How Much of Pay Raise after PE Certification?

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I don't get people who think that life is just all about the money.

The interesting part is that if all they are interested in is the money, they usually never get where they want to go and they are never happy. Like anybody, I would like to make more than I do right now. However, the price for making more is spending less time with my family. Time with my son at this age can't be bought later. In short, I'm a happy employee.

 
This is the problem I have with being an engineer for a company.
I currently make 128k base for a Fortune 10 firm with 1st tier MBA & Engineering degrees, and I hope to quit my job in a year or two -- the poor engineers make squat.

With the business I operate parttime with fulltime workers, I garnish $250 to $350 an hour doing HVACR engineering & contracting; for example, my company designed and installed a 1.5 MBTU Boiler where I cleared 35k for 1 week's work -- that some sexy cheese. I'm also getting acquainted with large Law firms where I can make $1000 to $1500 a day doing engineering consulting.

I have a PE, and I know where the money is -- not being an employee.

According to your post, assuming it took you about 5 minutes to read the board and write the post, we all owe you about $25 (minimum, it really should be more) for the pearls of wisdom. I think we should all start paying you for your insights. I'll start passing the hat around the board.

Have you ever thought of becoming a motivational speaker? Or maybe even write a book, about your success? You could preview it on the board, we might learn something from you (seriously you should start a new topic about your life). I would certainly be inspired by your story, and maybe become more successful in my life.

 
:banhim: I'm tired of listening to this crap. There are more than a few people on this board making more than him and they aren't on here spewing about it.
 
According to your post, assuming it took you about 5 minutes to read the board and write the post, we all owe you about $25 (minimum, it really should be more) for the pearls of wisdom. I think we should all start paying you for your insights. I'll start passing the hat around the board.
We have NO BUDGET to pay for unsolicited comments. I guess the polite thing to do would be to say, "Thank you, GT ME, for your advice, but you are losing money here since we do not offer compensation. Someone with your earning potential should use every opportunity to increase income. We wish you the best in maximizing your income elsewhere."

:)

 
We have NO BUDGET to pay for unsolicited comments. I guess the polite thing to do would be to say, "Thank you, GT ME, for your advice, but you are losing money here since we do not offer compensation. Someone with your earning potential should use every opportunity to increase income. We wish you the best in maximizing your income elsewhere."
:)
Very good point. How does a man of such extraordinary importance have the time to squander with such plebian discourse? Undoubtedly, he could be earning thousands of dollars in the minutes he has graciously offered to us pro-bono.

 
The most important thing is you love what you do, and I love being a business owner for a fully licensed Mechanical Engineering & Contracting Co.

I'm confident my current business will be worth several million in 5 to 10 years (I sold my first business for nearly a mill in 97) -- I'd rather take business risk than be a dependent employee that usually gets downsized in their 50's.

You sound like an disgruntled dependent employee Mike :Locolaugh:

There. I fixed your post for you. Now it makes sense........ :rolleyes:
 
I'd rather take business risk than be a dependent employee that usually gets downsized in their 50's.
From what I understand, most of us diminish in size in our 50s anyway, so what's the big deal? Have you found the secret? I sincerely hope you don't believe those e-mails that promise otherwise, because in my experience, those can actually hasten the down-sizing, and in worst-case-scenario, make it fall off!

You're my hero, GT_ME. I don't care what enyone else says. When I read your messages, I hold my head high, and proudly proclaim to everyone, that you're one of us. Or one of me. If you get what I am saying.

 
I'd rather take business risk than be a dependent employee that usually gets downsized in their 50's.
OH MY GOD!!!!!!! I'm 50. Do you think I'm in danger of being downsized? (Not in the way you were, PE-ness. That stuff won't happen to me.)

Anyway, I'm not worried about being 50 and easily replaced. I plan to retire some day not too far in the future and would hate to mess up my leisure worrying that I might have left a gap that cannot be filled.

Let's face it, every one of us will some day leave our career. We will either retire, quit, get fired, get laid off, or die. And, whatever gap is left will be filled by someone else.

When I die, I hope I am remembered more for the stuff that is not related to engineering and businesss. I would hate to think that my greatest contribution in life was creating a multi-million-dollar engineering firm. The risks I prefer to take are not about the money. They are about life.

 
The most important thing is you love what you do, and I love being a business owner for a fully licensed Mechanical Engineering & Contracting Co.
I'm confident my current business will be worth several million in 5 to 10 years (I sold my first business for nearly a mill in 97) -- I'd rather take business risk than be a dependent employee that usually gets downsized in their 50's.

You sound like an disgruntled dependent employee Mike :Locolaugh:
Yeah. I'm disgruntled. Maybe if I start make absurd (read: made up) comments about my career and proudly beat my chest and keep telling everyone how great I am and how much better I am than they are, I won't be so disgruntled. There's hope!!

 
This guy is great reading. However, isn't this super-engineer with multimillion dollar salary the same guy who wondered why the conversion is 1 psi = 2.31 ft/ psi.

 
The most important thing is you love what you do, and I love being a business owner for a fully licensed Mechanical Engineering & Contracting Co.
I'm confident my current business will be worth several million in 5 to 10 years (I sold my first business for nearly a mill in 97) -- I'd rather take business risk than be a dependent employee that usually gets downsized in their 50's.

