I used to jokingly use 'Overeducated and Underemployed' as a tag line in my forum profile. I have an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering but have been a stay at home mom for many years now.
I found my first job out of college hugely frustrating because I did no engineering to speak of. Some of the other new hires in my group did actually do engineering but for the most part the rest of us just did paperwork and went to meetings. I suppose it shouldn't come as any surprise that I was working for a division of General Motors at the time.
I saw this in my reader this morning and had to chuckle. I'm convinced that just about every college graduate - particularly those in the scientific fields - feels this way at some point in their career usually within the first few months.
I moved on from General Motors to Rockwell just before they were bought by Boeing. I worked out at the NASA test facility in White Sands, NM. One might think this was a step up on the career ladder. One might. Until one figured out that the NASA engineers pretty much controlled everything. You may THINK you are in control of the project until you walk in one morning only to be told, "I spec'ed and order your clean room." Stuff like that happened constantly.
There are days when I could certainly use more mental challenges in my life but for the most part I keep myself busy. I don't look back on my working days fondly but I'm definitely glad I had the experience if for no other reason that to be able to appreciate the Dilbert comic strips.
I found my first job out of college hugely frustrating because I did no engineering to speak of. Some of the other new hires in my group did actually do engineering but for the most part the rest of us just did paperwork and went to meetings. I suppose it shouldn't come as any surprise that I was working for a division of General Motors at the time.
I saw this in my reader this morning and had to chuckle. I'm convinced that just about every college graduate - particularly those in the scientific fields - feels this way at some point in their career usually within the first few months.
I moved on from General Motors to Rockwell just before they were bought by Boeing. I worked out at the NASA test facility in White Sands, NM. One might think this was a step up on the career ladder. One might. Until one figured out that the NASA engineers pretty much controlled everything. You may THINK you are in control of the project until you walk in one morning only to be told, "I spec'ed and order your clean room." Stuff like that happened constantly.
There are days when I could certainly use more mental challenges in my life but for the most part I keep myself busy. I don't look back on my working days fondly but I'm definitely glad I had the experience if for no other reason that to be able to appreciate the Dilbert comic strips.
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