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Personal career planning – I would appreciate some advice from experts

2008-01-09View Original

Thread Content

I have a rather tricky personal issue, and I would like to ask the experts for their advice regarding my future development in the field of chemistry. I graduated in June this year as a regular undergraduate with a degree in Chemical Engineering and Technology. I started working at this company in August; it is an engineering consulting firm. At first, I didn’t understand what engineering consulting entailed, but I gradually figured it out. What’s more related to my field of study is preparing feasibility study reports for clients, mainly small and medium-sized enterprises. I’ve had contact with many such companies, met some of their management staff, and gained a basic understanding of their production processes and equipment. For example, I’ve worked with companies that specialize in the deep processing of corn to produce things like starch and glucose ; There is a papermaking industry ; There is a small nitrogen fertilizer industry ; Companies that produce alcohol ; I mainly work on their energy audits and feasibility studies. The tasks I handle involve calculating a company’s energy consumption as well as identifying technical improvements that can help reduce energy use. The knowledge required includes insights into motor upgrades, organic chemistry, boiler modifications, and the general processes used in various industries (though not in detail, and I don’t visit companies very often). Yet I feel like I only have a superficial understanding of these topics; there are so many industries, and as the saying goes, different fields are like separate mountains – it’s impossible to master everything. I try to focus on one thing here and another there, but I lack a clear direction. Some people say that this is good, as it allows one to become a versatile professional ; But I feel like I don’t understand anything. What should I do? The working environment is quite relaxed at the moment; our company is a secondary agency under the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, so the tasks are relatively easy to handle – we just need to hold meetings and give instructions to various enterprises. My main responsibility involves working on the technical aspects of feasibility studies, such as motor frequency conversion, boiler modifications to save fuel, and process improvements. I really want to work in the technical field, and I hope to have the opportunity to join the “Municipal Major Projects Office” in the future (it consists of experts from various industries, but even if you have connections, you don’t necessarily need to be highly specialized). These days I spend my time in the office working on feasibility studies using a computer, or browsing through different sections of Haichuan’s website; however, I can understand only a little of it, knowing only the surface-level information. I’m also learning some knowledge about motors. There was originally a senior engineer who was supposed to guide me, but he had a background in thermal engineering only; he couldn’t know everything. Moreover, he was often not at our workplace, so there was no one to teach me, and it was extremely difficult to learn on my own. I came to Haichuan in October this year. Initially, I wasn’t very interested in the chemical industry, but gradually I came to understand it better and started to like it. I am 25 years old, and with so many seniors in this industry, I hope they can give me some valuable advice. (Is it easy to do technically?) Should I specialize in technology, or do I not need to go too deep into it and focus more on dealing with companies? Thank you! ~
Reply #22008-01-09
View satisfactory work as exercise, and unsatisfactory work as training.
Reply #32008-01-09
View satisfactory work as exercise, and unsatisfactory work as training.
Reply #42008-01-09
This sentence works well; it’s similar to a slogan I saw in a factory – theirs was, “Reasonable requests are a form of training, while unreasonable requests are a form of testing.””
Reply #52008-01-09
Working in technology, especially in process development, requires time – or rather, experience. At first, it might seem difficult and unclear where to start, which is normal since you haven’t yet accumulated any experience. By working on projects one after another with dedication, after five or ten years you will find that you can also become an expert
Reply #62008-01-09
Time is money, and experience is wealth. It is ideal to have both specialization and breadth in one’s business; I suggest that you focus on in-depth study of the chemical industry while also exploring other fields. If you commit yourself to working diligently for three to five years, your skills will improve significantly.
Reply #72008-01-09
It seems you are a very serious person; these days, there aren’t many people who are so hardworking and down-to-earth! Keep going!
Reply #82008-01-09
Just do your current job diligently; having a job that matches your skills or interests isn’t always that important. When you’re not happy, you might as well tell yourself that you really like your current job. Many people only realize how good their previous job was after leaving it. Some succeed in transforming, but the probability is not high. Your current job exposes you to many things, which helps broaden your horizons, but to delve deeper into something requires opportunities and time. Your way of thinking stems from the fact that you have just graduated; it’s not easy to become an expert, and even true experts are experts only in certain areas. It’s impossible to delve that deeply into all knowledge. Reflect on it carefully.
Reply #92008-01-09
I have felt what the original poster felt, and I still feel it a bit to this day. After all, I have experience with specific technologies, so it’s easier for me to understand things related to systems now. In a working environment like that in China, there’s nothing that can be done about your situation. This sense of emptiness will persist for some time, but one day you’ll find that you’ve accumulated a lot and have more confidence, and then naturally you won’t feel that way anymore. I suggest you take the opportunity of being involved in the project to learn as much as possible about everything related to it; it will get better after some time.
Reply #102008-01-09
Working in chemical engineering design is very demanding, and it takes years of hard work to become an expert. Fortunately, you are still young; I think that by studying diligently, progressing step by step, and keeping accumulating knowledge, you can still become a highly sought-after professional. In your current situation, I personally think you should get out of it – there aren’t many people who are comprehensive talents in demand!
Reply #112008-01-09
I think what’s bothering you right now is the feeling that you don’t have a deep understanding of many fields. My personal advice is to first delve deeply into one area, and then build on that knowledge to expand into other areas.
Reply #122008-02-15
I’m very grateful for all the feedback from these seniors; I now have a general idea of what I want to do. In other words, I need to determine my own niche first, focus on one specific industry, become an expert in that field, and then gradually expand into related industries. But which industry should I choose? Well, it’s a bit tricky. I studied chemical engineering – which industry would be better for me?
Reply #132008-02-15
The same problem – now it feels like there are no clear goals or directions. Studying*
Reply #142008-02-15
I’m also new to this field; let’s encourage each other. I majored in Chemical Engineering and Technology as well, at the undergraduate level. I’m currently working in a private company on design-related tasks, leading a life that’s like that of a slave

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