Career Advice

[HelluvaEng]

Greetings everyone,

I am a first time poster but have read the boards for a while and I was hoping for some advice on a possible career move. I currently work at a small(ish) firm specializing in land development and site design. Most of the work we do is residential with some commercial projects sprinkled in here and there. I started at this company as an intern while in school and was eventually hired on full time after completing my undergraduate degree. I have been here for 3 years now and plan to take the PE exam next year.

Let me first say that I love the company and the people that I work with. It has been a terrific environment to grow my skill set while working under some talented professionals. I am in a position now where I do all of the design work on a project, including site layout, road design, storm, sewer, erosion control, stormwater management etc, as well as putting together construction plans under supervision of a senior engineer. I have enjoyed land development and continue to enjoy it, but I have come to realize that my real passion is in water resources and more specifically hydrology and hydraulics.

I have recently been considering looking for a job which my role would be more specialized in water resources, possibly something in dam engineering. My only fear is that my role as a land development engineer only provides me with a more generalize knowledge of water resources (as well as the other fields necessary to do my work), while potential employers hiring a water resources engineer would be looking for a candidate with a more specialized skills.

Has anyone had any experience switching from land development to a more specialized role in civil engineering? If so, did you feel that your general knowledge of the subject matter as a land development engineer was a setback in your new job? I am also wondering if I should wait until I have taken my PE exam in a year to think about a new job.

Thanks for reading and sorry about the long post. I look forward to your advice!

 

[bradlelf]

H/E,

I would think the contrary; most specialized firms actually covet generalized knowledge. I do a lot of specialized hydraulic/hydrologic work (dams, floodplains, stream and legacy floodplain restorations) along with LD work. I would much rather hire a well rounded person than someone who is pigeon hole'd into one sector.

Treat your experience as a differentiater on your cover letter and interview. The company will always train you "their way" to design stuff; show them you have the general knowledge base and a passion for the work they do. Those are the two things I look for when I interview people.

Holla 

_BRADLELF

 

[HelluvaEng]

Thanks for the reply, bradlelf. I had never thought of it that way and will keep it in mind!