Public Sector to Private Sector Transition 4

[WRIRR]

For the past 5 years I have worked with government agencies; two years in a regulatory agency as an EIT and four years with an agency as a research associate (more like a high level technician). I am considering moving into the the private sector somewhere in the water resources area. My motivation for change is desire to increase opportunity and responsibility. Most of my work experience has been with instrumentation, hydraulics, hydrology, water law, although I recently took a wast-water design course. However little of my experience has been direct design. I did obtain my PE license.

What are some of the challenges in the transition from public to private sector. I'm expecting a more challenging and time consuming workload. How does a private firm view public sector work. Am I in for a tough sale to break into consulting? Thanks for any input or suggestions for development that may provide guidance in future career development.

 

[Ron]

One significant challenge will be the increased personal responsibility and accountability. The private sector requires results that translate to profit. You will likely be filling out a detailed timesheet and you'll be responsible for the effectiveness of that time. You will also likely have fewer benefits in your job in the private sector.

Assuming you are in the US, you can be held personally liable for your actions on behalf of your company.

You probably already know the answer to the question as to how public sector engineers are viewed by the private sector....less challenged (though that can certainly be an erroneous viewpoint).

Can you be an asset to a private firm? Absolutely. If you "knew your stuff" in the public sector, you'll probably find a way to "know your stuff" in the private sector. Much of it will overlap.

There are lots of differences and some similarities between public and private.

Good luck with whichever you choose.

 

[TheTick]

There are many employers who look for candidates that know their way around the government morass. Use that. They can teach you what they know. Accentuate what you can bring.

 

[brandonbw]

I think just getting used to not wasting as much time in a Private vs. Public environment is the biggest difference. I also see in Southern California that Public jobs now pay more than Private along with all of the amazing benefits and pension.

Though I do think you can go further in Private which to me is more important than money. Be prepared to fill out timesheets showing how you use your time everyday down to the 15 or 30minutes. You can be let go at a moments notice if things slow down. You will carry more responsibility for sure.

But it sounds like you know the general differences, and of course most people's perceptions of the Public sector are wrong. I just have some good buddies working for some cities that I can base some of mine on that went from Private to Public and are suddenly healthier and less stressed out.

B+W Engineering and Design
Los Angeles Civil and Structural Engineering

http://bwengr.com

 

[HgTX]

You'll probably work longer hours.

Also private sector dysfunction is a completely different flavor from public sector dysfunction. I won't place a value judgement on which is worse, but there is not a lot of overlap, so you will need to develop a new set of coping skills for the inevitable trouble in paradise.

Deadlines are more meaningful. But decisions may be less regulated.

In public sector, you probably were the customer (except when the customer is The Public). That would have been a source of power you will no longer have.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[zdas04]

I agree with just about everything alredy said, and I've never worked in the public sector like some of the folks above.

I can say as a frequent consumer of government "services" that I've never seen an engineer in the private sector with as little ownership in the process as all the government engineers I've worked with have. When I've been trying to get a project approved (internal) and permitted (government), I've had real deadlines that my performance was based on--if I said a design package would be ready for review on Monday, I got it done even if I had to work all weekend. When an engineer at an agency said he'd have an answer by Monday you have to wonder "Monday of what month and year?". The difference was that I owned the process and the government guy saw it as one of the stack of issues that he had zero committment to. They were mostly pretty good folks that would try do do what they told you they would do, but they weren't staying late to make up for a staff meeting.

I will try to help clarify the "time sheets" issues raised above. In 23 years working as a company engineer I never filled out a time sheet. Not once. I had assigments, projects, budgets, administrative activities, too many meetings, but no time sheets. We were expected to meet our deadlines, not accumulate billable hours.

As a consultant, I still feel that committment to deadlines, but I keep track of my time for billing. Now my 20 hour days result in payment for 20 hours instead of 8, but I still am exempt from collecting overtime.

David

 

[HgTX]

Huh. When I was in the public sector, I found that the consultants we outsourced to had a markedly diminshed sense of urgency as opposed to the in-house engineers performing the same function.

Your mileage, obviously, may vary.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[LaxeyTom]

Hi, I know about this also - 7 yrs in public sector followed by 3 in (big) private industry. Lots of good points made above.

Such as; in govt you tend to be the customer, not a supplier; deadlines are viewed as much more important in industry; I noticed that individual engineers in industry have more personal responsibility, and are trusted more; that said, in govt decisions were easier to understand, and less personalised to a particular manager - the term 'manager' means a lot in private sector.

Having said that, in industry it is real, and if you know what you are doing, the company will need your ongoing services.

 

[shadow401]

The only difference that I know of is that almost all private companies have timesheets while most public companies do not. I had a co-worker who left the DOT to work with my company and couldn’t handle having to account for all of his time. To his defense, work was slow so it wasn’t really his fault that he didn’t have enough billable hours. That being said, they ultimately fired him.

Other than that, it depends on your current workplace and how it compares with the job your looking for. I worked briefly as a public employee for a township where there was only one other engineer, we were always stressed out, and we spent all of our time designing public projects. Ultimately, I was let go my first year due to the township budget not passing.

 

[KM]

Interesting thread---I've been thinking about this myself.

FWIW, I've worked in two different government departments, and in one we filled out time sheets but in the other we don't have to.

 

[cry22]

Let's look at it from an employer point of view.

Large firms may be interested in you as a PM more than as an Engineer. Look into Construction Management Firms (find them on

http://www.ENR.com)

if you can bring some knowledge of the procurement process.
If you can explain what a Government manager needs and looks for, and therefore how to please a government oficial.
If you can explain government priorities, how to package a winning bid, how to team up, etc.
Get some expensive training on some expensive software paid for by the government if you can (ACAD, Revit, primavera, PCM, Advanced Microsoft office, etc).

I'd say you should hangout with yopur procurement officers before you leave. That kind of insight, you may be able to sell. this kind of knowledge will be beneficial to you in the future.

Look at all the projects you got from various companies to get a feel on what a quality package should look like. Each company has a different way of doing things, as a result you can claim that you are actually exposed to a wider variety of options than most engineers that worked only for one company.

Bring a portfolio with you, don't come out empty handed. Bring a good electronic database that is not classified.

Remember: your Resume, cover letter, interview must be all about one thing - what's in it for the Employer? not what's in it for you.

Where's the juice man?