20 Civil Designer Reviews

Civil Designer at Progress Energy

Please give us a one liner to describe this review.

"A very unpleasant and unhappy experience overall."

What do you like about working at Progress Energy?

"the new building we were in"

Do you have any tips for others interviewing with this company?

"Make sure you enjoy being treated like a mindless robot if it's an office job you are looking for - and be really good at manipulation and deceit."

What don't you like about working at Progress Energy?

"The misrepresentation and hostility of management -being offered one salary verbally and then reneging on it. Being talked about maliciously and belittled by management. Attempts to manipulate me and use my ideas without acknowledging my contributions. Endless overtime with no balance for life and work."

What suggestions do you have for management?

"Get your head out of the clouds - everyone has to have electricity - your success is because of that, not because you are great managers with great people skills. You have a lot of great field people working for you - that is who should have more voice in running the company. They have to know what they are doing, not the backstabbing suckups who work for you."

Civil Designer at Zak Companies

What do you like about working at Zak Companies?

"Short commute"

Do you have any tips for others interviewing with this company?

"Don't mention politics. Ever. It will be mentioned to you, and they'll actually ask you how you vote - but don't give anything up."

What don't you like about working at Zak Companies?

"The working atmosphere was politically hostile. If you weren't a Bible-thumping conservative, you weren't welcome."

What suggestions do you have for management?

"Do a better job of regulating the working environment."

Civil Designer at URS

Please give us a one liner to describe this review.

"I find it quite helpful and must admit, these are excellent questions."

What do you like about working at URS?

"Working in the private sector for my 34 year career, it was a pleasant and interesting 3 months working in the corporate environment. I was truly disappointed when several of us got the word that our employment with URS was coming to an end.I was impressed with the professionalism and the background of all the different ethnic group of employees there. I was hoping that being employed by URS opened the door to having the opportunity to work in many locations of the country."

Do you have any tips for others interviewing with this company?

"Be aware that URS is a large corporation and not a small company like many private firms. Go in with an open mind and remember what your job function is and the task at hand. In most cases, individuals, like myself have the background as a project manager, but at URS I am no more than a Civil Site Designer. I was comfortable with that scenario. If you are a non-degree individual know going in that it will be the Professional Engineers that will manage most projects and rightly so. I was comfortable knowing that I can concentrate on the task at hand and that is design projects and not have to be concerned about the items that go with managing the project. This is something that new employees need to keep in mind."

What don't you like about working at URS?

"I was truly dumb founded when I was not offered a position in a different department or other office locations across the USA and the world. As an employee for three months or as an employee for fifteen years, I believe that URS' human resources department is obligated to search for a position and to offer those positions to the employees that are being relieved of their duties with the firm. I must admit that I was surprised I was not at least offered a position elsewhere. I am not married to the Dallas - Ft. worth area and I have the flexibility of working anywhere and everywhere. The bottom line is that I feel URS didn't take care of their property.......me the employee. Being one of the largest corporations in the world, I felt I was not treated fairly."

What suggestions do you have for management?

"I believe that the company should look more at the experience level instead of educational level of possible new employees. Many situations will require individuals with professional licenses, but on the other hand, it is the work of those individuals who are experienced and have little college that get the work done in a timely fashion. Too much of the budget and way too much emphasis is wasted on those individuals who lack experience simply because they are not taught in school many of the technical aspects of the real engineering world. It's just my opinion that many companies get too top heavy with licensed engineers and E.I.T.'s and truly need to look at hiring more people with the technical backgrounds. I believe that many companies need to make their Human Resource Department people do more than work with new employees and prepare orientations. HR staff should be concentrating on and doing the leg work in finding positions for their current employees when the need presents itself like in my case. Yes, employees should be looking online in the careers department as well and applying for positions there as I have done many times. I really want to return to the URS system and I hope that is a possibility soon."

Civil Designer at Jacobs

Do you have any tips for others interviewing with this company?

"Be prepared for a lot of isolation."

What don't you like about working at Jacobs?

"Too government oriented."

What suggestions do you have for management?

"Find the projects..."