Time to Change Careers?

Hi...after a few years on a job it is your confidence in your own ability to deliver which will take you forward. I spent 25 years in the power industry. Built turbines & put up power stations. During the last meltdown had to switch over to hospitality. So I am now working for nearly 10 years in a 5-Star hotel.

Buck -up, there is a lot of good work available to be done in the market!!!

I hate to add to the apparient confusion but, What is a quality surveyor? sorry...

it is a position working in te construction field ,simply he has the responsability of determining the quantities of all the materials used in the construction,prepare lists of all that matrerials,bill of quantities,dealing with the contratct items,preparing financial claims,variation orders and like that..

mamkept I worked in that same power industry that took a powder. My focus was oil and gas which ate the same powder. Without knowing anything about you I would like to advise you to not reach back into the envelope but to go outside the envelope. If you are going to be an employee for the rest of your career then you have to strive to be much more than you ever imagined. On the other hand if you step aside and start your own business your imagination will truly be tested. But, you better get moving because 'Father Time' is going to hit you from behind with a Mack Truck - full trottle!

NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO PANIC.

FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE BEEN THROUGH SEVERAL ECONOMIC DOWNTURNS (RECESSION, DEPRESSION, WHATEVER) I GIVE YOU THIS ADVICE.

THESE CAN BE LOOKED AT AS TIMES OF OPPORTUNITY, EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS IN YOUR FIELD. REVISIT PEOPLE YOU KNOW IN THE BUSINESS ESPECIALLY ONES YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IN A WHILE. EXPLORE DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND SPECIALTY FEILDS RELATED TO THE WORK YOU ARE CAPABLE OF DOING. WHAT ABOUT MOONLITE OR SMALL PART TIME JOBS? IS IT TIME TO MERGE OR STRIKE OUT ON YOUR OWN?

WRITE DOWN ALL OF THE OPTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE AND PRIORITIZE THEM. THEN DO WHAT YOU CAN TO SEEK OUT INFORMATION ON THEM, AND DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP. THEN YOU CAN MAKE A MORE INFORMED DECISION. IF NOTHING ELSE YOU HAVE DEVELOPED A PLAN "B" IF THINGS TURN BAD.

I AM NOT CIVIL, I AM ELECTRICAL, BUT WHEN I WAS YOUNGER AND THIS TYPE OF DOWNTURN HAPPENED IN THE PAST I HAD TO ASK MYSELF.

WHAT IS IT THAT I KNOW MORE ABOUT THAN ELECTRICAL POWER? IF I CAN'T SUCCEED IN THAT FIELD, WHAT MAKES ME THINK I CAN SUCCEED IN ANOTHER FIELD I KNOW NOTHING OR LESS ABOUT?

Move to Houston...plenty of jobs...cheap living...more money

hello boss,

this is aashish surana from chennai.

will advice u not to jump jobs in current state of time of crunch.

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just do me favour

i have some doubts in general about load calculations in structural designing

kindly forward me ur contact number.

my e_mail:apdchennai@gmail.com

looking forward for ur help

regards

aashish

One possibility is to stay with structural engineering but move to an industry that looks to have a better future. Medical devices, alternate energy, oil production, nuclear energy all have elements that require structural analysis.

As you apply for these jobs, sway your resume to your background that fits the particular job you are applying for. A structural engineering degree may look especially attractive to some employers if it has all the lower level ME or CE classes, then specialised in structures.

If you are wanting to get into quality control there are easy to get certifications or continuing education classes that might get a prospective employer to look closely. I suggest these because you already have the brass ring, an engineering degree.

A friend of mine has a Chemical Engineering degree but thru experience and a couple extra classes has gone quite far in a medical products company as a Quality engineer.

Structural engineers need to focus on blast resistant structures in order to shape up to current times. Thousands out there planning a panic room or such building in their homes these days. Others including country states are retrofitting their buildings, dams, etc. Of course you also need the contacts. Best wishes.

I would suggest the original poster would familiarize himself with spell check and brush up on his presentation.

I am not an engineer but if I were searching for a job that requires exacting standards I would start with presenting a better image . At first glance, due to your lack of spelling and punctuation, it appears you are lazy and have low standards therefore not a good applicant.

I offer this as constructive criticism that we all can benefit from.

I could not agree more with your assessment. I am an engineer and our standards for punctuation and grammer are in desperate need of refinement.

Thanks Rock, for taking my comments the right way. I am concerned the current economic mess has a lot to do with our inability to examine ourselves and make corrections rather than looking for bonuses for poor performance.

I do not understand the problem. Even though the residential building industry has slowed, municipal and public works continues. Many public works have been limited by the huge shortage of civils, in particular a shortage in structurals for large projects. I receive a job opening notice from random public agencies at least once a month trying to recruit me and i am a Water Resources/Geoenvironmental specialty. There are more CEs retiring this year than new licenses received, and it is getting worse. You may have to transition to a public agency job and get public agency benefits (maybe moving a 10 miles or less), but given the huge shortage of structural engineers, you are going to be in huge demand if you can manage personnel. Try checking the local municipal building departments and public works, utilities districts, energy companies, state agencies, county building departments and public works, etc.. I am sure you find they are all looking for qulified CEs in your specialty.