Should I go to the client side or an engineering firm? How should I make the choice?

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This post was last edited by Hasty Passerby on 2019-1-19 at 14:33. Should one choose to go to the client’s company or a design institute? Recommendation: This article provides an analysis and commentary on the choice between the client and the design firm from the author’s personal perspective. I find it to be fairly objective; as for whether it aligns with readers’ views, please share your opinions! Looking forward to it. . . . 1. Is Party A just the one who gives orders and makes decisions, while the design institute is forced to do all the drawing work? 2. Grasshoppers on the same string are all grandchildren; no one should act like a boss! 3. The sooner you go to Party A, the better; if you go too late, it will be too late even to have it warm 4. The older one gets, the more valuable they become – does this refer to the client or the design firm? 5. Money is what really matters; how big is the income gap between the client and the design institute? 6. Everyone says the client is great – does that mean design firms have no advantages at all? 7. Which company is best at masonry work? I heard that one can learn skills by working at a design institute? 8. After all this talk, should one go to the client or to the design institute? The above serves both as a question and an outline; you can take a look at the outline first to see if you’re interested in reading on. 1. Is Party A just the one who gives orders and makes decisions, while the design institute is the one forced to draw diagrams? In many people’s minds, the client is the one who gives orders and directs everything, overseeing design firms and construction teams to work hard – looking very stylish and comfortable in doing so ； Is it really the case that design firms involve people spending their days drawing diagrams, with endless revisions and long working hours? The real estate industry is actually one with strong financial characteristics; it involves high leverage levels. Time is money, and delays in delivering properties result in substantial bank interest costs, which underscores the importance of keeping project timelines on track ； Additionally, public buildings also often face the issue of tight deadlines due to operational requirements. Take real estate developers like Wanda and Evergrande as examples: it is precisely through strict management, by motivating their employees to work tirelessly, by strictly controlling deadlines, and by leveraging their speed advantage that they have managed to earn huge profits and create many wealthy individuals. For these reasons, working as a management member for Party A is not easy at all; the pressure is high. If deadlines are not met or tasks are not coordinated properly, consequences will arise quickly. Take Evergrande as an example: the frequent deductions of money put a great deal of pressure on the management staff as well. Especially in the project management role for the client side, where the construction teams on site are working hard day and night without stopping, even during holidays – do you think it’s easy to hold such a position as a project manager for the client side? The client side involves work that emphasizes management and coordination over technical aspects; in daily operations, it is necessary to communicate and coordinate with various external parties, while internally there are many departments with which interactions are required. Externally, these include agencies such as the Planning Bureau, Housing and Construction Bureau, fire department, design institutes, construction companies, supervision firms, and quality inspection agencies; internally, there are departments responsible for costs, marketing, property management, legal affairs, etc. Therefore, the managers on the client side function like a data processing center, handling data streams from various sources to ensure the smooth operation of the system. To put it vividly, every task is like a hot potato – one must learn to throw it away in a timely manner; if delayed, it will hurt oneself. With strict deadlines and many departments involved in communication and coordination, it’s inevitable that there will be issues with coordination and poor communication. There are numerous trivial tasks to handle, and one is constantly busy all day long. Many colleagues who switched to working for clients have also said outright that clients aren’t as wonderful as they seem; many of them ended up returning to design institutes after going through a round of trial and error. Take a few of my colleagues as an example: back then, the four of us were around the same age, all graduate students, and we all completed the registration process. Two of us worked for client companies for two or three years before returning to design firms, while another person who works for a client company has changed jobs three times so far, almost once a year. In the design institute, it’s mainly technical aspects that matter; it’s sufficient for the disciplines of architecture, structure, plumbing, and electrical engineering to cooperate with each other. The work is relatively straightforward, with not many concerns to worry about. Interactions among colleagues are also quite simple—there isn’t as much backstabbing or intrigue as seen among clients. However, it’s an undeniable fact that overtime is quite common. Normally, there’s very little interaction with the outside world, and over time, one can indeed become somewhat disconnected from society. Overall, working for the client side may seem appealing, but it’s actually not easy either – there are many trivial tasks and a lot of pressure. If working in a design firm means physical exhaustion, then working for the client side entails mental strain. As for design firms, before one becomes a senior manager in the field, one indeed has to work hard drawing diagrams and often work overtime; there’s no denying that. I’m not trying to praise design firms