# One of My Pet Peeves About P.E.'s



## intech (Mar 4, 2011)

We P.E.'s need to use the P.E. behind our name in every professional situation: resume, emails letters, etc. I look at so many resumes and emails that I can hardly tell that someone is a P.E. because it's hidden somewhere at the bottom or isn't there at all. Put it proudly behind your name.

Rant over.


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## FLBuff PE (Mar 4, 2011)

intech said:


> We P.E.'s need to use the P.E. behind our name in every professional situation: resume, emails letters, etc. I look at so many resumes and emails that I can hardly tell that someone is a P.E. because it's hidden somewhere at the bottom or isn't there at all. Put it proudly behind your name.
> Rant over.


I use it in all professional situations. On my resume, At the very top, it says "FLBuff, P.E." I worked too damned hard to get my P.E. lisence to not show that I have it.


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## CbusPaul (Mar 4, 2011)

^^^ If I were you I'd put my real name. It's more professional.


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## navyasw02 (Mar 4, 2011)

You guys are wussies. I got my license number tattooed on my chest.


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## speedyox (Mar 4, 2011)

navyasw02 said:


> You guys are wussies. I got my license number tattooed on my chest.


On your chest?! Now who's a wuss? Let me show you where I got mine tattooed... &lt;zip&gt;


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## frazil (Mar 4, 2011)

Do you all write "P.E."? Or is just "PE" okay?


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## FusionWhite (Mar 4, 2011)

^^^ I use PE on my email signature and business cards. Ive noticed about a 50/50 split between P.E. and PE.


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## Ble_PE (Mar 4, 2011)

I use PE, but I've seen it both ways as well. Has a consensus ever been reached as to what's preferred?


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## FLBuff PE (Mar 4, 2011)

I think both are acceptable, like M.D. or MD. I personally prefer P.E., since they each stand for a different word.


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## Dleg (Mar 7, 2011)

I work with some people who hardly ever use it on anything other than engineering documents. I agree it should be used more often.


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## Capt Worley PE (Mar 7, 2011)

A local guy had it on his obit yesterday, but it wasn't on the online obit.


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## MA_PE (Mar 7, 2011)

given the ever-changing regulations and the fact that the PE is only valid in the state it was issued, I'd suggest giving some consideration to where you add PE and not just automatically put it on everything "professional". You never know when something might come back and bite you as "practicing wihtout a license" or "misrepresentation" on out of state correspondence, regardless of the content. Just adding a caveat.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Mar 7, 2011)

So you're saying it's best to keep your PE-ness tucked away for the most part?


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## ALBin517 (Mar 7, 2011)

Capt Worley PE said:


> A local guy had it on his obit yesterday, but it wasn't on the online obit.


So somebody in your area might be hiring? :multiplespotting:


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## Capt Worley PE (Mar 7, 2011)

ALBin517 said:


> Capt Worley PE said:
> 
> 
> > A local guy had it on his obit yesterday, but it wasn't on the online obit.
> ...


Nice try, he was retired.


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## roadwreck (Mar 7, 2011)

SapperPE said:


> I not only use it on my professional stuff, but also on my birthday cards, Christmas cards, and informal emails to my family and friends... I even introduce myself to random strangers as SapperPE, P.E., just so they know my credentials. Okay, no I don't do all that.





FLBuff PE said:


> I think both are acceptable, like M.D. or MD. I personally prefer P.E., since they each stand for a different word.


This topic reminded me of a story my father used to tell about a co-worker of his. The co-worker had his PhD in geophysics and was one of those pompous a-hats that insisted _everyone_ should address him as "doctor". On a business trip he apparently made a point of this with the staff of a hotel they were checking into. To his surprise he was woken up in the middle of the night by the staff asking for his assistance when a woman staying at the hotel went into labor. 

Moral of the story, it's good to convey your credentials, but be sure it is appropriate for the situation.


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## navyasw02 (Mar 7, 2011)

roadwreck said:


> SapperPE said:
> 
> 
> > I not only use it on my professional stuff, but also on my birthday cards, Christmas cards, and informal emails to my family and friends... I even introduce myself to random strangers as SapperPE, P.E., just so they know my credentials. Okay, no I don't do all that.
> ...


This is really the only reason I'd ever want a PhD, so that when they announce "Is there a doctor aboard this plane?" I can raise my hand.


