I finished 6 years in the Navy and then worked as a Maintenance Supervisor at a distribution center for a year before leaving to pursue my original degree in Civil Engineering.
I have been searching since I originally left the Navy, submitting applications, attending professional events, and reaching out to some more experienced engineers. I have not been called for any interviews after applying for multiple positions with the county, city, and several private firms. In the meantime I have also been working to re-familiarize myself with drafting software.
I am seeking any additional advice on applications, training, or general knowledge that would make me a more competitive candidate and open the door for an interview so that I can continue to pursue my goal of being a Transportation/Civil Engineer.
Answers
Hi Matthew, I work for Parsons, they have Transportation related jobs in San Diego (and other cities). Here's a list of the San Diego jobs, please let me know if you see one of interest. If so, please email me the job number and your resume to: victoria.heck@parsons.com
Job openings in San Diego: https://parsons.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/Search/15/refreshFacet/318c8bb6f553100021d223d9780d30be
Keep networking Matthew - it will happen. You're attending ASCE San Diego branch events? That's one of the better networking groups for municipal civil engineers.
If you're open to other municipal civil engineering roles, the water sector is hiring a bunch of people. I can see if anyone in my network of water pros in Chula Vista can offer some advice. CWEA is the association of water and water resource recovery professionals. Here's a bit of info on the engineering career path as well as some sample job opps http://www.cawaterjobs.org/career/engineer/
Keep going, that first opportunity is going to show up.
Alec, thank you for the suggestion. I had reached out to the local ASCE member chair, and will be attending my first meeting next week. I appreciate all of the information on the Environmental side. Right now, I'm geared towards a transportation-oriented position or any entry-level position that would allow me to progress towards transportation/traffic engineering.
Hi John. I graduated with my BS in 2011. In regard to the Engineers I’ve reached out to, I sent my resume and received feedback about adding objective statements and tailoring it to the desired position. Additionally, I was advised that drafting software is bare minimum knowledge for the kind of position I’m seeking. With that, I tweaked my resume and have been refreshing myself with autocad software.
Hi Matthew -
It may be helpful if you can provide more information regarding your situation to give you helpful advice. You mentioned that you have reached out to some more experienced engineers. Have they responded or provided any advice? Have you shared your resume with them and asked for their feedback? Also, when did you graduate with a BS in Civil Engineering?
I hope you can get the assistance you need to become a civil engineer. Best of luck.
Kindly,
John
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