Advice from an experienced engineering technician to young people in civil engineering

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This post was last edited by Lai Lai on 2009-7-10 at 16:50. It is dedicated to the young people in the civil engineering industry. At the request of many netizens, and taking into account the characteristics of this field, I would like to share some insights with the college graduates who are about to enter the workforce in civil engineering. These are merely my personal opinions; please forgive any shortcomings. There are a total of 10 items, that’s quite a lot! 　　 　　Part 1: How college graduates find jobs. 　　Finding a job after graduating from university is indeed a big deal. Before looking for a job, it’s important to clarify what kind of work you actually want to do and what you are capable of doing. If you graduated from a less well-known school, it’s better to find a job first; don’t have too many expectations. The construction industry places great value on experience, whether it is in design or construction. Students who are willing to endure hardship, those who have gone through heartbreak, those who want to escape society, those who aspire to become officials, those who love nature, and those with a withdrawn personality can work in construction companies. Those who manage to succeed in such companies are usually people who are able to endure hard work and are in good physical condition; they are also excellent at project management. The characteristics of construction projects mean that managing them is much more difficult than managing ordinary projects, as one has to deal with various parties involved, and it involves dynamic management with new situations and emergencies arising constantly – which is an excellent training experience for us. In construction projects, accidents are inevitable, and they keep happening over and over again. Just like with waterproofing work, leaks are unavoidable; otherwise, why would there be so many companies specializing in waterproofing and leak repair? Dealing with engineering accidents is the best way to learn; you can remember those lessons for a lifetime. According to statistics, in cases of engineering quality failures, few are caused by a lack of responsibility on the part of the engineering technicians – the vast majority (over 90%) are due to insufficient experience. 　　 　　Girls, or those with a feminine personality, those who enjoy dating, those who don’t seek to achieve great success in life, and those who prefer to live in cities might consider working at a design firm. If it’s not possible to get into a large design firm, one can start by working at a design firm in a smaller city to gain experience, and then move on to larger cities once they have enough skills. People without construction experience can also engage in design work, but the quality of the designs varies. Someone who has worked at a construction company goes into design work, and his design drawings are very reasonable – they take into account the needs of the construction company and aim to simplify the construction process as much as possible. Plans designed by people without construction experience are particularly problematic when construction workers ask questions about them, and on-site support is also quite challenging in such cases. But it’s not necessary to actually carry out the construction work; it’s fine to just go to the construction site from time to time, even over an extended period of time. 　　 　　Those who are not interested in the construction industry can also consider changing careers and starting their own small business or a small company. 　　 　　Therefore, it is important to define one’s own position; one must set a direction for oneself. After determining your own position, write a resume tailored to it; there should be no more than three resumes, with one being the ideal number. It’s best not to bring the original diploma when looking for a job outside, as there have been many cases of diplomas getting lost, which is very troublesome. Just write down the graduation certificate number on the resume. Identity documents should not be given to employers easily; some employers keep them as a way to control students. Some offer settlement funds, but upon inquiring with the employer, it turns out that the payment is to be made over several years, and the certificate is also taken away. When submitting a resume, don’t force it on them; generally, there’s a better chance if they take it voluntarily. 　　 　　It’s best for recent graduates to go to reputable employers, such as state-owned enterprises. Only after gaining experience in state-owned enterprises can one move on to work in private enterprises. 　　Especially for girls, it’s best not to work at private construction companies, as some of the employees there have poor standards of professionalism; it’s dangerous for girls to work there. But if they work at state-owned enterprises, there’s no problem. 　　 　　 　　Part 2: Things to note during the interview. 　　