Wow!
I couldn't believe that I've actually written all that stuff two years ago. It's been more than 10 years in the civil engineering field for me now. Since then, I became a Project Engineer, Lead Field Inspector, Resident Engineer, and now I'm a Senior Transportation Engineer but working as a Contract Manager responsible for hiring and managing Consultants. I now worked closely and have interviewed and dealt with competence among engineers of various disciplines, landscape architect, public and private individuals, right-of-way agents, surveyors, lawyers, etc.
What I said years ago still hold true, especially now I got to see all the consultants' books and how much the engineers are actually getting paid, as well as the companies overhead costs.
As for professional developement, I went ahead and actually got my general contractor's license, both in General Engineering as well as Building trades. That means now, not only can I design buildings, highway, tunnels, dams, parks, piers, etc., I can actually building them myself as the Prime.
I want starting my own company in the near future, once I have a better vision of the future market trends. Meanwhile, I'm planning on getting certified as Project Manager Professional under
as well as a better understanding about the financial side of the business, a.k.a. the sciences of making sales and making deals.
After reading my previous postings, I found it amuzing. I guessed it's age. I realized that as engineers, we are constantly evolving, for survival. The key is having a balance professional and personal life. The last few years, I managed to get married, handled the death of my dear father and his finances, managed my mom's depression and health issues, dealt with my mother-in-law and father-in-law's deaths, blessed with a collic but now happy 20 month old daughter that makes me a better person, managed the mortgage payments with sigle income, etc. Always a daily struggle to improve both professionally and personally. The key is to have a good attitude?
I took the salary test recently and found out that I'm at the 75% range. The funny thing is, that is still not enough given where I live in the San Francisco bay area. I do get jealous, knowing that it only takes consultants to make the same amount in 6 months. However, the trade off is the consultant might be out of a job for the next 6 months or so. Job stability and insurance for the family does take priority over my personal ambition, and perhaps prevents me from starting my own firm.
Nevertheless, now I try to help whenever I see an eager aspiring engineer. I have no problem taking time to show anyone around who has to desire to become professional, given that I was once that person.
