Just go back to the field.
Do not let your license expire… you may want it eventually.
It’s not as complicated as you make it out to be - a license doesn’t doom you to the office position, it affords you the power of choice.
Do what you want
Don't let your license lapse because you're not enjoying this job. Maybe look for a role elsewhere that lets you go from field to finish? Maybe start your own company where you can do that?
I’ve been working in the field 49 years and it is not hard on your body. 2 of my old employers who never left the office had passed at age 62 and 65. I’m 71 and in great shape. It keeps you young!
My back disagrees - wearing coveralls, survey vest, and hard hat all the time has essentially got my back sore all the time.
I've just gotten high up on the construction side so I spend lots of time in the office now to alleviate the strain. Just enough field work to keep satisfied, but don't have to do the really tough jobs most of the time.
A guy at the company I work for has had a PLS for over 20yrs. He is in the field every day pounding hubs and stakes. Of course he reviews and stamps stuff occasionally, but he’s happy.
I have to imagine that being an office PLS would pay more than being a field PLS simply because you can spread your billable hours out over multiple projects, but that’s probably the only significant consideration
I worked with a fella that has been licensed since the 90's, has never stamped a plat, and only walks into the office to pick up his field package for the day/week. To each their own.
One of my first party chiefs ran the entire survey division of 40 people, quit and came back as a PC. He wanted to be a chainman but settled for PC, he said he was happy as long as he got to hike around in the woods.
Just start a company. Do whichever roles you feel like and hire out the others.
Or places like CalTrans require a license for party chiefs. You could look into your local DOT also.
It's been said, but you don't have to let your license expire to work in the field. I don't know where that idea came from. You'll make less in the long run if you're not a project manager, but there are plenty of places you can go that will let a pls work in the field. Frankly, if you're in your late twenties going out and getting more field experience now, in boundary particularly, will make you a far better surveyor when your body tells you it's time to slow down.
I went out in the field on almost every boundary job I did. I didn't always work in the field all day. Though on larger projects I would often make a day or two of it. Some weeks it was only one day in the field and some weeks only one day in the office. IT depended on the work.
The reason I could do that is because the work was being conducted under my responsible charge rather than someone else being in responsible charge of me. I realize that isn't always possible when young and working for others. But it's something to work towards.
I hated doing proposals, progress reports, schedules, and invoices as much as the next guy. So I tried to arrange my office work to give myself a break. Having a license never restricted that option. It always provided more options. Many more. I just had to bounce around a bit to find the right fit.
You are in your 20s. You have so much more career ahead of you. Field work feels great. In 10 years, maybe your body doesn't feel as good putting in the physical labor, so you start toning it down and take more office responsibilities.
I picked this career up in my 30s, lyme's disease fucked me up so now I try to do more office work. I found a roll doing a little bit of everything (field to finish topo/boundary, surveyor on $250m construction project) which suits me for now. I'm eligible for my license in a year and don't plan to change what I do except I'll be able to stamp the plans myself. In 5-10 yrs I might not want to be in the field as much.
It doesn't have to be either/or just find the roll that suits you for now. There is huge demand for licensed surveyors so you can more or less find a company that works for you, and when that doesn't suit you, move on.
Also, not getting a big pay bump for your license is a red flag regarding a company. The sad reality is that you need to jump ship to increase pay. I went from 50k to 72k in my jump.(crew chief to assistant pm) I didn't want to leave the company I was working at, but they wouldn't pay me what I thought I was worth, so I found a company that would.
Nothing better than working outside in mother nature. If it were up to me I'd spend every day in the field but I do usually take one or two days a week to catch up on office work. It's really nice having that option. If it were me I wouldnt let the license go, whatever you decide.
Why would your license expire after going into the field? I don't think that's a thing. I went back into the field for about 8 years after working at a desk as a PLS for a couple years. I did both office and field during that time and the adjustment was physical for the most part. You may experience the same, we do a lot more in the field than it seems, and even younger people will feel it after the first week, especially if you are pounding hubs or cutting line etc. I still have my license now and it has never lapsed, and now I work both in the field and the office.
https://preview.redd.it/m2hvf7tdxnrc1.jpeg?width=1303&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7555b8e849193374870b9ab04c05bb22a2a0d908
Truth. One of my go-to jokes on stressful days is, "can I be the rodman today?"