When answering questions during an interview, be honest and truthful; say what you think. It is important to emphasize that one is willing to start from the grassroots level and is not afraid of hard work. The clothing should not be too fancy; people in technical fields tend to be modest. When I was promoted to engineer back then, I was wearing work clothes only; I told the interviewer that I had just come from the construction site and hadn’t had time to change. Although my answer wasn’t very good, I still passed, and impression plays a very important role in such situations. Don’t be late; if possible, it’s best to go and take a look the day before. When you arrive at the company for the interview, walk around to see how the management works there, take the opportunity to chat with people a bit, and get to know the new workplace. If the company is in poor condition and the office is unsanitary, I advise you not to waste your time. Also, pay attention to whether the person conducting the interview is friendly toward you; in any case, it’s important to be cautious. Under no circumstances give them your identification, and do not pay any deposit. 　　 　　Part 3: What to pay attention to when starting at a new workplace. 　　 　　FIRST, don’t talk nonsense. When discussing technical issues, since we have just graduated, our chances of speaking are likely low and our accuracy even lower; therefore it’s best to listen rather than interrupt randomly. Do not make random comments about someone in the company, such as saying they are too ugly, too pretty, or not proper enough. When I first started working, there was a woman in the company who really annoyed me – she wore very flashy clothes. I wanted to talk to the engineer sitting across from me about it, but luckily I didn’t say anything that day. Soon after, I found out that that woman was his aunt. Before you understand the interpersonal dynamics in a new workplace, it’s important to refrain from making comments about others. Those who are always critical are generally good people; you must obey them! If the chats among colleagues are trivial, you can join; otherwise, don’t participate. Talking with the construction team is a necessary skill; it’s very important to communicate with the supervisors and the client as well. Only through conversation can relationships be built. When you arrive at the construction site, don’t wave your hands around or pretend to know things you don’t. We should show respect to senior colleagues. Although there are many college graduates these days, they are still liked in the workplace, especially in construction firms where there aren’t many college graduates. Do not look down on those who lack education; after all, they have worked at their jobs their whole lives, and there are many aspects in which they can teach us, such as professionalism and work experience. 　　 　　SECOND, be more diligent. Come a bit early in the morning to clean and tidy up the desk. Unless there are special circumstances, do not be late and do not ask for leave frequently. It is also necessary to offer help when others are busy with work. One has to attend group activities; it’s not like at school, where you can come and go as you please. 　　 　　THIRD must be good at learning*. Given the complexity of civil engineering, it is essential that we be good at learning. One is to learn from practice, another is to learn from experienced people, and yet another is to learn from books – read more books on engineering examples; there’s no need to read textbooks. 　　 　　FOURTH must be good at enduring hardships. Whether it’s for construction or design. One must be able to endure hardship; civil engineering is inherently a tough field. When I was in college, many people didn’t want to study it. Things are different now, as it’s easier to find a job in this field, and there is a shortage of professionals. At present, more people are studying civil engineering, but its difficulty remains unchanged. For anyone working in the construction sector, there is no easy work; even managers don’t have an easy time, unlike managers in production units. In production units, the same products are manufactured year after year, with fixed personnel and equipment. However, due to the inherent characteristics of construction projects, the workers involved in such projects face a lot of hardship. 　　 　　FIFTH: One must be responsible in one’s work. In today’s society, talking about a sense of responsibility seems a bit outdated, but as engineering and technical professionals, one must have a strong sense of responsibility. I went back to work just three days after getting married, because I was in charge of a large project and couldn’t stay at home feeling uneasy. Sometimes, a lack of responsibility can also lead to unnecessary waste and rework. For those who have just started working, losses resulting from a lack of work experience are understandable, but if the losses are due to a lack of responsibility, the manager will be dissatisfied with you. In any organization, accidents are normal. Those magnificent buildings that seem to be under construction actually have many problems, big and small; it’s just that outsiders are unaware of them. Some people become discouraged after encountering a minor accident upon graduation, but there’s no need for that; over time they will realize that quality accidents are inevitable, while it’s absolutely impossible to avoid all accidents. 　　 　　SIXTH: Don’t pick the wrong side. When starting a new job, don’t become too close to certain people, don’t join any cliques – just focus on working hard. Part Four: Issues related to obtaining certifications and advancing in one’s career. 　　