There are two types of folks; those that like prior military and those that don't.
<sarcasm> Employees who step up and pitch in when they see a problem, even if it's not specifically in their job description, because they understand the mission comes before the individual are the worst. </sarcasm>
I have only had two experiences with military and ex-military types.?ÿ They have been conditioned to do what they are told to do.?ÿ Nothing more, nothing less.?ÿ Too many times in the survey world, that is not enough.?ÿ Initiative has been beaten out of them.
@holy-cow well I don??t disagree but I don??t 100% agree either. It truly depends on what their occupation was in the service. I have worked with a lot while in and while out. Those more in a combat role tend to obey orders differently than those in trade or science role. Also humans are humans and in the service those that don??t get er done and do the bare minimum we called dirt bags . What I witnessed was it was part of the individual and part of the Leadership of those around them. I am a firm believer that most problems are solved with good leadership. Not management. I have seen great managers but poor leaders and vice versa . Unfortunately many get these confused with a title or position. I would not say all military have had initiative beat out but some have. And some never had it anyway. I believe a lot starts at home. Now each branch has different approaches to all this. ?ÿWish I could come prove you wrong. But I have seen what you have seen as well.?ÿ
@james-fleming My first job out of the Marines. I was a trainer for Trimble dealer. I was in the office one day and walked to the show room to get water out of those fancy jugs turned upside down. I saw the garbage was overflowing so I grabbed it put a new bag in carried the trash to dumpster outback. The owner of the company received a call from a fellow employee i was taking her job over. She was mad. The owner called me talked to me about not doing what i had not been hired to do. Blew my mind. Glad I found another job a year later. Lol.?ÿ
@olemanriver After graduating from college in 2001 I went to work for a government agency. I'd never worked for government before but I was determined to demonstrate my superior work ethic and initiative and I plowed into every assignment with gusto. I was going to show them they'd made the right call hiring me. No job too big or too small, I was a force to be reckoned with. It really was a great opportunity for me to get to do things I'd never have a chance to do in the private sector, but having come from the dog eat dog world of the private sector, I'd been conditioned that to get ahead you had to be Jonny on the spot and always a step ahead. Thinking I was doing great and well on my way, soon I found myself cornered by a group of seasoned veterans who made it quite clear that I was making them look bad and the message was clear,?ÿ knock it off.?ÿ Raise the bar and everyone else is going to be pissed because that is just not the way it's done. I stuck it out long enough to get licensed and at first chance I jumped into something with a little more upside. I'm not casting judgement one way or the other but there's a world of difference between those two worlds.
@williwaw you said a mouthful for sure. I see government kinda like those involved in a church. 20% do 80% of the work. And you are 100% if you are at a government job and you are busting it then someone will find a way to control you and slow you down because it is a steady pace not all in and get er done pace. That and the P word (politics) is one reason I wanted out. I learned a lot there and worked with some great very intelligent folks. But being brought up and being in private sector I missed the big challenge and way of working. But i also found there is a lot of that on the private sector side now days just different times and such.?ÿ
While employed by a Government contractor to the Army I learned what Williwaw learned.?ÿ Do your job.?ÿ Don't do anyone else's job or even help them.?ÿ If your product is to be complete in 30 days, do not turn it in early.?ÿ In fact, beg for more time.?ÿ Doing nothing while awaiting a new project is perfectly acceptable, so long as you keep billing time to the project you have done but have not yet turned in.?ÿ Never, I repeat, never, get something perfect on the first attempt.?ÿ Make sure there are certain "bugs" that need to be fixed.?ÿ More money will magically appear to pay to "debug" your faulty work.
One very capable electrical engineer was terminated shortly after he "fixed" the intentional "bugs" made by others on the night before the demonstration to the Army.?ÿ The higher-ups had already put together a $400,000 debug request to be presented when the demonstration didn't work correctly.?ÿ Oops.?ÿ It worked perfectly.