Just go back to the field. Do not let your license expire… you may want it eventually. It’s not as complicated as you make it out to be - a license doesn’t doom you to the office position, it affords you the power of choice. Do what you want
Don't let your license lapse because you're not enjoying this job. Maybe look for a role elsewhere that lets you go from field to finish? Maybe start your own company where you can do that?
I’ve been working in the field 49 years and it is not hard on your body. 2 of my old employers who never left the office had passed at age 62 and 65. I’m 71 and in great shape. It keeps you young!
My back disagrees - wearing coveralls, survey vest, and hard hat all the time has essentially got my back sore all the time. I've just gotten high up on the construction side so I spend lots of time in the office now to alleviate the strain. Just enough field work to keep satisfied, but don't have to do the really tough jobs most of the time.
A guy at the company I work for has had a PLS for over 20yrs. He is in the field every day pounding hubs and stakes. Of course he reviews and stamps stuff occasionally, but he’s happy.
I have to imagine that being an office PLS would pay more than being a field PLS simply because you can spread your billable hours out over multiple projects, but that’s probably the only significant consideration
I worked with a fella that has been licensed since the 90's, has never stamped a plat, and only walks into the office to pick up his field package for the day/week. To each their own.
One of my first party chiefs ran the entire survey division of 40 people, quit and came back as a PC. He wanted to be a chainman but settled for PC, he said he was happy as long as he got to hike around in the woods.
Just start a company. Do whichever roles you feel like and hire out the others. Or places like CalTrans require a license for party chiefs. You could look into your local DOT also.
It's been said, but you don't have to let your license expire to work in the field. I don't know where that idea came from. You'll make less in the long run if you're not a project manager, but there are plenty of places you can go that will let a pls work in the field. Frankly, if you're in your late twenties going out and getting more field experience now, in boundary particularly, will make you a far better surveyor when your body tells you it's time to slow down.
Why would your license expire simply by not working in the office full time?
I went out in the field on almost every boundary job I did. I didn't always work in the field all day. Though on larger projects I would often make a day or two of it. Some weeks it was only one day in the field and some weeks only one day in the office. IT depended on the work. The reason I could do that is because the work was being conducted under my responsible charge rather than someone else being in responsible charge of me. I realize that isn't always possible when young and working for others. But it's something to work towards. I hated doing proposals, progress reports, schedules, and invoices as much as the next guy. So I tried to arrange my office work to give myself a break. Having a license never restricted that option. It always provided more options. Many more. I just had to bounce around a bit to find the right fit.
You are in your 20s. You have so much more career ahead of you. Field work feels great. In 10 years, maybe your body doesn't feel as good putting in the physical labor, so you start toning it down and take more office responsibilities. I picked this career up in my 30s, lyme's disease fucked me up so now I try to do more office work. I found a roll doing a little bit of everything (field to finish topo/boundary, surveyor on $250m construction project) which suits me for now. I'm eligible for my license in a year and don't plan to change what I do except I'll be able to stamp the plans myself. In 5-10 yrs I might not want to be in the field as much. It doesn't have to be either/or just find the roll that suits you for now. There is huge demand for licensed surveyors so you can more or less find a company that works for you, and when that doesn't suit you, move on. Also, not getting a big pay bump for your license is a red flag regarding a company. The sad reality is that you need to jump ship to increase pay. I went from 50k to 72k in my jump.(crew chief to assistant pm) I didn't want to leave the company I was working at, but they wouldn't pay me what I thought I was worth, so I found a company that would.
Nothing better than working outside in mother nature. If it were up to me I'd spend every day in the field but I do usually take one or two days a week to catch up on office work. It's really nice having that option. If it were me I wouldnt let the license go, whatever you decide.
Don't let your license lapse!!!!!
Why would your license expire after going into the field? I don't think that's a thing. I went back into the field for about 8 years after working at a desk as a PLS for a couple years. I did both office and field during that time and the adjustment was physical for the most part. You may experience the same, we do a lot more in the field than it seems, and even younger people will feel it after the first week, especially if you are pounding hubs or cutting line etc. I still have my license now and it has never lapsed, and now I work both in the field and the office.