Stanley
Older student career questions
Hi, I'm a 37-year-old undergraduate graduating next spring, and I'm uncertain about my career trajectory. I got into EE for power systems but developed an interest in analog IC design after taking one class last year. I've had two internships in power systems so far, one of which just offered me an excellent job offer with excellent pay for my medium-COL city. I'm very excited, the company is great, my coworkers are friendly, and the work-life balance is pretty good with 2 days WFH but occasional >40hr weeks. The only problem is that it's a little boring, with lots and lots of copy and paste from Excel.
So I'm torn - I wanted to get an MS and go into analog ICs, but I feel like I'd be an idiot to renege on this offer. I mention my age because I need to get my life on track ASAP - I've been a waiter my entire life, and I have zero retirement or assets. I want to start saving for retirement and buy a house, so I don't know if spending another 2 years in school even makes sense at this point.
So if you were in my shoes, what would you be thinking? I'm leaning towards the tough but realistic decision of giving up the dream of analog and just getting into power for the immediate good job and start catching up to my peers on retirement and home ownership. I don't even know if analog is right for me anyway, since I've only taken one class so far (I'm taking 3-4 more this year).
The question is pressing because a friend just reached out to me to try to recruit me as an intern into his company that does analog IC design for defense, and I only have a few days before that window closes.
1 answer
Michelle M.
Michelle’s Answer
So, let's break down the issues you are concerned about and see what advice I can share with you. You have two more semesters before you will receive your Bachelors Degree and you want to go for a Masters Degree. You have excellent experience and have accepted a job at an excellent company for a good opportunity, but you believe the actual work is boring. You also think that if you begin your career that you can win a sort of race with peers who have already purchased property and a retirement fund.
My advice is that you should follow through with the position you have been offered and once you graduate next Spring, consult with the college as to how you can work your Masters Program around your job. You are already a step ahead of a lot of people at any age - you were offered a good position. Follow through with it. You've used a lot of abbreviations, but I think you are speaking about Electrical Engineering, not sure. Of course you are free to drop out of this job at any time, but you will have many benefits and an income if you stay with it. We can't always pick a job right away of the image we have in our mind. This means you have to allow your career to develop the way it will, and you are blessed that someone has offered you a good opportunity.
If you find the work boring before you even are there for months or longer, give it time as sometimes things on a job change and so do opportunities within a company. Try not to overthink it all and know that many others are not as fortunate to be offered good jobs and struggle for years to acquire one. And it has no bearing on your age because many people do not start saving for retirement in their younger years or obtain jobs that offer retirement benefits. My advice is to consider following through with the job you were offered and see how you like it once you get your Bachelors Degree in the Spring. If it is still too "boring", then quit once you find a new job but that may not be as easy to obtain as the one you were offered now. I wouldn't chance quitting just yet. Give it some time and gain more experience with the niche you like and you never know what could happen in the future. Just live in the moment and take the steps day to day to graduate, prepare for your Masters Program and based on how your life is at that time, you will know what to do. The paychecks will be a good addition to have every month.
If it was me, I would graduate in the Spring, obtain information about the Masters Program for what you want to study, work at the job you were offered while networking and participating in professional organizations and groups and meeting a lot of people. Don't look at the spontaneous opportunities as something that needs to give up a dream. You certainly can do it. Sometimes boring jobs lead to more exciting jobs just because of the people you know who observe your abilities and know you and like working with you.
I hope that this is helpful and I wish you all the best on your new job !