Leaving FSAE

[Cement Legs]

Im wondering if there are any fsae.com loyals who are graduating this year and leaving school for the workforce. If so congrats.... Im also wondering how has the topic of your SAE experience come up in interviews? Anyway good luck in your final year and tear it up in Pontiac.

[Charlie]

I've just recently become a FSAE Alum. But I'm not sure I understand your question. FSAE was featured heavily on my resume, so employers always asked about it. In my opinion you should always expand on your strengths in a resume, rather than try to look like you've got a little of everything. Of course that depends on the job you are applying for, but if it is automotive or racing FSAE should be your resume's cornerstone. And even if it's just general engineering it should most likely be heavily featured.

SAE.org has a career center that is worth checking out.

[DJHache]

I agree with Charlie. I'm going into motorsports and in any interview I'm always sure to outline my involvement with SAE.

SAE is mentioned on my resume but I mostly expand on skills I've learned through SAE as well as projects I've conducted. It's a hell of a talking point to say to a race team that you've built an ADAMS\Car model and then verified it in the real world, or that you've led a team of 15 engineers to build, fund, test, and race a racecar in one of the most competitive motorsports conference in the world.

Pretty much if the interviewer doesn't bring it up, I'm sure to bring it up. I haven't spent 10,000 hours of my college life in the shop to have someone overlook it.

[Hoosier Daddy]

My FSAE experience was the only part of my resume that was of interest to employers - and it took up the most space. Companies I had interviews with specifically said my FSAE experience was why I was up for the positions they had available.

FSAE, and the fact I had it on my resume, is the only reason why I work in motorsports engineering currently.

[Jay Fleming]

I wish I had more experience in FSAE because it fills up only about 5 lines on my resume. I don't want a huge resume, or else I'd list all of my previous auto experience. Where do y'all find jobs in motorsports right after college? I dont have the slightest clue where to look. Kind of a tangent, my bad.

[BStoney]

Oh yea, I work in the aircraft engine industry on co-op and even they know FSAE....just an FYI, that even if you aren't going strictly automotive, it's still a HUGE piece and worthy of talking on a bunch.

My .02

[Jonathan D]

FSAE experiene certainly helps. I've had interviews where potential employers were either very interested in the project and thats all we've talked about. I've had other interviews where they employer knew little to nothing about the project, or had some preconcieved notions about the project. After telling them the experiences invovled in the project, how our FSAE project is run, and how that relates to a "real word", they're usually very excited about it.

Even for FSAE teams out there that big names, or just starting out, FSAE offers plenty of expeience you can use to market yourself.

As far as getting into motorsports... an engineer at Newman Haas Racing made the comment that FSAE isn't so much as a selling point to get yourself into motorsports, but more of a requirement. Basically, most people going into motorsports these days have FSAE experience, so its pretty much consdired a pre-requisite.

[Chris Boyden]

Leaving FSAE is hard. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_confused.gif
It's tough to let it go. I find myself thinking about it all the damn time.

But,the electrical-mechanical experience has been invaluable
as a design-systems engineer at work. I'm not sure that
it helped me get in the door at this job, but it has sure helped on the job, especially the project management and teamwork side of things.

[Andy Pate]

Formula Student is excellent for providing a prospective employer of a time when you have....

I recently went for a technical interview for a job in the nuclear power industry and it was still very useful, if I hadnt have taken part in formula student I may have struggled with some of the questions.

[95M3Racer]

This is my last year in Fsae, and its been a blast! Fortunately i'm staying in motorsports, so it's going to be as much and hopefully more fun with a "real world" job...and I get to race http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[ben]

Invaluable. All those questions about team work and convincing people of your ideas. Simply being able to say you have worked in a competitive motorsport environment means a lot when you get asked if you're comitted to working long hours and weekends.

Good luck to all those people graduating this year. FSAE was great, but getting paid to do what you love manages to top it every day.

Ben

[Mark Bacchetti]

FSAE experience is a good way to avoid questions like:

"What are your worst qualities?"
"What is strength of materials?"
"Describe yourself in three words"

I wonder how many non-FSAE (or non-project oriented) engineering graduates get asked these questions in an interview. http://fsae.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Sarsippius]

Treat it like the design presentation, sell your good points and tip toe around the not so good ones

[Mad Ruska]

FSAE is the best expierience you can made.

I is not only the technology side, it is even more the improvment of your soft skills.

Furthermore you learn things you will need each day in your job. Use of Time, Money, Resources, Communication...

I think there are not enough space for all advantages, but the most importand thing is

FUN

And thats why leaving FSAE is so hard!

[vinHonda]

Ahhh.... an appropriate thread for me to post on. Havent been here in a while.

I echo everyone's thoughts about SAE and it's value. This is just the beginning boys....if you've landed your dream motorsports job, congrats, if you're in the auto industry I suspect you can continue to be involved w/ SAE. But all in all, I don't think any of us can disagree, FSAE took our learn'n curves for a ride and gave us the confidence to enter industry w/ some sort of experiences to talk about that were COOL.

Cheers kids,

Vinh Pham
UofToronto FSAE Alumni 2001-2004
2003 Formula Student Champions

[Jonathan D]

They have a program going on at SAE World Congress called the "Heroes of Formula SAE". It will focus on some of the alumni from the SAE Collegiate Design Series.