Consulting to Construction...
Consulting to Construction...
(OP)
Has anyone made the move from working at a design firm to a GC?
I like elements of design, but really only find myself excited by concrete and timber design. I'm doing more and more steel and after switching from an A/E firm to an engineering firm specializing more in commercial and institutional work, I have far less say and involvement in the project and usually am working for architects. I love the flexibility of my job and the room for advancement is pretty good, although looking around the company compensation doesn't appear to be anything stellar down the line (stories of 50 cent raises the year someone gets their PE abound).
The most fun I've had has been as serving as an RPR, and prior to graduating college working in heavy civil, commercial and residential construction. I like coordinating work, planning, and building things more than designing and analyzing - except residential which I find fun to design. That, coupled with the perception of better pay (albeit much less flexibility) has me thinking about making the switch. I am most energetic and challenged working our situations in the field. CA phase activities are by far my favorite thing to do at work.
Has anyone been in this situation, gone though with it, or care to share? I have an interview with an ENR top 300 company coming up in a couple weeks...
I like elements of design, but really only find myself excited by concrete and timber design. I'm doing more and more steel and after switching from an A/E firm to an engineering firm specializing more in commercial and institutional work, I have far less say and involvement in the project and usually am working for architects. I love the flexibility of my job and the room for advancement is pretty good, although looking around the company compensation doesn't appear to be anything stellar down the line (stories of 50 cent raises the year someone gets their PE abound).
The most fun I've had has been as serving as an RPR, and prior to graduating college working in heavy civil, commercial and residential construction. I like coordinating work, planning, and building things more than designing and analyzing - except residential which I find fun to design. That, coupled with the perception of better pay (albeit much less flexibility) has me thinking about making the switch. I am most energetic and challenged working our situations in the field. CA phase activities are by far my favorite thing to do at work.
Has anyone been in this situation, gone though with it, or care to share? I have an interview with an ENR top 300 company coming up in a couple weeks...





RE: Consulting to Construction...
RE: Consulting to Construction...
The problems you have to solve as an engineer in construction are not as rooted in science as they would be doing analysis. You got to be good with seeing the big picture and strategizing. Can you come up with a good way to time the arrival of materials to your site and guarantee that your crews will be ready for that material at the time it is delivered? What do you need to say to the client reps (who are very often contractors that are looking for any opportunity to dramatize things to secure/justify their jobs (not slagging on contractors... just a dramatic example)) to have them go home with smiles that day even though some concrete cube tests came out low?
Personally I find construction to be more stressful but it is very rewarding. I also felt a much stronger personal connection to my work in the field.
RE: Consulting to Construction...
I found field engineering to be one of the most fun, interesting, and critical components to my career path back in the Corporate world. There's nothing worse than a Project Engineer writing specifications, budgeting, and planning construction activities, with no real experience relating to whether or not it's feasible in terms of time, money, and physical execution. Seen it more times than I care to count.
If I weren't so sick of the travel, I'd do it all over again!
RE: Consulting to Construction...
RE: Consulting to Construction...
When working with engineers at DE firms, I can almost instantly realize when one has no field experience. Making decisions without knowing about the constructability side is not worth the paper they are printed on, and often end up being changed in the field.
Just my two cents.
RE: Consulting to Construction...
My advice: go in as a sponge, eager to absorb everything you come into contact with. Treat everybody you meet with respect and you will also discover that the friendships that are made in the field are stronger than the friendships made in the design office. Also, beer is the currancy of the field person.
There are days when I wake up feeling like the dumbest man on the planet, then there are days when I confirm it.
RE: Consulting to Construction...
RE: Consulting to Construction...
Problem is you'll be surrounded by people who have relatively no clue about design....but if you intend this switch to be permanent, maybe that's the way to go.