Patel 1

Siddhi Patel
Mrs. Pettay
ENG 111
16 December 2015
The Best Career Fit
As Marilyn Monroe said, Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.
A career is suppose to show what I am truly passionate for not what others want me to be
passionate for. If I become the person that everyone wants me to be then I will not be able to be
true to myself. I have always had the love for creating different ideas through drawing and
designing. Civil Engineering and Architecture are two careers that are closely related to what I
have always loved to do. One career deals with designing while the other deals with drawing.
The Civil Engineering department at the University of Utah mentioned how Civil Engineering is
known for being the oldest engineering field, while Architecture is known for being the reason
behind the beautiful monuments all over the world. After thoroughly researching Civil
Engineering and Architecture, Civil Engineering would be the better career for me due to the
overall work environment, higher pay, and better employment outlook.
The work environment is an important criteria in looking for a career because I like to
have quiet times where I can concentrate fully on the projects I would be working on. An ideal
work environment for me would include a feeling of openness for communication while keeping
a positive feeling in the air. The work environment for civil engineers is calm and collected, but
there can be feeling of tension and stress when deadlines are coming up. I tend to have a calm
personality and I like how the everyday work setting is similar to my personality. The U.S.

Patel 2
Bureau of Labor Statistics stated that in 2012 civil engineers held about 272,900 jobs. They
generally work indoors, but civil engineers sometimes spend time outdoors at construction sites,
so they can monitor operations or solve problems at the site (Civil U.S. Bureau). Working in
and out of the office is something I want because I do not want to spend all of my hours cooped
up in an office working. Going to the work sites is helpful because we can make sure everything
is going according to plan and is on the right track. Civil engineers typically work full time and
one out of four work more than forty hours (Civil U.S. Bureau). Many civil engineers usually
work more than forty hours when deadlines are coming up and I am fine with working those
hours because I would rather spend the time making sure all the plans are right instead of
spending less time and having to reedit the plans later on.
The work environment for architects is more hectic due to the fast deadlines and is more
stressful compared to the work environment of civil engineers. The work environment of
architects is quiet, but tense for a majority of the time. Architecture offers me an environment
that is sensibly compelling and thought provoking ("Architecture" VT). Architects draw,
write, speak, calculate, take responsibility, and manage (Becoming an Architect). They meet with
clients, develop reports and drawings, and work with other architects and engineers to find better
solutions for new projects (Architects U.S. Bureau). Emily Bratcher from the U.S. News
Weekly mentioned how the stress level for architects is above average. This is something to
take into consideration because I do not want to be stressed all the time and worrying about the
deadlines that are approaching. Architects tend to be self-employed (one in five) which results in
a more flexible schedule, but they still work more than forty hours (Architects U.S. Bureau).
Even though civil engineers work more than forty hours, architects require working these long
hours more often than engineers while continuously being stressed out. Evaluating a work

Patel 3
environment is useful for determining if I am compatible for working in that certain environment
and shows that me what I should compromise or work on to properly fit into the workplace.
Apart from evaluating the work environment, I think it is necessary to evaluate the salary to
make sure I can support myself throughout my life.
A careers salary can determine how well off someone can be in life. I personally do not
want to struggle in life by not making enough money that ends up with me not being able to
support myself. I do not need a ridiculously high salary, but I want a decent one where I will not
have to worry. Civil engineers have been highly ranked in pay and have a high salary. Civil
engineers are ranked number seventeen in the U.S. News Best Paying Jobs for 2015 (Bratcher
Civil Engineer). This national ranking provides me with assurance that I will not be struggling
to pay for everyday expenses. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, civil engineers
earned a median salary of $80,770 in 2013 (Bratcher Civil Engineer). This high median salary
means that the starting salary will not be as bad, so I will not have to struggle as much in the first
few years of my career. Also if I am good at what I do, I can maybe be part of the top ten percent
who in 2013 were paid as much as $126,190 (Bratcher Civil Engineer). Being in the top ten
percent would be my dream goal but I know to get there I need to start at a reasonable salary.
Even though Architects earn less than Civil Engineers, they are still toward the high end
of the salary range. Architects are able to earn a good amount of money with the current job
market. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, architects earned a median salary of
$74,110 in 2013, and the highest paid ten percent earned $119,370 in 2013 while the lowest paid
ten percent earned $44,930 in 2013(Bratcher, Architect). The one good thing about a career in
architecture is that some firms will pay the tuition and fees toward the education requirements
that architects need for their licenses (Architects U.S. Bureau), so I would not have to pay out

