Is it better to work at a design institute or for the client?
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Going to the client’s site means building an CNG station; once it’s completed, I might become a minor manager, and I hope to be able to return to the group headquarters as well. (It’s estimated that the salary will be around 3,000 after becoming a full-time employee, which is equivalent to the salary of local government employees.) I used to work at a municipal design institute; after being laid off, I was taken in by a Class A chemical engineering institute in Shanghai. (I guess after becoming a full-time employee the salary will be 4500, with no housing allowance anymore.) Well, I’m kind of tired of doing design work. Working overtime day and night, with a lot of stress. I feel that when I draw, I work slowly and not very efficiently. The benefits at the client’s company are just average, but it will be easier. However, I am still considering spending a few years honing my skills at a design institute. But in a group company like Party A, would it be possible to have more opportunities for growth by entering earlier?
It seems that a more cautious personality is advantageous in an engineering firm, as it allows one to learn more things. I have also built gas stations; unless you are in charge of the entire project, there isn’t much point in working for such a client.
As for gas stations, there’s actually little pollution involved. Even if one were to return to the headquarters, there would still be no pollution... In my opinion, many people in this industry choose design firms over working for clients mainly because they are afraid of exposure to toxins and hazards. If working for a client doesn’t involve any such risks, then it’s a great option – the work is stable and comfortable... If I had to choose, I’d definitely go for working for a client. In life, having too much money doesn’t really mean much... I prefer stability, so I like working for clients... The poster is right; drawing diagrams and doing design work isn’t that meaningful after all... It’s better to start working for a client early on, so as to learn things. You can learn things gradually later on; if the job at the client’s company is stable enough, it doesn’t matter if you don’t learn much... Experience is quite important when working for a client, so I suggest the poster start working there as soon as possible... The poster is very practical and understands things quite well – thumbs up!
Design institutes learn skills; clients learn about personnel matters
After thinking it over, I’m only 26 – too young. While it’s fine for me to take on a junior management role using my current skills, I feel that life experience is still lacking; after all, management isn’t just about skills. I should continue to hone my technical abilities and gain more experience before considering a career in management. I also appreciate the advice from the person in post 3.
If a first-class chemical research institute is willing to take you on, go there right away – such an opportunity is very rare. Design is built through experience; the older one gets, the more valuable they become. If it might be novel for Party A at first, will it continue to develop in the future? Over time, you will regret it deeply. This post was last edited by fanxh on 2009-3-8 17:36]
Working in a design institute for a few years allows one to obtain professional titles and certificates, which makes it easier to change jobs later on.
If it were me, I would stay at the design institute
Work at a design institute first, and once you gain enough experience, become a client
If it were me, I would choose to stay at the design institute! ~ It’s much better than working for Party A, and the benefits are also good
Take a look at your career plans and then decide where to go
The original poster should stop hesitating and go report to the design institute right away. I’ve encountered many such cases; most of them were people from factories who had been working there for several years and then tried every means to get transferred to design institutes. It turns out now that the decision they made back then was correct. Because the colleagues in the factory either retire early or just muddle along with no enthusiasm, and few of them manage to rise to positions of authority. On the other hand, those working in design institutes currently hold senior professional titles; they enjoy good benefits. When it comes to retirement, they can choose where to go, so their positions are very sought-after!