# What do PE's do as a second job?



## goodal (Oct 10, 2013)

I've been contemplating finding something to do on the side or at night to make sure I have some sort of income during this slow period. I'm having trouble finding something that suits my particular set of skills. I can do anything physical, and am not above doing a low level job to help make ends meet, but the thing I keep coming back to is its a shame to do that with the talent/ability/certifications that I have. That sounds very prideful I know, but am I wrong? It seems wrong to be delivering pizzas (or something similar) when I can seal anything mechanical in four states. So I'm curious, what do PE's do on the side? I would love a way to maybe work at home and pull in some dough, but I'm hitting a brick wall.


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## Capt Worley PE (Oct 10, 2013)

I'd say, but I saw what happened to Gerald Bull.


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## roadwreck (Oct 10, 2013)

Since you are a partner in your own firm and things are a little slow right now, if you had the opportunity to do engineering work on the side, why wouldn't you just bring that work in as part of your "day job"?


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## Road Guy (Oct 10, 2013)

If you have friends that are realtors you could do home inspections? I think most people would think having a real engineer do a home inspection might be better than some idiot who took a class at the community college.. I think realtors are scum but they have a good internal networking system for friends...The market is at least hot right now..

I worked at Home Depot in college and wouldnt feel bad if times got bad and I had to go back to work there, there are usally many different age groups working there and you can usually get $15/ hour or more walking in the door and the work is sometimes a little rewarding (helping the customers that are not assholes)..

I have thought about putting an ad on cragslist or linked in to do on the side work here in Colorado, contractor shop drawings or something. Id like to get into that market but dont really now the right people.. a friend of mine was out of work as a civil site a few years ago and has fed himself buy posting similar ads on cragislist and such to find enough little work to add up.. seems kind of low brow though..

I also think maybe owning some rental property or some type of franchise is well worth it if you have some start up money...


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## Dexman PE PMP (Oct 10, 2013)

If it came down to it, I would do woodworking. I can build cabinets, dressers, beds, entertainment centers, desks, etc. I have enough of the tools to get the job done and all I would lose would be a parking space in my garage. One of my architect friends got through his layoff downtime doing the same thing.


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## Exception Collection (Oct 10, 2013)

My suggestions:

-Look for clients for your business.

-What are your skills? I mean, aside from the ability to seal mechanical drawings and calculations. Are you good with computers? Fast typist? Good editor? Good with tools? Think about that, and if you do need to look for another job try to get one within a field that uses secondary skills heavily (computer repair, transcription, editing, repairman, etc).

-If you can make ends meet with what you have (and do so comfortably), you might consider improving your workflow via revised/simplified design methodology, so that when work does come in you can turn it around faster. You could also consider learning the physical side of ME, if you don't already know it. Design something you can patent.

-Shop drawings for steel fabricators. It's neither sexy or lucrative, but it's work.

If it came down to it, the only jobs I would not take would be in the "adult entertainment" industry or food service. Though frankly if I wasn't working I'd probably be studying or working on improving my workflow, at least until the money almost ran out.


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## Road Guy (Oct 10, 2013)

&amp; if any of you are good at marketing I will give yah 20% of any new vendors here!


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## knight1fox3 (Oct 10, 2013)

As a number of you already know, I build and repair PCs/Laptops as my 2nd job. Things really took off this year though so I created a formal label and various pieces of stationary/advertising for the business (didn't go LLC). Website is in development. Things have grown considerably since doing that as I'm also now building server class PCs for clients like John Deere. I also help to manage IT at LadyFox's firm. It certainly wouldn't pay all the bills by itself, but it is certainly some nice extra income that typically allows me to do my upgrades for free. 



Road Guy said:


> &amp; if any of you are good at marketing I will give yah 20% of any new vendors here!


rlyflag:


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## Capt Worley PE (Oct 10, 2013)

^Why not LLC?


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## blybrook PE (Oct 10, 2013)

Its not really a second job, as the calls are sporadic; but I've done home inspections around town.

In the winter, I run a plow truck for the neighborhood; just enough to cover fuel and minor breakdowns. Have also worked on computer repair / upgrades; drafted patent drawings and worked on steel shops.

So a few different things here and there. None that could really cover the normal expenses on their own though.


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## knight1fox3 (Oct 10, 2013)

Capt Worley PE said:


> ^Why not LLC?


Tax purposes. Not quite to that level just yet. For now I can just claim the earnings under my SSN.


