Public v Private - Civil Engineering

[Cysmik]

I am currently employed with a private consultant, working in the Omaha area. I've been mostly happy with my employer throughout my 7+ year career, but have been presented with an opportunity to move to the public side. At first glance I wasn't really considering, but now am having second thoughts. I think I've got a handle on the pay differences, benefits, etc., but the thing I'm struggling with - is it worth the move now to avoid the inevitable push towards the business side of things and pressures that come with it in the private world?

Any CF insight or experiences with this?

 

[Die4Cy]

Reddit Civil Engineering Forum might be a better place to ask. Tons more people with the precise practical experience you're looking for.

 

[justincl]

I am currently employed with a private consultant, working in the Omaha area. I've been mostly happy with my employer throughout my 7+ year career, but have been presented with an opportunity to move to the public side. At first glance I wasn't really considering, but now am having second thoughts. I think I've got a handle on the pay differences, benefits, etc., but the thing I'm struggling with - is it worth the move now to avoid the inevitable push towards the business side of things and pressures that come with it in the private world?

Any CF insight or experiences with this?

Did a very similar thing 8 years ago. PM me if you have specific questions.

 

[jpete24]

I've worked both. I currently work in public for the last 10 years, but it's less about it being government and more about how well they treat me/interesting work. Also PM if you have specific questions!

 

[nhclone]

I made the move to public a few years back. Same offer on the PM. I personally would likely have made more in the long run in private, but I received a nice raise moving to public and also have a much more variable job and consistent schedule, which is extremely nice. My choice was mostly about family and I would gladly still be working with my former employer, but I don’t regret the move at all.

 

[Rabbuk]

@BoxsterCy

 

[CloneIce]

I’ve been in consulting for a long time. Overall I really like it. Personally I started enjoying my job a lot more as I got more involved in the business side of things. Building my own group, marketing and working more closely with clients has been my favorite part of my career. Especially the funner aspects, which basically amounts to going out with friends. You might be surprised and really enjoy it too, though I understand your concerns about pressure and all that comes with it. That’s always present.

Most of my long time coworkers who left made the move to the public side, and are now clients. They mostly like it, but they have their complaints too, and a couple have came back over to the private side to move their career forward. I think the biggest benefit is a more stable and predictable schedule, especially if you have a young family.

In either role, I think the most important thing is enjoying working with the people you with with on a regular basis. That could be your coworkers, clients, or partners from other firms.

 

[Mtowncyclone13]

A lot of public engineers will stay in their spots until retirement, so if you're in a smaller town you may need to move cities to move up in government. In the private world there may be more opportunities for advancement.

 

[2ndCyCE]

The only way that staying private is worth it is to work your way into the "winners circle," i.e. ownership, partner, options, etc.

If not, you just end up with a mile of responsibility and about a hundred feet of authority. People screaming at you from above and beneath you but no power to really do anything meaningful, except work more hours. And when things DO go right, you're making somebody ELSE rich. There is ALWAYS a reason why your raise/bonus is smaller than expected.

Basically, if leadership can't provide a defined path to the winners circle, wherever that is at your company, or don't hold up their end of the bargain if you've followed that path... time to hit the bricks.

 

[Cysmik]

The only way that staying private is worth it is to work your way into the "winners circle," i.e. ownership, partner, options, etc.

If not, you just end up with a mile of responsibility and about a hundred feet of authority. People screaming at you from above and beneath you but no power to really do anything meaningful, except work more hours. And when things DO go right, you're making somebody ELSE rich. There is ALWAYS a reason why your raise/bonus is smaller than expected.

Basically, if leadership can't provide a defined path to the winners circle, wherever that is at your company, or don't hold up their end of the bargain if you've followed that path... time to hit the bricks.

This feels a lot like what I've been experiencing. And it's not that I'm necessarily being excluded from the "winners circle", but more so that it's more of an unknown. I'm not sure I want to put in the exhaustive effort for X-years only to have the goalposts keep moving.

 

[2ndCyCE]

This feels a lot like what I've been experiencing. And it's not that I'm necessarily being excluded from the "winners circle", but more so that it's more of an unknown. I'm not sure I want to put in the exhaustive effort for X-years only to have the goalposts keep moving.

I worked for a small consulting company that moved the goalposts for 2 years (worked there for 6), so I left for a big consultant. The large company was always so ambiguous about what it would take to get to where I wanted, it made it easy for them to always demand more before they gave it to me.

Fed up, I finally left consulting after 14 years, and now work in engineering sales for a specialty contractor. Goals and targets, as well as rewards for hitting them, are well defined -- which is all I was ever looking for in consulting!

 

[JM4CY]

I am currently employed with a private consultant, working in the Omaha area. I've been mostly happy with my employer throughout my 7+ year career, but have been presented with an opportunity to move to the public side. At first glance I wasn't really considering, but now am having second thoughts. I think I've got a handle on the pay differences, benefits, etc., but the thing I'm struggling with - is it worth the move now to avoid the inevitable push towards the business side of things and pressures that come with it in the private world?

Any CF insight or experiences with this?

Stick to whatever side didn't do this.

 

[BoxsterCy]

I am currently employed with a private consultant, working in the Omaha area. I've been mostly happy with my employer throughout my 7+ year career, but have been presented with an opportunity to move to the public side. At first glance I wasn't really considering, but now am having second thoughts. I think I've got a handle on the pay differences, benefits, etc., but the thing I'm struggling with - is it worth the move now to avoid the inevitable push towards the business side of things and pressures that come with it in the private world?

Any CF insight or experiences with this?

