Hey guys,
As the title implies, I am a Mechanical Engineer looking for assistance finding a job in the New York City area. Unlike many of the previous ME’s posts, I am not looking to convert to an Industrial Design career path.
My long term girlfriend and now fiancee was recently accepted to NYU’s Social Work Graduate Program. In order to support her life long dream, I agreed to do everything in my power to get us to NYC and support her while she goes back to school. That being said, I am having an extremely hard time getting companies to notice me in New York.
As a little background on myself:
I am the quintessential Mechanical Engineer (half stubborn, quality-minded German, half ingenuity, stubborn Southern) . I grew up in a family of 6 kids where I constantly needed to take apart, modify, and rebuild everything electrical and mechanical (lawn mower, cars, computers, toys, appliances, tv’s, furnaces, plumbing, etc. ). You name it, I’ve probably rebuilt it or can tell you how to make it better. In order to pay for college, I held numerous internships, co-ops, and full time jobs in everything from consumer products, utilities, to small and large scale manufacturing. In 2008 I graduated from Michigan State University with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and promptly moved down to Ohio and started work with Honda. For the last 3 years I have been designing everything from floor mats, to roof rack, to body kits for the Honda and Acura vehicles. I also design build and operate test fixtures, jigs, and prototypes from scratch in order to test my design’s durability and help convey concepts. (sorry I can’t divulge much more due to confidentiality agreements).
My strengths lie in designing for function over form (the more boring route according to my Design buddies). I am very good at taking grandeur designs from being just concepts to actual manufacturerable, long lasting, reliable products. You can read my resume and see some of what I’m best at here: http://www.coroflot.com/johanneshertrich.
I can guarantee that I am the hardest working, most dedicated individual any of you will every meet. My hunger for technology and innovation keeps me from getting more than 4 hours of sleep a night. I love what I do and am very good at it.
Having realized that the ME opportunities are limited at best in manufacture-lacking NY area, I have turned to consultancy firms. I have since researched every last design firm in Core 77’s directory and have come to the conclusion that not only would they be my dream jobs, I would be the absolute best fit possible for any one of them. I see myself to the ying to an Industrial Designer’s yang. I not only can figure out a way to make their concepts work, I can optimize manufacturing (basically be the wet blanket of the operation).
Short of stalking people, I don’t know what else I can do to convince someone to just give me a shot.
What else can I do to get some recognition from some of these companies (most notably Pensa, Inch, Quirky, and A2)? Classes start in the fall and I’m doing everything I can think of. There’s just no way I can consider moving there and leaving a great job with nothing lined up.
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
-Hannes
For some reason I submit responses but nothing goes through. I’ve tired sending about 5 replies but nothing…???