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Posted By: The Watt Doctor At the office on Friday.... - 04/29/02 12:22 PM
I arrived between 8:00 & 8:30. I thought I had a job there, where I've been working since July '97, but I really didn't. So, I put all my stuff in a box, and headed for the "casa". Funny thing is, I had been looking for a job because of the financial status of my former company, and I got a call on Sunday for a position making $11k more than I make now. Yeap, the Lord works in mysterious ways. Amen!
I must admit that I am nervous about this new postition. It's more of the project management type, and I really don't have any experience at it. Any advice would help.

Jobological Regards,
Doc
Posted By: George Corron Re: At the office on Friday.... - 04/29/02 01:37 PM
Doc,
Uh, what about my leg appointment? [Linked Image]

Let's face it, I started an apprentice (as did you) and I've worked 'upward' ever since. Take each thing as a learning experience Doc, you're up to the challenge. The biggest thing I've learned is to try not to impose to many of my personal feelings on the guys you supervise, IOW, a good mechanic will deliver a good job in as timely a fashion as possible.....usually. Just because I would have used left handed widgets instead of right handed doesn't mean they're wrong. That philosophy has served me well no matter if I am the business owner, supervisor, inspector, or an engineer....ENJOY, you're about to learn a lot, if you're open to it, and I think you are.

The next thing I'd caution young'uns about is this.....NEVER get in a position to where a lay off, expected or not, cripples you. Savings accounts can save you in a crisis, and make the storm much more comfortable. Hee hee, where ya think I'd be if I did not adhere to that discipline, heck, I've been off 3.5 months now cause I broke my leg (OK, it gets a bit more complicated than that, but still).

BTW Doc, been meaning to talk to you about your schedule of treatment....Have I REALLY gotta take that entire bottle of medicine every day? Including that worm at the bottom of the bottle? [Linked Image]
Posted By: BuggabooBren Re: At the office on Friday.... - 04/29/02 02:39 PM
Dear Doc,

Project Management - Oooh La La - my passion (ok, enough drama....)! I've been pursuing the 'formal education' side of this since '98. I'd be happy to share info, resources, etc with you, if you'd like. I completed my Master's Certificate in PM in Feb '01 and thankfully it does look like the investment will pay off.

What I can tell you, as it pertains to your electrical career, is that I nearly guarantee that you've already been doing Project Management (PM) if you've ever completed any project at all.

The main differences between 'formal' PM and what most of us do is:
a) using the PM dictionary, lingo & terms, and
b) organizing our project and our thoughts in terms of the 'BIG 3' of PM: SCOPE, TIME, and COST. In other words, what will get done and in how much time at what cost?

I'm glad you proactively sought options and that they came through for you - that alone should tell you that you're qualified for the next level of involvement or management of resources. You seemed to have proven capable of managing your own path pretty well! Congrats!
Posted By: WARREN1 Re: At the office on Friday.... - 04/29/02 03:20 PM
Check out the Project Management Institute for many training classes, etc.
Posted By: BuggabooBren Re: At the office on Friday.... - 04/29/02 03:32 PM
Oh yeah, good recommendation, Warren. Shame on me for not thinking of it since I'm an officer in my local chapter....
www.pmi.org

Check the 'look for a chapter' link because you may find one close to you and you don't have to be a member to attend a meeting or event. We try to provide free or low-cost training opportunities here and I imagine that's true in nearly every chapter.
Posted By: motor-T Re: At the office on Friday.... - 04/29/02 06:32 PM
Doc;
You want some advice, Just be the best you can be.
-Mark- [Linked Image]
Posted By: Chris Rudolph Re: At the office on Friday.... - 04/29/02 10:08 PM
My advice is simple,manage by staying in close contact with the actual workers.I refer to this style as "walk around management".I have seen many managers holed up in their offices with their select staff reporting to them.They don't have a clue.
Good luck
Chris
Posted By: circuit man Re: At the office on Friday.... - 04/29/02 10:14 PM
[Linked Image] congratulations doc!one word of advice R-E-S-P-E-C-T. treat your workers with ths and you'll have a good team!treat them as you want ot be treated & you'll go far!GOOD LUCK! ERWIN [Linked Image]
Posted By: sparky Re: At the office on Friday.... - 04/29/02 10:56 PM
Erwin's got the main ingredient....
sprinkle liberally with delegation....
add a pinch of teamwork.....

enjoy a nice carear!
[Linked Image from darwinawards.com]
Posted By: Nick Re: At the office on Friday.... - 04/30/02 01:29 AM
Quote
b) organizing our project and our thoughts in terms of the 'BIG 3' of PM: SCOPE, TIME, and COST. In other words, what will get done and in how much time at what cost?
Man! I have been doing two jobs all this time! I need a raise!

Guess that means now high voltage project updates. [Linked Image]

Good luck Doc!
Posted By: BuggabooBren Re: At the office on Friday.... - 04/30/02 06:51 PM
Yes, Nick, and not only that, but there's money to be made in PM that I wouldn't have imagined....

For example, a PMP (a certified Project Management Professional, see below on what that takes...*) that directed my attention toward formalizing my Project Mgmt career turns down any job opportunity that pays below the $110,000/year range he's grown accustomed to. His 'rush/high profile, gotta have it right and we'll pay a premium for the best' project leadership rates exceed $300,000/year.

After I described to him what I'd been doing for over a decade, he declared that I'd been doing Project Mgmt all along and that others who were similarly occupied (keeping track of schedules of projects) were making approximately $70,000/year. I was floored - especially since I'd been making less than half of that.

*PMP Requirements:
In addition to taking an extensive test covering the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), there is also an 'experience' requirement as follows:

PMI® requires that a PMP candidate with a bachelor’s degree document a minimum of 4500 hours of project management work experience over a minimum of three (3) years. The hours must span the minimum time period. Your start dates/end dates on the Experience Verification Forms must indicate a minimum of thirty-six (36) months. Hours worked prior to six (6) years from the date of application will not be considered.

A candidate without a bachelor’s degree must document a minimum of 7500 hours of project management work experience over a minimum of five (5) years. The hours must span the minimum time period. Start dates/end dates on the Experience Verification Forms must indicate a minimum of sixty (60) months. Hours worked prior to eight (8) years from the date of application will not be considered.

Don't be put off by the grandiose verbage, I'd be willing to bet that given just a little bit of training and preparation for the test, anyone who has 5+ years doing projects in any industry could build a resume that would qualify them.
Posted By: The Watt Doctor Re: At the office on Friday.... - 05/01/02 03:01 AM
Thanks to all for the kind words.

George. Yur'n leg still is need'n doctor'n. Take two wire nuts an' call me on the bell invention.

Bugga. Thanks for the info. God Bless.

Warren. As always, you are a gentleman. Best regards to you, your family, etc.

motor-t. Some of the most practical info I've ever heard. God Speed.

Mr. Rudolph. Thanks for defining a term that may have never before been defined. Regards.

circuit man. Sounds like the "Golden Rule". Thanks for the reminder. I mean it, sincerely.

Chef Sparky? Thanks.

Nick. I will leave comment on the 12.5 KV project that I recently bid. I think that you will be suprised at the results. Best regards.

Again, regards to all.
Doc
Posted By: sparky66wv Re: At the office on Friday.... - 05/01/02 04:37 PM
That's $150 per hour! (About ten times what I make)...

I'm depressed now...

[Linked Image]
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