4 months goes by a lot quicker for a PLS managing multiple jobs, multiple crews, a career and a family. It might seem like a long time for you, but its really not. I cannot recall ever receiving a promotion after only 4-months of work in my 30 years of surveying. I would concentrate on that SIT and make sure to pass it the first time. When you do, make sure to thank your boss for reviewing your application. That will be a good way/time to let him know you passed. That would likely put you at the top of the list for the next PC slot that opens, if you are not already there.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Are you working with the same PC every day or having a go with all of them? If it is always the same one, that gives you an opportunity to meet with the boss. Remind him that you came to learn and by working with other PCs you could learn more and be more valuable to the firm. Do not mention becoming a PC at this time, but be ware he is paying you more than other grunts and I doubt he is a fool with his money.
Paul in PA
voidintheabyss, post: 415366, member: 11972 wrote: Is it a "if I don't hear about any problems from my chiefs, I assume everything is good" sort of deal?
Pretty much.
That said, I run what's probably an unusual field model, because I don't have a lot of traditional instrument men. I'll often send out a two man crew that consist of guys with 4-5 years of experience and four year degrees. I have extra robots so if there is a lot of topo to shoot on a site the guys can break down into two "one-man crews". Also all my "instrument men" have access to CAD workstations and can process and draft in C3D, work on cut sheets, etc. My party chiefs can all take a job from start to finish in the office, run their own traverse adjustments, read a title report, write proposals, etc..
It's about getting the work done right, producing a product that stands out, and making money more than who has what title and what responsibility. If something goes exceptionally well in the field it's because both guys contributed; if a job gets screwed up, they're both on the hook for it. Both guys sit in when I or (mostly) the project surveyor goes over the job when it starts and reviews the field work at the end. None of this "it was the other guy's responsibility" crap, it's a team not a hierarchy.
James Fleming, post: 415477, member: 136 wrote: Pretty much.
I really like your model!
James Fleming, post: 415477, member: 136 wrote:
That said, I run what's probably an unusual field model, because I don't have a lot of traditional instrument men. I'll often send out a two man crew that consist of guys with 4-5 years of experience and four year degrees. [ . . . ] It's about getting the work done right, producing a product that stands out, and making money more than who has what title and what responsibility. [ . . ]
Not that unusual. I worked at a small firm where the crew I was on had near equal skill sets and were interchangeable, a useful system for construction staking, switching the hub pounder every few hours to keep him/her fresh for example. Yes, there were job titles, but pay differences were based on seniority and perceived competence. After three years we both were getting the same pay! The other odd thing is the owner would spend a day on the crew every once a month or so and preferred pounding hubs or brushing all day "for the exercise", and he was very good at it.
[MEDIA=youtube]T4TxahKAqlg[/MEDIA]
If there's not enough work for another pc, not much you can do about that. Have a conversation with the boss, odds are if everything seems to be going good in the field from his desk he might have no idea you are getting anxious out there unless you say something. Let him know where your at and level with him ask him how well he thinks your doing, try to set up a goal for promotion. If there's no opening, no future workload to take on another pc, time to move on down the road. Have to look out for yourself.
