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Although being an engineer can be an extremely fulfilling and rewarding career, we can not deny that there are many challenges and issues with this line of work. While not all jobs are the same, and some are more tolerable than others; still, there are common issues with this profession that we will discuss in this post.
Engineers can be a dreadful career in terms of working hours and the amount of work you need to put in to get recognition. Engineering jobs are underpaid compared to the work put into design and development. At the same time, you are always expected to have the answers to everything and be flexible with your time, situation, and salary.
The top five reasons to NOT be an engineer are based on my experience as an engineer and the experience of many engineers I knew in my professional career. The following are the top 5 reasons NOT to be an engineer:
1- It is not a 9-5 job
In fact, there is no such a thing as 9-5 anymore. Most jobs are usually 9-12 hours long or more. It may not be a just Monday to Friday job. If you work in manufacturing or construction, you might have to work on weekends and even night shifts if required. Work just never end, and there is always something that needs to be done before a certain deadline which makes you too busy all the time.
Therefore, working in such jobs with long hours can require lots of time management and other personality traits to be successful. Doing long hours can be dreadful, and therefore, such people must have a high tolerance for stress and be able to keep up with the work demand. If you work long hours, I suggest reading this article for better performance: Top 7 Personality Traits Of Engineers For Immediate Success.
2- No easy path to success
This is extremely common for big cooperations and can also apply to medium and small companies, there is just too much competition to get to the top, and the people who end up getting the best promotions are the highest performers, the ones who have good communication or people skills, problem-solving skills and excellent time and self-management skills.
The path to success is long, and it takes years before you are acknowledged for your efforts because all engineering jobs are scaleable, which means you can climb the corporate ladder by being the best there is in what you do.
Nowadays, we are seeing more companies offering more equal opportunities between men and women and many junior engineers despite their background and ethnic beliefs, increasing the chances for many smart and capable people to join the workforce. Yet, the people who get to the top and earn better salaries are those who realy work the hardest and perform the best.
There is a lot of work to be done if you are a junior engineer or a fresh graduate from university. You will probably work more, do the difficult and long tasks, and always stay on your toes to stay relevant to your organisation. This easily makes engineering one of the most competitive professions out there.
3- Engineering will not make you rich
This is very true but also not quite right. You might not be paid handsomely for the number of hours you put in. Yet, the salary can guarantee a reasonable and comfortable life, plus the added benefit that most companies provide to employees with high technical jobs like engineering such as annual leave, sick leave, maternity leave, flexible hours and financial benefits such as owning the company shares for public companies.
On average, engineers can make between $60,000 and $90,000 annually, which guarantees a reasonable living. Engineering will not make you rich, at least not quickly. Those who work hard and climb the cooperate ladder to more senior and management positions can earn a high salary. You can read a few examples of famous CEOs and salary comparisons in this post: Can Engineering Make you Rich? Are CEOs rich?.
So Should you do engineering because it offers a good salary with a stable job? Based on my experience, you should not go for such a high technical career for financial gains only. For example, you can get rich doing real estate or having your own private business, but it will be tough to do so in engineering if you do not have the passion for it.
In the end, Which is more important: High salary or job satisfaction? The answer to this question depends on your age, the type of work and how much tolerance you have to make long term sacrifices to get to your goal. Usually, young people are more likely to work more and accept low pay than older people, which is why job satisfaction can come secondary to high salaries for many people.
4- Not much recognition for innovative work
It is the final product, not the people who make it. Maybe your organisation and friends and family will know you and Praise you for your work but not much beyond that. People may use what you designed and developed every day, but you will always be anonymous to them.
No one will know who you are if you build the most famous bridge in your city; people will use it every day, yet not many will ask what bright minds build such a magnificent structure.
It might look like there is not much recognition, and you might be thinking, Is An Engineering Degree Still Worth It? especially with the amount of work and resources put into getting that degree. Yet, I have seen many engineers work extremely hard and commit to their work despite this truth. It would be nice if we received more praise for the awesome work we do.
This is why people should not be doing such work if they look for recognition or fame. Recognition does happen for many engineers, especially for extremely innovative work, yet not often. On the other hand, websites such as Linkedin has grown to a more professional platform that tends to celebrate those who work in highly technical careers, which can also be a place to land your dream job.
5- You need to think quickly on your feet
Quite demanding career engineering can be, and you almost certainly need to have the right answers and collaborate with many people for innovative solutions. Many argue that this is what makes engineering fun which is the ability to brainstorm for solutions. Yet, things can get out of hand, which they do most of the time.
It is fun when you are working on one problem and spend as much time on it as possible, but when you are on a tight schedule and juggling a few jobs simultaneously, it can go from fun to stressful. If your job requires you to work with many stakeholders and clients, everyone will be looking at you for answers.
How Much Of What You Learn At Engineering School Will Use At Work? This is another thing that you need to consider, and it is usually not as much as you think. Most of what is taught at university are the basics that are good to know, but it can be done using computer software nowadays, so you need to keep learning through your career and gain experience to stay on top of your jobs.
The Bottom Line
After reading the top five reasons to not be an engineer, the question is: Is it worth the hassle? Absolutely yes, for many engineers, it gives life a reason. Getting to work on complex problems and bring value to your organisation and company brings a high level of satisfaction.
The world will always need engineers, making engineers easily employable, especially experienced ones. Yet we can not deny that engineering is a high-pressure, high-density work that sometimes requires endless hours of work, commitments and flexibility. With that being said, we comprised the Top 5 Reasons To Be An Engineer that might help many people who are thinking of joining this magnificent workforce.
