It is that time of year again and the political landscape is heating up! A Google search shows that past/current Mayors of Omaha, NE,  City of East Orange, NJ and Norton, OH were/are civil engineers. Current Portland, OR Mayoral  candidate,  Steve Sung,  spent 32 years as a civil engineer for the city of Portland. With two candidates for California and Indiana congress, civil engineers are “taking to the streets” to lead policy formation.

Recently I asked civil engineer and past Mayor of Frederick, Maryland, Jeff Holtzinger, for his thoughts on civil engineers and local politics. Here is his comment:

“Civil Engineers are a good fit to solve the problems many cities are facing with aging infrastructure and infrastructure that has been outpaced by growth.  I also think the analytical thinking which is part of an engineering background gives engineers an advantage in problem solving.”

As our cities’ infrastructure decays, having a background in civil engineering seems to bring an added benefit to the political table. It would be interesting to see if cities with civil engineering trained Mayors have better infrastructure at the end of their term than similar cities.

What do you think?

Spring has sprung and there appears to be a sense of energy within the civil engineering job market. As a civil engineering recruiter, my phone is ringing from companies looking to hire, and from experienced civil engineers ready to make a job change. Fortunate candidates are finding themselves with multiple offers and career choices. The question is no longer “Should I leave my employer?” but rather “Which offer do I choose?”

Here are some suggestions to help guide you when choosing between job offers:

• TRUST INSTINCTS

If you are a strong analytical thinker, you are more likely to focus on the facts. That comes next. First, how did you feel when you left each interview? Do you remember? Just because one job may appear better on paper, that doesn’t mean it is the best job for you. Consider other factors such as environment, future colleagues, personality of supervisor, company culture. What does your instinct tell you? In which job will you feel the most enjoyment? Did you meet any potential colleagues? Did they appear stressed or friendly? Did you feel a good chemistry or good “vibe” when you walked in the company door?

• Think Analytically

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Whether you are employed or looking for a job, undoubtedly you have experienced work burn out. It is inevitable at some point. Most of us crave security: we want to know we can pay our bills and play along the way. That is usually enough motivation for me. BUT, there are days, I admit, that I find myself staring at the computer and the phone despite having a great deal of work on my desk.

Work burnout is not only a problem for you, but the effects on your projects, colleagues, department, company and clients can be irreparable. Getting back to work with true enthusiasm can be a job in itself, but is critical no matter what your financial state. Here are suggestions that may help:

• Take a break. If you can only leave the office at lunchtime- then do it! Get some space between you and your office. If you are not able to break during the day then leave work at a reasonable time.
• DO NOT TAKE WORK HOME WITH YOU! If you are looking for a job, then stop at the start of the evening.
•  Prioritize tasks. Are you overwhelmed and stressed? De-motivation can occur when the tasks are many or too difficult and the light at the end of the tunnel looks like the proverbial train. Set priorities. Every task cannot have the same sense of urgency even- if clients are demanding it be so.
• Set intermediate goals and reward yourself when they are achieved. Motivation increases when rewards are received. Give yourself something positive when you meet a goal.
• Enlist the support of colleagues, friends or family. Perhaps you don’t want your office mate to know how unmotivated you really are…most of the time they have noticed. Talk about it with them. Most people are helpful and will be supportive.
• Tell yourself to be positive about work. Yes, we all participate in “self talk.” Usually it is negative but this time have positive conversations with yourself!
• Get back to work. Just jump in and before you know it goals will be achieved, projects will be completed and your motivation will come back.

When I asked several professionals how they pull themselves out of the burn-out track, they offered helpful ideas:

• Placing yourself at the place in time when you were most passionate about your work. Remembering specific experiences that made you thankful to be doing what you do.
  
• When you burn out… time to take a break and find yourself and what you love to do again… sometimes it’s returning to what you have always done, sometimes it is reinventing yourself, and sometimes it is returning to the roots of what you always loved but gave up to do something you’ve been doing for so long that now you are ready to return to past interests.
  
• Step back. Re-evaluate and find your desire for what you do.
  
• I segment my day (morning especially) into 50 minute periods with a 10 minute break that does NOT include answering email. A little Pilates, read the newspaper (not online), walk. Then another 50 minutes of focused work, etc. And when I’m really burnt out, I take a mental health day and simply enjoy myself reading, whatever. NOT thinking about work.
  
• If the opportunity exits, I would ask to be put on special projects. This has given me the opportunity to work with different people and feel like I’m contributing and solving problems.
  
• I find a way to help someone who’s just getting started in their career. To start with, the stuff I take for granted knowing just through experience makes me seem like a god to them and they absorb it like a sponge. I’m usually able to connect them with someone useful within my own network. There are many times through the years where this sort of “pay it forward” approach has come back to reward me ten-fold in addition to brightening up the day I initially helped them.
  
