someone starting out their career + thru = ?

[bandit]

So, I dropped the AT bomb on my parents (told them I was going in March), and they are completely against it. Mind you, I'm 23 but we're not an American family...in my family and culture, you basically do what your parents say whether you're 13 or 23 or 53.

They have one main reason for being against it. I graduated college over a year ago and with an undergrad in aerospace engineering. They think that this will blow - or hurt, at least - my chances of starting my career.

I just started a sweet internship and I would be quitting it after 4 months, to hike for 6 months, hopefully coming back to grad school (2011-2013) in the fall. So when I look for jobs after getting my degree in 2013, the last few years would look like this: a year where I did nothing, 4 months when I had an internship, 6 months when I thru-hiked, and 2 years of grad school.

So, I know that every industry is different but I wanted opinions from the engineering folk - especially aerospace eng if possible - about how that would look. Assuming I do well in grad school and such, would you guys recommend doing the thru now or right after graduation?

[The Solemates]

So, I dropped the AT bomb on my parents (told them I was going in March), and they are completely against it. Mind you, I'm 23 but we're not an American family...in my family and culture, you basically do what your parents say whether you're 13 or 23 or 53.

They have one main reason for being against it. I graduated college over a year ago and with an undergrad in aerospace engineering. They think that this will blow - or hurt, at least - my chances of starting my career.

I just started a sweet internship and I would be quitting it after 4 months, to hike for 6 months, hopefully coming back to grad school (2011-2013) in the fall. So when I look for jobs after getting my degree in 2013, the last few years would look like this: a year where I did nothing, 4 months when I had an internship, 6 months when I thru-hiked, and 2 years of grad school.

So, I know that every industry is different but I wanted opinions from the engineering folk - especially aerospace eng if possible - about how that would look. Assuming I do well in grad school and such, would you guys recommend doing the thru now or right after graduation?

im an engineer and this just what i did - except the screwing around part for a year - i think that hurts you a lot worse than hiking the AT. I graduated in December, hiked the AT, started grad school and a full time engineering job in August, doing both at the same time and getting work to pay for my schooling.

[FlyPaper]

So, I dropped the AT bomb on my parents (told them I was going in March), and they are completely against it. Mind you, I'm 23 but we're not an American family...in my family and culture, you basically do what your parents say whether you're 13 or 23 or 53.

They have one main reason for being against it. I graduated college over a year ago and with an undergrad in aerospace engineering. They think that this will blow - or hurt, at least - my chances of starting my career.

I just started a sweet internship and I would be quitting it after 4 months, to hike for 6 months, hopefully coming back to grad school (2011-2013) in the fall. So when I look for jobs after getting my degree in 2013, the last few years would look like this: a year where I did nothing, 4 months when I had an internship, 6 months when I thru-hiked, and 2 years of grad school.

So, I know that every industry is different but I wanted opinions from the engineering folk - especially aerospace eng if possible - about how that would look. Assuming I do well in grad school and such, would you guys recommend doing the thru now or right after graduation?

Better now than right after grad school. This gap between internship and grad school would probably hardly be noticed by the time you finish grad school. But a gap right after grad school will be like a neon light. Most likely, you'll finish grad school in December or May. If December, add 3 months to your gap. If May, well add 10 months to your gap.

I thinking finish well in grad school will be more important than avoiding a gap before grad school.

Disclaimer, I am not aerospace nor do I have much say in hiring at my current company.

May I ask what country your family is from out of curiosity?

[StorminMormon]

I agree. Now is a perfect time. Unless you have some drop-dead internship (or job of a lifetime) I think I speak for most here when I say: a job is a job, this isn't the last...there will be others. If you're like most people - if you don't go now, it will be decades before you do go.

I wish I could go back to my 20s and hike the AT, PCT, or CDT. I took 2 years off to snow ski in my 20s and that didn't hurt anything. 6 months is a cake-walk. And you'll have that experience with you for the rest of your life!

[DaveSail]

I am a Commercial Pilot and studied Aeronautical Engineering at
Penn State . Well , obviously , if you got a job after all the " breaks "
you would be two years behind those who were employed quickly .

But , if an employer needs the skill / talent / training / experience
you have to offer , he will hire you . The " market " or supply /
demand is the most important factor. I don't know how many " Human
Resource " Officers there are who would understand the demonstration
of Determination / Planning / Goal - Setting Etc. that a Thru Hike
displays ; but who knows ? you might find one who does !

GO HIKE ! When you are working , you'll have money but no six - months free ; when you are not working , you'll have lots of time but
no money !

David V. Webber

[Montana AT05]

Don't go through life worrying about what other people think of you. Do what you think is right, get advice (like you're doing here), weigh it, make a decision.

My advice would be to hike. A thru-hike is NOT a vacation. Most folks don't know that and it takes a thru-hike to realize it. That is ok. A thru-hike can be very hard. It takes determination and each step you take, each day, each mile, is done by YOU. No one else can do it for you. No work committee, no boss, no head-hunter, no round tabel discussion.

But again, don't concern yourself with how you look to others. If you spend your life concerned about that, you'll never really live, you'll simoly exist. And what do you gain by living by someone else's opinion? Nine times out of ten you get mediocrity and regret.

Get in the habit of being an individual now. Get in the habit of making a decision and owning it. Be a leader, not a cog-in-a-wheel.

Hike.

And when it's time to work, do good work.

[tawa]

I say go for it now. Once you finish grad school you will probably be ready or need to get a job and won't have the time. Then you will wish you had just gone ahead and done it.
As a former empyorer I would be impressed with the fact that you did it before starting your career.
Also, down the road you will probably have more responsibilities--spouse, children,house, career etc.
Just do it! Good luck.

[tawa]

Well put Montana!

