Is there really job out there for us

[EnvEngineer]

Not sure what you question is, these are mostly environmental firms with some water/wastewater and infristructure. Little smaller than parsons. URS is nationwide, TRC and ATC are nationwide but fewer offices. ITSI is a growing concern who has alot of enviromental remediation contracts with the Navy.

Where are you located?? What type of work are you interested in and what are you qualified for??

 

[tsli001]

Not sure what you question is, these are mostly environmental firms with some water/wastewater and infristructure. Little smaller than parsons. URS is nationwide, TRC and ATC are nationwide but fewer offices. ITSI is a growing concern who has alot of enviromental remediation contracts with the Navy.
Where are you located?? What type of work are you interested in and what are you qualified for??

HI EnvEnginner:

Thank you for replying my message.Currently I am living in massachusetts. As you aske me what am I interested in to doing. I am interested in water resource job. As of what am I qualified for Let me put it this way. Over the past 3-5 years I am mainly doing Hydrology study by using HydroCAD,you know pre post condition and design outlet structure that kind of staff. In addtion, Hydraulic Analysis by using stormCAD for site work, water quality calculation etc. in fact I am quit good on delineate watershed meaning fast & correct. Of course I am alos good at drainage report write up. I had also did a water and waster water plant which will build oversea and a CSO project in Boston. I know there are million people like me out there looking for job now. So I am also thinking about taking like HEC-RAS soon to increae my chance mya be get into a entry level position in water resource job. anyway, what do you think.

tsli

 

[STEEL MAN]

HI EnvEnginner:
Thank you for replying my message.Currently I am living in massachusetts. As you aske me what am I interested in to doing. I am interested in water resource job. As of what am I qualified for Let me put it this way. Over the past 3-5 years I am mainly doing Hydrology study by using HydroCAD,you know pre post condition and design outlet structure that kind of staff. In addtion, Hydraulic Analysis by using stormCAD for site work, water quality calculation etc. in fact I am quit good on delineate watershed meaning fast & correct. Of course I am alos good at drainage report write up. I had also did a water and waster water plant which will build oversea and a CSO project in Boston. I know there are million people like me out there looking for job now. So I am also thinking about taking like HEC-RAS soon to increae my chance mya be get into a entry level position in water resource job. anyway, what do you think.

tsli

Im thinking too, with this recession happening right now, it is tough even though I have more than ten years Civil/Struc/transport Engineering experience, Im planning to go back to school and maybe a possible change of career Nursing, a lot of jobs for them right now and 24/7.

 

[tsli001]

Im thinking too, with this recession happening right now, it is tough even though I have more than ten years Civil/Struc/transport Engineering experience, Im planning to go back to school and maybe a possible change of career Nursing, a lot of jobs for them right now and 24/7.

Hey Steel man, are you out of work as well?

tsli

 

[EnvEngineer]

The bad news is the environmental industry will shrink considerable in the next couple of years, the good news is the only growing side of the industry will be in water resources. That will include watershed analysis, design of water conveyance and groundwater modeling including infiltration.

The link below shows the projects that were submitted for funding under the new stimulus package. You will quickly get the theme of their needs. I am not sure about the east coast but here in the west your abilities are greatly needed. As you may be aware we are in a war with neighboring states over water shed and supply.

One approach is to call the local cities that have projects listed and talk with their engineering departments and see who their consultants are. There is going to be a surge in work with the stimulus spending, quite frankly that is the only place I see any type of work opening in the near future. If you are willing to relocate check other cities.

Stimulus Projects

All industries go through tops and bottoms, engineering is not a job its a profession and a way to guide your life. Engineers are not nurses, truck drivers, newpaper delivery boy and girls, or any other type of work we are engineers... we build everthing that people use every day. If you really do not feel that way I suggest you become a nurse.

Sorry for the rant

 

[STEEL MAN]

Hey Steel man, are you out of work as well?
tsli

yes, i was laid off february 2009, still looking for job right now and it seems lots of companies are on hiring freeze right now or dont have the budget to hire me, it is frustrating, i think it is time to switch career and apply engineering economic principle "supply and demand" concept and I have seen that on Nursing, which is badly needed right now.

