Does A Master's Degree In Engineering Guarantee Work? It Depends On These Factors

Saturday, May 14th, 2016, at 2 p.m.

I celebrated an extraordinary personal achievement. It felt like the long-awaited finish line.

After a long three years in which I worked the hardest assistantship ever, lost my first marriage, and ventured through the toughest academic gauntlet ever, I earned my Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering.

Being a former business and environmental science major was a cakewalk compared to the technical rigor of this program. I spent countless hours devouring engineering problems. Many obstacles created an uphill battle transitioning into engineering.

Against all odds, they became an echo of the past thanks to the many professors, library books, and resources, coupled with a mindset of constant improvement that triumphed in the end. 

I was all set to go out there and… get a job?   

Nahhhh.  I decided that I should wait.  I had just been through my own personal hells, and I wanted to spend my time during the summer doing things that got pushed by the wayside, such as rekindling old friendships, playing music, learning photography, and traveling across the country.   

My professors and prospective employers, whom I had interviewed, assured me that there would be a job for me when I was ready—yes, when I was ready, on my time. They can wait, right? 

After a lot of back-and-forth and a Facebook announcement that pushed me off the edge four months before, I bought a one-way plane ticket from Cleveland, Ohio, to Portland, Oregon, and the rest was history. I’ve got this in the bag. 

I’d smack myself upside the head if I had a time machine. 

But I suppose I had to learn the hard way, which is why I’m going to share with you some of the things I wish I had done before making a dramatic move that would make the personal hells that I’d just mentioned child’s play. 

But first, here’s why I went into engineering. 

A Master's Degree In Engineering Is Useful, If Only... 

I enjoy engineering for its ample challenges and opportunities to apply creativity to solve technical problems under economic constraints. Engineering is a quantitatively demanding practice that enabled me to apply mathematical know-how to practical problems, which makes me an effective instructor today.   

While I wasn’t inherently passionate about chemical engineering during college, I greatly enjoyed solving problems and finding a better way to do things, so I never took my engineering education for granted.  

However, the opportunities I was presented with required me to be in that field, so I figured I’d pivot later into renewable energy or something related to that field. In my studies, I noticed many parallels between electrical, chemical, and mechanical engineering, so I figured I might as well go deep into one for now. 

So, if I didn’t take the value of my education for granted, what blindsided me?

It was the job prospects. I was so focused on mastering my craft that I didn’t learn how to acquire employment with my skills on my own. The department recruited employers who sought out people in our specific program because of our strong alumni network.

But most of these employers were on the East Coast. I was now on the West Coast.

Throughout my academic career, I was told that engineers would always be needed and that my skills would be valuable to some employers. I saw my colleagues working for corporations all across the eastern and midwestern United States, so I figured—why not the West Coast? Surely, there will be something for me wherever I move, and the odds are in my favor. 

Yes, but… not as much. 

While I have a degree in a respectable field in which I could solve technical and business problems, it was impractical to apply where I lived.  There was much more demand for civil and electrical engineers in the Pacific Northwest than for chemical engineers.  I had the practical know-how, but because my skills didn’t align with the market, employers perceived my skillset to be risky, adding difficulty to the journey.

What the hell?! I thought employers wanted people who could solve problems that generated revenue, reduced operating costs, and mitigated risk. 

Yes, but… it has to look that way on paper first.  This was a hard lesson on how perception is everything, even with technical professionals.  It was almost like being built for playing hockey and trying out for a basketball team by saying, “I’m an athlete, so I got this in the bag.” 

For the first 12 months, I held 7 jobs that didn’t work out. None that I was fired from, but all that never offered enough hours, pay, or reason to care about my work. It felt like I was accepting whatever I could get just to have some money.

Between not having a vehicle, walking a mile to the bus stop each day, and not being with the right people who could help me, I felt myself digging into a hole I was unable to dig out of, and slipping into my mental despair.  Everything I had trained and preached in my personal development center in Syracuse was thrown into question.

However, one chance at a temp job turned out favorably. What started as solely a one-weekend assignment turned into a six-month stint during which I learned to set the bar for success. It wasn't in engineering directly, but it was a chance to apply my skills differently and prove they were transferable. 

My manager immediately noticed I had a knack for improving systems and mingling with guests on the spot. Thanks to the casino's tipping system, I made close to what I should have been making as an entry-level engineer while having twice as much fun. 

From that opportunity, I was promoted to be a barback during the busy days (Friday through Sunday) and a data analyst for the other two days.  However, a lucky connection pulled me away from it to be a lab engineer for a fuel testing facility, where I finally got started in my field nearly two years after graduation.

