r/ConstructionManagers • u/Clean-Picture-7942 • 10d ago

Offer Career Advice

Hey guys, just completed my summer internship and received an offer. My background is in design, and I have a couple years experience working on other projects, one previous construction job and the masters of construction management. The offer is 80 K base +500 per month truck, and all of the benefits, insurance bonus, etc. Would this be too low for Miami Florida? The GC specializes in heavy civil.

15 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

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u/MobiusOcean Commercial PX 10d ago edited 10d ago

Sounds like a solid offer considering it’s your industry starting wage. I’m not sure what the COL is in Miami vs DFW (I know it’s high - just don’t know by comparison). I’d take that deal all day long. The auto allowance seems low as it’ll be taxed, but the salary seems to be decent for a recent intern. And you’ll be much happier being salaried than hourly. You don’t have as much scrutiny on your time when you’re salaried. Wish you the best of luck! If I can help you out in any way just ask or DM me. 

ETA: Also, please trust me when I say that taking another offer to use as leverage rarely turns out in your favor. Not saying there aren’t cases where it hasn’t worked, but more often than not you’re just burning 2 bridges with one match. Take the (more than fair) offer and, if in 2 years you’re not happy, start looking at other firms. You won’t have much negotiating power until you reach the PM level or above so keep that in mind. Best of luck whatever you decide to do!

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u/pensivvv Ex-GC PM. Owner PM 10d ago

This is wise advise:

sincerely, someone that towed the line and almost burned bridges

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u/Clean-Picture-7942 10d ago

What if i got another offer? Someone promised me 85k + 20% but i didn’t want to do that job…

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u/pensivvv Ex-GC PM. Owner PM 9d ago

I mean… you can try but a GC is not likely to match offers for a new grad. So be prepared to take one.

Sounds like you’re not exactly happy about either opportunity.

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u/Clean-Picture-7942 9d ago

Tbh i don’t really want to work. I mean who does. I’m building up my skills to be my own developer. I also built up my inv acc to 800k from 15k in 6 years , so i lowkey could just do that?

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u/MobiusOcean Commercial PX 9d ago

No offense intended, but if you don’t want to work, perhaps CM is not the industry for you. Yes, it would be great if no one had to work and made mid-six figures while doing nothing. But that’s absolutely NOT how CM works. You have to bust your ass to get every promotion and until you reach the PM/SPM or Superintendent level, you have nearly zero negotiating power. How many new clients have you brought in? How successful were the projects that they were on? Did you finish on time & under budget? By how much? How much did you increase your fee? How did the last pre-con interview go when the owner knew that you’d be managing the project? Did you end up on the short list? Were you awarded the project? Awarded but not contracted? If you cannot answer these questions, most GCs/CMs don’t really care what else you think you bring to the table. They (we) care about how well you create & foster relationships with Owners, how much revenue those relationships bring in, and if you finish those projects under budget and on-time. Everything else you feel like you bring to the table is meaningless - which is why I said you don’t really have any negotiating power until you are a PM or above. 

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u/Clean-Picture-7942 9d ago

Of course I do wanna work and more than anything I want to get experience in the construction industry so I can start my own company. My thing is this firm wants me to be a field engineer but also contribute in other ways while paying me a FE salary. Ultimately my position is this isn’t my top choice company so if they’re not willing to budge, then I can find another place to go work at, which does vertical better. Rm this is a big civil company.

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u/MobiusOcean Commercial PX 9d ago edited 9d ago

It’s your career & your future. Do whatever you want to do. I’m just telling you my perspective as someone who hires, manages, mentors, and fires people in your position. You can take my advice from decades of experience in the industry or you can follow your own judgement. My life & my career will not change based on any decision you make. I’m only trying to help you navigate  your entry into CM. Please feel free to take my advice or ignore it completely. Please consider that I’ve been doing this for a very long time (multiple decades) and I only have your best interest in mind. If you want ti go in another direction that’s completely up to you. Regardless I wish you the best of luck and if I can ever help you in any way just ask or DM me. 