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## snickerd3 (Oct 10, 2013)

you can always go the home party consultant route...scrapbooking, candles, expensive kitchen gadgets, extremely expensive plastic containers, crazy expensive seasonings/mixes, cloth purses...the list is endless


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## Supe (Oct 10, 2013)

When I have time (which is almost never), I do racecar fabrication work, along with GMAW/GTAW welding. Roll cage installs/upgrades, aluminum welding, etc. I usually just trade the work for things like storage space. I've also made/sold some lamps and yard art type things.


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## csb (Oct 10, 2013)

Dexman PE said:


> If it came down to it, I would do woodworking. I can build cabinets, dressers, beds, entertainment centers, desks, etc. I have enough of the tools to get the job done and all I would lose would be a parking space in my garage. One of my architect friends got through his layoff downtime doing the same thing.




:eyebrows:

A former member here delivered pizza. Paging Chucktown...Chucktown?

Minor rant on homeparties- men don't have parties that require their friends to buy things so they can get free stuff...they just have parties. Why do women do this to each other?


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## cement (Oct 10, 2013)

I worked at the carwash until I found a way to put my Chem Skilz to work.


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## knight1fox3 (Oct 10, 2013)

csb said:


> Minor rant on homeparties- men don't have parties that require their friends to buy things so they can get free stuff...they just have parties. Why do women do this to each other?






^ what are you talking about?! I totally had a wallet party the other weekend. I had enough orders to get 3, that's right THREE, designer hand-crafted wallets! :w00t:


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## csb (Oct 10, 2013)

Pics or it didn't happen.

Edit: OMG, it's a real thing. http://www.mancaveworldwide.com/parties/


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## knight1fox3 (Oct 10, 2013)

Mo' money, mo' problems CSB....It's a hard-knocked life.

My new favorite from my recent party order.


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## Rockettt (Oct 10, 2013)

Boy in those toy parties, they definitly have a reason to "do this to each other" !!!

Do something fun for a 2nd job. I work 40-50 hrs a week in front of this computer so i do fun stuff on side. I do powdercoating, do some wrenching on sleds and powersports. Sometimes Ill take on side work as a mechanic doing brakes etc. 

But my largest money making 2nd job is buying and selling antique cars. Gotta have a big yard though. Good thing I do. find the deals that are a sure thing, and make some extra dough. No it wont pay the mortgage, well sometimes it can, but its sporadic, and can let it go if you dont want to do anything. They are all cash deals which helps things. Boy best thing I ever did is buy a car trailer. Its fun to go out and find barn find cars and hear the old timer stories.

PS: I have stayed away from extra engineering work for 2 reasons. A. I am practicing under my employers name and B. I do it all day. why would I want to do more of it. I would just get strung out.


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## csb (Oct 10, 2013)

Very understated.


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## engineergurl (Oct 10, 2013)

badal said:


> I've been contemplating finding something to do on the side or at night to make sure I have some sort of income during this slow period. I'm having trouble finding something that suits my particular set of skills. I can do anything physical, and am not above doing a low level job to help make ends meet, but the thing I keep coming back to is its a shame to do that with the talent/ability/certifications that I have. That sounds very prideful I know, but am I wrong? It seems wrong to be delivering pizzas (or something similar) when I can seal anything mechanical in four states. So I'm curious, what do PE's do on the side? I would love a way to maybe work at home and pull in some dough, but I'm hitting a brick wall.




When your unemployment benefits run out, you don't exactly think about your skill set. I got lucky, I had just taken a job at a shipping warehouse on the night shift when I got an offer for something a step or two up from that. Then again, I don't have my PE... I imagine it would be harder for a person with a PE... I got enough "your over qualified" turn downs with out it...


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## Master slacker (Oct 10, 2013)

I lay pipe.


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## EM_PS (Oct 10, 2013)

My license isn't what I'm primarily employed for, so it works out that I can do survey stuff on the side (and not be bored lol). Still piecing together my equip arsenal, and probably do a sole proprietorship eventually for it.


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## engineergurl (Oct 10, 2013)

> I lay pipe.



it doesn't matter what you do, just how well you do it...


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## cement (Oct 11, 2013)

find a job you love, and never work another day


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## goodal (Oct 11, 2013)

Well, I love (or at least like) what I do as a day job, most of the time. Enough so, that I wouldn't mind doing it at night too, but that is very problematic (conflict of interest, offending partner, liability ins cost, etc). I have done a small amount of side work drafting houses or small mechanical systems, but that is very sporadic and usually doesn't pay much when it pays at all. Still thinking...


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## ALBin517 (Oct 11, 2013)

Master slacker said:


> I lay pipe.


