Professional Related - Work Experience - How to record, etc.

Questions that are frequently asked (with suggested answers provided without responsibility by volunteers):
Q. I need your advice with my experience record. For the last almost 3 years my position is been Engineering Manager with Company X - a reputable manufacturing company. Do you think that having this title would be a problem since I am not a P. Eng. yet? I have passed the PPE exam and this paperwork is the final step for me for licensing.
A. Several things -
- the title does not explicitly imply that you are an 'engineer'
- it is a reputable company
- you will have your P.Eng. licence in the near future
It should not be a problem.

Q. I need some advice or sense of direction. I graduated last year from XX university with a bachelor degree in Electrical engineering and live in Mississauga.  I have been searching for a job ever since but without success - no one even called for interview yet. What else could I do?  I have been sending resumes, following -up, networking, but without any luck so far. I will also appreciate if you have any advice about the job searching process and if you know someone looking for a new graduate.
A.  If you haven't already, you may wish to become involved with the Mississauga chapter of PEO. The positive side is that you will meet some new contacts who may be able to give you some leads on jobs and other opportunities.

Q. Who is eligible to practice the engineering work under supervision of the Canadian P. Eng.?   Is it an EIT, or anyone who has no any relationship with the PEO yet.? Let us take the following example:  Two trained mechanical engineers, from the same background, they have the same experience, came to Canada, they worked the same job in the same company for the same period under supervision of the same PEng , but, one of them has got the Canadian experience before applying to the PEO, the other has applied to the PEO, became an EIT, then he got his Canadian experience.   Does the PEO accept their both experience or not.?  If the answer was yes, then why should I joint with the EIT program, I better get the Canadian experience first, then I apply to PEO, pass my exams, then become a PEng directly. Do you think it is fair for the EIT members.  A P. Eng. told me that the reference could be accepted if it was issued by a client if this client was a P. Eng.   So, how can I offer an engineering work to a client (P. Eng), if I am not licensed yet, or if there is no one in my company has seal to issue this work to a client.?
A. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Q. My field is in Computer/Software Engineering. I still require a reference in my area. I finished my Law and Ethics 2 years ago and I have over 8 years of experience in my field including 4 years in Canada.  If one of my University Professors, who is P.Eng, and whose field is Computer/Software Engineering, can he/she be my reference without being my direct supervisor or co-worker?  My current company does not have any P.Eng.
A. ............

Q. & A.  During the round-table I was constantly asked two questions by at least 1/2 a dozen internationally-trained attendees (from Pakistan, Iraq, Columbia, China and Syria):
1. "How do I get that first "EIT eligible" job to get on the P.Eng track?"
2. "I'm a qualified foreign engineer but I am working as a [technician, technologist, draftsperson - these were 3 separate questions] which is not EIT eligible (true.) What should I do?"

The second "what" was easy to answer logically... "Do anything to get out of it and into an 'EIT, P.Eng eligible position' within a year or so, otherwise you will get stuck, labelled as such and trapped forever." (I apologized for being so frank!) Peter, you know the cases that I am alluding to!

Then they all asked "How do I do that?" (which is the first question.) I'm afraid I could not answer that very well. I said I presumed competence, a good CV with proof of the equivalence of qualifications, then simply advised personal diligence and initiative, also Workopolis as a good place to advertise.  I did tell two chaps (a Colombian and a Chinese) to work on their English (which was highly accented and oddly phrased and would make interviewing difficult.)

Another question was how to get a P.Eng mentor/proposer in a company that has none. Others spoke of "work around" by third party references but I believe a proposer has to know the candidate well enough to judge competence and suitability of the EIT work. Of course, some larger companies do not have a problem as they have embraced the problem in-house and provide a good EIT track.

Another question addressed to me... "I have a job with [an equipment manufacturer] but I am plateaued professionally and there's no advancement... small company, etc. What do I do?" My rather modest answer was: "Find a way to talk this over with a senior manager (the person had not done this) and see what might be worked out. Don't expect an immediate change but look for signs of accommodation, etc, over 6 months or so." Of course, this may or may not work.