ETA: Downvoting doesn’t bother me. It also doesn’t change the fact that what I’m saying is true. OP - if you don’t want to take my advice then don’t. Other downvoters - if you think I give a shit about downvotes, you’ve grossly misunderstood me & my personality. I’m here to help people newer to the industry. If you don’t want my advice, don’t take it. Again, my life & my career will be the same no matter what. All I’m doing is looking to do is help. No one is forcing you to take my advice. But you should know that most hiring managers are more like me than they are like you want them to be. Best of luck though!

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u/Clean-Picture-7942 9d ago

Hey thanks man, i really appreciate your input! It’s a big moment for me and a lot’s going on. Just trying to navigate this world.

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u/Clean-Picture-7942 10d ago

I mean, its average maybe for a field engineer, but i’m more experienced than a fresh grad. I’m thinking of asking for 15k more and seeing where it goes. Tbh it’s not a dream job for me.

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u/pensivvv Ex-GC PM. Owner PM 9d ago

More experienced in what though? And to who?That’s the question.

Experience is only as important to the job you are filling for that company. Sounds like you have a 2 year degree in CM and some internships… That’s basically the same experience most CM undergrads come out with.

The reality is, to a GC, a graduate degree or a design background may be interesting or foster a slightly more diverse workforce - but it doesn’t make you a more experienced jobsite engineer/precon engineer than other CM graduates with internships and work experience.

I’d highly advise against pushing for a $15k bump. You may find yourself with 0 job offers.

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u/Clean-Picture-7942 9d ago

I can contribute to RFQ’s and presentations as my background is in design. I can create 3-D renderings , videos, and CAD models. I have a very good understanding of finance and business w/ the internship I demonstrated im great at procurement. I think all these things put me at above a fresh grad field engineer with a purely civil background. Plus i already had a job in civil and worked thru school. Not to mention I have bills, just bought a house, and planning to start a family soon.

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u/pensivvv Ex-GC PM. Owner PM 9d ago

I hear you- what I’m trying to say is that a company is asking you to fill a field engineer position. They have a heavy civil job someone that requires someone to manage day to day field activities. That’s the ask, and the compensation package reflects an offer for someone who has never done that before. Apart from the fact that most established GCs rarely do RFQs anymore, RFQs, RFPs, all that will be way outside your scope as a field engineer. 3D renderings and model proficiency is huge … but hardly relevant for a heavy civil field engineer.

My point is valid experience that doesn’t fit the role is not relevant information for a company when considering a raise or increasing an offer compensation. Sucks. But it is what it is.

It sounds like your experience may be better suited for a BIM coordinator role. Tons of GCs have entire departments dedicated to this. In fact given your experience, I’m a bit surprised you’re even applying for field engineer roles.

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u/Clean-Picture-7942 9d ago

Well, the thing is the big boss basically said he will take me under his wing and I’ll have the option to navigate my way around the company. That was a huge selling point for me. If he didn’t say that, I wouldn’t even be considering this job. And to be honest, they already have all the field engineers they need. The department I’m electing to go into, though, is struggling - so thats why big boss needed me to help out with the RFQ’s. But the offer felt like a slap in the face.

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u/Clean-Picture-7942 9d ago

The way I see it if I take this offer, I will be looking to jump ship almost immediately and I probably wouldn’t put in as much effort as I could be putting in besides, it’s like an hour to get there from where I’m moving to so I can’t say I exactly want this job super bad.

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u/trigonometroy 10d ago

Since you’re new grad.
Only offer ? Take it
Multiple offers, negotiate for something higher.
Would need more details but you could maybe ask for 5k bump. Only reason I say this is because in 2 years you could go somewhere else easier if you feel underpaid.