If you are talking Corps of Engineers I would give them a thumbs up. Retired form the St. Paul District a few years back. Decent pay, decent opportunity for both technical and management advancement, good benefits and a very good work "culture" (at least in my district). Feds offer the sick leave and vacation benefits that everyone should be getting but don't. We had the budget pressure but without the profit margin and "what have you earned for the principals and partners" pressure (was in that before in private practice).

 

[CY88CE11]

I made the move from private to public two years ago. I couldn't stand a small group of clients my old employer did work for. Kept making ridiculous requests late in the day, no contract amendments, of course, but needed deliverables immediately. Decided I couldn't do no-notice late nights anymore with a baby on the way. Switched to a municipality and have had far fewer late nights, and the ones I've had I had plenty of notice. Oh, and IPERS is the ****.

 

[JP4CY]

If you can be the Ron Swanson of a city's engineering dept you do it.

 

[Sousaclone]

I'm on the construction side of it and I can see the appeal to being on the public side of it. More realistic, normal hours, not as much pressure (at least it appears that way), etc. Typically you are the one with the money and the control as opposed to being on the other side of the fence. I'd never do it, mainly because I like that I get to be on unique projects and I move every 3-4 years to different parts of the country (I'm single so I don't have to worry about a SO or kids).

Not sure what the paths for advancement would be though. It seems like the public side has pretty well defined structure and most of those top people are there until they retire. If you are at a good private firm you should be able to progress more easily IMO (a bad firm, private or public, is going to be hard to move up regardless).

I guess you can just give it a go. If you go for a year or two and hate it, hopefully your current employer would take you back (assuming you leave on good terms) or you know enough people in the industry to have another option. If I had a decent employee who left to try something different (and was honest about what/why there we doing) and came back in a year or two and admitted that it wasn't for them, I probably wouldn't have much of an issue with rehiring them.

 

[dirtyninety]

Why work?

 

[cycloneworld]

The only way that staying private is worth it is to work your way into the "winners circle," i.e. ownership, partner, options, etc.

If not, you just end up with a mile of responsibility and about a hundred feet of authority. People screaming at you from above and beneath you but no power to really do anything meaningful, except work more hours. And when things DO go right, you're making somebody ELSE rich. There is ALWAYS a reason why your raise/bonus is smaller than expected.

Basically, if leadership can't provide a defined path to the winners circle, wherever that is at your company, or don't hold up their end of the bargain if you've followed that path... time to hit the bricks.

With the caveat that it really depends on the size of the company, this isn’t far off. I enjoy a smaller company which gives you more control. Civil engineer and been in private consulting for 17+ years. Got really tired of detailed design work after about 10. Been in sales/project management for the past 7. Really enjoy it but I hate being bored at work and like the rat race of the consulting world. Have a lot of friends on the public side and they like the slower pace. Personally, I doubt it’s for me. But I really think it depends what your life and career goals are.

 

[cstrunk]

The only way that staying private is worth it is to work your way into the "winners circle," i.e. ownership, partner, options, etc.

If not, you just end up with a mile of responsibility and about a hundred feet of authority. People screaming at you from above and beneath you but no power to really do anything meaningful, except work more hours. And when things DO go right, you're making somebody ELSE rich. There is ALWAYS a reason why your raise/bonus is smaller than expected.

Basically, if leadership can't provide a defined path to the winners circle, wherever that is at your company, or don't hold up their end of the bargain if you've followed that path... time to hit the bricks.

I know that it is like this at many private consulting firms. But know they're not all that bad. I work in the private side but for an employee-owned company. I think it's a great company overall. It's a large firm, but I work in a small branch office that was opened just a few months before I was hired and we have a great small company feel. Great pay, benefits, and upper management actually tries to make things better and will listen to you. I think it's all about getting the right people in place, and about who you work with closely. It's about the culture.

However, I have felt the pain of immovable deadlines, difficult clients (we want you to change this because it's our preference not because it's wrong and we're not going to pay you extra for it), and tight budgets. It has definitely strained my personal life at times. Fortunately, I work for a great boss who stands up for us and we are a young staff that is growing and gaining more experience with each day, so I'm hoping it gets easier. I'm not naïve though and I know there will occasionally be some very long weeks in the future. But we are now doing a better job at planning ahead to help avoid those.

I've thought about if it would be worth it to move to the public side. I still don't think you'll ever escape all of the pressure but it seems like it would be less stressful. You still usually get pretty good benefits in government positions, but as others have said the pay is usually less and your opportunities for advancement are generally more limited. If you can find a position you like in a location you like and have kids, it might definitely be worth it.

 

[DurangoCy]

This feels a lot like what I've been experiencing. And it's not that I'm necessarily being excluded from the "winners circle", but more so that it's more of an unknown. I'm not sure I want to put in the exhaustive effort for X-years only to have the goalposts keep moving.

It sounds like you're about 30ish? If so, you're in the hellish 5-10 year period where you're just 1) making money and kicking out projects and 2) waiting for people above you to retire or burn out.

I'm soon to be 41 and hit Principal at 39 through a merger, which is not the norm based on the shocked faces at the acquisition announcement. I passed up two 60 year old's in my old company due to them being asleep at the wheel and some of my co-workers that aren't Principal probably hate my guts. Although to be fair, we're a couple years in, and my metrics are better than a lot of the people that were asking questions. So they can pound sand.

It's not awesome, but people do pay attention. It's really really competitive in most companies to hit Associate and/or Principal. You probably have way more grinding ahead, but imho financially it's worth it.

By far the hardest part is managing the stress keep the late nights to a minimum, I set some rules on how late and how many hours/week I was willing to work about 5 years ago, and it's helped. It sometimes makes the next days hectic, but it's forced more delegation on me.

I'm not sure what the right answer is, but don't envy some of the public guys we work with. Our City Engineer get's screamed at by contractors and citizens multiple times per week, is probably working 50 hours/week, and makes significantly less than I do.