• I hit the refresh button and take myself on a “vacation” —- A walk , chat with a friend or a little reading or a little research into family history. It is the “away” time that allows me to refocus.
  
• Sometimes a change of workplace is required.
• One of the best ways I have found to eliminate burn out is to listen to classical music. It really helps to de-stress me – even on the very intense days. And, it gets the creative juices flowing. That is the most consistent way I can think of to get unstuck.
• We must take care of ourselves mentally & physically…whatever it takes for us to keep balance in our work & home life. Make the time to relax & do things that are fun for you…whatever you define it to be.

What has helped you to get your motivation back on track?

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Every new year many of us assess our job. As an architecture and civil engineering executive recruiter, I find January to be a very busy month! New year resolutions abound. Candidates tell me that they will not spend another year working for a company or supervisor that doesn’t appreciate them…at a job that is no longer challenging or exciting. They won’t continue to go to work each day to be surrounded by people they don’t respect. It is time for them to be energized.

What questions should you ask yourself to determine if it is time to explore a new opportunity?

-COMPANY
Is my current company growing, shrinking or staying the same size? Do the company leaders communicate with all employees about the “health” of the firm? Do they communicate about their strategy for growth for the company? Are my values the same as the firm’s? Do I respect the company leaders? How is the company viewed in the industry?

-SUPERVISOR
Does my supervisor have and exhibit the qualities I respect in a manager? Am I learning from him/her? Does my supervisor keep me motivated on projects and informed about my career path? Do I feel comfortable asking for help or discussing situations?

-COLLEAGUES
Do I have established relationships with others in the company? Do I look forward to working with these people or do I dread walking through the office or visiting the lunch room? Are my team members collaborative or self-serving? Are they supportive or challenging?

-WORK/PROJECTS
Am I able to work on projects that are challenging and diverse?  Do I like the work that is presented to me? Do I have an opportunity to learn and try new skills? Do I have autonomy to do my work? Do I have the ability to contribute to the overall success of the firm?

-SALARY/BENEFITS
Do I receive a competitive base salary? Did my company change their benefit plan so I pay more for less?  Am I receiving incentive bonuses for exceptional work?

There are many other questions to ask when deciding to make a job move. It is important to make an informed decision. Changing jobs is often more emotional than logical. Before wasting your time, a recruiter’s time, your current employer’s and potential future employer’s time– do your homework and evaluate your situation.

One thing is for sure: If you “can’t take this.. not another day” at your current job, then start exploring your options!

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In 2008, we posted a brief BLOG titled “Sustainability in Civil Engineering.” Now, 3 years later, I asked several civil engineering leaders to discuss this topic. For example: Do clients request or require sustainable design? Is there a difference in cost on sustainable design projects? What else do you think about this topic?  Here are their thoughts:

Mark Gabriel, Senior Vice President Strategy and Business Process, Black & Veatch

“Regarding sustainability, it is really about the efficient use of resources and has morphed into the realization of the triple bottom line. From an energy perspective all facets of construction (or deferral of construction) are now taken into account. For example, water use is a huge issue. In our 2011 Strategic Directions of the Utility Industry survey, water was the number one environmental issue by the 700 respondents. The challenge is that there is a cost to sustainable options that needs to be borne by someone–either the public or the shareholders. And, therein lies the challenge.

Sustainability in many ways is being “cooked” into the fabric of construction decisions as opposed to simply being another factor “sprinkled in” at the last minute to get a project constructed.”

Richard Diaz, PE, President, Diaz Pearson & Associates, Inc.

“In some respects, today’s Sustainability is a revival of the conservation movement back in the 1970’s. It still can be thought of as the wise use of our resources, the consciousness of designing infrastructure for the long term, and awareness that short term replacement and reconstruction are not realistic options. I think many would agree that there is more awareness today in our dwindling resources, many of which are precious.

Sustainable Development is more than just water cooler talk. For Civil Engineers, it’s also more than the ‘green theme’ architectural flavor of the day. Civil engineers have traditionally been concerned about sustainable design; as far back as I can remember. Life cycle cost and the creation of long term value have been civil engineering issues for a long time, not just current topics. Clearly there’s an appreciation for civil engineering’s ‘sustainability’ value that went into the Hoover Dam, Brooklyn Bridge and so many other notable landmarks still operating today.

Sustainability in design is critical, if nothing more, than to craft meaningful solutions to our infrastructure needs in competition with limited financial resources. Sadly, so much of our nation’s infrastructure has been overlooked and is in need of replacement. Arguably, one might believe that because of civil engineering’s core sustainability value, our nation’s infrastructure has been able to enjoy little maintenance attention. That’s no longer the case. We’re at the critical point in meeting our expected service needs for energy, transportation, water supply, and wastewater treatment.

