This post is for two people: those looking for a job and those looking for clients. With the economy like it is everybody isn’t spending money the way they were a year or two ago. But people are spending money on civil engineering projects. They are the best people to have as clients right now, and the companies that service them are the best ones to work for.

Colleges and Universities
When the economy goes down and people start getting laid off many people start going back to school. That means higher enrolment and more tuition dollars coming into the school. Schools frequently spend that money on new buildings, renovations and upgraded facilities.

Cities and Counties
Government budgets are generally set well in advance. The budgets are based both on expected income from tax dollars as well as money already received. Many local governments are still spending money on projects because they already have the money set aside for them. Tax dollars are still rolling in, and in many cases bond funds are still waiting to be spent.

Stimulus Funds
The federal government is spending billions on infrastructure. This money is being spent directly by the federal government as well as being funneled through many organizations to work on specific projects. There are several sources on the internet for finding out where the money is going. www.recovery.gov is one source.

Private Funds
There is still some private money being spent on civil engineering projects. Many companies are using a wait and see plan. However, many are also taking advantage of the lower prices in the down economy.

What are some other places that are still building? And are still spending money on CE projects?

The fact that the economy is tight right now is no surprise to anyone anymore. But there are jobs still available. I found my job at the end of the year when the economy was going south. I have several friends that have found jobs recently and I have several that are look. I’ve compiled a list of the things that I’ve seen, experienced and heard from others about finding jobs in this market.

Employers want to see experience
There are not as many jobs as there were a few years ago. Because of that, employers can be more selective. One friend of mine told me that several companies weren’t interested in talking to her until she told them about her experience. This is why internships in college are so important. If you don’t have work experience then talk about the projects you worked on in school that relate to the job you are applying for.

Find out where the customers are
People are still spending money. Find out who is still spending money on engineering services and apply to the companies that work in that field. For example, city and county budgets are set at the beginning of the year. In part it’s based on tax money they have already received. They will spend that money on projects. Engineering companies that cater to municipal clients are still doing well in this economy.

Learn people skills
This is an area that engineers typically don’t do well. Engineers work in teams and work with many different types of clients. The ability to talk to people is a valuable skill. When you talk to hiring managers and recruiters talk to them. Don’t just give them your resume and run away.

Do your homework
Know something about the company that you are applying to. Ask questions that directly relate to what they are doing. Use your answers to show how your skills relate to what they are doing.

Focus your resume
Make adjustments to your resume based on the job you are applying for. Each company has their own unique needs. Make sure that your resume shows that you meet those needs. You can find out those needs by reading the job description or by spending a few minutes on their website.

Differentiate
Use your resume, cover letter and face time to show how you are different. If you have more education than the next person, show it. If you have experience that the prospective employer could use, tell them about it. Make sure the employer knows why you are the perfect person for the job.

The basics matter even more
Since there are fewer jobs right now it is more important than ever to follow the basic rules when applying for a job. Make sure there are no typos in your resume or cover letter. Dress properly for an interview. Talk to your references so they aren’t surprised when they get a call. Be positive. Send thank you cards after an interview.

I could go on and on, but this covers the basics. What are some other important things you’ve found?

INRIX, a company that provides real time traffic information to mobile phones, gps, maping services etc…, has released a report of the worst traffic in the US. Los Angeles, New York and Chicago are the top three most congested metro areas. They also make up 23 of the top 25 worst bottlenecks.

Not surprisingly for the most part the larger the metro area the worse the traffic. My own metro area, San Antonio, is 28th in size and 26th in worst traffic. Though, there are a few that don’t. Austin is 37th in population but is listed as 21st on the worst traffic list. Looks like opportunities for traffic engineers.

Check out the list and other reports at http://scorecard.inrix.com/scorecard/

There are a lot of different branches of civil engineering.  I’m going to go over a few of them for those of you that are new to the industry.  That will give you an idea of what you can focus in and what you may want to do after you graduate.  Today I’ll talk about traffic engineering and what traffic engineers do.  Or more specifically I’ll make a list with bullets.  Us engineers seem to like lists.

Definition
The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) defines traffic engineering as “that phase of engineering which deals with the planning, geometric design and traffic operations of roads, streets and highways…their networks, terminals, abutting lands and relationships with other modes of transportation…for the achievement of safe, efficient and convenient movement of persons and goods.”  Basically traffic engineers make the transportation work.

Some Examples of What They Do
Coordinate signal lights so that you don’t have to stop at as many red lights
Do studies to determine speed limits
Do studies to determine the need to traffic signals, stop signs and other traffic controls
Develop systems to move traffic efficiently through high traffic areas like schools, sporting events and rush hour traffic

Major concerns
Efficiency – getting people where they want to be as fast as possible
Safety – getting them there safely
Economics – doing it for a reasonable cost

Resources
AASHTO A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets (Green Book)
FHWA Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)
TRB Highway Capacity Manual

Design Software Used
Tru-Traffic TS/PP – www.tsppd.com
Synchro – www.trafficware.com
PASSER – ttisoftware.tamu.edu

Links For More Info
www.ite.org
www.ite.org/pdf/trafeng.PDF
www.fhwa.dot.gov
www.transportation.org
www.trb.org

There are some quick notes and links to much more information.  What are some important things that I should add to this list?

If you’re planning to take the Fundamentals of Engineering exam in October the registration deadline is coming up.  Check out www.ncees.org for information on registering.