Career advice for an entry level engineer 11

[PaKaz]

Hey guys,
I am new to this forum. So, I don't know if this is a right place to ask this question. I got my B.S. in Structural Engineering last year and I have been working at a Timber Industry for over a year now. Recently, I am thinking about going back to grad school, but the question is if I should do my MS in engineering or get MBA. My long term career goal is to become a project manager or managing principle. I asked couple of engineers and some said to get MBA since engineers usually don't have enough management and market knowledge to become a good manager and other said, MBA is overstated and I should go for MS in engineering to move up. In my personal opinion, I think I should get MBA with PE or SE license. What you guys suggest for this situation? Your suggestion on this matter will be really helpful.

Thanks,

 

[COEngineeer]

Unfortunately I really think civil/structural engineers dont make that much. If you really want to make serious $$ with engineering degree, you got to get your PE and start your own firm. Doing residential work, I cant really see my self earning a lot of moneh unless I become one of the principals in my firm.

If you really want to make $$, forget about MBA or MS. Go to law school! I know a firm in Denver that pays 100k+ for first year lawyer. But they wont even interview you if you are not in top 10 (or 10%, i cant remember). Also, with engineering degree you can also do patent law. Unlike PE, you can take the bar immidiately after you graduate.

 

[brane23]

I think something to be considered is the type of management. If you want to have a complete grasp and understanding of structural jobs, you should probably have an excellent understanding of structural engineering. As for the MBA, if you have people skills and can add & subtract there's tons of project management training out there which costs about a half-semester's tuition of an MBA. It's all up to you, of course, but I am in almost the exact situation. I'm getting my MS on the side but my work schedule is brutal. There's not one way to get to reach your goal but learning in depth calculations on structural systems seems irrelevant to being a project manager.

 

[Ashereng]

PaKaz,

My personal opinion:

It's not the school. It's the person.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[PaKaz]

Thanks again for all your comments. As you guys can tell, I kind of figuring out about my career and at the same time kind of confused. Tell you the truth, I want work as a design engineer for next couple of years and get solid understanding of engineering before I move into management position. Maybe as a project manager or senior associates. The reason I want to get my M.S. because most of the S.E. firm out there gives more priority to hire if someone has a MS and at the same time a little bit of salary increase. (Ofcourse in the mean time, I will try to get my PE) I can quit my current job and probably get into a decent school (Top 50-60 engineering program) or I can go to a no name state school while I work where my education will be paid for. Question is when I will be applying for another firm after getting MS, will they look down upon since I didn't came from a decent school ?? another thing, hopefully by the time I will get out of MS, I will have close to 5 years experience with PE. I personally think that will be more valuable for me than if I go to a decent school where I will have 2 years work experience after MS (with student loan). Which one is a wiser path if I want to open my consulting firm some day?

 

[COEngineeer]

Our clients dont ask where I got my degree from .

 

[bridgebuster]

What's an Associate?

I never actually found out. Early in my career I was told it was someone who had a gold key to the rest room. The firm I work for doesn't have any.

Even people I know who have this title won't explain it. Maybe they're afraid to admit they get a bonus.

 

[PaKaz]

From what I've seen and heard, Senior Associates are step below principle. They usually have their PE or SE but they tend to see more of the business aspect of the firm rather than design.

 

[GregLocock]

" Tell you the truth, I want work as a design engineer for next couple of years and get solid understanding of engineering before I move into management position. "

Good luck with "the couple of years" thing. In /hard/ engineering, a couple of decades is the right amount of experience.

Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[PaKaz]

Thanks for everyone's input on my situation. I guess going to state school is right path for me since getting M.S. won't give me a huge salary increase and if I work while I go to school, then I will makeup for the loss of 2-3 years work experience, but only draw back is the school.

 

[dcasto]

to see how not to be see thread731-169976

 

[KENAT]

Tut tut dcasto, I may have thought it but I didn't post it.

Be nice or you may get red flagged.

PaKaz, if your employer is paying for it and unless it's a really obscure school I would have thought the answer is pretty obvious and you've found it. I really don't see the school being an issue but things are different here in the US than back in the UK.

 

[PaKaz]

Thanks again guys. So I can conclude that in order to be in a Project manager or Principle position it is wiser to do MS than MBA? But, If I do MBA instead of MS, will company value me as a Project Manager because I will have the both engineering and management background.

 

[GregLocock]

If life consisted of getting pieces of paper from universities and then sitting in an office, yes, they would.

They don't.



Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[Ashereng]

PaKaz,

What you need depends on what is required of you, for that particular job.

It sounds like you are looking for an exact "cause and effect" answer. I think people are trying to tell you, "it doesn't work like that".

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[PaKaz]

I just want to make my decision, and not regret it in future.
Correct me if I am wrong, M.S. in Engineering will give me advancement in my engineering career, but not much salary wise. After 5-6 years later, it won't even matter. MBA (on the other hand) will deteriorate me from the engineering field, but I will be in the managerial position. But as some of you said, with MS I can be in managerial position. Is this right?


Thanks again for all of your comments on this.

 

[jpankask]

PaKaz,
You can be in managerial position with/without an MS, with/without an MBA or with/without a high school diploma. There is not going to be any one magic formula. Some companies will look for that piece of paper on your wall, some will look at the work you actually do. Some companies will prefer MS, some will prefer MBA, yet others will see that MS/MBA and think you are overqualified. At my company, most of the managers have some kind of masters degree but not all of them. My wife's uncle is the owner/president of a company with multi-million dollar sales per year and he didn't finish high school.

The key is that you need to do what you can and want to do. It won't do you any good to go for the MBA degree if you won't finish or get fed up halfway through and don't learn what you should. If your interest lies with the MS, do that and use that to your advantage. Simply having the MS or the MBA will not magically open up the floodgates of salary and promotions. It is what you do with that education that will lead you in the future.

Oh, and a small correction. In the structural/civil field, the MS combined with a PE/SE license can lead to large increases in salary with the right company and area of practice. Good luck with your decision.
Jason

 

[BelspringKen]

It would be best to follow the one that interests you the most. If its the MS, then go for that. If its the MBA, then go for it.

My personal choice would be an MBA, but my situation is diferent from yours.

Go for the one that sparks your interest and you should get the most "bang for the buck" with it.

 

[PaKaz]

I heard that Structural earns the least compare to other Civil Engineering curriculum such as Geotechnical, Transportation or Land Development. Is that true?

 

[swivel63]

i'm thinking of getting an MBA, but i already have the MS (went straight through). should i wait until after i get the SE, or does having the PE make it ok considering that the states i plan on working in don't particularly care about the SE.

 

[swivel63]

lol, yea that's probably true. but i think it's the most fun, lol.