Hi Justin,
Great question!
I work as a traffic engineer, and one of my early positions was at a firm that did not have a traffic department. I worked as part of a public civil team that worked on a lot of transportation design projects, with some traffic studies in the mix. I was asked to design traffic signals, but there was no one else in the firm with experience in that type of design. Basically, I was thrown in the deep end and had to figure things out on my own. I was able to get some help from some teaming partners along the way, but it was a bit of a challenge to figure things out on my own.
After a couple years, I made a switch to a company with a well-established traffic department. Now I have peers with knowledge in a wider variety of traffic related disciplines - including signal timing and signal design. Personally, I find I have done really well with a team of people to bounce ideas off and to explain concepts to me. At the very least, someone can typically point me in the direction of a good resource to help me understand something better.
Circling back to your question - I agree with Josh's advice that you should consider the people you would be working with at both jobs. Knowledge is a wonderful resource. Are there people at the first opportunity who will be easy to contact with questions? What kind of support system would that job be able to provide? In my current job, I am remote from the rest of my department, but I make a few trips up for face time during the year, and I am easily able to contact team members over the phone or email or skype.
I would also consider your personality and work habits. Are you the type that will reach out to others with questions? Are you comfortable with written communication or do you prefer face-to-face interaction? If you are early in your career, face time can be very valuable. Sometimes working remotely can land you in that "out of sight, out of mind" zone. I think that being successful at working remote requires a level of over-communication. And you need to be able to speak up for yourself and make yourself visible.
I assume that the travel associated with the first opportunity would give you time out in the field? I would also consider whether the second opportunity will give you time in the field. I heard a cheesy quote once - "If you want to stand out in your field, you have to stand out in the field." Being out in the field, seeing things in person can also give you valuable knowledge.
Ultimately, it sounds like you have 2 great opportunities and I'm not sure you could go wrong with either! Best wishes!!
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Kelly Farabee P.E., M.ASCE
Guyton GA
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-08-2020 10:10
From: Justin Redman
Subject: Working from Home vs. Working under Direct supervision (Early Career Stage)
Hello, All
My career as a structural engineer has only just begun and I have access to two wonderful job opportunities, each with their own benefits, but I'm not sure which would serve me best.
Opportunity 1:
- Work from home (I can structure my day as I wish)
- Opportunity for consistent travel
- Wider range of projects (structural design, project management, statistical analysis)
Opportunity 2:
- Day job (8:00 am - 4:30 pm)
- Structured training (Steel design, design using more complex building systems, modern construction techniques systems, etc.)
- Consistent guidance
I'm leaning towards Opportunity 1, but I'm not sure how I can grow in "practical" knowledge to design more complex structures.
I have two questions:
1. Which option would you choose, given both options?
2. How would you go about achieving growth in knowledge following Opportunity 1?
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Justin Redman Aff.M.ASCE
Student
Port of Spain
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