building permit. Site review or observation is mandatory and every
owner has to sign a "form of commitment to site review" in which he has
to commit to have site reviews performed and the engineers who are doing
site review have to also sign the form. With new customers, it is my
policy to not sign off on the job until I am paid or assured of
payment. The municipalities can get really snarky if they don't get
their piece of (cover their collective butt) paper.
My problem with "engineering" is the red tape these days. I spend more
time through the day talking to people, filling in forms (see above),
writing invoices, doing site reviews and writing up the reports, etc,
than engineering. Consequently, as a one man show, I have to work
additional hours to get the engineering done. It's not just me-another
engineer commented to me unsolicited, that you work hard so you can get
some money and time to enjoy yourself, but then you don't have the time
to take off.
Enough crying, it's Saturday morning and I am in the office to get some
work done without any interruptions.
Gary
Marlou Rodriguez wrote:
> I agree,
>
> The only part of my job that I do not like is trying to collect from
> people that try to take their time from paying. I use a service that
> collects from them and they charge me a very small fee to do so. My
> success rate in collecting has been pretty good since I started using
> the service. I will be happy to forward the information to anyone if
> they email me privately.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Marlou Rodriguez, S.E.
>
> MBRodriguez Engineering Inc.
>
> 2355 Oakland Road, Suite 14
>
> San Jose, CA 95131
>
> Tel: (408) 432-4866
>
> Cel: (408) 761-5013
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dfisher@fpse.com [mailto:dfisher@fpse.com]
> Sent: Friday, August 31, 2007 7:33 AM
> To: seaint@seaint.org
> Subject: RE: You might be a structural engineer, if .
>
> Paul:
>
> I don't think its disatisfaction with the career, life or income, its
> that
> I spend FAR TOO MUCH time chasing money i.e., clients that won't pay.
>
>
> My engineers (I think) are pretty happy. They are paid about 25% above
> market, have great benefits, flexible work hours and pretty cool (again,
> I
> think) projects to work on.
>
> They have all the fun while I have all the worry.
>
> dlf
>
>
>
>
>
>
>> Hello Stan,
>>
>>
>>
>> Great to hear from you, you restore my faith.
>>
>>
>>
>> From one of the other apparently isolated engineers who is happy with
>> the career, life, and income....
>>
>>
>>
>> Paul Feather PE, SE
>>
>> pfeather@SE-Solutions.net
>>
>> www.SE-Solutions.net
>>
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>>
>> From: Stan Caldwell [mailto:stancaldwell@gmail.com]
>> Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 12:52 PM
>> To: SEAINT Listserv
>> Subject: You might be a structural engineer, if ...
>>
>>
>>
>> In recent weeks, I have been somewhat troubled by several posts and
>> threads that I believe have been overly critical of the profession of
>> structural engineering. What follows is my alternate perspective,
>>
> with
>
>> apologies to Jeff Foxworthy.
>>
>>
>>
>> You might be a (happy/productive/successful) structural engineer, if
>>
> ...
>
>>
>> 1. You take considerable pride in being a structural engineer.
>>
> In
>
>> fact, you view structural engineering as one of the "highest callings"
>> imaginable.
>>
>> 2. You understand that a typical structural engineer plays a
>>
> larger
>
>> role in public safety than nearly anyone else, and you strive to
>> practice accordingly.
>>
>> 3. You view structural engineering as a career, not as a job.
>> Moreover, you view structural engineering as a profession, not simply
>>
> as
>
>> an occupation.
>>
>> 4. You consistently place ethics, integrity, and quality above
>>
> any
>
>> and all business pressures.
>>
>> 5. You strive to team effectively with those in other professions
>> and treat them as respected peers, but you make all structural
>> engineering decisions independently.
>>
>> 6. You take considerable pride in the tangible, constructed
>>
> results
>
>> of your efforts.
>>
>> 7. For the most part, you truly love your work and genuinely wake
>> up each day looking forward to going to your place of employment.
>>
>> 8. You typically work somewhat in excess of 40 hours/week because
>> you want to, and you couldn't care less about "the clock".
>>
>> 9. You expect to be fairly compensated with a salary and bonus
>> based on the value of what you accomplish, not with a wage based on
>>
> the
>
>> hours that you spend.
>>
>> 10. You understand and accept the obligation to eventually give
>> something back to the profession of structural engineering through
>> financial contributions, active participation in professional
>> organizations, or some other means.
>>
>> I created this list in an hour or so and made no attempt to massage
>>
> it.
>
>> Some of the words could undoubtedly be improved, and other
>> attributes/attitudes might very well be worthy of inclusion.
>> Nevertheless, based on my experience as a happy, productive, and
>> successful structural engineer, I firmly believe in the validity and
>> importance of the ten points above.
>>
>>
>>
>> Best regards,
>>
>>
>>
>> Stan R. Caldwell, P.E.
>>
>> Richardson, Texas
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
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