MSEE with degree other than BSEE

Employers with two potential candidates for a single position will make a decision....they will look at the degrees for sure, but you may win out over a slightly better qualified candidate based on other factors such as applicable experience, curriculum more relevent to the position, or even how well you play with others.....

They may also make a decision to hire the less qualified candidate simply on cost....that extra piece of paper may raise the salary expectations of the candidate, when the actual job functions could be suited by the qualifications of the lessor candidate (who seems hungrier, and comes at a bargain!)....Selling is selling, know your market, and price your product accordingly!

After you obtain a position, what you accomplish in that position will weigh very heavily in any future interviews...companies are results oriented....show them how you affected the bottom line, brought about positive changes, cut development time, improved quality, etc....

As someone who hires engineers, your BSEET would only come into play if you were one of two equally qualified candidates and the other had a BSEE from an ABET school.

You realize that even with an MSEE, your BSEET may keep you from qualifying to take the PE exam. That is important to some employers. It is becoming more important to us. We are pushing for all of our engineers to get licenses, even though most of the work we do does not require it. Why? Because it looks good.

Charles Perry P.E.

"Charles Perry" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@individual.net:

Excellent point. My understanding, however, is that in NJ, where I live, I am eligible for the PE. I know this is not true in all states. Would it be a valid assumption that if I were to pass the FE/EIT, and later after getting the necessary experience become a PE, that a PE combined with an MSEE would further downplay any potential negative effect a BSEET degree would have?

Out of curiosity, all other things being equal what additional pay would someone get at your firm for having a PE? I presume that your firm is eligible for the corporate exemption. Because I have a PE, retired, old, and not looking for work, it truly is out of mere curiosity that I ask.

My license expires in two months. California offers some kind of a retired PE certificate at a much lower cost but you have to take the exam again for full reinstatement. I will probably renew just for an ego trip.

Bill

-- Ferme le Bush

By that time, no one is likely to care.

Bill

-- Ferme le Bush

Yes. But, and it is a big but, you MIGHT not be able to transfer your PE obtained in NJ to other states. This could cause you problems when trying to move from job to job.

As for me, once you have an MSEE and a PE, I am looking more at your work history and the types of projects you have managed and less at the BSEET.

I do recommend a MS. It will open doors that are shut to you with a BSEET. Nothing against that degree but we have one BSEET working as a technician and another as an engineering manager. BSEET degrees have a huge span of competence. Some are no better than a technician program at a local community college and some are nearly as good as a BSEE. This is not your fault, but does prejudice the people interviewing you. An MSEE proves you can learn and are willing to put in the time to learn. That is what many, if not all, employers are looking for.

BTW, 80% of our new hires are MS, 10% PHD, and 10%BS will additional experience.

Charles Perry P.E.

Charles Perry P.E.

"Charles Perry" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@individual.net:

Thank you, sir. I have decided to pursue the straight Engineering Bachelors degree (I am still torn between Electrical, Mechanical, and Biomed -- one of the reasons I'm going straight Engineering is that it will provide a general theoretical education that allows me to examine the different options -- the tech degree is more application-specific), but your last comment, regarding the percentage of your new hires that are MS, was most valuable to me -- as I complete my undergrad, I will definitely keep that in mind, and try to get co-op or even paid experience in the summers, and/or examine the various MS programs in the area.