Careers In Aerospace Engineering Tips
Read these 7 Careers In Aerospace Engineering Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Engineering Jobs tips and hundreds of other topics.
Negotiating Your Salary
You've reached the light at the end of the tunnel, you've received your degree in aerospace engineering and landed the job you wanted. Now the only question is how much you'll get paid for all of your hard work thus far. Aerospace engineering is one of the most lucrative specialty among engineering careers. Though location, degree and capability all play a role in your salary level, it is your skill sets that ultimately decide what your salary will be. Other factors may come into play, like whether your employer is a government agency or a private firm, and the number of years you have in the aerospace engineering career.
Right out of college, one can expect up to $56K, which is extraordinary in the range of all first year college graduate salaries. It is also among the highest in starting engineering career salaries. After one to four years in the industry, this could jump to $60K. Once you reach the mid-level career time frame, around five to nine years, this could jump again to $75K. After 10-19 years, around the supervisory-level, salary reaches around $92K, with very experienced engineers earning up to $105K. It is important to recognize that these are just working numbers that depend on various factors.
Should You Use a Recruiter?
If you're looking for options in your search for aerospace engineer jobs, you may be tempted to consider using a recruiter. List the pros and cons of this decision to better understand how your situation might react to that choice.
Though the search for an aerospace engineer job is one of the more difficult tasks, there are a number of web sites designed to help you in this search. It may be beneficial to first try landing an aerospace engineering job on your own before consulting a recruiter. Doing the research on your own in the beginning will prove beneficial even if you decide to go with a recruiter to help land an interview. Whatever you decide, it is best that you take initiative in researching your options from the outset.
Prepare for Your Aerospace Engineer Career
If you're interested in finding more about aerospace engineer careers, you should know that the first step is obtaining a degree in aerospace engineering. While obtaining your degree, begin thinking about what specialties might interest you in the field. Deciding early on what your specialty will be makes planning your continuing education much easier.
If you're already pretty advanced in your aerospace engineering career and are simply ready for the next step, you may consider looking into supervisory-level aerospace engineer jobs. In order to secure yourself a supervisory-level aerospace engineering job, you must obtain your master's degree in aerospace engineering and a license as a Professional Engineer. These are just the basic qualifications, however. Potential employers will be looking for you to demonstrate your vision and creativity. Be prepared with a portfolio that highlights your ability to take the lead on a project and execute it from beginning to end.
Learn More About Aerospace Engineering
If you're interested in learning more about aerospace engineering, it's best to start looking into an aerospace engineering degree. A career in aerospace engineering is the leading edge in technology. You may have read in the news about problems faced by the space shuttle fleet and the space station. It's aerospace engineers that are being summoned to resolve these problems and more.
There is most likely a place for you if the aerospace engineering field is of interest to you. From electrical engineering to true aerospace specialties, start your search for information about aerospace engineering jobs today.
Land an Aerospace Engineering Job
Your first step toward landing an aerospace engineering job is to obtain a degree in aeronautical or aerospace engineering. Aerospace engineering jobs are the most specialized of the engineering field, so it's best to decide early on what your focus will be. The skill sets in this field are not necessarily overlapping, though they are broad. Whether it's commercial aircraft, fighter aircraft or spacecraft, including missiles and rockets, the themes are common with definite distinctions in technology. No matter your choice of focus, working in aerospace engineering is a commitment to a long academic pursuit. Choosing your specialty early ensures that you get a leg up on the competition.
Those with aerospace engineering jobs experience international competition more than those in other engineering fields. The greater one's education in your specialty, the better. The basics won't do; aerospace engineers need to have a keen knowledge of fluid mechanics, propulsion and control technology. Because aerospace engineering is relatively new to the engineering world, it is most highly dependent on higher levels of technology.
Go beyond just an aerospace engineering degree; get a firm grasp on your specialty within the field and attack the job search with vigor.
Use All Your Resources to Land an Aerospace Engineer Job
You may be wondering what your options are as far as your aerospace engineer career goes. If you're schedule or life plan relies heavily on the option of having a temporary aerospace engineer job, you may want to reconsider. Temporary job opportunities are both more difficult to find and often prove less beneficial for someone in this field. The exceptions to this rule are for new college graduates looking for their first aerospace engineer job or for someone looking to expand their specialty, or change it altogether.
Internships are also a great way to begin your career as a new graduate, or to move peripherally within your field. It may also be a great option for someone looking to relocate or transition to a different aerospace engineer job. For the best possible results and momentum in your aerospace engineer career, however, it is a good idea to find a permanent position within your specialty. Until you reach that point, however, a temporary job may be for you. Just remember that they serve you much better in the short term than in the long term. Consider your goals for each, and decide accordingly.
Start Your Mid-Level Aerospace Engineer Career
If you're looking for the next step in your aerospace engineer career, you might want to consider honing your skills for a mid-level aerospace engineering job. Because mid-level aerospace engineering jobs require a certain level of experience, it's best to start planning early for your next step. With each assignment or project you work on, you are building your portfolio. It is important to have a clear portfolio that highlights your skill sets; make it easy for a potential employer to see what you can offer.
The complexities of the aerospace engineering field make it more valuable to have an in-depth knowledge of one specialty rather than a broad knowledge of the basics. Therefore, it is critical that an aerospace engineer decides early on what specialty they would like to pursue. Once this has been decided, you can begin continuing your education in this area. The continuous pursuit of knowledge puts you ahead in your search for aerospace engineering jobs.
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| Joe Wallace |
