[POLL] What kind of job...

Well, the good news is that Italian Telecommunications Engineers (recently graduated) are well thought of, overseas, IMHO. Those that I have met, mostly under the Leonardo Scheme, have been very well taught and very capable and I wouldn't have hesitated in giving a job to any one of them.

A first degree is just a key to the door - a door locked to most non-graduates. You don't have to go through the door, there are plenty of jobs outside. But, if you do go in, you will find that a master's degree will widen the gap between those inside and those outside. After your master's you can then choose whether to become even more of an expert, and get your doctorate, or become more managerial and get an MBA, etc. But, at the moment, you are standing in the doorway and so you are neither totally in or out, hence you are competing against those that are outside as well as inside..

I chose the doctorate route and yes, even though it was many years ago, I still rely on the knowledge I picked up during my first degree. Do I feel rewarded? Financially, not really. But every time I see something that I designed, or helped to design, it more than makes up for it.

Italy, as I am sure that you are aware, has a fine reputation for cutting edge telecommunications technology. It is well respected. That didn't happen by accident but was made to happen by a lot of new telecommunications graduates who probably wondered at the time whether they had made a terrible mistake..

Phil....you sure have got the HR departments number in MOST large companies. I remember an open employee req. that remained unfilled for months so finally I called and worked my way up the "imbecile ladder" at HR. They assured me qualified applicants would be sent my way but first I should meet with "my recruiter". So, this 22 year old kid shows up with all the latest buzz words on his lips. He had absolutely no clue on how to sort through applicants and even agreed when I showed him what we were doing. So instead he just sent me everyone and anyone....none of them were qualified. I came to find out later he was still filtering applicants based on the companies affirmative action policy. In other words, you had to be the right color to even get to the interview. In the end I hired an unqualified individual that was only good for relieving minor tasks from the rest of us....This is NOT a racial slam because my group looked like the United Nations....we just were not getting the most qualified to the interview! So like I said...you definitely got this one wired....Ross

Then there are EVEN WORSE HR departments! I'm sure you've all heard what fine fiscal shape Delphi is in...did you know that even five years ago they shielded their HR department (that's right, the HR department!) from job seekers!!!!!! You can only drop off a resume with their contracted security guards and HOPE that it might get to HR. Well, at least they are getting what they deserve! (I am sympathetic to what'll probably happen to their workforce...outside of HR and management, that is.)

George