Just graduated, need honest opinion!

[EngineerGuy123]

Hello all,

I have just graduated with my 4 year degree in Civil Engineering from a large state school. Forgive me but I'd like to keep this rather anonymous so I don't want to name names. I have received my 1st offer for a job at a private consulting firm in the NW area and I was disappointed when I read the offer. The biggest thing that has me thinking about whether to accept is the hourly wage they offered me. It is significantly lower then what I was expecting and quite honestly I was making just a few bucks less as an intern these last couple years. The last thing I wanna do is decline the offer and not find work for the next few months since I know it is still hard times for someone like me to even find a job.

What should I expect as an hourly wage for a private consulting firm in the NW area for someone fresh out of college? I know the cost a living in certain areas will make it fluctuate a few dollars, but is there a $$ amount I should be saying no to and what would that be?

Any advice here would really help! Even how to negotiate my wage to get it up more...

I am still great full for this opportunity don't get me wrong I just have no experience in this matter what so ever and I wouldn't know good from bad right now if it were starring me in face.

Thanks Guys!

 

[blybrook PE]

Congratulations on the graduation and on getting a job offer in this rough market.

I know you are trying to keep things anonymous, but what degree did you graduate with? A BS in Civil Engineering (what sub-discipline) or other? Do you have your EIT? Are there other benefits that are included with the offer that would offset the wage differential that you are seeing (retirement, health, etc..)? What does the firm you have an offer from primarily consult in? Who are their major clients?

The NW is a large area, so there are several different factors to consider. Cost of living will vary considerably between the major metro areas. Larger firms tend to pay more than smaller firms. How many offices does this firm have? What kind of background do you have to help build up your resume? You did state you had some internships, were they in the same field that this position is in? Answering these questions may help build your resume a little more so that it stands out when it gets sent to other potential employers.

As to starting wages, I can give just my personal example for Alaska. When I started as a newly graduated EIT over 7 years ago, I made approximately $17 / hour without including any benefits and I'm making just a few hairs over double that now as a PE. I know that this starting number has changed over the years and one of our more recent EIT's just started in the Electrical department at $22 / hour. The office I'm with has less than 75 employees at only one location, so we qualify as a smaller firm and we are privately owned.

My girlfriend who is a newly graduated geological engineer with her EIT started at $32 / hour for a publicly traded, international firm that has over 30 offices in the US alone.

Remember, it is said that it is easier to find a job when you have one. Good luck.

 

[solomonb]

Congratulations on having a firm job offer! Many of your colleagues DO NOT and are having a hard time even getting one. So, you have done something right!

A little web research on my part shows that 2012 beginning CE's received between $48K-$52K/year to start. For easy calculations, let's use 2000 hour work year, resulting in an average hourly salary of between $24/$26 an hour.

Now, geography plays a part in this salary. If you are in Seattle or Portland, you will need all of that, plus some to live. Conversely, if you are stuck in Spokane, then you are probably OK with this money.

EIT-- do you have it? if not, get it.

Check with your career services department at your school. See what they say is a good starting salary-- or said another way, what did the grads get last 2 years. Perhaps, you will have some negotiation power if your offer is lower than what others received.

DO NOT get hung up on the hourly wage-- that is about the 5th most important factor in a job determination. Yeah, you want to eat-- I got it. HOWEVER, what is the environment that you work in like? What kind of experience are you going to get? Do you get client interaction immediately? Work climate, environment, leadership/technical opportunities, travel, educational advancement are all important factors. What about the benefits? Full health care--medical, dental, vision? Pregnancy? Medications? Company car? Good office environment? Consulting-- you are going to have to travel, right? Nice hotels? How much per diem per day? First class travel? Clothing allowance? Computer/cellphone allowance?

The hourly wage is just ONE of many factors to determine in a job. Hell, you are just getting started. You are not going to retire from this job. Most millenials have 5-6 jobs before they are 30 years old. If you just graduated, you are 22-23.

You can stand on your head for 2 years-- you will gain experience and if you do a great job, trust me, they will recognize and reward you. How did they find you? Headhunter? Search firm? If yes, then a part of your salary is going to the headhunter/search firm. Expect a raise next year if you do well. The search firm gets part of your salary the first year.

Does the firm do what you think you want to do? If you want to do waste water remediation and all the firm practices is subdivision development, probably not a great fit. Conversely, if you are going to a consulting practice, they probably practice and perform in a wide variety of matters, all of which will give you great experience. Getting a broad base of experience is golden for the next assignment, 3-5 years down the road. Of course, this firm may give you all you can handle and then some and you will have no reason to leave.

What about support for the PE exam? Probably not a question to ask today, however, if they firm pays for a review course, hotel and per diem for test and travel days, licensure application and licensure fee plus annual renewals, then you are on to something that you will want to consider long and hard before rejecting.

Again, you can stand on your head for 24 months. I say take the job, do the best you can do, then somemore, the end will work out just fine.

Conversely, you can reject the job, be unemployed for 6-9 months, move back in with Momma and Daddy and be frustrated and dejected.

 

[Road Guy]

Since its all anonymous what is the rate they are offering?

In 97 I started at $30k/ year and it was actually less than what I was making when I was working full time at Home Depot prior to graduating.. When y factored in it was a small firm with terrible insurance that was costly.. But i didn't stay there long and moved on after about a year..

We haven't hired alone fresh out of school in a while (which probably offers another reason not to be too picky) but I believe mid $40's would be about right? For someone with a degree but little experience?

 

[cement]

unless your actual name is Engineerguy123, in which case the jig is up!

 

[Road Guy]

Kind of short, brow hair?

 

[Dleg]

Take the job, work very hard at it, get some accomplishments under your belt (i.e. your resume), and then move on if they don't increase your salary to where you think it should be. It's a lot easier to find a better job once you have a proven track record.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

^What he said.

 

[guitarjamman]

You are right where everyone in my graduating class was when we graduated in 2009. Our school department had a TV that ran powerpoint slides constantly - it stated that the graduating CEE from the school was making on average $58,000/year based on surveys conducted. I am 100% convinced that the people they surveyed either lied about how much money they were making, or they found the few exceptions to the rule and tossed the lower salaries to make their department look better. Dissapointing shock to realize no one was getting paid what we were led to believe.

If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't even think twice about accepting the job offer. After a few years under your belt, you will be right in the desired experience range (2-5 years) to apply almost anywhere. I know my boss tends to pay people a little low right off the bat, then give a decent raise after their one year review. Maybe not the best practice to keep people around, but it ensures that everyone will work out before paying to keep them there.

 

[Dark Knight]

Whoever goes into engineering thinking about fatty money, huge salaries, etc...is wrong. That being said, and with the little information we have about this specific situation...take the job. There is no substitute for experience.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

You know how 'all the jobs require experience?'

This is your chance to get that experience.

 

[envirotex]

Unless you think there are other prospects out there immediately, it's a job. It pays bills. Keep updating your resume and sending it out...maybe, just maybe, this employer will realize how valuable you are when you have that second offer in hand...