Where to now? 3

[HSNIC]

I am a Civil Engineer by general profession. I have a general bachelor's degree as well as a Master's degree. I have been out of work for 11 months as I was laid off January 19,2009. I am sure January 19,2010 will come along without anything on my plate.

I have more than 3.5 years mixed experience. I spent 2.5 years in site civil designing parking lots. I never really liked it so I went back to school and got the M.S.C.E. studying structures. I even left my job in 2006 to go full time to finish up by May 2007.

I was successful finding a job and began working for a firm designing underground structures, retaining walls, and the like. I spent most of my time working in the field. I took quite a bit of crap from some people at that firm. I may not be a Nobel Prize winning engineer, but I will spend the time to learn something and even cut some time off my timesheet. I had no problem with where my time went. Things fell hard and I was cut from their staff. I left against my will with 1 year 3 months experience in geotechnical Structural Engineering. I even asked if I can check with them later, and the HR man said "It does look it going to get better." I cannot believe they laid me off without giving me an option and then hired someone 2 months later.

I was able to qualify to take the P.E. exam this coming April. That's the only thing that is driving me right now. I do not think I will be able to find work in the near future. It seems like I will be in a strange predicament with only 2 years of Geo/Str work experience. I really can't stand site/civil work. I really liked geotechnical stuff. I enjoyed myself within it.

I am pretty lost right now.

 

[desertfox]

hi HSNIC

If you were made redundant I presume you were and that being the case haven't your old company acted ilegally in employing someone else to do your job after only two months.

desertfox

 

[TDAA]

"hired someone 2 months later" doesn't necessarily mean it was for exactly what he was doing. Unfortunately, if the person they hire is doing the same thing he was, but also brings Finite Element Analysis to the table, and opens up different leads, then they have potentially filled a different position. Very fine line though.

 

[MikeHalloran]

That's not illegal in the USA. It's almost SOP.

I once met my replacement in the HR office (I didn't know he was my replacement, nor did he), and I gave him the same advice my precursor had given me: "Can you get your old job back?" Some jobs, and some companies, are just 'broken'. The jobs are open pretty regularly, and the companies are always hiring.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[HSNIC]

Hey guys, I appreciate the responses.

Be it technically illegal or not, I believe it was morally wrong. They may have not replaced me directly, but they had the room in their budget. I would have flexed on there wishes. I was making $32/hr. I would have taken that paycut. It was clear they did not want me.

 

[desertfox]

hi HSNIC

Why did they not want you? what issue's did you have? so you won't approach them for a reference for your next job?

desertfox

 

[HSNIC]

I am sure the biggest factor was economical. They were making tons too, and raises given out were ridiculous up to 11%. I felt that instead of lowering there profit margin they cut us to keep it.

I used them a reference. My immediate supervisor endorsed my P.E. application. He's a real stand up guy. Other people in the business know of him too.

I worked for this one P.M. who is a real jerk. A stupid mofo! His estimates were expensively conservative. He would hand me the work and the disappear out of the office in a cloud of smoke. I talked to other people there and they said he would do the same to them. Asshole.

I did not have much time with that company to think that my opinion would matter. I wrote a letter to a company principal. I even included one of the idiot's calculations and how overly absurd they were. He calculates a 12" metal sanitary sewer pipe @ 1700#/Linear Foot!!! Flowing Full, no less!! Absolute comedy!!

I am glad this Eng-Tips has a forum board to vent, haha.

 

[desertfox]

Hi HSNIC

All I can suggest is keep looking for a job even if its not what you like doing, you can always move on, Concentrate on your PE and once you have that under your belt it might help you get where you want to be.
Don't critisize your old company or work colleagues if you get a job interview it won't go down well.

best of luck

desertfox

 

[HSNIC]

Hey I know I should not be bashing ex-coworkers even if they were out of line. It just felt good to talk about it on here. Thanks, DF.

 

[MintJulep]

They're starting to dig some big holes between NJ and NY. I just saw a press release about another contract being awarded.

Seems like there should be work with someone with your background without having to go far at all.

 

[HSNIC]

The ARC tunnel project. I have sent resumés to some of the companies involved. I had a good lead with one of the engineers at a construction company. He told me that the money to pay for their leg of the project is still being held up in the bidding process. I would love to be on that. It's history in the making. I will give another look.

 

[GregLocock]

Well you've probably given enough clues by now that your future employers will be able to give you an 'interesting' interview. Perhaps it might be wise to consider the proposal that a public forum is not an ideal place to vent.

Cheers

Greg Locock

I rarely exceed 1.79 x 10^12 furlongs per fortnight

 

[HSNIC]

Please.

 

[casseopeia]

HSNIC, I was laid off in September right before my birthday. A friend moved in on Oct 1 and announced she was moving out on Oct 20. I was unsuccessful at finding a new room mate so I was forced to move out of my place. I spent Chistmas day packing and sharing a can of chicken soup with my two cats. I spent New Years eve cleaning my old apartment. A former cowoker sent me a Happy New Year email and mentioned that he has been doing my old projects, work that my former supervisor promised I'd do on contract.

Today I hurt my back moving boxes around an art studio I rented as an office and can barely move. So I fully understand the temptation to rant about a former employer or coworkers. I could fill a book with descrptions of my own vengfull thoughts. I just try not to let them out in public however well deserved the recipient because in the end it just makes you seem off balance and has no real effect on the target

spend that energy on getting your PE

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

 

[HSNIC]

I'm sorry to learn about your situation, casse. I hope that back injury is minor. Back pain can become chronic easily.

I am pretty thankful for what I have. Trust me if it weren't for this economic climate, I would not be making a spectacle of my recent career shortcomings. I was just looking for a channel.

 

[casseopeia]

I'll be OK. It's ready better after taking some Motrin and laying on a heating pad for a couple of hours watching the Bait Car marathon


"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

 

[HSNIC]

BaitCar Marathon! Shut up!! I saw a couple of videos on youtube about that last week. Was arguing with someone about that being entrapment by the authorities. I say it is, but it does 100 times more good than bad.

 

[casseopeia]

I think it's entrapment but worse, the police record video and sound in the car and use that as evidence. I understand in CA that vidoe is OK but you are not allowed to record conversation without informing the other party.

I still like the show for some reason. Nobody getting caught that isn't at least a little criminal in the making.

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

 

[abusementpark]

I worked for this one P.M. who is a real jerk. A stupid mofo! His estimates were expensively conservative. He would hand me the work and the disappear out of the office in a cloud of smoke. I talked to other people there and they said he would do the same to them. Asshole.

I did not have much time with that company to think that my opinion would matter. I wrote a letter to a company principal. I even included one of the idiot's calculations and how overly absurd they were. He calculates a 12" metal sanitary sewer pipe @ 1700#/Linear Foot!!! Flowing Full, no less!! Absolute comedy!!

 

[abusementpark]

I worked for this one P.M. who is a real jerk. A stupid mofo! His estimates were expensively conservative. He would hand me the work and the disappear out of the office in a cloud of smoke. I talked to other people there and they said he would do the same to them. Asshole.

I did not have much time with that company to think that my opinion would matter. I wrote a letter to a company principal. I even included one of the idiot's calculations and how overly absurd they were. He calculates a 12" metal sanitary sewer pipe @ 1700#/Linear Foot!!! Flowing Full, no less!! Absolute comedy!!

So you sent a letter to your supervisor's boss to explain to him that your supervisor was incompetent? That wasn't very professional.