Civil Engineering Career Coaches

[designer215]

I am new to the board and I was wondering whether there are any Civil Engineering Career Coaches out there. I was laid off for almost a year and I am tired of the old "post your resume on the internet" and "Network-network-network" speeches already. I only have 5 years in land development/site plan review for a small Engineering firm in NJ, and I have yet to pass the FE exam.

Any comment or advice will be helpful.

Thank you.

 

[picusld]

I am new to the board and I was wondering whether there are any Civil Engineering Career Coaches out there. I was laid off for almost a year and I am tired of the old "post your resume on the internet" and "Network-network-network" speeches already. I only have 5 years in land development/site plan review for a small Engineering firm in NJ, and I have yet to pass the FE exam.
Any comment or advice will be helpful.

Thank you.

Take the FE and PE back to back (if you have the 4 years experience). I know that you can do that in Jersey. Plus, plenty of time to hit the books...

 

[picusld]

I am new to the board and I was wondering whether there are any Civil Engineering Career Coaches out there. I was laid off for almost a year and I am tired of the old "post your resume on the internet" and "Network-network-network" speeches already. I only have 5 years in land development/site plan review for a small Engineering firm in NJ, and I have yet to pass the FE exam.
Any comment or advice will be helpful.

Thank you.

Take the FE and PE back to back (if you have the 4 years experience). I know that you can do that in Jersey. Plus, plenty of time to hit the books...

 

[picusld]

I am new to the board and I was wondering whether there are any Civil Engineering Career Coaches out there. I was laid off for almost a year and I am tired of the old "post your resume on the internet" and "Network-network-network" speeches already. I only have 5 years in land development/site plan review for a small Engineering firm in NJ, and I have yet to pass the FE exam.
Any comment or advice will be helpful.

Thank you.

Take the FE and PE back to back (if you have the 4 years experience). I know that you can do that in Jersey. Plus, plenty of time to hit the books...

 

[designer215]

I am new to the board and I was wondering whether there are any Civil Engineering Career Coaches out there. I was laid off for almost a year and I am tired of the old "post your resume on the internet" and "Network-network-network" speeches already. I only have 5 years in land development/site plan review for a small Engineering firm in NJ, and I have yet to pass the FE exam.
Any comment or advice will be helpful.

Thank you.

Take the FE and PE back to back (if you have the 4 years experience). I know that you can do that in Jersey. Plus, plenty of time to hit the books...

I know that, but I wanted to know whether there are any Career coaches for Engineers out there, more or less mentors.

 

[EnvEngineer]

I have been and engineer for 30 years and have sought someone with insight and really only found it with recruiters. With 4 years experience it may be hard to get one to represent you but they are usually more than willing to discuss the job market and local firms and their needs. You wont be competing with them in the market and most are really good people and willing to help. Just stay away from the large blanket recruiters, they really dont seem to know anything just put alot of hooks in the water.

Some free advice, your field is dead and will most likely stay that way for some time. That doesnt mean you dont have skills that are needed.

rethink your skills and your resume, if you touched it and feel you can do it, you have a skill

think more about what you would like to do and less about what you are qualified to do, this is easier to market than limited experience.

Spend your time finding out who has work, who has the large contracts, who has won a contract, your goal is to get a meeting with a project manager in these companies. I think sending resumes is a waste of %90 of your time, target companies and people within those companies.

I have never been without a job in 30 years and have never mailed or emailed a resume. The best book I have found is "What Color is your Parachute" go to a used book store and buy the oldest version, the newer have alot of crap, but very good advice on persueing a career and job hunting.

And do what PIC said, work on qualifications!!!!!!!! if you are not moving forward you are moving backward, nothing stays the same...

 

[picusld]

I have been and engineer for 30 years and have sought someone with insight and really only found it with recruiters. With 4 years experience it may be hard to get one to represent you but they are usually more than willing to discuss the job market and local firms and their needs. You wont be competing with them in the market and most are really good people and willing to help. Just stay away from the large blanket recruiters, they really dont seem to know anything just put alot of hooks in the water.
Some free advice, your field is dead and will most likely stay that way for some time. That doesnt mean you dont have skills that are needed.

rethink your skills and your resume, if you touched it and feel you can do it, you have a skill

think more about what you would like to do and less about what you are qualified to do, this is easier to market than limited experience.

Spend your time finding out who has work, who has the large contracts, who has won a contract, your goal is to get a meeting with a project manager in these companies. I think sending resumes is a waste of %90 of your time, target companies and people within those companies.

I have never been without a job in 30 years and have never mailed or emailed a resume. The best book I have found is "What Color is your Parachute" go to a used book store and buy the oldest version, the newer have alot of crap, but very good advice on persueing a career and job hunting.

And do what PIC said, work on qualifications!!!!!!!! if you are not moving forward you are moving backward, nothing stays the same...

Unfortunately, I agree with the state of the Land Development Business. I have been in it for about 6 years and there is no light at the end of the tunnel to be seen.

