choosing the right field (civil)
choosing the right field (civil)
(OP)
I am a recent graduate with a civil bs. I interviewed with many companies and recieved offers from most. I narrowed them down by job type, atmosphere, pay, location, #PEs, hours worked, and the such...it wasnt really until i started my job in the municipal field that i began to wonder if this is the right field for me.. I liked all my classes except transportation...and made about the same grades in all...
i like this job and the oppurtunities that it presents to me right now. Basically i do hydrogoly, hydraulics, construction management, and environmental designs...which were the 4 fields i liked the most, and i get to go out in the field once or twice a week.... my bosses are super nice and pretty cool....
but i am not sure what field i want to do in the long run, so how do i know if this is what is best for me know?
i like this job and the oppurtunities that it presents to me right now. Basically i do hydrogoly, hydraulics, construction management, and environmental designs...which were the 4 fields i liked the most, and i get to go out in the field once or twice a week.... my bosses are super nice and pretty cool....
but i am not sure what field i want to do in the long run, so how do i know if this is what is best for me know?
"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia."
---Charles Schulz
"Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
---Benjamin Franklin





RE: choosing the right field (civil)
I'd probably have been very happy as an ethnomusicologist, had I thought of it in time. If I dwell on that, it drives me nuts.
My job is in a CivE niche I had not intended to work in; I had practical reasons for taking the job. But it turns out this job has been a lot more interesting than Plan A would likely have been. If the flow is taking you someplace good, why not go with it?
Hg
Eng-Tips policies: FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: choosing the right field (civil)
And i am not regretting my decision to start here at all, I know i will be with this company for a while.
I guess basically, its just that i know i have so many oppurtunities that i am worried that i may miss out on something i would have liked more cause i never tried it out...
"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia."
---Charles Schulz
"Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
---Benjamin Franklin
RE: choosing the right field (civil)
Many people get much more pigeon-holed very early on. The job you have sounds like it's giving a pretty broad background, so when you do decide you've had enough of working for that municipality, you should be able to go elsewhere pretty easily. Keep your eyes open, read the journals, go to conferences if you can, and if you stumble across something that really tugs at your heart, pursue it. But don't make a good situation into something unsatisfactory by wondering about hypotheticals.
Hg
Eng-Tips policies: FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: choosing the right field (civil)
> Are you taking full advantage of a 401K plan?
> Are you taking full advantage of any savings match plan?
> Are you saving enough for a down payment on a house?
These will have a bigger impact on your long-term future than any specific choices in CE sub-disciplines.
TTFN
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies
RE: choosing the right field (civil)
RE: choosing the right field (civil)
thanks guys...
"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia."
---Charles Schulz
"Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
---Benjamin Franklin
RE: choosing the right field (civil)
You have some time to figure it out, but with every year comes more experience and you are likely going to get paid accordingly... eventually it will limit your ability to change without cutting your salary. If you like your job, don't sweat it, you'll stay busy just being the best engineer in the office...
RE: choosing the right field (civil)
Make sure you are going to a job where you will have an opportunity to learn different aspects of the profession. Your academic background is useful but you can't rely on that as an accurate representation of what a job in a particular field will actually entail.
Look for experience in:
Management (Project, Contract & Construction)
Design (functional and detailed)
I think you will find that the actual field where these skills are learned is not as important making sure you have the opportunity to learn them. Eventually location, work environment & compensation will replace technical interest as driving factors in your career.