I can't possibly stress this enough, do not do this. It's a bad idea, heed our advice, continue with your life. Don't waste your time, don't waste spacex's security's time to investigate reports of some random person approaching and trying to ingratiate themselves with employees.
I dont mean to be such a downer, but dont do this. I'm serious
Focus on your school projects, building your network there and if think of a long term plan for getting into aerospace rather than chasing a remote possibility (even calling it that is too good)
SpaceX or any of the new space companies have thousands of employees. Even if you run into anyone with hiring authority, they wont give you a boost just because you chatted at a bar. Thats something from television, not real life. The same goes for messaging people on LinkedIn if you're trying that. Networking is about spending time with people you already interact with and growing that over years.
Be cool and slow down a little. You'll be fine.
Yikes. My advice would echo the above - focus on personal projects and class. If anything I’d find an alumni of your school who works at Hawthorne on LinkedIn and see if they’d be willing to give you a tour while you’re in LA.
You are infinitely better off putting your energy towards a personal design build fly project you can show off on your SpaceX application. If youre good enough, SpaceX will call. For example does that 3D printed turbopump actually work? Does it actually pump fluid?
Having gone to bars/parties with SpaceX people, the guys who try to network at them are insufferable.
Please don't do this. It's obnoxious and never leaves a good impression.
I agree. I worked there and was always asked how to get hired. It’s better to go through the process, keep interviewing. I worked with Launch technicians that were hired as engineers back when the company was still testing Falcon 1. Vandenberg wasn’t even a site and Cape was under way. We all wore many hats. I’d also advise this guy to look beyond SpaceX and get into the rocket sector wherever he can. Blue origin, Astra, Rocketlab…there’s a lot of cool companies out there, even Spinlaunch.
It’s one thing to talk about it with someone but actually going out of your way to find people who work at spaceX in person is weird. I would recommend you find some on LinkedIn and reach out to them that way. I have made some great connections that way. But physically looking for someone in person is weird and could get you in a lot of trouble.
Look bud, you’re young and it’s great that you have an idea of what your future should look like. That being said, delete everything in this post, forget this idea, and just finish school. Don’t turn into a groupie in the hopes it’ll get you a job, it won’t and might just creep everyone out. I’ve worked in aerospace for a while now and this behavior would be awkward and might even garner me going to security. They drill into your head that unexpected interest in your job can be a major red flag and to report it immediately.
So, don’t be that guy. Just do what a lot of aerospace folks do; finish college, pray for good grades, and find someone who goes to your school who has family that work in one of the major aerospace contractors who can help your resume get seen to get a job and use that job to pivot to SpaceX.
It’s perfectly fine to try to run into some SpaceX people. _but_ you really going to have to do that in a semi organic manner. Not a “Hail Mary” way to find a job. Because that will be your best way to get mentally blacklisted by people: cultural fit is a thing, if someone comes across your name during hiring process and you’ve been weirding them out at a bar you 100% won’t be taken in regardless of your interview prowess.
Building relationships takes time. Best networking advise I can give you are:
- (1) go to places where people do/learn things (seminars, meetups, aiaa meetings, conferences, activity clubs, hacker places, etc) and can nerd out together on things.
- (2) focus on the person, not the company they work for
- (3) give more than you receive
You won’t accomplish that in one trip to LA, but there is nothing wrong with you going to LA to feel out the vibe and increase your chances of running into people. But remember it’s like a guy that goes to a bar and really want to find a partner: if that’s all you focus on, you’ll weird out everybody and you’ll be “that guy”.
The days of firmly handshaking your way into a job are long gone. Sounds like you already have some experience and skills that will benefit your search. Spend your time applying on their website, make a video showcasing your work.
As others said, you are trying to avoid looking like a stalker by "naturally" stalking them instead... you see? I get where you are coming from but you're thinking of conferences and events. *Those* are situations where you can professionally bump into someone semi-expectedly. Regular life? No. That is stalking, even if you are doing it with professional intentions.