Patel 4
of pocket for these extra classes. The salary is an important aspect to consider when thinking
about careers, but how good is a career if it pays well, but the work it gives is at a minimum?
The employment outlook is the most important criteria I look at when it comes to picking
a career. I do not want to pick a career where the work it provides can be uncertain. Upcoming
civil engineers have a bright employment future due to two factors: the need to improve existing
infrastructure and the need to design more infrastructures to accommodate for the growing
population. Roads and bridges along with buildings are constantly in need of repairs and the
main people in charge of redesigning the structure are civil engineers ("What Is Civil
Engineering?" Civil Environmental), so I know I will not have to worry about not having work
for long periods of time. As Mr. Achyut Patel, a Department Head and Technical Director of
Bridge Engineering at Clark Nexsen, said, The future for young civil engineers is promising due
to the unprecedented growth in the field and the need to improve old infrastructure like roads and
bridges. The job outlook for civil engineers from 2012 to 2022 is projected to be twenty-two
percent, which is faster than a majority of occupations (Civil U.S. Bureau). The employment
increase is estimated to be 53,700 people in 2022 (Career Outlook Department). Also the
upward mobility for this career is above average (Bratcher Civil Engineer). Civil engineers
have the chance to improve their skills and show people new ideas and techniques to use in
design, which results in more promotions for them. This number seems low, but in reality that is
a reasonable amount of people being brought into the field and this is a bigger opportunity for
new ideas to spread. Civil engineers do not have to compete with each other in this field.
Everyone is specialized in something and that specialization can lead to the upward mobility. I
appreciate the fact that everyone has their own talents because then I can gain more knowledge
from others and I can help others with my expertise.

Patel 5
The employment outlook for architects has been highly uncertain compared to civil
engineers, but it has improved from where it was a couple years ago. According to Mr. David
Keith, an architect and urban designer at Clark Nexsen, The prospects for architecture are
always promising. The upward mobility in this career, unlike civil engineering, is just
average (Bratcher Architect). Architects have a high employment rate for the future, but the
upward mobility will be hard. People who have been architects for several years have their spot
set and when new talents comes into the field, it is harder for them to move upward because of
the competition with the seniors who have been working for years (Keith). Compared to Civil
Engineering, the employment rate for architects is projected to grow seventeen percent from
2012 to 2022. Even though it is not as high as the rate for civil engineers is, this percentage is
still higher than some other occupations (Architects U.S. Bureau). The job outlook for many
architects is rising because campus buildings are aging and the expectation to build new
facilities or renovate existing ones in place of the old structures has been increasing
(Architects U.S. Bureau). Job outlook is one of the most important aspects I will look at, so I
can make sure I will not be without work or spend a long time looking for work after I graduate
college.
Civil Engineering and Architecture are two careers that are closely related. They both
relate to infrastructure and how to maintain the existing ones while also planning ahead for the
new infrastructure that must be put in place of old ones. Many aspects of these careers overlap
like the design aspect where if the structural plan for a building does not coordinate with the
aesthetics of the plan then there has to be some give and take. Even though these aspects can
overlap, many of them are completely different. The work environment for civil engineers is
calmer and less tense than that of architects, which is something I prefer. The salary for civil

Patel 6
engineers is higher than architects, which is something that people care about. Finally, the overall
job outlook for civil engineers is more promising than architects. There will always be some
work for civil engineers to do. In conclusion, civil engineering would be the best fit for me
because it allows me to be the person I am. If I became an architect I would not become the
person I truly am, and just like Marilyn Monroe said it would be a waste of the person I am.

Patel 7
Works Cited
"Architects: Summary." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 8 Jan.
2014. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.
"Architecture." VT School of Architecture + Design A+d Architecture Bachelor of
Architecture. Virginia Tech, 2015. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.
Becoming an Architect. Royal Architecture Institute of Canada, n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2015.
Bratcher, Emily H. "Architect." Job Overview. US News Weekly, 2015. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.
Bratcher, Emily H. "Civil Engineer." Job Overview. US News Weekly, 2015. Web. 12 Nov.
2015.
"Career Outlook." Department of Mechanical Engineering. Purdue Univeristy, n.d. Web. 23
Nov. 2015.
"Civil Engineers: Summary." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 8
Jan. 2014. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.
Keith, David. Personal interview. 6 December 2015.
Patel, Achyut. Personal interview. 23 November 2015.
"What Is Civil Engineering?" Civil Environmental Engineering at the University of Utah.
University of Utah, 2014. Web. 09 Dec. 2015.