PPI Forums

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As many of you know, I will be retiring from the Marine Corps in a few months after 20 years of abusing my knees and lower back. Can anyone tell me how the job market is looking? Here are my vitals:

Desired Location - Houston, Dallas or San Antionio
BS Chem Engineering
MS Electrical Engineering
PE - Texas (Electrical)
Mixed experience in Progect Engineering, Project Management, facility
managment, Upstream and downstream petroleum work.
Travel - No Problem (But I've seen enough of the Mid-East for a while.)

Freon, P.P. in Exile

[quote=tomlang]Ladies and Gentlemen,

As many of you know, I will be retiring from the Marine Corps in a few months after 20 years of abusing my knees and lower back. Can anyone tell me how the job market is looking? Here are my vitals:

Desired Location - Houston, Dallas or San Antionio
BS Chem Engineering
MS Electrical Engineering
PE - Texas (Electrical)
Mixed experience in Progect Engineering, Project Management, facility
managment, Upstream and downstream petroleum work.
Travel - No Problem (But I've seen enough of the Mid-East for a while.)

Freon, P.P. in Exile[/quote]

Freon P.E. in Exile - The "edit" function keeps failing on me...

Well I truly hope you were working as an Officer with the Marine Corps. What exactly were your reesponsabilities with the Marines? Lots of firms out there will definitely not hire a retired military person when it comes to Design work. You might be able to land a Project Management job easier. I know for a fact military folks will usually have STRONG skills in this particular area...

Right now I am a staff officer, my actual title in "Information Managment Officer", but I do very "Imformation Managment" in the traditional sense. I am more of a data systems manager. Over the years I have done a considerable amount of project managment and project engineering work, but my design experience is limited.

Freon, P.E. in Exile (for another 147 days)

It sounds to me like you will not have much trouble at all securing a rewarding position. From what I have seen, usually folks that are not in Supervisory/Management positions in the IM/IT field can make pretty good money when it comes to overtime. I should say though, your credentials point a little more towards a Supervisory type- although I know PE's (Civil!!!) that do work in the IT field. Best of luck!

I would look at http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/ if you want to start on a second pension. they have a nice searchable database.

I hear that haliburton is hiring on the western slope of Colorado and other places. managerial experience is in high demand.

good luck!

Hi,

I finished my B.S. Civil Engneering and M.S urban engineering in India. I have four years of work experience in India. I live in denver for the past 3 years. Now I am looking for a job. Mostly Entry level jobs, to develop my career in U.S.

Do I need to take any special courses that will support to find out the job or Do I need to do higher studies again to find out the job.Because most of the employers are asking for U.S. work experience.

Freon:

Are you a member of the Society of American Military Engineers? They have a job search service where member firms can advertise positions. And from what I've seen at chapter meetings (at least the ones at Bragg and Detrick), there is a lot of cross-polination between the engineering services and corporate members. I would walk away from every meeting with two or three business cards.

You can also place a resume on the site, but I've never tried it--not QUITE ready to retire just yet (well, on most days anyway).

The SAME Website is www.same.org and the job search website is http://jobs.same.org/

Oh, and keep your head down over there!

Don in MD,

I'll hit this site today. Thanks. After this tour, I'll be ready to hang up the pistol.

Freon

Let me know how it works, I'll be needing it myself in a couple of years.

Freon --

I worked as a SeaBee during my enlistment. After my service, while I was working on my MS I found it interesting that half of my class (Public Works Engineering) consisted of SeaBee officers. When I asked them about the classes they told me they were taking the classes for two reasons:

1. Promotion *POTENTIAL* to a billet beyond O4; and
2. Credibility for project management jobs after retirement.

I think the big thing going for you is that you have those credentials and your professional registration. I think the real issue will be what job do you see for yourself? Also, have you considered continued Federal Service outside of the military? Your work history and credentialing there would go a lot further. Also you could find placement in a "softer" job that would be more tolerant of the degraded condition of your knee and back.

Just a few thoughts.

Be safe out there - take care.

Regards,

JR

JR,

Thanks for the response, I've looked into working at USACoE. But with my luck I'd end up right back over here again! There are some serious benifits to continuing in the Federal Service after a 20-year stint in uniform and I still consider it an optition if I can't find something that is close to my target job.

Freon

[quote=jregieng]Freon --

I worked as a SeaBee during my enlistment. After my service, while I was working on my MS I found it interesting that half of my class (Public Works Engineering) consisted of SeaBee officers. When I asked them about the classes they told me they were taking the classes for two reasons:

1. Promotion *POTENTIAL* to a billet beyond O4; and
2. Credibility for project management jobs after retirement.

I think the big thing going for you is that you have those credentials and your professional registration. I think the real issue will be what job do you see for yourself? Also, have you considered continued Federal Service outside of the military? Your work history and credentialing there would go a lot further. Also you could find placement in a "softer" job that would be more tolerant of the degraded condition of your knee and back.

Just a few thoughts.

Be safe out there - take care.

Regards,

JR[/quote]

Check carefully on those benefits, my understanding is that some of them are not applicable if you retire as a field grade officer (it's why they have that box on the federal job application), and the new personnel system that is being fielded (NSPS) may cause other changes. Check the OPM website to make sure you have accurate information, don't rely on info from "barracks lawyers" (or barracks personnelists).

Don in MD,

I've looked into it with the folks at the Transition Center. (I sound just like an AFN Commercial.) You lose your "Veteran?s Hiring Preference? when you pin on the Oak Leaf, but most of the other benefits (Time in service credit for example) are the same. There just aren?t that many CoE jobs where I want to live in Texas.

Freon, Exile ends in 135 days

I have 20 years of Seabee life behind me. Finding a job in the civilian market is not a problem. You'll fit easily in project management position but it will help you evenmore if you can get your hands in "design." Just be careful treating people under and around you, they are not as obedient and respectful as the men in uniform. Military organizational management is a plus. Congratulation on your completion of your military service and THANK YOU for keeping that flag fly high.