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## MA_PE (Mar 7, 2011)

VTEnviro said:


> So you're saying it's best to keep your PE-ness tucked away for the most part?


depends on where/how you're tucking it.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Mar 7, 2011)

> This is really the only reason I'd ever want a PhD, so that when they announce "Is there a doctor aboard this plane?" I can raise my hand.


This happened the last time I flew. A passenger had a seizure or something like that. Both a doctor and EMT were on the plane, and they tended to the woman back in the food prep cabin. They high tailed it into the gate and had an ambulance waiting for us.


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## ironman (Mar 7, 2011)

I dont ever use it, I feel that it can bring about unwanted higher expectations (even if im not stamping anything at that moment). I have found that people dont like to give prestige but instead I would worry about someone saying oh your a PE how did you F up that unit conversion. So I just dont even go there unless its verbal and in a social setting where I can use it to gloat but dont have to worry about it biting me in the a**. Under rare circumstance I will bring it up during work functions if someone wants to engage in unnessicary levels of checking but thats about it. If I had a PhD I might put that at the end of my name because everyone understands that PhD's are acadamia level credentials and are rarely relavent to day to day work functions, people might even think oh he is a PhD thats why he Fed up this munane detail.


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## Dexman PE (Mar 7, 2011)

Wow. With a response like that, I can see why they're not asking you to stamp anything...


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## wilheldp_PE (Mar 7, 2011)

VTEnviro said:


> This happened the last time I flew. A passenger had a seizure or something like that. Both a doctor and EMT were on the plane, and they tended to the woman back in the food prep cabin. They high tailed it into the gate and had an ambulance waiting for us.


My brother in law's brother used to sell medical equipment, and he sometimes had to be in the operating room to train surgeons on the equipment. He was flying home from just such an appointment, wearing scrubs, when a medical emergency presented itself. One of the flight attendants sought him out and asked him if he was a doctor. He said "No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night." It was funny because he actually did stay at a HIE the night before.


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## jeb6294 (Mar 14, 2011)

I was just checking into my flight info for my next R&amp;R and I saw a little check box I had never noticed before asking if I'd like to register as a medical person in the event of an in-flight emergency. You got miles for doing it.

My last R&amp;R, on my way back here there was a guy who took a dive at the bathroom area right behind us. I guess he just fainted so it didn't cause any reroute or anything.


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## intech (Mar 24, 2011)

Another thing: what about people who put "EIT" on their resume, but they've had it for like 20 years? I get it if you have 1-5 years of experience as it shows you achieved something and will be going for your PE, but it just seems meaningless to be an EIT if you have more than 5 or 6 years experience.


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## wilheldp_PE (Mar 24, 2011)

intech said:


> Another thing: what about people who put "EIT" on their resume, but they've had it for like 20 years? I get it if you have 1-5 years of experience as it shows you achieved something and will be going for your PE, but it just seems meaningless to be an EIT if you have more than 5 or 6 years experience.


That actually makes a lot of sense to leave on your resume regardless of how long its been since you graduated. It shows that you are only 1 step away from becoming a PE if it becomes necessary for the job to which you are applying.


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## intech (Mar 25, 2011)

wilheldp_PE said:


> intech said:
> 
> 
> > Another thing: what about people who put "EIT" on their resume, but they've had it for like 20 years? I get it if you have 1-5 years of experience as it shows you achieved something and will be going for your PE, but it just seems meaningless to be an EIT if you have more than 5 or 6 years experience.
> ...


I guess that is what people have in mind when they do that, but my point is why not get your PE if you have the EIT already? You're halfway there, then you let it slide for 20 years? Also, most companies who need a PE, NEED A PE, not somebody who may be able to get one in about 6 months (or more). And I say "may" because as all of us know, passing the exam is not a given. In my experience, I have never seen a company hire an EIT when they have a need for a PE. They will hire a PE in one state if they need a PE in another state because getting a PE by reciprocity is almost 100% guaranteed and, if you're lucky, it only takes a couple of months.


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## jeb6294 (Mar 26, 2011)

Closest I've seen is when I moved back to Ohio, one of the conditions for my employment was that I had to get my EIT within one year of my start date (I was always bouncing back and forth co-oping in school so I didn't take it before I graduated like most). Fortunately I had already signed up to take it in Florida and they let Ohio administer the exam, and somehow I ended up passing that first try.


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