There are many certifications available in the civil engineering industry: Registered Structural Engineer, Registered Cost Engineer, Registered Supervision Engineer, Real Estate Appraiser, Registered Architect, Registered Constructor, Registered Geotechnical Engineer, and so on. For those who need to take exams in basic courses, they must first pass those basic courses, such as those for registered structural engineers and registered geotechnical engineers; only after working for some time can they take the exams in more specialized subjects. Some positions do not require basic courses, but they do demand a longer period of professional experience; for example, certified cost engineers and certified supervision engineers. Among these, certified supervision engineers must hold an engineer title and have worked for three years after obtaining that title – this is the highest set of requirements. The others only require a certain educational background, with no specific requirements regarding professional titles. Obtaining certifications is an inevitable trend and a way to ensure fair competition in society; it is very helpful for those who are willing to learn. 　　Regarding professional titles in Shanxi. Three years after graduating from a junior college, one can be evaluated as an assistant engineer; four years after obtaining the assistant engineer title, one can be evaluated as an engineer. In other words, it takes seven years after graduating from a junior college to reach the rank of engineer. In principle, those with only an associate degree are not allowed to be rated as senior engineers. One year after graduating from undergraduate studies, one is automatically promoted to assistant engineer; four years after being designated as an assistant engineer, they can be promoted to engineer. That is, one can become an engineer five years after graduating from undergraduate school. Five years after obtaining the engineer title, one is eligible to apply for the senior engineer title. Engineer titles can be obtained 2-3 years after completing a master’s degree, and 1 year after completing a doctoral degree. 　　For example, if someone graduated from a junior college in 2005, he would become an assistant engineer in 2008 and an engineer in 2012. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 2005, this person became an assistant engineer in 2006, an engineer in 2010, and was eligible to become a senior engineer in 2015. Judging from current trends, it’s likely that it will become increasingly difficult to advance from an associate degree to a senior position, unless significant contributions are made. Jin engineers only need to submit a few papers; there’s no need to publish them, and they can copy them as they please. However, senior engineers in Shanxi are required to publish 1-2 articles in publications at the provincial level or above. 　　Understanding the above information can help students determine their direction in life and plan their future path. There are many paths one can take in life nowadays. I originally graduated from a junior college, then pursued a bachelor’s degree through self-study exams; ten years after graduating from university, I went on to earn a master’s degree. So it’s not necessary to stick to just one path – the options available in life today are diverse. But there are a few crucial steps at pivotal moments in life, and work is one of them. I was very kind to the technical staff under me at my previous employer, and I always provided guidance to newly graduated college students. Some people go out to seek opportunities before they have obtained an intermediate professional title, and they can manage for a while, but now they really want to return to get that title, because it’s difficult to find a job in the construction industry without such a title (not referring to graduates). He was supposed to obtain his professional title in 2003, but he still hasn’t done so yet – he just failed to plan his schedule properly. 　　Part 5: The difference between the specialized courses studied in university and reality. 　　People often ask me whether the courses taught in university are useful in real life My answer is that it’s useful, but it’s not used much and isn’t enough. Many of the courses offered in universities are merely meant to give students an overview of the subject matter; they lack depth and are disconnected from practical applications. I come from a construction company, so I don’t know much about design. Generally speaking, what is learned in university is more useful in design firms and less so in construction companies; but that doesn’t mean construction companies have lower requirements for university graduates. Projects these days are becoming increasingly complex, with many areas that require knowledge of mechanics. Foreign construction companies have strong technical capabilities, which is different from China. 　　In practical work, things like manuals and engineering examples are the most useful, so it’s worth taking a closer look at them. 　　Personally, I think for university courses, as long as one answers the questions themselves and manages to score 60 points, that’s sufficient. In fact, if many courses were open-book, most people could score over 80 points. In actual work, it’s like an open-book exam; if you don’t know something, you can just look it up in the book, and there’s no one to supervise you! The professional exams for registered structural engineers and registered geotechnical engineers are open-book exams. 　　 