[Rick500]

Instead of having a 6-month gap in your resume for the period of time you'll be hiking, put it in there and make it the positive that it is: You'll better yourself out there in ways you may not think of until you've done it.

[bandit]

thank you guys for input.

to give you more of an idea, i didn't do anything for a year after graduating because i was frantically searching for jobs and not many companies were hiring new graduates (fall 2009-spring 2010). not cause i wanted to sit at home and count the tiles on the floor, fun as that may be.

[Luddite]

Do the thru now. You might end up changing your mind later on. Your parents will understand.

[sbhikes]

They think that this will blow - or hurt, at least - my chances of starting my career.

They may be right, but not for the reasons you or they think. It might just change the direction of your life in unknown ways. Perhaps for the better, perhaps for the worse. It's up to you whether to risk it.

[mweinstone]

my arospace engeneering degree and my doctorat in astral phisics combined with my appointment to nasa as cheif shuttle engeneer in the 90s ment curtailing my hikes a bit. but it was worth it. big steave, homeless for 17 years lives on the street told me i did the right thing. their giveing me the colubia when their done with it. was thinking AT museum. maby just keep it at malas. not sure yet. but its gonna be my mancave. goodluck whatever you do.

[peakbagger]

Realizing that posting a question like this on whiteblaze is going to give you very biased results, do it now. Most companies could care less what you did during your education, what they want to know is what can you bring to the company once you have graduated. What is far worse is if you have gaps in your resume once you have entered the working world. Realistically, the degree gets your foot in the door and then its your personality and work ethic that keeps you there. A gap in your work record is usually a clue be it right or wrong to the employer that your work ethic may be suspect.

[Kernel]

From the stats I read: people thru-hike either before their career or after retirement. Also, most parents wish their kids made the decisions they would have made.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Matty, to lend any degree of reality to your rant, pick a shuttle name that doesn't begin with the letter "C".

Bandit, tough decision. Your family likely sees the choice of hiking as a bit of a snub to the years of effort they spent raising and supporting you, disrespectful in some ways, and perhaps see it as embarrassing the family. Many, if not most, modern westerners will simply not understand and/or care about this concept. This isn't to say either culture is necessarily better than the other - they are just different (de rigueur moral relativism cop-out ).

You might be better off posting your dilemma on a forum that deals with issues unique to your culture. You are certainly not the first or last person with such a situation, and you would likely find other young people from similar backgrounds that have confronted similar choices and learn from their experiences. In the final analysis, it's not really a hiking question, it's one of cultural values, mores, hopes, and expectations, as any non-traditional endeavor could likely be substituted for hiking with similar reactions from your family.

[Deadeye]

From all the engineers I've worked with over the years, the best ones are the oddballs. You've seen 'em... beards, sandals, tattered chinos when everyone else has to wear suits.

Go hike... it will make you a better engineer!

[flemdawg1]

So, I dropped the AT bomb on my parents (told them I was going in March), and they are completely against it. Mind you, I'm 23 but we're not an American family...in my family and culture, you basically do what your parents say whether you're 13 or 23 or 53.

They have one main reason for being against it. I graduated college over a year ago and with an undergrad in aerospace engineering. They think that this will blow - or hurt, at least - my chances of starting my career.

I just started a sweet internship and I would be quitting it after 4 months, to hike for 6 months, hopefully coming back to grad school (2011-2013) in the fall. So when I look for jobs after getting my degree in 2013, the last few years would look like this: a year where I did nothing, 4 months when I had an internship, 6 months when I thru-hiked, and 2 years of grad school.

So, I know that every industry is different but I wanted opinions from the engineering folk - especially aerospace eng if possible - about how that would look. Assuming I do well in grad school and such, would you guys recommend doing the thru now or right after graduation?

I'm an Aerospace Eng working for DoD. From what I hear your resume would look like this:
2010 Graduated BS
2010-2011 Internship
2011-2013 Grad School

A 2011 Hike won't hurt you, its invisible on your resume. If you are asked you simply say you took a break before Grad School. And since it was over 2 years past they probably won't care.

This isn't Asia, where comformity is prized above all. Most eng employers want someone who has a balanced life, and won't get burnt out 5 yrs after hiring.

[Tilly]

For better or for worse my India born, electrical engineer, married-with-children father is appalled by everything I do, or don't do. It doesn't stand for great family relationships but you've got to do what you've got to do, although that is another topic.

I myself am not an engineer, but it stands to reason that in fields with greater demand (ie engineering) will hire people who do not have the stereotypical perfect resume, especially if you are willing to relocate.

With combined education and work/intern experience, you really shouldn't have too much of a problem. You're only 23, anyway. I would go for the hike if that's what you want to do.

[gravityman]

I'm an optical engineer in an aerospace company. It's not going to hurt to hike now or even after you grad degree. I have a ph. d. in physics and I got my job offer, graduated, hiked for 3 months but took 8 months before I started work. After 4 years I asked for a LWOP for 8 months and was giving it. Went back and did the AT from start to finish. Company took me back even though they were laying off. Skilled workers are always valued. The hard part is showing them that your a skilled worker, but the grad degree helps a lot in that direction.

My best advice is to make sure you really try to be self-motivated and produce results during your internship. This will be your best chance to land a job. I've mentored too many internist that just don't have any self-motivation. Sure, I assign a task and they do it, but it's often just barely accomplished. Those that go above and beyond and add value to the assignment are the ones that get job offers later, even if they go off to grad school. Also make sure you make good contacts and keep in touch with them. The other place you'll get job offers is from contacts your profs from grad school will have.

This is far more important for your career than a 1/2 year spent hiking. Just add that in to 'special interest' section of your resume, and I bet you'll spend more time talking about that than your qualifications.

Gravity