Engineering job a sidestep away from ID?

Design Discussions design employment
1

I’m a recent graduate struggling to a get a product design or ID job.

However, a friend passed my details on to an engineering employment agency and there appears to be a lot more jobs in engineering.

Would getting an engineering job be a massive step in the wrong direction in terms of a career in ID?

Thanks in advance

2

I sidestepped into UI/Visual Design a long time ago and I remember wishing I’d stuck with ID. Looking back and ‘connecting the dots’ it seemed to have helped me with UX design for medical devices. It’ll delay things by a few years but it might help you with your mechanical part design. Chances are you’ll be working with ME/EE/SW people in the future as an IDer so that will come handy down the road.

3

Depends.

Is the engineering job in product development? If yes, it would be most definately an asset in your ID career. ID and engineering are just small slices in the product development process pie. The more you know about the entire process, the better the designer.

If no, you still need to pay the bills. Having a job is never a negative, it is neutral at worst and more than likely even engineering outside of development can give you some skills and experience for development.

4

It all depends on what type of person you are. If you are a type A go getter, and you can keep doing side projects, fun projects, and get some freelance all while being able to connect your engineering experience when you interview for an ID job, it COULD work. If you are just going to work the engineering job 9-5 and not put anything in to advance your ID skills, you may find it VERY difficult to get back into ID.