Part 6: How to improve oneself at work. 　　I have already mentioned some of this earlier; I will just touch on it briefly here. When I was at work, I would rush to take on any tasks available, and whenever my salary was paid, I would go to Shenyang to buy books first. I started out as a technician in the workshop, later became a quality inspector, and eventually became the chief engineer at the branch office. I prepared numerous construction plans and also took part in the company’s construction bidding processes; my main role was to handle the construction organization design. I was promoted to the rank of engineer at the end of 2001, and I left the company at the beginning of 2002. I feel that it’s essential to write down what I learn from my work and accumulate more information over time. Since I rose through the ranks from the bottom up, the company values me a lot, and the engineering technicians below also respect me; they approve of the solutions I come up with for various engineering problems. I remember an academic saying that he was actually quite average, but his classmates who graduated around the same time all ended up working in government agencies, while he stayed at the grassroots level, working in technical fields and learning as he went, which led to his achievements today. The academicians here say that a person’s abilities always grow gradually. Fresh graduates, when they arrive at their new workplaces and don’t understand many things, start to doubt themselves. In fact, many people are like that; I also didn’t know anything when I just graduated. For example, when a tree is small, its roots are also small; as the tree grows, its roots grow as well. So don’t doubt your own abilities. As time goes by, your tree will grow larger and its roots will become more extensive. How can a small tree have large roots? 　　Some people ask me, “I work in a small city. I’ve heard that construction techniques in big cities are very advanced. Can I handle it?” Sure, no problem. I used to work in heavy industry factories in a small city, and later I went to work in Beijing; I had no trouble adapting. It’s all the same old stuff; it’s also about chatting with people from various fields. I’ve found that people in the construction industry are really good at talking. Moreover, the more advanced the technology, the more free time we have. Part 7: How to change jobs. 　　When you’ve been working at a company for about a while, it’s time to start looking for a new job. Make all the necessary preparations: first, make sure you have all your certificates in hand. Before leaving, one needs to take care of various matters: pay back any debts owed, without making a fuss; properly handle the relationship with the (male) girlfriend who is to be left behind. Those who have lovers should end their relationship with them. If one has a wife and children, it’s more complicated, so they will have to take them along. If the (male) girlfriend is in another place, one should inform her in advance. Seek help in finding a job, and ask classmates and friends to assist in making introductions. If there are no reliable people available, then one will have to rely on oneself. It’s better to be single; just take a bag and leave on your own. Those who are timid and afraid of not finding a job and thus being unable to return to their original employer can use the approach of \"trying one option after another\": they do not resign first, but take time off to look for work in another place, and only return to their original employer if that does not work out. I’m pretty bold; I just told my boss that I wasn’t going to continue working there and then left. When I went to Beijing to look for a job, I first found any employer to work for, so as to save on accommodation costs (staying in a hotel is very unsafe; it’s better to stay at a university guesthouse). I used Sundays to search for jobs, and at my workplace someone would guide me. I worked at a real estate company in Beijing for ten days, and after some advice from an experienced person, I joined another company; I am very satisfied with that decision. 　　Before leaving, it’s important to maintain good relations with your colleagues. You should tell your boss that it’s not that I don’t love you, but I simply can’t afford to, because my income is too low. I don’t have any other skills, but I do have one advantage: I can return to the companies where I’ve worked at any time. I hope you can do the same. 　　In your new unit, don’t say anything negative about your previous unit, and don’t criticize your former boss, because your new boss will think, \"This guy will end up criticizing me eventually; it’s better not to do that.\" There can be many reasons for changing jobs, but one should not speak poorly of the previous employer or colleagues. I worked at a foreign-owned company, and during an interview one person said that he knew all the secrets of his previous employer. His boss was terrified upon hearing this; one can imagine what happened to him. Would you dare to hire him? 　　Changing jobs is like jumping high – the higher you go! ! ! 　　 　　Part Eight: About love. 　　