I graduated in December with a BS ME. I've applied to 100x jobs and am not getting responses. I am beginning to wonder if these jobs are real. Does anyone have a job site where they were actually hired off of?

Some jobs are not real. Big companies force managers to post jobs and conduct a few interviews but they still get to make the final decision. They already have someone chosen who will get the job. Also immigration requires no Americans be available for the job so lawyers post fake job listings. To get work you need to know people and network. Keep polishing your resume. Your full time job is finding a job. Once you are working it’s easier to get another job.

Lots of jobs are fakes.

Did you have AI go all over your resume and fix it up perfect? So did everyone else. Did you make sure to include all the right search words. So did everyone else. Find some way to set yourself apart. And then write a book on it and get rich. :)

Another big one, WHERE are you looking. I would HATE to be an entry level engineer in Austin, Huntsville, or some place with big growth. Everyone is already there. Look at applying in locations that aren't so popular.

Something else to consider. Every entry to early level engineer in the world is applying to space and rocket companies. Shield AI is not scrambling for entry level people to fill positions. And young engineers would PAY Anduril to hire them, right now. So if some brand name company doesn't call you back, don't lose hope.

Another thing to consider is looking for your first job maybe in an industry that isn't "trendy" or doesn't have a lot of competition but does have some job skills that are valuable. Look at a smaller city (or town) with a legacy but stable industry. Get your 1-3 years in there, and then go looking . . . if you want to?

The best advice I can give you is to go into Construction as a field engineer and work your way up. You will start off with a lower base salary, but your potential is much higher. I'm a mechanical engineer and wish I had gone to work for a GC directly instead of chasing big name companies.

In my 16-year ME career, I held two jobs and am getting interviewed for a third. I got my current job through Indeed, so at least some of them are real jobs.

My two cents:

1) Be selective. This is counterintuitive, and rejections hurt more when you are selective. But resist the urge to submit resume to any job you qualify for and apply to companies where you actually want to work, and be persistent. DM the hiring manager to follow up, multiple times if you have to (but be professional, of course). The worst thing they can tell you is, "please don't DM me again." Companies are getting hundreds of applications for a job, and anything you can do to show that you care and take initiative will go further than you think.
2) Find a recruiter, or do something to be found by one. If a company is using an outside recruiting firm (and many companies do), going through a recruiter could (but not always) give you a leg up. Recruiters get paid when they find you a job. This may incentivize them to nudge you to take any job so you have to be selective, but when it works, it works.

I was looking for a job in 2009 and the economy was so bad, my friends were getting rejections for jobs that they were once accepted for through co-op. So you probably feel like you're doomed now, but be resilient. This process is not linear, it works more like a step function.

Good luck!

Hello sir, recent grad (3yrs ago). I get it bro. I recommend keeping an eye on the company hiring portals that you want to work at, and spam application to everything you are remotely qualified for.

Hiring managers are responsible for putting those listings on linkedin but it may take a a day or two, and that could be the difference between being the 10th applicant to the 100th applicant. People hiring are biased and will go with the first best candidate that fits their needs. (Unfortunately if you don't stand out in the pile of resumes, you should try to be on the first one they see)

My advices will be: 1. Keep getting your MSME and find internships during when you are doing that. 2. Try any ME positions even if they are not in your city, you need an entry level job to gain experience, you can move on to other company or cities after about 3 years. 3. Keep submitting resume, in the meantime improve your skills by getting certificates (solidworks, EIT, PE, etc).

Hang in there! It's a tough market. My son graduated in December (BS Software Dev, minor in Cyber Security), he's been applying to a lot of positions and just landed one last week.

You were sold a bill of goods about the engineering profession. Most working these jobs are doing tasks that fall somewhere between an accountant and a paralegal. Worse, you are now competing with a nearly infinite supply of “engineering” labor from the H1B usuals. Even if you secure an entry level job somewhere, you can expect your wages to stagnate unless you’re willing to change jobs every 3-5 years. The ME degree was the cheat code on life up to 20 years ago, ‘when it was harder to get one btw’, but today they’re a dime a dozen, especially in bigger cities. Pivoting to the more positive-you will find something eventually; everybody does. Try to specialize in something and become a niche expert in that thing. Doing so will insulate you from any reductions in force and increase your earning power over time.

Be flexible and don’t give up! Apply to development programs and analyst roles in every job field. Network as well if you can and get referrals for every job application you send in! Good luck!

First off, were your grades good?
Second, did you have any relevant extracurriculars or relevant work experience?

Assuming yes to both of the above questions, then final question. IS YOUR RESUME ANY GOOD? There are thousands of BSME grads every year across the nation, polish the resume to make yourself stand out and above the rest. Highlight relevant internships, co-op experience, clubs, hobbies, etc.

Try to demonstrate that you understand the principals behind your experience. i.e. - don't just say something like "Designed a clutch for the SAE baja team (or Formula team)" say something like "Applied principles of machine design, CAD modeling, and FEA Analysis to design a clutch for..."

Many recent grads fall into the trap of simply listing various tidbits of experience on their resume without expanding on why it is relevant. In my example above, if you're not applying for a job relevant to clutches, the AI bots or entry level recruiter is just going to skip right over your resume since it doesn't contain the right keywords or "buzz words" even though you might be a great fit.
Additionally, demonstrating that you actually understand the principals will put you ahead of many recent grads once your resume hits a hiring manager's desk. Quite frankly, most recent grads don't actually understand how their experience is relatable to what they've learned or the jobs they're applying for; so if you can do that then I think you'll get a second look.

Here's the big surprise: you did this awesome thing, but companies generally are full of it. So, you'll have to be even awesomer. More courses, volunteer work, something to get you some cashflow, free courses on Coddy, use LinkedIn. When you get cash, invest like crazy because no one wants to help you, no one will keep you, even though you're awesome.

ok... not too sure what the situation is nowadays, but when I graduated from Imperial College/LU I received over 70 rejections. that was a long time ago.... but after I got my foot in the door (so to speak), I never looked back..... so hang in there... also, when you are being interviewed.... speak honest... do not use fluff...companies can see through BS.... trust me on this! good luck.

use an AI to scrape company websites. At every company you apply to, call the highest ranking person you can. Call all your college friends, and if any of them got a job, ask if they can get you in at the place you were hired, also if there are any jobs they turned down.

Keep on trying! For junior roles there are a lot of qualified applicants.

I only spend 30 seconds to a minute on each resume, so make sure to put the things that help you stand out at the top of your resume and make it easy for someone scanning your resume to digest the information.

Also, make sure your resume contains key words from the job description.

The jobs are real... you just need to stand out.

Good luck!

If you’re interested in HVAC, there’s a lot of hiring going on in the Data Centers market. I was a “traditional” ME grad but transitioned to MEP as it was pretty much the only industry with plenty of openings in my city.

Only use Microsoft Word for your resumes or cover letters; the AI programs that companies use can't read words in a pdf.

Newly graduated engineering students are facing significant market due to major from the big firms starting last year or so. There are more young experienced. the job market willing to take entry-level positions, which usually saved for a newly graduate in the past. From practical perspective, you might like to expand your search beyond engineering. The goal is to land on a job and sipve the other problems later.

Hang in there! I would suggest you to work your way "old school" with your resume on paper walking to real workplaces during lunch break to see real people and real people see you. That's what worked for me the best last year. So many fake jobs and/or hiring priorities or scope changes ,,,