How do I stay motivated??? 2

[UtilityLouie]

All I've been doing for the last couple of months has been project proposals and RFQ packages. I know, I know, "be happy I have a job", BUT I need some way to make this work more interesting until I get some of this stuff approved! It seems like it's all just clerical work!

 

[dvd]

I think that I would make things more interesting by looking for a new job. Companies that don't have paying jobs on the books don't keep people employed.

 

[UtilityLouie]

Considering I'm a "blood sucking overhead" corporate engineer... and it seems like the capital spigot has been squeezed back... I'm not sure if it's a temporary slow down or a new corporate philosophy.

 

[HgTX]

Is there other stuff out there, but they're just not giving it to you? Or do they really not have other stuff for you to do?

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[KENAT]

thread732-193252 there are a few others too so do a search.

At my last job I had phases where I seemed to spend all my time on project managemant (as in paperwork, not leading th project), bid preparation etc. As you say it can be boring and monotonous. The full contract on one of these that I'd spent time on off & on didn't even get awarded till I left the place, so I didnt' even really get to work on it (however, it's now proudly displayed on the cover of this weeks air forces monthly). In fact that company, at least the department I was in, has grown massively.

Battle through it and do the best job you can. For me things would normally come up before I completely lost interest/the will to live. Or on one occastion they gave me a big pay raise (off the regular schedule) just as I reached the end of my tether.

I got a lot of credit for doing all that dull admin stuff & doing it well (or at least adequately/better than most of my colleagues), maybe you will too.

If if really looks like there wont be any work then start looking for alternative employment (it's rarely a bad idea to be at least half heartedly looking anyway, even if you have no big plans to leave any time soon).

I did used to find small design tasks to do on the side to keep me sane, any chance you can do anything like this?

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[MadMango]

I guess it comes down to what you want out of the job. Do you want to be an engineer or do you want to be a program/project manager. I don't think motivation has anything to do with it.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of these Forums?

 

[stanweld]

UtilityLouie,
Try to spend more of your time researching the engineering needs of the project, problem areas for inclusion of additional engineering requirements or cost saving ideas instead of reviewing/inserting the same old boiler plate. I review many RFPs from Utility companies for mega projects. Many of the engineeriing requirements are highly inadequate and often times vague for the work. Many requirements are unduly costly.

 

[UtilityLouie]

Thanks for the suggestions...

I think that one of the issues is the large amount of "procedures" that have recently been initiated. Considering the company I work for has a philosophy for streamlining process: this process has been fully backed by upper management. I would guess these new procedures triple project approval time. (Oh, another engineer created this program by copying another procedure that uses "swim lanes".) My lack of motivation has been increasing since these procedures have been introduced. The incredible thing is that even high IRR and essential projects take forever to get approved. Maybe we're getting sold...

My personal feelings are that most of the engineering management here are engineers that have turned into administrators and feel the need to be in control of ALL decisions. We're probably administrating our way out of a corporate engineering department. I don't know if you agree, but MOST engineers that turn into administrators are HORRIBLE administrators. I know there are engineers that use their powers for good in that arena, but they quickly get moved to other areas of the company and the only admins left are micro-managing control freaks.

I've started my MBA because the only engineers that seem to move up are people on the MBA track and I figure whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. So I'm trying to play the game. Just give me some good old fashioned design/project engineering!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[stanweld]

UtilityLouie,
"Essential" power/petrochemical/infrastructure projects must often be delayed or abandoned today due to economic and socio-political realities. The financial crises is world wide and until some real stabilization occurs, money will remain in tight supply to fund them. Energy sources are also problematic with regard to environmental concerns (coal) or political instability in the supply countries (LNG/oil).

False assumptions like "if we build it they will come" have also been uncovered; e.g., we recently completed an LNG receiving/gasification terminal; the owners have only been able to obtain two tanker loads of LNG in 4 months - not very promising for expanding LNG projects in the US.

 

[knight185]

I recently spent 4 months writing RFQ's for a major turbine overhaul. The paperwork was boring but in the process I did learn a lot. I was assigned to a different plant for the project and I had 4 months to gather all contractors and resources for an 8 week overhaul. In the process I was able to learn a lot about the turbine and what needed to be fixed. I was also going crazy from looking at my computer all day. However, I did get the satisfaction of managing the project through to completion. During the boring times I always tried to find other things in the plant to work on and plant material to read to increase my knowledge about a process or machine.