New Beginnings and where to start

Become active in TAPS, and take those chances to do the field work when available. Read up with Clark On Boundaries, Evidence and Procedures, etc...

Attend seminars and take the SIT exam..

Get a good textbook on basic surveying, perhaps Wolf & Ghilani, and digest it in the evenings. That will help you know what's going on in the field and why. It will make those learning experiences more valuable when you do get to go to the field, and make you more valuable to the team.

The books on boundary are very important eventually, but right now I think you should concentrate on adding to your usefulness as a rodman or instrument man.

Welcome. Sound advice to start reading. The education you have should help with the technical aspects of the job. Those are the part that you will earn your keep with for now. Start reading about the history of Surveying in your area and the laws we work under. You are building the knowledge base to draw from later when it's time to become the decision maker.
One friendly bit of advice. Many of us in the Profession get riled up when the word 'trade' is used to describe surveying. We are a Profession, and a quite honorable one at that. Remember that about yourself if you decide to stay on the Surveyors path...
Good luck, Tom

> Any tips or suggestions for someone brand new?
My suggestion is to keep asking questions, do a little reading, and give it some time.

FWIW, I'd stay away from Clark on Surveying.. for now. Pretty heavy for a beginner. I also would shy from the latest editions of Boundary Control & Legal Principles and Evidence and Procedures.... You can get a 2nd edition of Boundary Control.. from Alibris.com for under $10, including shipping. That would be a good entry point. The 13th Edition of Elementary Surveying was recently available for free download. Google it.

On slow days in the office, go out in the field with the crew and see what it takes to gather the information and see the sites in person. Even a few hours at a time can be helpful.

It will actually help you and the crew in the long run as tips can be passed back and forth on understanding each others point of views in reading notes and gathering information.

Congrats on your recent educational accomplishment. It is a fine foundation, though I'm sure surveying, geodesy, and GIS coursework later will help fill in the blanks.

My humble opinion is that learning a profession, like a language, is best done by immersion. In my case, that was months at a time in remote field camps where surveying was only punctuated by an early breakfast, late supper, and a good night's sleep. And while your experience need not be that extreme, I'll point out that young doctors eat, sleep, and breathe their profession at the hospital for unbroken days at a time; young lawyers practically live at the office--the same for young stockbrokers; young farmers and fisherman work unceasingly to build their equity... For a young man especially, I recommend jumping in with both feet and lots of hours if this is what you want. You only pass this way once, and your early years are irreplaceable.

I was looking into TAPS and trying to see what other groups in the Middle Tennessee area I could join.

Definitely will jump on the field opportunities when I can.

As for seminars, I'm still looking for the right places to keep apprised of what's going on and when. (The TAPS seminars seemed mostly to be board meetings)

I'm starting to build a reading list from everyone's suggestions...

> One friendly bit of advice. Many of us in the Profession get riled up when the word 'trade' is used to describe surveying. We are a Profession, and a quite honorable one at that. Remember that about yourself if you decide to stay on the Surveyors path...

I'm sorry, I wasn't aware of different connotations between the two. I will definitely keep it in mind though.
Thanks!

Definitely going to run my new reading list through my library system and check out my local McKay's Books.

> My suggestion is to keep asking questions, do a little reading, and give it some time.

Giving it time is the hardest one!

> It will actually help you and the crew in the long run as tips can be passed back and forth on understanding each others point of views in reading notes and gathering information.

It's definitely helped in drawing up surveys and whatnot by being able to see what it looks like in the field. I've also noticed that each party chief has their own way of doing things, helps to see them in action.

Couple of books I have:
Moffit/Bouchard: Surveying (mine's old-8th edition)
Davis/Foote: Survey Theory and Practice

+ as much field time as possible.

-JD-

> Congrats on your recent educational accomplishment. It is a fine foundation, though I'm sure surveying, geodesy, and GIS coursework later will help fill in the blanks.
>
> My humble opinion is that learning a profession, like a language, is best done by immersion. In my case, that was months at a time in remote field camps where surveying was only punctuated by an early breakfast, late supper, and a good night's sleep. And while your experience need not be that extreme, I'll point out that young doctors eat, sleep, and breathe their profession at the hospital for unbroken days at a time; young lawyers practically live at the office--the same for young stockbrokers; young farmers and fisherman work unceasingly to build their equity... For a young man especially, I recommend jumping in with both feet and lots of hours if this is what you want. You only pass this way once, and your early years are irreplaceable.

Hmm... I definitely see what you mean. I've got to steep myself in the knowledge to let it soak in. (There's only so much I can learn from just reading anyway)
Doctors and Investigators seem to be the two most commonly used analogies for the profession. 🙂

I definitely want to take advantage of still being relatively young, that's why I'm wanting to make sure I start off on the right foot.

> Get a good textbook on basic surveying, perhaps Wolf & Ghilani, and digest it in the evenings. That will help you know what's going on in the field and why. It will make those learning experiences more valuable when you do get to go to the field, and make you more valuable to the team.

I talked to my boss over lunch and he gave me a starter textbook.

> The books on boundary are very important eventually, but right now I think you should concentrate on adding to your usefulness as a rodman or instrument man.

I've had some experience as a rodman in the past, but I've only once been allowed to run the instrument (and it was a small job). Other than time and personal experience, do you know any sites/books/blogs for learning the best practices of being a rodman and/or instrument man?

> Definitely going to run my new reading list through my library system and check out my local McKay's Books.
You may find some of these books in a law school library. You are not likely to find them in your local public library, or in any book store that does not specialize in technical books.

Not only rod or I man, but a CAD drafter who can run through the Comps is very useful.

I used to take home plans and punch them in. I am pretty quick now and I have a great library of initial comps for future work.

Learn the Least Squares.

Get off the internet and get to work before I report you to your aunt.

Find a good mentor and ask questions. Be curious. Get your hands dirty. Work for a variety of folks. Don't just learn one surveyor's way of doing things. I find there are two kinds of folks in surveying. Those that are there to collect a pay check, they generally learn just enough to get by and are content with that and those that just love what they're doing and have an appetite for learning that never quits.

:good:

I'm a hands on guy. Reading never hurts, but there is absolutely no substitute for field experience. Learn as much as you can, at whatever pace works for your schedule, from an experienced party chief. (Or more than one).

You are right, every party chief will have their own unique way of doing things. Learn what they are doing and why they are doing it. Eventually you can use that knowledge to invent your own "how to do it". (See quote at bottom of this message).