What I Would Have Done Differently Before Moving 

A lot can be said for someone who wants to risk it all by uprooting and starting over to gain a new perspective after spending most of their life on one side of the country.  However, that’s not a license to neglect the responsibility that should have received my careful attention when committing to such a big move. 

Unlike college, where most things were taken care of for me, I was now wildly on my own to ensure that I had my basic needs met.  I didn’t have a community where I could make instant friends, see the opportunities on full display, or have the chance to work with leading scientists and engineering researchers.  I was completely on my own for the long haul. 

After reflection, I've distilled some aspects I would have done differently if I ever committed to packing up and moving to a completely different region all over again: 

Research The Market 

Admittedly, I approached the market with rose-tinted glasses, thinking my skills would be valuable anywhere I went. Even if the chemical engineering industry wasn’t as prominent as others, I should have connected with employers who did hire in the field early. 

Unfortunately, when other people with better professional backgrounds move out that way, they will be better aligned with the market's needs. Even if the odds were stacked against me, I would’ve at least liked to have known that from the get-go to plan differently.

Challenges are easier to conquer when you approach them realistically.

When you move somewhere, it is wise to figure out whether what you’re looking for is available where you’re moving. Most jazz musicians move to cities, so moving to a small town for work would not make sense unless there’s an exceptional market. 

Connect With Professionals on LinkedIn 

I knew that LinkedIn was a powerful tool for connecting with people, but I had no idea back in 2016 that you could use it to connect with people you don’t know. Unfortunately, I assumed it was a lot like Facebook but far more professional. These days, I know many friends who connect with people they haven’t met yet on LinkedIn simply because they’re working in the field or position that they admire. 

Another part of me that made me hesitant to use LinkedIn was that I wasn’t sure if I was committed to moving out that way, so I thought I would burn many bridges if I decided against it. These days, when a relocation doesn’t happen, people are more understanding than ever before, so I should’ve just taken the risk anyway. 

By connecting with professionals on LinkedIn, I know that I should not expect any business or opportunities from them if I were to do that. Still, it’s good to know who is who in an industry and an area because they may be connected to somebody else who could serve a more immediate purpose than what I’m looking for.

If I had a chance to do it over, the minute I posted on Facebook that I was moved to the West Coast, I would’ve energized my LinkedIn and made it a priority to connect with people out there, no matter what. 

Start MUCH Earlier 

While it was refreshing to travel all across the East Coast and Midwest, I burned a lot of cash and time doing so, which would have been better spent securing employment so that I could do that down the road. Admittedly, I was scared to make such a big move to a side of the country I’d never even visited, so I was foolish in distracting myself. 

As Tim Ferriss would say, I should’ve started immediately and corrected course along the way. After all, that is what I did when I moved to the West Coast in the late summer of 2016, so if I had started earlier, I would’ve known a lot more, which would’ve compounded more effectively.

Save Up More Before Moving 

During my last year of graduate school, I was fortunate enough to have a graduate assistantship that paid for what I needed to live in Syracuse. Additionally, I had been saving money since my first marriage failed in anticipation of moving across the country.   

However, it would have served me better not to play so many music shows during my last semester and spend more time flexing my entrepreneurial muscles to find more ways to make money.   

Considered The Long-Term Implications 

Every decision comes at a price.  The most vivid concept I learned in economics was opportunity cost — the value of the next best alternative foregone.  If I choose A, I must forgo B — end of story. 

In my case: If I choose to move to Portland, Oregon, I will forgo moving to the Southeast United States, where my degree would have far more impact. 

Of course, these realizations are in hindsight. I had no idea that I could potentially be giving up so much by moving to the West Coast in terms of economic opportunities and getting something else done faster.

However, that’s the price I chose to pay at the end of the day to go to an area where I thought I could get a fresh start, and today, I’m at ease with my decision.

After seven years, I can conclude that it was a brutal decision in the short term. In the long term, I no longer wonder if the West Coast is the best place for me, and I enjoy everything it offers.

In The End, I’m Glad I Gave My Best 

There is no doubt that, despite being metaphorically punched in the face more times during my first year than I can count, my move to the West Coast was the best thing ever. I met many amazing people, married better, got my hands on better instruments and equipment, and can now make a life for my wife and me as we relocated to Southern California. 

I learned many lessons from hitting the ground running in life by relocating. I could have learned these lessons now or later.

While there is irony in writing on what I would have done differently by saying what comes next, I strongly believe in the value of first-hand experience with major failures to train us to make better decisions next time. However, there is value in heeding the advice of others once you’ve hit your threshold of failure to make better decisions in the future.

I'm not discouraging anyone from doing what I did. I'm only encouraging them to do it more wisely than I did.

Should you pack up and do what I did — go for it!  There will be many epic people and adventures in your journey.  Just make sure you set yourself up properly and be patient.  Safe travels!