either. Of course, those who rise to become senior managers or hold high-level positions do lead a more comfortable life. 2. Grasshoppers on the same rope are all grandchildren; no one should act like a boss! I once saw an answer that mentioned how the client holds a high position and can give orders to the design firm at will, acting in a very domineering manner. I just want to say, we’re all on the same string – we’re all scumbags; why act like big shots? It’s true that Party A is certainly in a stronger position compared to Party B; without being dominant, they couldn’t carry out their work in design firms and construction companies, as that’s dictated by the nature of the work. But to say that this gives Party A a higher status or a sense of superiority is nonsense. You act like a big shot in front of design firms and construction companies – can you also act that way in front of the planning bureau, construction authority, and quality supervision office? In short, it’s just a different stage within the same industry; everyone has different responsibilities, and we just need to work together to get the job done. Some people even feel superior about this, which is really ridiculous. Having worked on so many projects and dealt with numerous clients, I must say that none of the clients I’ve encountered have been difficult; they’re all polite, and we work together to solve any problems that arise. If you’re cooperative, things go smoothly in our work. But if you don’t know your place and start acting rudely, I can definitely make you shut up in no time. 3. The sooner you go to Party A, the better; if you go late, it’ll be too late even to have anything warm left Some people say that one must arrive at the client’s office early; those who get there first become project managers and their salaries increase several times over, and so on. It sounds like you’re implying that if you start working there early, the project manager will reserve a position for you. According to you, with so many civil servants each year, those who pass the exams early keep rising through the ranks and quickly become leaders. In reality, most people only end up as section chiefs after a lifetime of working there; among the clients, most are just ordinary managers, and there aren’t many project managers either. Promotions depend on one’s overall capabilities and luck – what does it have to do with how early you started working there? ([Youth Architecture] Editor: It was quite worthwhile to go there in the early years, as there was a shortage of talent at that time and many positions were vacant; at least the starting point was different, and there were many more opportunities for advancement.) It’s crowded now, so it’s difficult to get up there. This is merely my personal opinion. ) Whether one goes to the client side right after graduation or spends a few years working at design firms or construction companies before moving to the client side, it’s not clear who has an advantage. In fact, those who have spent a few years at design firms or construction companies before joining the client side do have an edge in terms of overall competence – after all, who wouldn’t want someone who understands both technology and management? 4. The older one gets, the more valuable they become – does this refer to the client or the design firm? A person’s career is long, and no one wants to see their competitiveness decline by the age of 30 or 40 and lead to being dismissed from their job. News stories about Huawei employees who were asked to retire at the age of 34, or ZTE employees who committed suicide out of frustration after being fired, all serve as a shock to us. So which has a longer career span, the design institute or the client? To be honest, I’ve met many senior experts at design firms, but I haven’t encountered many clients who are older. For those in the design field, as they get older, their work becomes increasingly easier. After completing their tasks, they can work at drawing review companies, and even after retirement they can be hired again to continue contributing their skills. The work at Party A requires enthusiasm; there are many social engagements, a variety of tasks to handle, and high work pressure. It’s less suitable as one gets older, which is why there are mostly young and energetic engineers at Party A, with older employees being quite rare. So the older one gets, the more valuable they become – this refers to those who work in technical roles at design firms. As for clients, the right approach is to strive for promotions in order to achieve financial independence as soon as possible. 5. Money is what really matters; how big is the income gap between the client and the design institute? China has roughly six to seven thousand design institutes, with an endless variety in various industries ； Party A also comes in various forms, including both national and local ones. It’s really hard to say something about income comparisons; I can only talk about the situation in the construction and real estate sector, and of course, most of the clients in this field are also from the real estate industry. Looking at the situation three years before graduation, salaries in the real estate sector are definitely higher. After all, during the first three years in a design firm, one is still in a learning phase and finds it difficult to complete projects independently; whereas with clients, after some training, one is able to handle most tasks on their own. Therefore, overall, the salary package is better in the real estate sector. In design firms, it’s very rare for someone to earn over 800,000 or 900,000 yuan in the first year, while in the client-side industry, salaries have increased significantly over these two years, with many positions offering high starting salaries. In the middle and later stages, it can be said that things will gradually level off, of course on the condition that the positions are of similar rank – for example, the project leader on the client’s side would be roughly equivalent to the head of