Want to thank you all for the advice. I am working on the resume with all this info. ?ÿI received a call today from a company and just wanted to know if i was interested in possibly coming on board. Well we will see after I get this all put together. ?ÿI have not put one together in a very long time. ?ÿSo thank you all.?ÿ
This is not exactly what you're looking for because it's general resume advice rather than the more technical resume that you want to write but I some of the advice might be useful.?ÿ
Make sure to skip the first section which are all external site links.?ÿ
Perhaps also do a search for "cover letters" and something like "resume technical" (no double quotes).?ÿ
Best of luck!
Melita
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Be careful with the keep it brief advice/1 page stuff. This is great advice for applying to jobs with large numbers of applicants, because there is a limited amount of time for review of each resume, so you don't want to burry the lede, but?ÿ proffesional survey jobs with that kind of interset are rare.
To stand out you need to really highlight the skills and knowledge you have used at your jobs in a way thatvis tailored to the opening you are applying too. Don't be afraid of detail.?ÿ
For example "led a survey crew" won't get you as far as describing the kind of decisions you were making and the kind of challenges you found your way through.
I like the guidance on this page: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include/
Note that this was developed for those seeking (US) federal jobs via USAJOBS where the notices provide explicit guidance on duties and qualifications.?ÿ
Unfortunately many job announcements are rather vague about duties and qualifications.
Here is an example of a current Vacancy Announcement (for a Supervisory Geodesist ZP-4):
https://www.usajobs.gov/job/667902700?utm_medium=email&utm_source=GovDelivery
?ÿ
HTH,
DMM
@geeoddmike Good ole usajobs. ?ÿYes this is a good place to look for work and applying for a government job. One of the keys to getting through the government system is to read the job announcement and use the key words in your application. ?ÿAs many times as you possibly can. ?ÿThat way you get through the first phase of screening.?ÿ
I want to focus on boundary specifically. ?ÿAlta physical/ mortgage surveys etc. I have done the federal side and nothing wrong with it at all I learned a tremendous amount but as I am semi retired. ?ÿMy focus is on getting licensed and learning everything I can about boundary law and such. I have been trying to figure out just how to get to that position. Larger firms I am worried I will get focused into a certain position that isolates me from other aspects I will need like research boundary determination etc. ?ÿseems larger firms that do a variety of surveying but your either a crew chief a drafter (i do need drafting experience). Or management. ?ÿMy dream and the reason I came back to Land Surveying is I love the rural boundary surveys. The walking behind someone and also working with grandma to divide her property for her grand children etc. ?ÿor the land owner who is combining seperate parcels he/she has acquired. ?ÿI love reading old deeds and looking at old plats and having to keep my mind understanding that this survey was done with a chain and transit and all the precision and accuracy of today??s technology doesn??t always match but knowing you have the right evidence and corner. ?ÿ
I am going back and forth between larger firms to trying to find that old timer working from home. ?ÿI have several offers from larger firms and I could make more money. But none of them pay as well as what I made on government side. But I didn??t come back to land surveying for the money. But my wife sometimes ask me if i am nuts. ?ÿWorking for very little low end crew chief pay. What a monthly pay is now i made in a week. ?ÿI could go back but I love the boundary side. One of the other crew chiefs we join up a lot on jobs. ?ÿHe hates boundary and always said I never seen someone get so into looking for darn rebars lol. Looking for that small remnant of old fence wire in a tree and finding enough that puts a line together.?ÿ
so any advice is welcome in how to find that type of place i am all ears. Who knows maybe i find it and the mentor sells or allows me to take over when they have decided enough is enough. Owning a business doesn??t scare me either. I have been a partner in a surveying type business and own my farm business. ?ÿI am probably nuts as all i ever hear is boundary surveying doesn??t make money. Well they said tge same thing about farming.?ÿ
@stlsurveyor I just sent you my rough draft resume. Thank you for the offer. Please have a stiff drink before reading it and if you are ever out east I owe you a few for sure.