As the saying goes: Men fear choosing the wrong career, while women fear choosing the wrong husband. It’s relatively easy for girls in the construction industry to find boyfriends, so we won’t talk about them here; otherwise they might get overwhelmed with too many choices. My view on love is that it is beautiful, but too much pragmatism should not be involved. Most women are loyal to their families and partners in love. As men, we must treat them well, because it is indeed not easy being a woman. Try to avoid getting divorced; if neither party feels love for the other, don’t force it, as this will cause harm to many people, especially the woman. If a man gets bored, he can find a lover outside (a one-year trial period is required for such a relationship to be established), but he shouldn’t get divorced; when he gets tired from being outside, he will definitely return home. It depends on your methods <<off-topic>>. Men working at construction companies should keep in mind that if new female college graduates arrive at the company, they must obtain first-hand information and take action right away; waiting will not work. In the past, there were very few female college graduates, and even though I was excellent, no one rushed to recruit me at the company. Now there is a greater supply of such graduates, but it’s still necessary to act quickly – at the very least, one should choose the best ones. If you’ve given up on leaving the company, it’s better not to break up, so as not to hurt either party. Few men can break up with their girlfriends without feeling sad – so why go through that? ! ! ! ! There’s no need to rush; I have another trick up my sleeve. If you’ve managed to get by fairly well, go and work in a big city. Start by working for a real estate company – there are many beautiful girls there. In the construction industry, only real estate companies have a more balanced gender ratio; it’s not difficult to find a beautiful girl based on your own abilities. It’s ideal if she is an only child and owns a house in that city. If nothing else works, go to a nearby university to take self-study courses; target female seniors there – the success rate is very high. At that time, you’ll be dressed in suits, wealthy, and interested in learning (you’ll even continue taking these courses after graduation); how could a girl not like that? At that time, you will sigh deeply; I in those days missed so many sisters – what a pity! If only time could go back. . . . . . I really can’t find it; there’s nothing I can do, so I’ll have to try dating. 　　Back then, at the construction site, I was very anxious because I couldn’t find a girlfriend. So one year, after working in real estate for nearly half a year, there were indeed many girls who were very kind to me, but I failed to seize the opportunity, mainly because I’m shy. Later I returned to my previous workplace. As time passed, I became bolder and more bold-faced, but there were no universities in the area, and I couldn’t go to a technical school either, could I? After thinking for a while, I thought of the foreign language corner. I explained the reason to my supervisors, and they were very supportive because they understood why I was upset. I’m pretty good at foreign languages and have a good pronunciation; on the first day at the language corner, I won over a girl. Soon, we stopped practicing speaking together and started using lip-reading instead, and also... . . . . . Now my son calls her mom. 　　One must take control of love themselves! ! 　　 　　Part Nine: A Message to the Young. 　　Although I’m in my thirties, I’ve returned to campus to pursue a master’s degree. The students and classmates I’ve met are about the same age as you; the young doctor next door is only 21 years old, which is even younger than you! I’m also facing the issue of finding a new job, but I’m much more calm about it. I understand you; after graduating, having been raised by your parents for so many years, you all want to give back to society and prove your own abilities. But you shouldn’t be too hasty. In the story of the small tree I mentioned earlier, its roots don’t grow immediately. The best reward for them is for you to be able to work in peace at your workplace, safe and healthy! 　　 　　Part Ten: Construction companies are not scary. 　　Many students feel afraid at the mention of construction, thinking that construction companies are not good, but that’s not the case. The construction conditions nowadays are much better than before, especially for some large, reputable construction companies, where the living and accommodation facilities are excellent. It would be great if you encountered a leader like me at the construction site – I’d give you a week off; those who have dates can leave at any time. Ask your superiors to assign more female college students as well, as this is important for maintaining morale. Sure, as the economy develops, construction companies will also improve. Moreover, more and more highly qualified people are taking on important responsibilities, so the future is bright, though the path is winding. I believe the imbalance in the ratio of male to female college students in the civil engineering industry won’t last long! Don’t you see that universities are expanding their enrollment? This are the suggestions put forward by our Minister of Construction to the Minister of Education. 　　May everyone find a good job and a good partner