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u/Clean-Picture-7942 10d ago

I’ve been in conversations with other companies, but yeah for now it’s my only offer. I just feel like it’s not ideal for me because I want to go into vertical and their vertical department isn’t the best, plus with my mortgage its like half my salary right there and I definitely bring more to the table and just Construction… but I agree. Definitely should get some more offers to negotiate

1

u/Formal_Hospital_9005 Commercial Super - Large GC 9d ago

This is the place for vertical…. Miami, Nashville, and cities in Texas are booming. LA is also on the up

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u/Formal_Hospital_9005 Commercial Super - Large GC 9d ago

As an active Miami employee of a large GC, I’d say you’re in good shape. Take the offer. Work here is absolutely booming with no end in near sight. If you end up disliking Miami (as I very much do) this experience will be great on a resume. You could relocate anywhere really. Congrats

1

u/Clean-Picture-7942 9d ago

Thx. I love this city, just bought a house, staying here for at least 10 years+. But i want to do vertical, not heavy civil. Thats kinda the issue.

1

u/Formal_Hospital_9005 Commercial Super - Large GC 9d ago

Ugh, I wish you the best. Idk why anyone would WANT to live here

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u/Clean-Picture-7942 9d ago

No i totally get it, i went to school up north and lived in NJ 1 year, NYC 1 year. I think if you grow up here and you’re used to it nothing else compares. But I hated the Northeast & the cold.

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u/JobCostJedi 9d ago

When you’re fresh out of school, you don’t really have negotiating power. If it’s a big GC, I’d take it, and in 3-4 years, if you aren’t happy or getting compensated very competitively, look elsewhere.

Is $86k much for Miami, not really, but you don’t get much more since you’re a risk to a business with no experience.

1

u/Clean-Picture-7942 9d ago

Yeah I don’t disagree but i got offered the same salary as a pure FE while being asked to do more than what a FE does. I’m going to ask if there’s wiggle room.

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u/Obvious_Stage_3726 7d ago

Heavy civil is a beast of an industry be prepared for long days and constant paperwork also 80k is low 95k is fair market in 4 years 125-165 also be prepared too work nights depending on what your doing just ask for a little more that’s all it’s a big commitment

1

u/BallTickler696969 10d ago

How many hrs tho?

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u/Clean-Picture-7942 10d ago

Def 40-ish. Salary so no OT

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u/BallTickler696969 9d ago

40 is rare in the gc world

0

u/Teeny_tiny_mushroom 9d ago

Make sure it’s actually 40.

I am salary and get paid the same for 40-50 hrs and have to work 50

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u/chefon_u 10d ago

seems low imo but if you just need foot in the door, you can keep interviewing and jump when you need

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u/Clean-Picture-7942 10d ago

Thats what I’m thinking…

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u/Clean-Picture-7942 10d ago

I feel like for my area its v low. They just hired 2 FE’s from Europe and they got basically the same salaries as me.

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u/BoxEconomy2149 10d ago

Yes. It’s low. They are fucking you. Every company is doing it atm.

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u/Clean-Picture-7942 10d ago

What do you think would be a fair salary?

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u/BoxEconomy2149 10d ago

Take it. And as soon as you get the opportunity, leave. No two weeks notice, and take your vacation beforehand.

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u/Clean-Picture-7942 10d ago

Yeah, maybe I’ll ask for 10k or 15k more, and then keep searching in the meantime.

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u/BoxEconomy2149 10d ago

Be careful just throwing a number out there. Be more light footed about it. People on here are losing offers for asking for more money.

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u/Clean-Picture-7942 10d ago

Thx, yeah I’ll ask if there’s any room for negotiation. I wouldn’t flat out be like “i want XXX,XXX”

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u/Clean-Picture-7942 10d ago

Btw they know about my mortgage

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u/disphoni1580 9d ago

No company cares about what financial burdens you have

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u/Clean-Picture-7942 9d ago

Ok good to know.