I found out on Friday that my company is closing our facility and I am losing my job after April 30th. So it is time to start the job search again. I was wanting to do some research on what my salary should be for a mechanical engineer with 2.5 years experience. What is the best tool/ website to do this?
Also on my resume, should I leave the fact I am an Eagle Scout or remove it? For that matter should I remove my pre college work experience? It isn't really related to what I do now.
How old are you?
I would probably remove pre-college work, but keep Eagle Scout.
Glassdoor.com is relatively accurate for salary info.
Is pre-college within the last 10 years? Is it relevant to the field you're working in? Have you got the space?
I changed specialties halfway thru my Air Force career so I list my older stuff under a heading like this. You can leave the date range off too. YMMV
PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE:
2001 - 2003, Job title Blah blah
Pre college would be 7 years ago now. I am 25.
So looked at my old resume, I had already removed pre-college work.
good luck, i have been there a couple of times but you have the education and life experience to be sucessful, for me (computer engineer) the 2 times (in 24 years) i was right sized gave me the chance to bring my salary up to market standards, one door closes several more open.
I'd leave the Eagle Scout on there.
If you have room at the bottom of your [1 page] resume, leave the pre-college stuff on there (1 bullet or less for each). It is shocking how many conversations are started because of that stuff.
Of course, both of my pre-college jobs were jobs throughout college, and one of them I still have. So maybe it isn't a direct comparison.
Definitely leave the Eagle Scout on there.
Keep a version of your resume with everything on it, even if it a few pages long. Then you can quickly create a custom version with all your experience, including college, that is directly relevant to a particular job you are looking at.
mtn wrote: If you have room at the bottom of your [1 page] resume, leave the pre-college stuff on there (1 bullet or less for each). It is shocking how many conversations are started because of that stuff. Of course, both of my pre-college jobs were jobs throughout college, and one of them I still have. So maybe it isn't a direct comparison. Definitely leave the Eagle Scout on there.
Yep, I changed professions based on what a hiring manager saw in my "Interests" section.
Ok so currently my resume has an education section, professional experience (ie my jobs which relate to my current career), academic experience (which is my engineering activities in school such as Formula SAE), an Awards section which includes Eagle Scout and Professional Affiliations. That comes in at exactly one page. Should I add a technical skills section which includes the multiple CAD packages I know, my basic machining and composite skills as well as skills involving design and testing? That would push me over one page though.
Are those skills something that can be inferred from reading your job descriptions? If not, I'd try to put them on there. In my line of work (software engineering), if you do certain types of work, the use of some particular tools is implied so there really isn't much need to mention those. I assume it's similar in ME.
Datsun1500 wrote: Leave Eagle Scout. It shows dedication, and the ability to follow through. You'd be surprised how many CEOs are Eagle Scouts and how quickly that can land you an interview.
Huh interesting...maybe also say you're a freemason for good measure 
My resume has been 1.5-2 pages for 5 years. I've gotten 2 ME jobs in that time. I would make your resume a strong representation of what you offer a company. If that takes 1+ page so be it.
As to salary glass door is reasonably accurate for my area/experience.
BoxheadTim wrote: Are those skills something that can be inferred from reading your job descriptions? If not, I'd try to put them on there. In my line of work (software engineering), if you do certain types of work, the use of some particular tools is implied so there really isn't much need to mention those. I assume it's similar in ME.
Yes and no. Some of them, I have learned via jobs or my engineering activities so they are shown within that. Others I learned on my spare time or in class in school.
GameboyRMH wrote:Datsun1500 wrote: Leave Eagle Scout. It shows dedication, and the ability to follow through. You'd be surprised how many CEOs are Eagle Scouts and how quickly that can land you an interview.Huh interesting...maybe also say you're a freemason for good measure
Secret handshake FTW.
completing a FSAE car that survives all events of the competition is the gearhead equivalent of earning your Eagle. ;-)
93EXCivic wrote:BoxheadTim wrote: Are those skills something that can be inferred from reading your job descriptions? If not, I'd try to put them on there. In my line of work (software engineering), if you do certain types of work, the use of some particular tools is implied so there really isn't much need to mention those. I assume it's similar in ME.Yes and no. Some of them, I have learned via jobs or my engineering activities so they are shown within that. Others I learned on my spare time or in class in school.
Then I'd definitely mention the ones that you spent extra time learning.
93EXCivic wrote: Should I add a technical skills section which includes the multiple CAD packages I know, my basic machining and composite skills as well as skills involving design and testing? That would push me over one page though.
Yes, definitely add those things. CAD packages and basic machining skills are literally the most important things I look for on MEs' resumes. 2 pages is totally fine, just don't go over that.
Also add the whole car hobby in the interests section if you haven't already. You would be surprised how many engineers out there actually have no interest in mechanical things and just have book learning on the subject. Those people are nearly useless when it comes to real design work. (as opposed to paperwork and endless meetings)
I've hired or helped hire about 5 MEs in the last couple of years. All have been for small startups so maybe some of this advice doesn't translate to big companies. I wouldn't know.
In reply to madpanda:
Should I have an interest section?
Team up with me and we can Conquer the GRM office together. I'm thinking about moving around the same time.
93EXCivic wrote: In reply to madpanda: Should I have an interest section?
Yeah, I would recommend it. Just make it short and put it at the end. Usually it is one line that looks something like this:
Interests: Building off-road race cars, 3D Printing, Soccer, Snowboarding.
It is worth throwing in the stuff that is not exactly related to the job at hand because you might happen upon an interviewer that has something in common with you and that can easily break the ice. I think somebody mentioned earlier in the thread that that is how they ended up changing careers
Edit: Yeap: it was z31maniac
Yep, I was working as a claim rep for State Farm doing Theft and Personal Articles policy claims (Journalism degree).
I had applied for a different job at MerCruiser, the HR lady said, "You'll be bored with this in 6 months, Mind if I pass your resume around?"
The Tech Writing manager saw:
Interests: Motorcycles, building cars, cooking, traveling
Along with the writing degree, I changed careers and have been doing it for almost 7 years now. It's been a great move for me.
You'll need to log in to post.