Everywhere one looks there are social, educational, and medical issues competing for financial support. More than ever, sustainability in civil engineering design must be the central theme for creative solutions that match limited financial resources. I believe civil engineering’s core sustainability value will continue to provide reasonable solutions without compromise for the future. Perhaps more than ever this is an exciting and challenging time for civil engineering leadership!”

Jeanne Acutanza, PE,  CH2M HILL and http://www.greengrowthcc.com

“Infrastructure clients, generally public agencies, are not only interested in sustainability to preserve natural environments and reduce energy use, but increasingly to save money.  Measuring sustainability in infrastructure (like LEED certifications for buildings) is becoming necessary to compare and prioritize projects for funding as well as to optimize project efficiency.  CH2M HILL pioneered one rating system with the University of Washington called the Greenroads rating system http://www.greenroads.org/.  This tool is being used by funding agencies to help agencies enhance and optimize sustainability on their project grant submittals.  CH2M HILL is leading a team to develop a rating tool for FHWA.  The tool http://www.sustainablehighways.org/ builds on context sensitive solutions principles to evaluate highway projects.  The tool is in its pilot testing phase.  FHWA is seeking feedback from agencies using the tool.”

Confidential

“The concept of sustainability is just beginning to get traction at least in the US public sector. We are starting to see some RFP’s that discuss or request sustainable design. However, clients are also being cautious in implementation. Will sustainable concepts increase costs? If yes, how much? Do sustainable designs add value to the project? If yes, can we demonstrate the benefits added. In the global marketplace, sustainability is more frequently cited in solicitations.”

As we continue to pursue resource conservation, what changes are you seeing from your clients and within your projects? Thoughts?

An architect and several civil engineers  from Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates are rappelling the Washington Monument, inspecting and recording damage from this year’s earthquake. In various interviews, several of the engineers reported that scaling the monument was a career highlight. Several of the monument inspectors are in their late 20′s and 30′s. They are just in the early stages of what I suspect will be a long career. How will they top this project?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTQitTElTHo]

Each year the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) selects finalists for the group’s annual Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement (OCEA) award. Previous OCEA winners have included China’s Sutong Bridge, the World Trade Center, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Riverbank Filtration Tunnel and Pump Station(Louisville, KY)  and other high-profile projects, as well as a selection of lesser-known bridges, roadways and restored or relocated buildings. Engineers responsible for these award winning projects can proudly point to their accomplishments.

What are your “dream” civil engineering projects?

There is an old saying, “Those who think they know everything, annoy those of us who really do!”

We work for them, next to them or with them. The civil engineer who “knows it all.” Just ask him and he will tell you. And he will tell you with the utmost confidence that what he is saying is as correct as the sky is blue.  As an executive recruiter, one who speaks with civil engineers and architects ALL day, I often hear:

My supervisor (could be the CEO through to a Project Engineer) thinks they have all the answers and that their solutions are the ONLY correct solutions. It is known as “follow their way or take the highway,” so to speak.

Many “know it all” personalities are really folks manifesting their insecurities through stubbornness. What are some solutions to dealing with this on a daily basis?

-Go out of your way to make the supervisor know you have his back;

-Find ways to personally connect with him to build bridges of trust;

If he thinks you have his best interests at heart and trusts you, then he will be more likely to consider your opinion. Look for ways to help him become more successful in his position (perhaps sending topical technical articles).  But be forewarned,  if you can’t do this sincerely, then don’t do it at all.

-Consider his solution- could it be the best?

-Suggest well thought out alternative solutions;

-Ask for feedback on any flaws in your suggested plan so you can learn;

-Try to be open-minded to his reasons for pushing his solution and ask questions;

-Check with colleagues to see if they are having similar issues;

-If your Human Resources Department has a feedback mechanism for confidential information, let them know of the situation;

-Leave. Start looking for another job.

civil engineering jobs :: civil engineering resumes :: civil engineering blog :: civil engineering discussion

In June 2011 the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) will sponsor the National Concrete Canoe Competition. Expanded to a national level twenty four years ago, ASCE reports that concrete canoe races in the United States actually began in the 1960s, when a small number of ASCE student chapters began holding intramural races. Since then, “students’ efforts to combine engineering excellence and hydrodynamic design to construct water-worthy canoes have culminated in an advanced form of concrete construction and racing technique known as the ‘America’s Cup’ of Civil Engineering.”

Over the years I have reviewed resumes of students who proudly list their concrete canoe achievement. Until I started recruiting civil engineers back in the 1980′s, I had never heard of the concrete canoe competitions nor what they could teach participants. Student and Professors have shared with me the benefits of this challenge. Here are some of their statements/achievements:

*This was an opportunity for a hands-on learning experience; taking concepts and principles and putting them into practice.

