More work! 6

[shin25]

Hi,

I was wondering if any one could give me some idea about doing some part time work after 5 pm, etc. I work full time as an structural engineer. I have some free time after work. I am sure that there are firms who are over flowing with projects. I think these firms may be a good source to start. But, how to proceed? Do they really hire part time engineers after hours? What are your thoughts?

By the way, I am a registered professional engineer (civil).

 

[csd72]

Shin25,

In order to do this you really need to be able to work from home, including all the relevant codes, design resources e.t.c.

It is not really practical to expect to start work in another office at 5:30.

Depending on the type of work, you may need your own analysis software or you may be able to drop in to the other office on a weekend to do the analysis.

Also be prepared to do some late nights as these projects are usually overdue before they give them to an outsider. For me it was never an even number of hours after work, it was always an intense couple of days and then a lapse.

csd

 

[shin25]

csd72,
As always, it's nice to read your postings.
But, how to approach these kind of firms? Where to find these over worked people? How to offer my help? It sounds like, I need to have an office at my home. With all these extra work, can I have a decent family life?

 

[Lion06]

I would also check with your current employer. Many (I know mine does) will not allow you to moonlight, either for yourself or another firm.

 

[TheTick]

Get contract work that pays hourly and overtime. No need for second job.

 

[draftsman101]

Check out

http://www.getafreelancer.com.

B. Long
Dell Precision 380
P 4 2.80 GHz
2.5 Gig Ram
Solidworks Office 2007 Sp. 2.2
AutoCAD 2005

 

[shin25]

Draftsman101,
What is the web site about? Can you elaborate little more?

StructuralEIT,
I think, what I do with my free time should be my business only, as long as I am not using my company resources, company time, and company secrets I should be alright.

 

[GMcD]

Shin25- what you do on "your own time" just might be your employers business. If you are intending to do work which would compete with your employer, or perform work for competing companies, then it bloody well is your employers' business, and your ethics flags should be waving. If they are not, then you need some education and maybe some better mentoring.

You are proposing a Catch-22 because in one of your posts above, you ask "will this affect my family life?" Geez, what do you think? After 5PM it is your time, and your family time, don't you have any hobbies, other interests, or are you a worshipper at the altar of $$ at all costs? A well rounded engineer doesn't get that way by blowing himself out with excessive work.

 

[Lion06]

Shin-
You may well think that what you do on your own time is your own business, but your company may or may not agree. As I said, my company has a STRICT policy against this practice. I can't say I know the exact reasons for the policy, but I am sure the reasons cited by GMcD are among them. Additionally, you would not want to find yourself in a meeting with one of your principals asking why you are moonlighting for the competing firm on the other side of town when your only defense is "what I do on my own time is my own business" - especially if they do have a policy against regardless of your knowledge (or lack of) the policy.
It would be in your best interest to check on it.

 

[JStephen]

Also check in the engineering rules for your state to see if they address the issue in anyway. Moonlighting may or may not be acceptable, but it shouldn't be a matter of sneaking around behind someone's back to do it.

 

[StressGuy]

40 hours a week ought to be plenty, particularly on an engineer's salary. (Whatever happend to all this technology and efficiency resulting in SHORTER work weeks for us????)

Go home, play with the kids, play basketball with the guys, mentor in a Big Brother/Big Sister program.

It will always be true: No one ever laid on their deathbed wishing they'd spent more time at the office.

Edward L. Klein
Pipe Stress Engineer
Houston, Texas

"All the world is a Spring"

All opinions expressed here are my own and not my company's.

 

[shin25]

As I have mentioned in my earlier post "will not use company secretes", this probably explains that my afterwork involvement will not put other companies in competition with my current employer.

For an example, if I do bridges, my afterworks mostly be buildings, etc. Will this still conflict with my current employer's interests?

 

[csd72]

shin25,

There are 2 ends to the money equation, incoming and outgoing. If you want to increase your effective income you can probably more easily do this by reducing your outgoings.

My wife works with a lawyer earning 200k plus and he is always broke - purely because he is not managing the outgoings.

Decide what your priorities are in life, then minimise your spending on anything else. Buying cofee, lunches, and afterdinner drinks are a money drain - make your own. I once moved to a cheaper rental area to free up some more disposable income.

This is the best way to get a bit more free money without losing out on your family life.

csd

 

[TheTick]

Teach! Where?

Local tech school or college
Kaplan Test Prep (teach courses for SAT, GMAT, GRE, etc.)
Sylvan Learning Center

I've done the Kaplan thing. It was fun.

 

[zcp]

I don't think you guys realize the need for structural / civil engineers (especially in the SE US). You would do more service to your community by helping local firms with the flood of projects. Check with your current employer first (they may have a need for you) and check on moonlighting rules from your employer and state. Then start asking around or post yourself online (craigslist maybe). You need to make sure you are covered under their insurance or you will need E&O for yourself. Figure out the tax, insurance, and when you are going to take phone calls issues and you will be well on your way.

ZCP

http://www.phoenix-engineer.com

 

[shin25]

I think money is a factor in life, sometimes big and sometimes not so big-
We need extra money to have a nice vacation, to buy a nice jewelery for wife or throw a nice birthay party for our sons, etc. I guess all these are redundant, but can anybond not accept these facts?

Moonlighting or not, as long as I am not threatening my company's business, getting more involved with various other projects will only improve my efficiency and problem solving capability. This personal improvement will also help the current employer. As he will be having a much better engineer at no additional expense.

As some of you have mentioned, this will hurt the family life. I guess, then the thought of after hour work is a double ended sword!

 

[IRstuff]

Frankly, I think you are extremely naive to think that you're not helping your competition. By providing an extra body, regardless in what capacity, allows a potential competitor to encroach, so while you're happily deluding yourself into thinking your moonlight company isn't competing, they just freed up a body to go bid on a new bridge project.


TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[shin25]

IRstuff,

You probably did not read my 4th posting from the top.

 

[doberdorks]

As I have mentioned in my earlier post "will not use company secretes", this probably explains that my afterwork involvement will not put other companies in competition with my current employer.

For an example, if I do bridges, my afterworks mostly be buildings, etc. Will this still conflict with my current employer's interests?

Well, where I am as a professional engineer per my code of ethics I am not allowed to moonlight without the knowledge and consent of my current employer. I would also add that it may be to a judge or jury the fine technicalities between civil engineers will be lost ("do both companies do civil engineering?"... "uhm.. yeah").

I also signed an agreement with my current employer which says what is and is not acceptable...

So, if nothing else, I'd suggest you make sure that your current employer knows what you are planning on doing -- preferably with agreement in writing from the right person.

-SLH

 

[csd72]

Shin25,

go for it. I also believe that you should be able to moonlight if you want. If they dont pay you enough to cover your needs then you should be able to obtain extra income.

You can order free business cars that can be given out whenever you meet a potential source of work. Conferences and local ASCE meeting are a good place to meet people.

csd