Degree in engineering may not get you the job

When freshman Dan Roe decided to attend the Tufts School of Engineering, it wasn't just because of his interest in math and science.

"My parents told me to be an engineer," he said. "Technical jobs pay more." Not only that, Roe believes _ as many Tufts students do _ that after graduation, engineers have an easier time finding jobs than liberal arts students do. "With a technical degree, [engineers] can go into the actual technical field or they can go in to business or anything else," Roe said.

That belief will take on new meaning this year, as Tufts seniors from all walks of life face a job market that is far less inviting than in past years. While many engineers may have come to college thinking their curriculum would better prepare them for the world beyond, Director of Career Services Jean Papalia says that factors outside of one's curriculum play an important role in the career search.

"I think it really depends on the economy," she said. "It's a real myth. It depends on the job market and what kinds of fields people are looking into."

The number of engineering companies recruiting at Tufts during the 2001-2002 school year decreased by more than 50 percent from the 2000-2001 year. This was compared to only a 25 percent decrease in the number of financial services and consulting firms recruiting at Tufts in the same years.

"A lot of the companies that are tried and true and always come just didn't have any openings last year," she said.

The job search has changed for seniors in accordance with the changing market, Papalia said. "Tufts students typically have a high interest in the fields of consulting, finance, and high tech, all of which got hit very hard last year, so of course recruiting was down at Tufts as well as at all universities."

In agreement with Tufts statistics, the National Association of Colleges and Employers predicts that employers will hire 3.6 percent fewer new colleges graduates in 2002-2003 than last year. In addition, engineering firms are expected to see the biggest decreases in college hires, with a projected 11.4 percent decrease.

Papalia expects recruiting at Tufts to be heavier in government, merchandising, non-profits and biotech.

But students aren't the only ones who subscribe to the belief that engineers have more success in their job search. Dean of Engineering Ioannis Miaoulis said that engineers are not as susceptible to job market fluctuations. "It's not a myth, it's a reality. There are a lot of technical firms looking for students."

Engineers also bring many useful skills to the table. "They have good analytical skills and quantitative skills. They are good at problem solving," Miaoulis said. He also believes an engineering degree also never gets outdated, since students are given not only a technical background, but the ability to learn on their own. "If they learn the basics, they're able to adapt and to create technology themselves," he said.

But it may not just be the engineering curriculum that causes people to think that engineers are more employable. The Engineering College's small size also facilitates the job search process. Freshman engineer Graham Good said that "there are less engineers than liberal arts students coming out of schools. So there's probably just less of an abundance."

Because engineering professors have fewer students to deal with, they are able to give students individual attention. "The engineering department is so small. I have a lot of friends who found internships through their professors or their advisors, because everyone knows each other," said senior Michael Torsiello, a civil engineer.

Though Miaoulis says that certain desired job skills are built into the engineering curriculum, Papalia contends that, after factoring in internship experience and background, many engineers and liberal arts students may have the same ability when it comes to analytical skills.

When companies are hiring they're after other skills as well, she said. "Communication skills, ability to make decisions, work as a team member, time management _ those are the qualities they're looking for," she said.

Liberal arts students may have a harder time in applying for jobs because they have to explain their background and skills. "When you say liberal arts, it's so broad because liberal arts means the rest of the world besides engineering," Papalia said.

Overall experience will help students from both the engineering and liberal arts colleges find success in their search for the right job, Papalia said. "Everybody who comes out of Tufts has a really well-rounded education," she said.

This broad experience is what attracts many to Tufts. "I figured that I could get a good background of everything at Tufts, and that was half the reason I came here, to meet a lot of people with different ideas," Good said.

Regardless of the job search, many engineers maintain that they chose their course of study because of a strong interest in math and science, and not because of job opportunities. "It was complete interest in the classes," Torsiello said.

Surviving in the engineering field requires a genuine love for the subject matter. "If you choose the discipline just for the job opportunities, you probably won't make it," Miaoulis said.

Miaoulis also points out that a successful job search means finding the right job, not necessarily finding a job immediately. "I have been dean for nine years and nobody has ever complained to me that they cannot find a job," he said. "It may take a little bit longer than the typical year, but eventually if they try to find a job, they will."

Engineers remain confident, though, that their skills will find them a job no matter what the economic situation, and despite the recent pessimistic statistics. Torsiello acknowledged that the attitudes his senior engineering friends take towards finding a job may be an indicator of the validity of the belief.

"Not really any of them are nervous about finding a job, everyone just thinks they'll get one," he said