*The competition pushed us to collaborate as a team.

*Each of us learned to work together to formulate a plan, come up with a design, write and present our report, work within a budget, keep on schedule.

*Like in the workplace, we learned to work as a team with various personalities towards one goal. As engineers, at times we isolate and enjoy our analytical successes. This experience was one of my best!

*We gained actual experience working with materials, understanding their interactions and experimenting with what worked and what didn’t.

*This experience prepared me for work in the ‘real world’ of civil engineering.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqgTk4gZ0Lc]

Have you joined in the Concrete Canoe competition? What did you learn for the experience?

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Picture this: the sun, beach, sand, waves, porpoises ….wind turbines?

A variety of wind farms are being proposed, designed and constructed across the US. Cape Wind proposes the first offshore wind farm on Nantucket Sound, “… Miles from the nearest shore, 130 wind turbines will gracefully harness the wind to produce up to 420 megawatts of clean, renewable energy.  In average winds, Cape Wind will provide three quarters of the Cape and Islands electricity needs. Maryland’s  Governor proposed a plan to build offshore wind farms in the Atlantic Ocean (Maryland lawmakers today refused to pass the plan this year). His was a $1.5 billion field of giant turbines about 10 miles off of the Ocean City, Maryland shoreline, while the eastern edge is approximately 27 miles from the coast.  And in Delaware, NRG Bluewater Wind has won the exclusive right to negotiate with the federal government to build an offshore wind farm.

Will these “green” initiatives bring green engineering jobs? “Bluewater Wind officials estimated in 2008 that the project would bring 400-500 construction jobs to the state, as well as at least 80 ongoing operations and maintenance jobs. A Port of Wilmington official estimated last year that building a regional turbine assembly facility there could result in about 770 jobs during construction, and another 750 operational jobs.” The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) reported in 2010 that the wind energy sector that employs 18,500 staff in the manufacturing sector could “support tens of thousands of additional jobs manufacturing wind turbines and components if the right policies are put in place.”

Civil engineers will be needed for a variety of roles within this “green” engineering market. For example, the wind farm infrastructure consists of roads and drainage, wind turbine, met mast foundations and buildings housing electrical switch gear, planning, modeling, preliminary design, QA/QC and construction of wind farm infrastructure  for sites and utilities for access roads, crane pads, crane paths…

Many of us will be interested in reviewing the results of states and P3 proposals. Will other states step up and add these green engineering jobs or, like Maryland, will legislators blow the turbine proposals out of the water?  :)

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The great comedian Groucho Marx once said “…I don’t want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member.”  His self deprecating comment rings all too true with many civil engineering firms who wrongly believe that they are not worthy of attracting the profession’s top talent.  I call this “low company esteem.”What are the systems of this malady?  Frequently, they are manifested in comments made by principals and other hiring managers to external recruiters.  Here are samplings of recent exchanges:

•  ”This candidate has a great background and has tenure with their current firm. Why would they want to work here?”

•  ”This candidate will probably just interview with us to get a counter offer then reject us.”

• “This candidate has had great success in their past…they will be bored here.”

•  This candidate has always worked for top-tier firms.  Why would they  want to work at a firm like ours?”

While some of these concerns may be valid based on past experience, more often than not, insecurity leads to inertia.  Frequently, when receiving a search for a senior level hire, I am given the challenge to find someone that “will take us to the next level.”  While further prodding sometimes reveals that there is no internal consensus on what that actually means or entails, in the early stages of the sourcing phase, one thing becomes clear:  what they want is someone just like them who will achieve a level of practice excellence that they have been unable to through their own efforts and resources.

While no one would argue that ensuring a “fit” between the candidate and both the job and the company’s culture are essential to success, sometimes the counter-intuitive hire can bring a unique perspective, as well as seeing the firm through fresh eyes. This results in a renewed focus on using the firm’s talent, brand and market penetration to help it become what it can be, instead of the pattern of focusing on the past missteps and hurdles that accompany institutional knowledge.

The first interaction a strategic hire should have, that all-important “face of the company,” should be its best cheerleader who leaves every candidate hungering to join the firm whether or not the feeling is mutual. However, if interviewers suffer from low company esteem, they’ll consistently struggle with articulating the benefits of joining their firm over another and the quest for quality staff will continue to elude them.

Human resources and corporate leaders need to first find a way to assess, monitor and increase the morale and esteem of their key hiring authorities to ensure that they are adequately equipped to attract the level of candidates that will enable the firm to accomplish its strategic objectives.  They then need to identify and target the very best in the profession or market segment and approach their recruitment with the same unabashed abandoned as did Saturday Night Live’s “Stewart Smalley” character:  “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough and, gosh darn it, people like me.”

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