I have been working as an Electrical Engineer since the last four years. I have Master's in EE.

my job duties include programming PIC microcontrollers, troubleshooting circuits, draw and design circuit boards in Multisim/ Ultiboard.

Recently since the last year I have been frequently applying for jobs but not getting any interview calls.

I wonder what is going wrong. Also at this stage of my career, I feel like being stuck and basically lacking the required motivation.

I work here in USA on working visa. I am also having issues with finding an employer that will file for my green card. It is really demotivating me and I am losing focus on my work.

Also I do not have strong references at this point of time. This is my first and present job. How can I give references of the present company while applying elsewhere.

Has anyone gone through such phase? What should I be doing now?

 

I have never been employed by any company for more than 3 years, which isn't bad because changing employers always got me a significant pay raise. The real problem is that I get bored easily. When there is nothing left to learn, I change jobs. Same job, different address? No, same skills, different projects.

Your mileage may vary.

 

Many years ago I worked for a company that made me feel unchallenged. So I quit my job and started looking for projects out there in the wilderness... Back then I wasn't married or had any financial burdens. But of course your situation is entirely different.
Have you thought about doing projects as an independent consultant? You need to start talking to people in person, and to promote your own services.

 

I have to agree with #12. When you get bored of your job, which sounds to be your case, it is time to move on and find something which presents a new challenge. I was the same way until I became a teacher and i think when I look back, it was always meant to be that way but I changed jobs frequently whenever I felt I was at my limit with a company. Can't go any further, move on. As far as looking at competitors for a position, be careful. Some of them are friends and some are not. Do your homework before applying for jobs in your area. Word gets around pretty quickly. As for references, they have to be discreet when looking at your experience but usually the amount of confidence you portray during your interview will go a long way. Good luck in your endeavor.

 

Apply for a job at McDonalds and work there on weekends. You will quickly learn how good your day job is.

Son asks dad: "why are you pounding your thumb with a hammer?"
Dad responds: "because it feels so good when I stop!"

All feelings of happiness and satisfaction are relative.

 

All feelings of happiness and satisfaction are relative.

Feeling a little Zen today, Gopher?
I can't disagree with you because I have used exactly your approach and been successful.

 

Feeling a little Zen today, Gopher?
I can't disagree with you because I have used exactly your approach and been successful.

I'm on vacation in Arizona. Very Zen this week.

 

You can't move up-&-out because you can't use your current employer as a reference, because you don't want them to know you want to leave.

You can't find a prospective employer willing to go through the hassle of sponsoring your residency, when you have no references saying that you're worth sponsoring.

That's a tough position. If you really want out, you might have to go down-&-out; that's to say, you might have to take a job paying less than you're making now. Stay there for a while learning new things, and then move on to something that pays more - at that point you could use your previous employer (your current employer now) as a reference. It's like credit (as in credit cards, loans) - tough to get started; you need to have credit to get credit, and you need to get credit to have credit. You have to take baby steps.