Shehezaada Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 Hey guys, Hope everyone is doing well! I thought I would take some advice of everyone here in deciding what to do with my life. I'm in my last semester of an Engineering Program from the University of Guelph in Canada. The name of my program is Engineering Systems and Computing. We are basically Computer Engineers that have knowledge of system design and control theory. After going through this degree, I'm not sure if my heart is in Engineering or not. We can expand that to....I don't even know where my heart is at, what I would be happy doing. I'm looking into grad programs for Engineering, but I don't even know what I will like and not like. My marks are decent, not fantastic (overall 70+, last two years, 76+) My passions include: Sports, Movies, Physical Fitness My skills include: Programming, Computer repair, good verbal, written communication My interests in further studies could be: Psychology, Sociology, Nutrition, Sports Medicine/Psychology I looked into Sports Engineering, seems really cool but no scope in Canada. Do you think it has a world scope? I have a pretty good job offer waiting for me at the end of my degree. So I do have some safety. So some questions from me: How did you decide on your career ? Have you ever been at my stage, confused on what to do after graduating, and what steps did you take to clear this confusion? Any thoughts, criticism, positive things are more then welcome. Maybe I just need to grow the f*** up and get out to the real world...if this is what you think honestly, then just tell me
yoda Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 I would recommend going to grad school in an area related to your undergrad instead of taking the job offer. Also, add an MBA to your to do list for the future. All these enhance your future career prospects. Just because you like to keep fit, doesn't mean you need to study sports medicine or get into sports engineering (not sure what it means though, LOL). :winky:
flamy Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 Erm... if you have a job offer, I'd say take it and work for a couple of years and see how it feels. Industry experience will be different than school. Then, if you don't like it, you can quit and then go back to school on a related subject, or maybe smth completely different. Either way, you can leverage those two years of industrial experience in some way for future job prospects. Like, u can go back to grad school for "business psychology" (dont even know if it exists), and then say your previous job gave u "field experience" and your new degree in psychology puts u in a great position to be an advertising executive where u can use ur excellent written and verbal communication skills. cheers
punjabi_khota Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 Biomechanics is an up and coming field, with lots of research going on, and lots of money for researchers interested in it. For example, here's a sample biomechanics research institute : http://www.cib.vt.edu/ A typical day if you work in the field would be a combination of following: 1). Developing/tweaking system/math models of parts of human body 2). Writing code for simulating the said models 3). Designing experiments for obtaining data to research into injuries, sports performance, fatigue etc etc 4). Doing said experiments with subjects, on treadmills or other equipment
IKnowU Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 The street corner is available these days........ Easy and awesome moniez. B->
Shehezaada Posted February 3, 2011 Author Posted February 3, 2011 I would recommend going to grad school in an area related to your undergrad instead of taking the job offer. Also, add an MBA to your to do list for the future. All these enhance your future career prospects. Just because you like to keep fit, doesn't mean you need to study sports medicine or get into sports engineering (not sure what it means though, LOL). :winky: hey yoda....i did look into grad schools, but the problem is i don't really know what i'll like. If I had to pick I would probably go into either Machine Computer Interfacing or some sort of machine vision. As for the MBA...I'm not really interested in becoming a "manager" at this point in my life :) Sports Engineering is the design of machines to help sportsman. Seems really cool....maybe designing a robotic bowling machine to help Indians against the short ball!!
Shehezaada Posted February 3, 2011 Author Posted February 3, 2011 Erm... if you have a job offer, I'd say take it and work for a couple of years and see how it feels. Industry experience will be different than school. Then, if you don't like it, you can quit and then go back to school on a related subject, or maybe smth completely different. Either way, you can leverage those two years of industrial experience in some way for future job prospects. Like, u can go back to grad school for "business psychology" (dont even know if it exists), and then say your previous job gave u "field experience" and your new degree in psychology puts u in a great position to be an advertising executive where u can use ur excellent written and verbal communication skills. cheers You know what your actually very right in what you say.....it might also be worth it to pursue a job in another country and broaden my resume up a bit. If I don't get anything in a couple of months I can always go back to my safety net...and use that if i ever want to get back into school
Shehezaada Posted February 3, 2011 Author Posted February 3, 2011 Biomechanics is an up and coming field, with lots of research going on, and lots of money for researchers interested in it. For example, here's a sample biomechanics research institute : http://www.cib.vt.edu/ A typical day if you work in the field would be a combination of following: 1). Developing/tweaking system/math models of parts of human body 2). Writing code for simulating the said models 3). Designing experiments for obtaining data to research into injuries, sports performance, fatigue etc etc 4). Doing said experiments with subjects, on treadmills or other equipment this sounds really cool...unfortunately, mechanics is not my strong point. I often struggle to think 3D. But I could always try and improve on it....this would be very close to something that would really interest me.
