re: CM graduate- Field Engineer or Estimator?

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Would never consider office based role out of college for any sector of construction with the exception of industrial. Even then, it depends on what you're doing.

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I started out in Estimating for industrial with no CM degree and no field experience. Turned out fine. Had great teachers

PM. You won't find many secure 40 hr week jobs in this profession unless you eventually go to work for the federal government or go the facility manager route (many of which are < 40 hours).

First off from an Alum, congrats and welcome. You can do a lot with your degree if you choose too.

There is no substitute for field experience. You will learn more in your first year in the field than you did in the last four in the classroom. Being able to do takeoffs is a great skill, but knowing what that information means is even more important. You won't learn that in an office.

Some advice:
- Learn to listen.
- Your degree is a huge tool. Do not flaunt it as your only tool.
- Pay attention to your tradesmen and find some that don't mind you asking questions. I found that seasoned guys will teach you a lot about the business of you ask questions and show an interest in their answers.
- On that note, learn how to talk to working people. I worked at a HVAC supply house in college. I spent a lot of time just learning how to interact with contractors. Was invaluable to be in the field.

Don't be afraid of the job. At the end of the day, you just have to build what the picture shows (which you'd be surprised at how difficult that is sometimes. )

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Tl;Dr, No bossman is going to tell you "frick you you can't learn on my clock"

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Lolololol

You have a lot to learn

Go with the FE route. You will learn a lot more and not pigeonhole in one area.

From the FE side you can pick the path of a superintendent or get into Project management. You could jump into estimating if you change your mind.

Estimators are typically always estimators.

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Legally, only a PE can claim the title engineer.

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I thought people that lacked common sense could do the same as well

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Some advice:
- Learn to listen.
- Your degree is a huge tool. Do not flaunt it as your only tool.
- Pay attention to your tradesmen and find some that don't mind you asking questions. I found that seasoned guys will teach you a lot about the business of you ask questions and show an interest in their answers.
- On that note, learn how to talk to working people. I worked at a HVAC supply house in college. I spent a lot of time just learning how to interact with contractors. Was invaluable to be in the field.

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All good advice. There is a certain PM on a certain site on a campus in south La right now that makes is glaringly obvious that he has never stepped foot out of the office and that he thinks he knows everything. Don't be that guy. Learn to work with your subs not demand that they work for you, especially if you are young and don't know your arse from a hole in the ground.
There are too many companies putting young guys out on projects as PMs these days that really only know what the book tells them. They have no real world experience and it really screws up the work flow and schedule on a jobsite.