I'm new to the field. Everyone seems extremely stressed and overworked. Am I seeing the worst of it, or is that the norm?

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What industry/type of work? Field work mean different things for different people. I can speak for the oilfield.

Onshore field engineers usually last between 1-3 years before they move out/transition to other roles. The days are long (~12-14 hrs) and you will come back to man camps. Part of the stress come from there. In regards to overworked, that is something you need to watch out for. Companies like to run their field personnel hard but that leads to mistakes and accidents, or a job poorly done.

Offshore is different, much better organized and distribution of work load.

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Yes, companies will run engineers (or any profession really) into the ground if they can. Try and remember what you like the most about your job. That can help you keep your head in the game which is really important for avoiding errors which can be costly and dangerous (sometimes both).

It is how the system works, and soon you will be part of the system and although it seems bad, it is not, you will learn to work under stress and to control fairly tight delivery times, the field makes you a better engineer.

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Like M1 said, this heavily varies from field to field and even from workplace to workplace. It's a pretty real possibility that you landed a heavily demanding role, but the good news is that transferring out is always a possibility since engineers tend to be in high demand. Where you working at?

I work at a small aluminum rolling mill producing about 6-8M lbs of aluminum coils per year. We also make CTL sheets and circles

That was also my experience at my very first job, but I've come a long way since then and I find my work to be fairly low intensity with reasonable hours and expectations nowadays. I wouldn't go as far as to say that's the norm, but it's not uncommon for there to be long hours, and some amount of disrespect for the time and energy of on-site workers

A lot of times people just want to vent, it's usually nothing really serious. Just remember that every situation you are in, there are always options, and it is your choice how to deal with it. It's not all awful. Or people wouldn't choose to be engineers anymore. And we're supposed to be smart, right...? ;)

“People are about as happy as they make up their minds to be," in the words of Abraham Lincoln (purportedly). It's not a definite thing that you have to be super stressed all the time. Life is far too precious for that nonsense

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