Shehezaada Posted February 3, 2011 Author Posted February 3, 2011 The street corner is available these days........ Easy and awesome moniez. B-> yes yes brother...but the job satisfication?? can't get high off my own supply :)
The Outsider Posted February 3, 2011 Posted February 3, 2011 Just do what you are interested in for now. Explore options in non conventional fields if that is your interest. There is enough time in life to work as a Computer Engineer and get an MBA.
Shehezaada Posted February 3, 2011 Author Posted February 3, 2011 unfortunately that's the problem...i don't know exactly what i'm interested in. I "like" things...but there isn't anything in particular that's drawming me towards it any more then anything else.....i might have to jump in the pool to decide if i like it.
Desi Cartman Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 unfortunately that's the problem...i don't know exactly what i'm interested in. I "like" things...but there isn't anything in particular that's drawming me towards it any more then anything else.....i might have to jump in the pool to decide if i like it. About Job on hand : As tony robbins once said " dont leave your current job till you are sure what you want to do in life" If u take the job and work for a few months/years you would know if u really hate it or it can be a case that you dont know what to expect at the moment... see in 2-3 years where you are make your move. I know an aerospace engineer working in Business Intelligence reporting. So you can take your career in the direction you want. About not knowing what to do : With time you'll either realize that u r not REALLY interested in any specific area and just want to make the best of what you have studied or you would know what interests you. If you think that its feasible then go on and pursue it else relax and watch kirkut :P Ps: Till you are not 100% sure about what you want to do in life , its best not to get married or take on too many responsibilities like buying a house or an expensive car. This way you can easily go back to school or take time off. Baki depends on your age and how much money your family has :icflove:
The Outsider Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 unfortunately that's the problem...i don't know exactly what i'm interested in. I "like" things...but there isn't anything in particular that's drawming me towards it any more then anything else.....i might have to jump in the pool to decide if i like it. You don't have to know what you are really interested in, before venturing out into something you are really interested in. The bottom line is that you have to be good and strive to be excellent in whatever field you choose - and you can keep choosing your fields of interest throughout your life as long as you gain enough from them to apply them to disparate branches. I'll give you a trivial example - there was a certain Mathematical technique with no application in the traditional sense, which was developed 100 years back. Today, the same mathematical technique runs the derivative pricing in the financial world. You don't have to do something as radical, but if you strive to be the best in what you are doing there is no doubt that you will be amongst the best in whatever you are doing. The advise I would give here is not about what you should choose to do, but about exploring the curiosities that a college graduate's mind is filled with. Just to restate, you are not going to lose the skills you acquired in your undergrad ever, but you might possibly extinguish the yearning to learn more by getting into the corporate life dogma.
Shehezaada Posted February 4, 2011 Author Posted February 4, 2011 You don't have to know what you are really interested in, before venturing out into something you are really interested in. The bottom line is that you have to be good and strive to be excellent in whatever field you choose - and you can keep choosing your fields of interest throughout your life as long as you gain enough from them to apply them to disparate branches. I'll give you a trivial example - there was a certain Mathematical technique with no application in the traditional sense, which was developed 100 years back. Today, the same mathematical technique runs the derivative pricing in the financial world. You don't have to do something as radical, but if you strive to be the best in what you are doing there is no doubt that you will be amongst the best in whatever you are doing. The advise I would give here is not about what you should choose to do, but about exploring the curiosities that a college graduate's mind is filled with. Just to restate, you are not going to lose the skills you acquired in your undergrad ever, but you might possibly extinguish the yearning to learn more by getting into the corporate life dogma. great piece of advice sahabji. Thanks a lot. I'm always trying to learn and hopefully that quality wlll never leave me.
Zelig Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 I'm not the right person to talk about advice, coz I don't buy that shyte :phehehe:...but there words "Follow your heart" :icflove:
Shehezaada Posted February 10, 2011 Author Posted February 10, 2011 hey guys, have you heard of RIT -> Rochester Institute of Technology ? this program seems VERY interesting http://www.rit.edu/cla/psychology/engg.htm
Shehezaada Posted February 11, 2011 Author Posted February 11, 2011 Rochester is right next to Syracuse! Are you in Syracuse!?
kabira Posted February 11, 2011 Posted February 11, 2011 I did my undergrade in electronics and grad in computer engineering with emphasis on bioinformatics. Have few papers in my name, although not as first author. But then realize I did not like programming and neither did I like 9 to 5 thing, that was surely not for me. I left usa and hoped to work with dad on his business. I did not even like that either LOL, started my web development company and soon found out I loved internet marketing. I have become very good internet marketer and have helped some business make money on internet. I don't think I wasted 6 and half year though. Although I don't use a thing from my degree.
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