Economy starting to improve this time?
Over the weekend, I attended an Engineers Without Boarders field exercise which was held near me. While there, I heard of a couple surveying companies here in Maryland which are supposedly looking for help.
I'm just wondering if other people on Beer Leg have heard of things perhaps opening up after all this time...
I know some surveyors who are very busy in the New Albany Shale Gas area.
They have raised their prices and not really hired more people.
Still very quiet here. Jan and Feb were snowy and cold, so I'm hoping it will pick up with the warmer weather.
Busier here in the SE. Don't know how long it will last but better than this time last year. People are moving again, developers starting to call on old projects, homeowners starting to do improvements that require permits, steady flow of refi/new purchase ALTA work.
There are a few new opportunities around here, but with so many people vying for the same jobs...good luck landing one.
> Over the weekend, I attended an Engineers Without Boarders field exercise
Things must be especially tough in Maryland if engineers are so desperate to take in boarders that they've not only formed an association, but are actually conducting field exercises to aid in the hunt for people to whom they can rent rooms.
On a more serious note, things are still spotty in my neck of the woods (northern CA). Some weeks I'm swamped, other weeks I have ample time to feel guilty for not doing all the little office organization projects that I've been putting off for years.
Seeing a big upswing since the first of the year.
I am, at the moment running like it was 5 years ago.
But the low-ball competition is still running rampant around here.
I am hopeful that they will finally starved themselves out of business. Some of the stuff I have seen advertised to realtors and title companies from out of town surveying companies would just turn your stomach.
"2 for 1 weekly special", "half off on your first 5 orders", "let us know what you have been paying and we will beat it by 50%", "24 hour turnaround or its free", etc, etc, etc.
One flyer that I was shown, actually had my company's name and "standard price" in comparison to his.
If I ever see that idiot face to face, its going to be interesting to say the least.
I am the most passive 6'8", 270 lbs guy you would ever meet, but I would like to give this guy a "friendly bear hug".
Hope the upswing keeps up, but I have learned to not get very optimistic.
Randy:-)
The actual intent of this exercise was to show some college age youngsters how to use a couple pieces of equipment like levels (dumpy, abney, self leveling, etc). I can see the value of those things if one goes someplace that does not have electricity to charge batteries (help, how do I charge my laptop??)
I am not a member, but dropped by in an attempt to network. Turned out that I had considerably more field experience than 2/3 of the leaders, so was asked to pitch in. Not a problem, turned out to be fun and got me out of the house for a few hours.
> I am the most passive 6'8", 270 lbs guy you would ever meet, but I would like to give this guy a "friendly bear hug".
My first boss was the about the same stature and attitude, but he wasn't the best driver. One day he rear-ended this guy. This guy was really PO'd and came stomping out of his car, yelling at my boss through the window, ready to open a can of whoop ass. My boss gets out of his truck and this guy steps about 10 feet back......"I don't want no trouble now, I'm sure we can work something out......
Yep, I hope your competitor enjoys his bear hug.
> Hope the upswing keeps up, but I have learned to not get very optimistic.
>
> Randy:-)
There was a small upswing here, for about the first 6 weeks of 2011, sure wish it would swing back up again.....
Douglas Casement, PLS
I am the most passive 6'8", 270 lbs guy you would ever meet
If I was that tall I would get a nose bleed:-P