You sound like an disgruntled dependent employee Mike :Locolaugh:
I received a 5% raise and placed into a higher pay scale. I work for a municipality as does my wife. Together we make pretty good wages and can feel like we have made it in life. I have worked in the private sector for 11 years and now 3 in the public. I have come across a few small business owners that either went under or just sold it off because they had to work like dogs to keep it going. I'm sure there was a great feeling of acccomplishment when they were succeeding initially, but at some point just had to step back and ask themselves if it was really worth it. I personally like what I do, the office enviornment i'm in and feel challenged every day. I would never knock anyone for what direction they take in life, especially if they are enjoying it. Where would this country be with out those crazy dreamers that start thier own business (Bill Gates, Henry Ford, the Rubiks Cube guy) I know by my personallity that starting my own business would keep me up at night, and I don't feel any amount of money would allow me to enjoy that kind of life style. I think GT ME should be proud of what he has accomplished, but labling others as poor engineers is probably out of bounds. A lot of us may not have the bank account he does, but we don't feel poor. I like leaving at the same time alomst every day and picking up my daughter from school and finding out how her day went. I get to make her dinner every night, we play with our dog, help her with homework and squeeze in a little sponge bob square pants. I almost get a speeding ticket at times racing to get to her school. To me, those are the most valuable items in my life. :unitedstates:

 
I received a 5% raise and placed into a higher pay scale. I work for a municipality as does my wife. Together we make pretty good wages and can feel like we have made it in life. I have worked in the private sector for 11 years and now 3 in the public. I have come across a few small business owners that either went under or just sold it off because they had to work like dogs to keep it going. I'm sure there was a great feeling of acccomplishment when they were succeeding initially, but at some point just had to step back and ask themselves if it was really worth it. I personally like what I do, the office enviornment i'm in and feel challenged every day. I would never knock anyone for what direction they take in life, especially if they are enjoying it. Where would this country be with out those crazy dreamers that start thier own business (Bill Gates, Henry Ford, the Rubiks Cube guy) I know by my personallity that starting my own business would keep me up at night, and I don't feel any amount of money would allow me to enjoy that kind of life style. I think GT ME should be proud of what he has accomplished, but labling others as poor engineers is probably out of bounds. A lot of us may not have the bank account he does, but we don't feel poor. I like leaving at the same time alomst every day and picking up my daughter from school and finding out how her day went. I get to make her dinner every night, we play with our dog, help her with homework and squeeze in a little sponge bob square pants. I almost get a speeding ticket at times racing to get to her school. To me, those are the most valuable items in my life. :unitedstates:
This post?.........priceless!

 
^^I agree!! Plus, there's room enough and need for everyone in this world. There will always be a need for folks like CivilPEHopeful and myself, who prefer the satisfaction of public service, and the free time to raise our children to the best of our abilities.

And there will always be a need for the hard-core entrepreneur, and the overpriveleged, undersupervised, Paris Hilton-like chlidren that they bring into the world for our entertainment.

 
I received a 5% raise and placed into a higher pay scale. I work for a municipality as does my wife. Together we make pretty good wages and can feel like we have made it in life. I have worked in the private sector for 11 years and now 3 in the public. I have come across a few small business owners that either went under or just sold it off because they had to work like dogs to keep it going. I'm sure there was a great feeling of acccomplishment when they were succeeding initially, but at some point just had to step back and ask themselves if it was really worth it. I personally like what I do, the office enviornment i'm in and feel challenged every day. I would never knock anyone for what direction they take in life, especially if they are enjoying it. Where would this country be with out those crazy dreamers that start thier own business (Bill Gates, Henry Ford, the Rubiks Cube guy) I know by my personallity that starting my own business would keep me up at night, and I don't feel any amount of money would allow me to enjoy that kind of life style. I think GT ME should be proud of what he has accomplished, but labling others as poor engineers is probably out of bounds. A lot of us may not have the bank account he does, but we don't feel poor. I like leaving at the same time alomst every day and picking up my daughter from school and finding out how her day went. I get to make her dinner every night, we play with our dog, help her with homework and squeeze in a little sponge bob square pants. I almost get a speeding ticket at times racing to get to her school. To me, those are the most valuable items in my life. :unitedstates:
My respect to you. One of the best and most honest posts I have read in this Board.

 
How about a congratulatory lunch and a pay cut. I was informed by my supervisor that since I am now a 'professional' I am no longer eligible for overtime, which I had anticipated, but I didn't get a raise, so effectively I just got bumped down in pay. Hooray.
WOWWW....this is new... :) This always happen when we are professional. Smetimes people will abuse us. I've been working for 4 years now yet my salary still the same since the 1st year. :(

regards,

kelly

_______________

Simulation pret

 
I got a 0% annual raise and a 0% one time bonus, but significant amounts of prestige from the other Professional Engineers in my group. My company paid $0 toward my P.E. license and $0 toward my PE application.

But my company has some other awesome benefits (paid overtime) and are great to work for, so I can't complain.

 

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