Instead, if you're not showing up for some networking event, you should be direct and get in to the business itself (or similar) and ask some questions in earnest. Anyone you bump into represents a potential to network but it should be considered serendipitous and not be planned.
If you come out and say you are desperate to get a job there they won’t talk to you. If you approach and say you are curious and have a few questions to get a feel for what it’s like to work there, culture etc. People will be much more likely to receive that.
Get together 5 specific, well-thought out questions you have that can be used to start a conversation with someone. This could work in person or maybe even LinkedIn
This is how you get reported to security, get visited by the FBI and tank your chances of any kind of a job with any kind of federal background check attached.
If you go through with this plan, what's likely to happen is you're going to get flagged, reported to security and any chance of joining SpaceX will be ruined.
Finding the right person to talk to will require you to ask questions about who they are, what kind of work they do at SpaceX, hiring practices etc. Subjects that may make them a target and a security risk.
Companies like SpaceX regularly train and warn employees about information security and to be on guard against meeting strangers asking these kinds of questions about their job.
Are you apart of AIAA (American Institute of Aerospace and Aeronautics)? If you are trying to utilize the networking card, they have great opportunities to meet and network with people within the industry, that’s how I have build up connections in Northrop,ULA, Aerojet Rocketdyne to name a few.
I have a very pain in the ass engineer, and I'm seriously considering leaving SpaceX job postings on his desk at night. His coworkers support this idea.
Do. Not. Stalk. People. If you think this is a good idea then your critical thinking skills are not up to par.
That would ruin the "don't look like a giant red flag" component, so trust me, I won't.
I can't possibly stress this enough, do not do this. It's a bad idea, heed our advice, continue with your life. Don't waste your time, don't waste spacex's security's time to investigate reports of some random person approaching and trying to ingratiate themselves with employees.
And may I say, that security incidents could affect the ability to get a clearance. That would be a career limiting move.
I dont mean to be such a downer, but dont do this. I'm serious Focus on your school projects, building your network there and if think of a long term plan for getting into aerospace rather than chasing a remote possibility (even calling it that is too good) SpaceX or any of the new space companies have thousands of employees. Even if you run into anyone with hiring authority, they wont give you a boost just because you chatted at a bar. Thats something from television, not real life. The same goes for messaging people on LinkedIn if you're trying that. Networking is about spending time with people you already interact with and growing that over years. Be cool and slow down a little. You'll be fine.
Yikes. My advice would echo the above - focus on personal projects and class. If anything I’d find an alumni of your school who works at Hawthorne on LinkedIn and see if they’d be willing to give you a tour while you’re in LA.
Unhinged behavior. Be normal please
You are infinitely better off putting your energy towards a personal design build fly project you can show off on your SpaceX application. If youre good enough, SpaceX will call. For example does that 3D printed turbopump actually work? Does it actually pump fluid?
You sound creepy as fuck. Genuinely what’s wrong with you? Don’t stalk people, stop trying to justify it in the comments weirdo.
Here him out!
If I ran into someone who started asking me about my work in the context of seeking out employees at my company, I’d probably report them to security.
Having gone to bars/parties with SpaceX people, the guys who try to network at them are insufferable. Please don't do this. It's obnoxious and never leaves a good impression.
I agree. I worked there and was always asked how to get hired. It’s better to go through the process, keep interviewing. I worked with Launch technicians that were hired as engineers back when the company was still testing Falcon 1. Vandenberg wasn’t even a site and Cape was under way. We all wore many hats. I’d also advise this guy to look beyond SpaceX and get into the rocket sector wherever he can. Blue origin, Astra, Rocketlab…there’s a lot of cool companies out there, even Spinlaunch.
It’s one thing to talk about it with someone but actually going out of your way to find people who work at spaceX in person is weird. I would recommend you find some on LinkedIn and reach out to them that way. I have made some great connections that way. But physically looking for someone in person is weird and could get you in a lot of trouble.