 

[tsli001]

Hi EnvEnginner:

If I just want to apply a CAD job/Technican job for now, and is close to my house. For the time being of course, do I just call up HR or just send the eamil in so they looking through umemployment office?

tsli001

 

[EnvEngineer]

Here is my assessment of the hiring process and likely hood of getting a job as a professional. I am going to make up my own hiring scale which shows how many interview you may get for each 100 contacts

Contact with a Senior in the Department or Department Head, 25

Contact with someone jr in the departmern , 15

Contact with someone in the company , 10

Contact with HR, 1 or less

Sending email, mail or otherwise responding to advertised positions. 0.1

Do everything but focus on the high likelyhood. If there is a posted position try to find someone higher on the list otherwise send in your resume and hope.

One other tip, for lower positions the biggest questions are... Can they really do what we want and are they a normal human being that can get along with others in the office? If your cover letter and resume cover these two items, bluntly, do not be shy, you will get farther than listing alot of other stuff. If you are not blunt you are asking them to read and understand your resume along with all the other resumes submitted and judge where you stand compared to the others. Be direct,

 

[tsli001]

Here is my assessment of the hiring process and likely hood of getting a job as a professional. I am going to make up my own hiring scale which shows how many interview you may get for each 100 contacts

Contact with a Senior in the Department or Department Head, 25

Contact with someone jr in the departmern , 15

Contact with someone in the company , 10

Contact with HR, 1 or less

Sending email, mail or otherwise responding to advertised positions. 0.1

Do everything but focus on the high likelyhood. If there is a posted position try to find someone higher on the list otherwise send in your resume and hope.

One other tip, for lower positions the biggest questions are... Can they really do what we want and are they a normal human being that can get along with others in the office? If your cover letter and resume cover these two items, bluntly, do not be shy, you will get farther than listing alot of other stuff. If you are not blunt you are asking them to read and understand your resume along with all the other resumes submitted and judge where you stand compared to the others. Be direct

[/quote

Thanks for your advise. The company that I mention had done job with my old company. And, I am asking my buddy in my old company look for engineering department contact name & email. so, hopefully I am not too late. See I can send out in the middle of the week for the time being. On the mean time, I am still ready for my exam. In fact, I'd just received my confirmation letter in mail.Hey guys wish me good luck. Is other ticket out of the mesh.

tsli001

 

[bridgewoman7]

My company is hiring but also being very selective about who they hire. Mainly PM and lowly engineer positions in heavy hwy type work.

Good luck in your search!

 

[tsli001]

My company is hiring but also being very selective about who they hire. Mainly PM and lowly engineer positions in heavy hwy type work.
Good luck in your search!

really, I take entry level my man, hook me up dude

 

[bridgewoman7]

really, I take entry level my man, hook me up dude

My man...? Dude???

Have any heavy highway/structural experience? PM me if you do.

 

[SSmith]

*grabs popcorn*

This thread is a strange mixture of watching a train wreck combined with huge helpings of job security.

 

[bridgewoman7]

*grabs popcorn*
This thread is a strange mixture of watching a train wreck combined with huge helpings of job security.

Train wreck?

I'm interested in helping my fellow engineers out in desperate times. I've been in tsli001's situation before and would have appreciated the help if I could get it.

 

[tsli001]

Hey bridgewoman7:

may be you help STEEL MAN out, he got more than 10 years Civil/Struc/transport Engineering . I'm sure you can help him out. Me, I think I am moving back to live with my parent. By july if I still didnt got a engineer job. I am going for nursing cert. job. Thats what the unemployment people said as some cert. course close wihtin a year they are gonna pay for it. So much for the engineer schooling.

tsli001

 

[Guest]

yes, i was laid off february 2009, still looking for job right now and it seems lots of companies are on hiring freeze right now or dont have the budget to hire me, it is frustrating, i think it is time to switch career and apply engineering economic principle "supply and demand" concept and I have seen that on Nursing, which is badly needed right now.

Have you known or experienced the type of work nurses are called-upon to do? I am not talking about cleaning up bodily fluids and things like this, I am talking about administering medication or fluids to a patient. In some cases, you are simply going by directions on a piece of paper that may or may not contradict what your education (oir experience) tells you.

Can you say EXTREME liability??!!

*grabs popcorn*
This thread is a strange mixture of watching a train wreck combined with huge helpings of job security.

I have been oddly attacted to this thread as well ...

Train wreck?

ssmith was just adding a taste of hyperbole for emphasis.

I'm interested in helping my fellow engineers out in desperate times. I've been in tsli001's situation before and would have appreciated the help if I could get it.