a design institute, the city official would be at the level of a director, and those with mature management skills would be equivalent to professional supervisors. At design institutes, those at these levels are generally all key professionals; they hold professional registration credentials and senior engineer titles. Wherever they go, they are highly sought after. The salary differences compared to those offered by clients are so large that they leave immediately – who would stay foolishly in a design institute? If you’re saying that the salary for registering as a senior engineer is still low, I can only say it’s because you like to listen to motivational speeches and value such emotional aspects; after all, no one has any other solution. Never use individual cases to represent the entire industry, after all, it is always a minority who reach the top of the pyramid. This is an era of high mobility for talents; income is determined by supply and demand. Enhance your competitiveness and choose the right environment to work in. Sentiment and motivational speeches won’t help you get by in real life; when complaining about low income, vote with your feet and prove your worth through action. 6. Everyone says the client side is great – does that mean design firms have no advantages? 1. Design institutes are a typical industry where work is tough in the early stages but becomes more comfortable later on. Once one reaches positions such as director or chief engineer and receives a salary similar to that of clients, no one wants to work for those clients anymore. At the chief engineer level, one usually just looks at the drawings and deals with technical challenges; it’s pretty much a leisurely lifestyle. Of course, you need to have really excellent skills to do that job ； A director-level position is essentially that of a small boss; they can secure projects on their own, and their income is quite substantial. Of course, these people are always in the minority, especially in large companies where all you see are rows of people sitting there. If you can’t hold on, you can consider looking at smaller design firms to see if there’s a position suitable for you. There aren’t many positions that fit everyone, so it’s important to be careful and pay attention. For Party A, the more senior the position, the more tasks there are to handle, as well as greater responsibilities and pressure. 2. Interpersonal relationships are simple; after all, we’re in a technical field, so there’s no need for all that scheming. As long as you do your job well, no one will bother you, and you don’t have to cater to anyone’s wishes. You won’t go hungry no matter where you are. Party A has too many things to coordinate, and intrigue, scheming, and nonsense are inevitable. 3. It is relatively more stable compared to Party A, as Party A works on projects; once a project is completed, they may move to another location that is far from home and have to change jobs again. Therefore, Party A generally has a high job-hopping rate, with frequent changes every year or larger shifts every three years being the norm. To be honest, I can’t make up any more stories either; everyone suffers – it’s just a miserable industry. 7. Which place is best for learning masonry skills? I heard that one can learn these skills at a design institute? Design institutes are the best places to build up technical expertise. Engineering is a highly practical discipline, and there is a process from theory to practice; design institutes can help you go through this process effectively. You will no longer feel that the knowledge you’ve acquired over four years is abstract and distant, but rather you will learn how to use your professional skills to solve real-world engineering problems. Solid technical expertise can broaden your career prospects; you can continue to develop in design firms, switch to working for clients as a technical manager, move into sales, or take on operational roles. There is a place for you in any field that requires your professional knowledge, and the reason is that you are someone who can apply that knowledge in practice, rather than relying on dry texts and formulas from textbooks. Of course, the client side employees can also learn things, but it’s mainly skills related to project management; such skills may not be useful in other areas. If they work on the client side, they are likely to remain there, with relatively limited opportunities for career advancement. There are always exceptions; the client in question has a high level of technical expertise, as he is keen on delving into technology. Those who only know how to draw diagrams in design firms don’t have that much skill either. 8. After all this talk, should one go to the client or to the design firm? Here are a few principles: 1. If you can find a client who offers a much higher salary than that of a design firm, then don’t hesitate. No one refuses money; all those motivational speeches and ideals mean nothing in the face of real cash. 2. If you’re extroverted, enjoy socializing, and are good at communication and coordination; if you can’t stand being inactive and have no interest in technology, then definitely choose to work for the client side—design institutes aren’t suitable for you. 3. If you are introverted, don’t like interacting with people, and prefer to stay quiet and focus on your own tasks, then that employer might not be right for you – you’re likely not to get any opportunities for promotion either. 4. If you are interested in technology and want to pursue a career as a technical expert, with a strong passion for engineering, then design institutes welcome you. Reaching the level of technical expert in this industry is very fulfilling, and life will be quite comfortable as well. 5. If the salary offered by the client or design institute isn’t significantly lower, and you want more opportunities for growth in the future, then go work at a design institute – there are still many paths open ahead. There is no right path, only those who make the path seem right.