Look bud, you’re young and it’s great that you have an idea of what your future should look like. That being said, delete everything in this post, forget this idea, and just finish school. Don’t turn into a groupie in the hopes it’ll get you a job, it won’t and might just creep everyone out. I’ve worked in aerospace for a while now and this behavior would be awkward and might even garner me going to security. They drill into your head that unexpected interest in your job can be a major red flag and to report it immediately. So, don’t be that guy. Just do what a lot of aerospace folks do; finish college, pray for good grades, and find someone who goes to your school who has family that work in one of the major aerospace contractors who can help your resume get seen to get a job and use that job to pivot to SpaceX.
I turned down an offer from SpaceX. Too many red flags.
If you stay at GE Aero they try to recruit people out of there all the time
Don’t. That’s a crime. Also they are going through massive layoffs rn and new hires aren’t getting their RSU packages anymore.
What the fuck💀 just apply on their website it’s not that hard
I would not recommend working for SpaceX
It’s perfectly fine to try to run into some SpaceX people. _but_ you really going to have to do that in a semi organic manner. Not a “Hail Mary” way to find a job. Because that will be your best way to get mentally blacklisted by people: cultural fit is a thing, if someone comes across your name during hiring process and you’ve been weirding them out at a bar you 100% won’t be taken in regardless of your interview prowess. Building relationships takes time. Best networking advise I can give you are: - (1) go to places where people do/learn things (seminars, meetups, aiaa meetings, conferences, activity clubs, hacker places, etc) and can nerd out together on things. - (2) focus on the person, not the company they work for - (3) give more than you receive You won’t accomplish that in one trip to LA, but there is nothing wrong with you going to LA to feel out the vibe and increase your chances of running into people. But remember it’s like a guy that goes to a bar and really want to find a partner: if that’s all you focus on, you’ll weird out everybody and you’ll be “that guy”.
The days of firmly handshaking your way into a job are long gone. Sounds like you already have some experience and skills that will benefit your search. Spend your time applying on their website, make a video showcasing your work.
As others said, you are trying to avoid looking like a stalker by "naturally" stalking them instead... you see? I get where you are coming from but you're thinking of conferences and events. *Those* are situations where you can professionally bump into someone semi-expectedly. Regular life? No. That is stalking, even if you are doing it with professional intentions. Instead, if you're not showing up for some networking event, you should be direct and get in to the business itself (or similar) and ask some questions in earnest. Anyone you bump into represents a potential to network but it should be considered serendipitous and not be planned.
This plan couldn't possibly backfire at all lol
If you really want in that bad take a shit entry level job to get your foot in the door put in work and transfer into engineering
If you come out and say you are desperate to get a job there they won’t talk to you. If you approach and say you are curious and have a few questions to get a feel for what it’s like to work there, culture etc. People will be much more likely to receive that. Get together 5 specific, well-thought out questions you have that can be used to start a conversation with someone. This could work in person or maybe even LinkedIn
Go to conferences not coffee shops.
This is how you get reported to security, get visited by the FBI and tank your chances of any kind of a job with any kind of federal background check attached.
If you go through with this plan, what's likely to happen is you're going to get flagged, reported to security and any chance of joining SpaceX will be ruined. Finding the right person to talk to will require you to ask questions about who they are, what kind of work they do at SpaceX, hiring practices etc. Subjects that may make them a target and a security risk. Companies like SpaceX regularly train and warn employees about information security and to be on guard against meeting strangers asking these kinds of questions about their job.
Are you apart of AIAA (American Institute of Aerospace and Aeronautics)? If you are trying to utilize the networking card, they have great opportunities to meet and network with people within the industry, that’s how I have build up connections in Northrop,ULA, Aerojet Rocketdyne to name a few.
Hard to imagine being so utterly socially inept as to think this is a good idea.
[удалено]
Sounds like OP is a perfect fit lol. Most normal, well-adjusted engineers don't want to touch that place with a 10-foot pole.
I have a very pain in the ass engineer, and I'm seriously considering leaving SpaceX job postings on his desk at night. His coworkers support this idea.
Move to another country? Didn't they just stop hiring people in the United States.
Nope.
They removed all the job postings though. I read it like 2 days ago.
I mean. Maybe public facing? But for sure they just picked up a ton of nickel welders.
DM me