And last fall, he was courted by more than a dozen companies. Engineers continue to be the envy of the job-hunting world. An economic downturn could slow demand, but for now the job market remains hot for those with both bachelor's and advanced degrees. Many universities find that they have to limit the number of companies participating in job fairs. Multiple job offers are commonplace.
Salaries keep rising, and many newly minted engineers get whopping signing bonuses.
It's a wonderful time for young folks to go into the field of engineering. Traditionally, engineering jobs have been most plentiful with big employers like Intel, Boeing, Bechtel, and Ford. These companies are still hungry for engineers so hungry, in fact, that jobs go unfilled. Some chipmakers, for instance, complain that they must turn down customers eager for customized chips because they lack semi-conductor designers. But these days, young engineers are fielding offers from a much broader array of companies.