Answer to Question #4529 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Q

I am an electrical engineer (MS degree) in my early 50s. I recently retired from the telecommunications industry. I am very interested in radiation safety and for the last nine months have been applying for entry-level openings in the industry with very little success. These positions generally require no more than a technical two-year degree and basic computer skills. I am well read on the subject, willing to learn, and an expert in instrument repair and calibration. I am an honest bargain at the salaries offered. Short of going back to school, how can I get these employers in my region to take me seriously?

A

You ask an interesting question. Essentially you are asking how do you get a potential employer to hire you to fill a position for which you have no documented credentials. Your point is that you are someone knowledgeable about related areas (that is, electronics, computers) and are to a great degree self-taught. The difficulty that potential employers have is that if they hire someone and give them responsibility for radiation safety, they may recognize an implied and explicit liability for the outcome. Frankly, your goal of entering the career field without the appropriate credentials may be difficult to obtain and perhaps ill advised.

As an academic, my best advice to you is to reconsider some form of education to obtain additional qualifications. A few Internet courses exist that may be beneficial. There are some pretty good technician training course available but you will have to invest time and money in obtaining your goal. See the Health Physics Education Reference Book for a listing of programs.

Some universities provide experiential credit that may apply to your situation. I find it hard to recommend this approach as it lacks a great deal of credibility. I would strongly recommend that you avoid the apparent booming cottage industry that provides credentials at a cost, without any academic effort on the part of the consumer. I would also caution you on padding your résumé or attempting to obfuscate short comings in your background. Such approaches rarely hold water with diligent employers and most frequently backfire.

I apologize for not having a suggestion for accomplishing your goals in the format suggested within your question. I wish you good luck.

Richard R. Brey, PhD, CHP