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## Judowolf PE (Oct 11, 2013)

Not sure what smaller schools are in your area, but you might consider teaching a couple undergrad classes...seems like they are always looking for evening instructors for math and/or science.


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## goodal (Oct 11, 2013)

^ Now there is something I hadn't thought of.


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## FLBuff PE (Oct 11, 2013)

Strip...er, dance. Yeah, that's what I meant. Dance.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 11, 2013)

Judowolf PE said:


> Not sure what smaller schools are in your area, but you might consider teaching a couple undergrad classes...seems like they are always looking for evening instructors for math and/or science.


We did a project at a local tech college. I did the drainage design and got some assistance from a prof there who got me some info. At his request, threw together a syllabus for a hydrology class, which sadly went nowhere.


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## Sapper PE LS (Oct 11, 2013)

That's a good point, I applied to the local community college here to teach a surveying lab. It pays about $4k per semester, but unfortunately I was too late and they filled the position. You might be able to find something like that nearby. The one I was after wanted people with engineering or surveying degrees, masters degree and a resume of experience showing survey work.


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## nsgoldberg (Oct 11, 2013)

I teach part time at a local university (Cal Poly Pomona), for the ME and ET program. But I had an in - I got my BS and MS from there.

On weekends here and there, I sell firewood. I love off-roading, so going in the mountains and cutting up trees is relaxing. Also, splitting used to be a great workout until I bought a hydraulic splitter. You won't get rich off it, but it puts a couple hundred bucks in my pocket here and there. And I'm already cutting firewood for my wood burning stove, so why not? But the home inspector thing - that's something I had been already thinking about doing.

By the way, if any of my friends invited me over for BBQ and beer, and it turned out to be one of those "man parties"... Well, that'd be the end of that friendship. I'd leave on the spot.


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## Chucktown PE (Mar 7, 2014)

csb said:


> Dexman PE said:
> 
> 
> > If it came down to it, I would do woodworking. I can build cabinets, dressers, beds, entertainment centers, desks, etc. I have enough of the tools to get the job done and all I would lose would be a parking space in my garage. One of my architect friends got through his layoff downtime doing the same thing.
> ...




I haven't had a second job since I've been an engineer. The money ha been so good I never saw the need....

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:


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## wilheldp_PE (Mar 7, 2014)

I don't have a second job, but I have enough hobbies that have the potential to turn a profit, that I'm thinking about starting an LLC. I have a 3D printer and a laser cutter/engraver, so I can make prototypes or low-volume production products for inventors/hobbyists. I have a large smoker that I fill up almost every time I fire it up, and make a small profit selling BBQ to friends/coworkers.


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## knight1fox3 (Mar 7, 2014)

I run my own PC &amp; Repair business. It was a bit too costly to set up an LLC here in WI so I just got a tax ID number from the state and that works just fine so long as I pay quarterly state taxes.


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## mudpuppy (Mar 7, 2014)

knight1fox3 said:


> I run my own PC &amp; Repair business. It was a bit too costly to set up an LLC here in WI so I just got a tax ID number from the state and that works just fine so long as I pay quarterly state taxes.




The thing to be careful with here is as a sole proprietor you have unlimited liability for the business. So if one of your builds catches on fire and burns down your client's house, or if you get in a car wreck delivering a computer or if a client trips on your steps you could be sued for everything you and your wife own. An LLC limits that liability to the LLC's assets (thus the LLC name).


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## knight1fox3 (Mar 7, 2014)

mudpuppy said:


> knight1fox3 said:
> 
> 
> > I run my own PC &amp; Repair business. It was a bit too costly to set up an LLC here in WI so I just got a tax ID number from the state and that works just fine so long as I pay quarterly state taxes.
> ...


I hear you. But in this business, I've acquired a certain set of skills....


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## Road Guy (Mar 7, 2014)

I netted $78.90 of the site this year! Probably gonna have to do a guys weekend in Vegas!


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## Dexman PE PMP (Mar 7, 2014)

$80 would get you about 5 nights at the old Imperial Palace (now called The Quad)...


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## knight1fox3 (Mar 8, 2014)

Dexman PE said:


> $80 would get you about 5 nights at the old Imperial Palace (now called The Quad)...


Been there, done that. Price is good.


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## Ship Wreck PE (Mar 8, 2014)

Dexman PE said:


> $80 would get you about 5 nights at the old Imperial Palace (now called The Quad)...


I stayed there for a convention in 2007.. It was a dump. I though I saw them implode it from the plane when I was leaving Vegas.


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