It is duly noted and I, for one, highly admire the reach-out effort.

may be you help STEEL MAN out, he got more than 10 years Civil/Struc/transport Engineering . I'm sure you can help him out. Me, I think I am moving back to live with my parent. By july if I still didnt got a engineer job. I am going for nursing cert. job. Thats what the unemployment people said as some cert. course close wihtin a year they are gonna pay for it. So much for the engineer schooling.

Some thoughts here ...

1. I see that you have been fired from a position and that isn't cool. Nobody likes to see this happen to friends, colleagues, or really anybody that they know. It isn't cool and we all do feel some empathy for your situation hence the outpouring of ideas from others.

2. I wouldn't base your shift in employment based on attainability of jobs right at this moment. Deciding to go to school for a nursing certification because you haven't found an engineering job (admittedly an area you have already expended time and education) then you really need to decide WHY you are making this change. Is it because the grass is greener or have you decided to give a full-fledged effort to securing a job.

If that sounds harsh - it is meant to be a tad harsh. You have stated you are going to be sitting for the professional engineer exam in three weeks. It seems like you have invested A LOT between education, career, and now professional certification. Going back to school to become a nurse should only be employed IF AND ONLY IF you are really no longer satisifed with engineering work. Otherwise, you should take the very well given advice by several posters and hit the road in search of a job.

I wish you the best in these trying times. Just remember there are many others who are suffering through job losses and underemployment as well.

Regards,

JR

 

[GulfCoastCivil]

I think a contributing factor in there being less engineering jobs is that a lot of retirement aged engineers lost their retirement money when the stock market took a nose dive. Now these super experienced engineers are still working, instead of retiring and opening up new jobs for the upcoming engineers. I know quite a few older engineers who expected to be well into retirement by now, but are forced to work.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Deciding to go to school for a nursing certification because you haven't found an engineering job (admittedly an area you have already expended time and education) then you really need to decide WHY you are making this change. Is it because the grass is greener or have you decided to give a full-fledged effort to securing a job.

In all honesty, I considered nrsing in the mid-nineties, but not seriously. A fellow engineer's wife was a nurse and she tried to convince both of us to go back to school for nursing. It sounded tempting on the surface, but I pretty much ditched the idea for reasons jr stated.

I think a contributing factor in there being less engineering jobs is that a lot of retirement aged engineers lost their retirement money when the stock market took a nose dive. Now these super experienced engineers are still working, instead of retiring and opening up new jobs for the upcoming engineers. I know quite a few older engineers who expected to be well into retirement by now, but are forced to work.

I didn't think of that, but you might have a point. Some of my Dad's friends, retired 5-10 years, are thinking they may have to go back to work.

 

[Flyer_PE]

2. I wouldn't base your shift in employment based on attainability of jobs right at this moment. Deciding to go to school for a nursing certification because you haven't found an engineering job (admittedly an area you have already expended time and education) then you really need to decide WHY you are making this change. Is it because the grass is greener or have you decided to give a full-fledged effort to securing a job.
If that sounds harsh - it is meant to be a tad harsh. You have stated you are going to be sitting for the professional engineer exam in three weeks. It seems like you have invested A LOT between education, career, and now professional certification. Going back to school to become a nurse should only be employed IF AND ONLY IF you are really no longer satisifed with engineering work. Otherwise, you should take the very well given advice by several posters and hit the road in search of a job.

Another thought on changing careers: Put simply, do what you are.

If you go into a field simply because there is a shortage of qualified people and you have no internal desire to excel at the job, you're not going to be happy with the results. I ad one job in particular where the work sucked but the pay was very high. After a surprisingly short time, the money no longer made up for the "suckage". There were others in the same job that were happier that pigs in slop, it just wasn't my cup of tea and I took a pay cut to move on.

My general thought is that if you are doing something you really like doing, you will tend to do it to the best of your ability regardless of what you are being paid. One way or another, the money will eventually follow.

 

[Chucktown PE]

I'll add one more thought here. Companies are still hiring but they're being very selective. That being said, I would focus on making sure my written communication (cover letter and resume as well as any other writing samples) and spoken English are excellent for a job interview. If an employer perceives that either of these two issues are going to be a problem it's going to be difficult to get the job. Obtaining more certificates (whether they're for an engineering software or for nursing) are relatively worthless if you don't do well in an interview.