Might not be a bad idea to go back to the drawing board and look for an entry level transportation or bridge job. I have a feeling that this will pay off in the long run, but who knows what the future holds...

 

[designer215]

I have been and engineer for 30 years and have sought someone with insight and really only found it with recruiters. With 4 years experience it may be hard to get one to represent you but they are usually more than willing to discuss the job market and local firms and their needs. You wont be competing with them in the market and most are really good people and willing to help. Just stay away from the large blanket recruiters, they really dont seem to know anything just put alot of hooks in the water.
Some free advice, your field is dead and will most likely stay that way for some time. That doesnt mean you dont have skills that are needed.

rethink your skills and your resume, if you touched it and feel you can do it, you have a skill

think more about what you would like to do and less about what you are qualified to do, this is easier to market than limited experience.

Spend your time finding out who has work, who has the large contracts, who has won a contract, your goal is to get a meeting with a project manager in these companies. I think sending resumes is a waste of %90 of your time, target companies and people within those companies.

I have never been without a job in 30 years and have never mailed or emailed a resume. The best book I have found is "What Color is your Parachute" go to a used book store and buy the oldest version, the newer have alot of crap, but very good advice on persueing a career and job hunting.

And do what PIC said, work on qualifications!!!!!!!! if you are not moving forward you are moving backward, nothing stays the same...

Unfortunately, I agree with the state of the Land Development Business. I have been in it for about 6 years and there is no light at the end of the tunnel to be seen.

Might not be a bad idea to go back to the drawing board and look for an entry level transportation or bridge job. I have a feeling that this will pay off in the long run, but who knows what the future holds...

Thanks for the advice, and I totally agree with the thing about Engineering Technical recruiters, I think that they believe when you graduate college, that you should instantly have your EIT, and 5 years of experience. That really angers me. Its kind of hard keeping positive when all you hear is "You are underqualified, living in the wrong area, and picked the wrong Engineering".

As for changing paths, I applied for entry-level utility positions only to be denied for people who are massively overqualified due to the job market right now. I may even turn to CAD/drafting. Who knows? According to the Job market, I should move overseas and learn Chinese.

I have not given up on myself, (or America) and I will retake the FE, and not move to Dubai.

 

[Clarke]

I have been and engineer for 30 years and have sought someone with insight and really only found it with recruiters. With 4 years experience it may be hard to get one to represent you but they are usually more than willing to discuss the job market and local firms and their needs. You wont be competing with them in the market and most are really good people and willing to help. Just stay away from the large blanket recruiters, they really dont seem to know anything just put alot of hooks in the water.
Some free advice, your field is dead and will most likely stay that way for some time. That doesnt mean you dont have skills that are needed.

rethink your skills and your resume, if you touched it and feel you can do it, you have a skill

think more about what you would like to do and less about what you are qualified to do, this is easier to market than limited experience.

Spend your time finding out who has work, who has the large contracts, who has won a contract, your goal is to get a meeting with a project manager in these companies. I think sending resumes is a waste of %90 of your time, target companies and people within those companies.

I have never been without a job in 30 years and have never mailed or emailed a resume. The best book I have found is "What Color is your Parachute" go to a used book store and buy the oldest version, the newer have alot of crap, but very good advice on persueing a career and job hunting.

And do what PIC said, work on qualifications!!!!!!!! if you are not moving forward you are moving backward, nothing stays the same...

Unfortunately, I agree with the state of the Land Development Business. I have been in it for about 6 years and there is no light at the end of the tunnel to be seen.

Might not be a bad idea to go back to the drawing board and look for an entry level transportation or bridge job. I have a feeling that this will pay off in the long run, but who knows what the future holds...

Thanks for the advice, and I totally agree with the thing about Engineering Technical recruiters, I think that they believe when you graduate college, that you should instantly have your EIT, and 5 years of experience. That really angers me. Its kind of hard keeping positive when all you hear is "You are underqualified, living in the wrong area, and picked the wrong Engineering".

As for changing paths, I applied for entry-level utility positions only to be denied for people who are massively overqualified due to the job market right now. I may even turn to CAD/drafting. Who knows? According to the Job market, I should move overseas and learn Chinese.

I have not given up on myself, (or America) and I will retake the FE, and not move to Dubai.

I am in the same field in SE Pennsylvania...and I agree, it is a dead or dying field. Somehow I have stayed employed, but my company has definitely paired its staff and the remainder of us have taken pay cuts.

Anyway, I agree with what was stated above, rethink your career path. I wish I was as young as you probably are...I already know, if I get laid off, I am back to school and getting a teaching degree. At age 40, I don't need to jump to another company and try to climb their ladder...let my wife support us while I take teaching courses and work at Home Depot or collect unemployment and spend more time with kids...hell, with my pay cut last year, and the loss of OT/Bonuses, she is almost making as much money as I am with only a few years of teaching experience.

So my advice....become a science or math teacher.