Engineering Technician to EE: Job Offers & Fair Salaries

[jasonleroy]

Hello,

I was an engineering tech for 3 years in the R&D lab of a major aerospace company. I took an educational leave to get my EE degree and will be graduating soon.

My question is, when considering offers, how much should my technical experience count? I know many companies will move someone to level 2 engineering after a couple years. Should I be eligible for a level 2 position?

I have my tech experience plus a year of interning while at school. Just trying to asses what a fair offer would be. Thanks!

 

[jedishrfu]

I can't say for certain but probably an extra 5K or so. However when evaluating offers you need to look at a lot of things like moving expenses, selling your old home, cost of living where the company resides, health benefits.

Then when you get an offer you can decide and ask for more citing another company's interest in you with a competing and comparable offer. The negotiating is when you'll make the most money.

Two things to be aware of you can usually do this once per company. Twice may be too much and the company may pull back the offer. So if you had two companies competing for you you hit each one and if they bump it up a notch you might try once again.

The other thing is that having gotten a higher offer they may in the long run delay any future raise to recoup the money they spent to get you unless of course they think you're really outstanding.

During your interview, toward the end ask about how promotions work and the employee levels like associate engineer vs staff engineer vs advisory vs senior. Each company will have different name and the hiring managers may use them during the interview saying when you join you'll be a senior associate and we'll promote you in a year to staff and another manager may start with a different level. The level determines the range of pay so it become important later on as you work there and get one or promotions ie I it could become a ceiling.

 

[JakeBrodskyPE]

I don't know what they pay for such experience these days. Nevertheless, If I am on a hiring committee, that is something I rate very highly. Engineers who do not at least have a passing familiarity of what technicians and customers do are a blight on the profession.

Your experience would mean a lot to me. What it's worth to someone else --who knows?

 

[jasonleroy]

Thanks! I'll just have to get out there and interview. Since I'm on educational leave, I expect to get an offer to return to my current company. Just want to make sure the offer is fair.