..?

rhys27

321 posts

228 months

Friday 6th February 2009
quotequote all
good luck mate!

i saw an article in design week recently urging students to get out of the product design area saying the lack of jobs is hitting hard.

I'm doing a BA Product Design (in my last year) and no one has started looking for jobs yet, despite the end of the year only bout 3/4 months aways. Hopefully there will be some recruitment at new designers in london!

Nobody You Know

8,422 posts

222 months

Saturday 7th February 2009
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Sorry to har you're out of work man, thats rough and i'm in the same situation myself.

just got made redundent from JLR, been in Automotive design for 2 1/2 years now.

I'm looking at Aerospace and military stuff as they have long enough lead times and government money to weather the storms better than Automotive and graphic design.

You have a good range of CAD systems under you belt but I would say try and get CATIA V5 on your CV, it's similar to SolidWorks but far more powerful and the Automotive/Aerospace standard. (if you want a copy I could forward you one).

Keep your chin up and keep looking but don't drop back down to graduate roles, that is just taking defeat and going back to square one, know that your are now an experienced proffesional.

Mr Fenix

863 posts

234 months

Saturday 7th February 2009
quotequote all
Chin up and hit the recruitment agencies, internet and any other employment medium hard.
Also speak to your landlord and try to sort something out before the st hits the fan.

AlecG

Original Poster:

1,361 posts

243 months

Saturday 7th February 2009
quotequote all
okgo said:
Why do people say you would be good at a sales role?

There are still sales jobs out there, and its a quick way to make some decent money if you are any good..?
Not really too sure - my brother (FP+A manager) reckons I have "the gift of the gab" and can talk to anyone, inherited from my dad who is a recently retired policeman! My mum who is a sales and service director thinks it's something I'd do really well at too.

The only experience I had was at PcWorld and Currys though, and I understand it's more about strategies etc than having the gift of the gab smile

Edited by AlecG on Saturday 7th February 11:20

okgo

42,071 posts

227 months

Saturday 7th February 2009
quotequote all
Give it a go mate, there are a world of 10k basic sales jobs out there. The good thing is you are cheap to keep, and they only start paying you well when you start making them money, so a lot of the time they are the last to go..

V8mate

45,899 posts

218 months

Saturday 7th February 2009
quotequote all
okgo said:
Give it a go mate, there are a world of 10k basic sales jobs out there. The good thing is you are cheap to keep, and they only start paying you well when you start making them money, so a lot of the time they are the last to go..
Whilst I would never suggest that someone become picky about work when the chips are down, I can't believe that you are seriously suggesting that someone with a good degree and skilled (albeit short) work experience to date, should drop it all to become a non-technical salesman after only 24 hours of unemployment.

AlecG

Original Poster:

1,361 posts

243 months

Saturday 7th February 2009
quotequote all
I will look into that, thanks!

Trouble is earning that little would barely cover my rent!

I think the plan is to re-do my CV, make a few variations on it for roles that interest me, with a few covering letters to apply for jobs online, and monday go suited and booted to employmeny agencies smile

okgo

42,071 posts

227 months

Saturday 7th February 2009
quotequote all
V8mate said:
okgo said:
Give it a go mate, there are a world of 10k basic sales jobs out there. The good thing is you are cheap to keep, and they only start paying you well when you start making them money, so a lot of the time they are the last to go..
Whilst I would never suggest that someone become picky about work when the chips are down, I can't believe that you are seriously suggesting that someone with a good degree and skilled (albeit short) work experience to date, should drop it all to become a non-technical salesman after only 24 hours of unemployment.
Why not, if he is any good he will earn more, and he can retrain or carry on looking in the meantime.

AlecG

Original Poster:

1,361 posts

243 months

Saturday 7th February 2009
quotequote all
Is it a good way to get into a sales job then?