Career advice pls (lost and confused)

[HGL]

Hi everyone,

I graduated with B.Eng (Mechanical) from NTU (w/o honour) 4 years ago. Since graduation, I joined a small biomedical company (healthcare products) as a product design engineer. I had to do research works + designing of prototype/final products. Salary < 3k for all 4 years. Our products did not sell well in the end. I tried a number of job interviews during these years but the employers prefer someone who can do automation/robot design for design engineer. I have limited experience with automation and did not get any job offer. Luckily this year, I got an offer from a local engineering company as mechanical engineer with salary over 3k. The company provides engineering services (M&E, pumps, ACMV) with staff size of about 100. My job role is to support sales manager and do costing/billing/tenders and occasional site supervision. Working hours are long and no confirmed AWS. I am nearing to my thirties now and I need job stability and would like to be working in a managerial level. Is that a good choice that I made? How can I proceed from there to achieve my dream. Thank you.

[jobhunter1234]

Originally Posted by HGL

Hi everyone,

I graduated with B.Eng (Mechanical) from NTU (w/o honour) 4 years ago. Since graduation, I joined a small biomedical company (healthcare products) as a product design engineer. I had to do research works + designing of prototype/final products. Salary < 3k for all 4 years. Our products did not sell well in the end. I tried a number of job interviews during these years but the employers prefer someone who can do automation/robot design for design engineer. I have limited experience with automation and did not get any job offer. Luckily this year, I got an offer from a local engineering company as mechanical engineer with salary over 3k. The company provides engineering services (M&E, pumps, ACMV) with staff size of about 100. My job role is to support sales manager and do costing/billing/tenders and occasional site supervision. Working hours are long and no confirmed AWS. I am nearing to my thirties now and I need job stability and would like to be working in a managerial level. Is that a good choice that I made? How can I proceed from there to achieve my dream. Thank you.

hi. can i say that your job title for previous job was biomedical engineer? I was looking at another forum and someone mentioned that fresh chem eng grad get paid 3.7k by a pharma coy. I dun quite believe that and to me engineers working in production line dun get paid alot.

Originally Posted by HGL

Hi everyone,

I graduated with B.Eng (Mechanical) from NTU (w/o honour) 4 years ago. Since graduation, I joined a small biomedical company (healthcare products) as a product design engineer. I had to do research works + designing of prototype/final products. Salary < 3k for all 4 years. Our products did not sell well in the end. I tried a number of job interviews during these years but the employers prefer someone who can do automation/robot design for design engineer. I have limited experience with automation and did not get any job offer. Luckily this year, I got an offer from a local engineering company as mechanical engineer with salary over 3k. The company provides engineering services (M&E, pumps, ACMV) with staff size of about 100. My job role is to support sales manager and do costing/billing/tenders and occasional site supervision. Working hours are long and no confirmed AWS. I am nearing to my thirties now and I need job stability and would like to be working in a managerial level. Is that a good choice that I made? How can I proceed from there to achieve my dream. Thank you.

What skills do you think is needed at a managerial level? How much P&L have you been responsible for? How many proposals have you done, how many deals have you cut, how many people have you had to let go?

I am sure there are many ways, but the one proven way that I know of be better, fast, more efficient and make no major mistakes, that and occasionally know how to make your boss and customer happy.

[HGL]

Originally Posted by jobhunter1234

hi. can i say that your job title for previous job was biomedical engineer? I was looking at another forum and someone mentioned that fresh chem eng grad get paid 3.7k by a pharma coy. I dun quite believe that and to me engineers working in production line dun get paid alot.

No. My job title was Design Engineer. I believe pharma sector pays more to chem grads but it may not be the case for Mech grads.

Originally Posted by HGL

Hi everyone,

I graduated with B.Eng (Mechanical) from NTU (w/o honour) 4 years ago. Since graduation, I joined a small biomedical company (healthcare products) as a product design engineer. I had to do research works + designing of prototype/final products. Salary < 3k for all 4 years. Our products did not sell well in the end. I tried a number of job interviews during these years but the employers prefer someone who can do automation/robot design for design engineer. I have limited experience with automation and did not get any job offer. Luckily this year, I got an offer from a local engineering company as mechanical engineer with salary over 3k. The company provides engineering services (M&E, pumps, ACMV) with staff size of about 100. My job role is to support sales manager and do costing/billing/tenders and occasional site supervision. Working hours are long and no confirmed AWS. I am nearing to my thirties now and I need job stability and would like to be working in a managerial level. Is that a good choice that I made? How can I proceed from there to achieve my dream. Thank you.

It's a bit far fetched for someone at your age and making only <3k to be thinking of being a manager. Most people only become manager near 40s or above.

Unless you are talking about all those fake managerial titles where fresh grads go in a few years then get "promoted" to a fancy title.

Originally Posted by jobhunter1234

hi. can i say that your job title for previous job was biomedical engineer? I was looking at another forum and someone mentioned that fresh chem eng grad get paid 3.7k by a pharma coy. I dun quite believe that and to me engineers working in production line dun get paid alot.

3.7K is a bit too high for a fresh grad in a pharma coy. It is correct for oil and gas but pharma coy should be closer to 3K.

why try taxi driving? i heard you can earn $6-7 K per month.

go for it.

[jobhunter1234]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

3.7K is a bit too high for a fresh grad in a pharma coy. It is correct for oil and gas but pharma coy should be closer to 3K.

Yea. I have a friend who now works for a pharma coy and is being paid around 3k inclusive of allowance and etc. It is shocking to know that fresh grads entering oil gas industry are getting 3.7k

Originally Posted by jobhunter1234

Yea. I have a friend who now works for a pharma coy and is being paid around 3k inclusive of allowance and etc. It is shocking to know that fresh grads entering oil gas industry are getting 3.7k

It's not easy to enter O&G. If they get it, they probably deserve it. However that said, I would suggest TS to try govt jobs. In general

MNC banking > MNC O&G > MNC in general = Govt > MNC engineering >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> SME

Originally Posted by Unregistered

It's not easy to enter O&G. If they get it, they probably deserve it. However that said, I would suggest TS to try govt jobs. In general

MNC banking > MNC O&G > MNC in general = Govt > MNC engineering >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> SME

Nice ranking, I would like to add on:

MNC banking > MNC O&G > MNC in general = Govt > MNC engineering >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>SME
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Startup (general)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Startup(VC)( engineering)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>local Startup (electronic)
and to top it all, the crappiest:
Local startup consumer electronics! But hey at least this one, you dont have to resign manually and you have a nice honest way when explaining why you left the previous employment