Working for Industry vs. Consulting

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For 10 years, I worked for a railroad. It was an incredible experience that imparted a wealth of knowledge about an esoteric industry.

I learned about the birth of our nation’s infrastructure and the rich history of American railroads and how they inform modern methods of goods movement. I worked with lifelong railroaders who taught me railroad law, real estate, industrial development, technology, logistics, utilities, and much more.

A decade in, it was time for a change. I left the railroad to become a consultant. Apprehensive about not having the same level of control over a project, about not being the owner, I worried whether clients would trust that I would treat their projects as my own. I soon learned that consulting would broaden my world in ways I never could have imagined.

As a consultant, instead of working for one railroad, I was able to work for the entire railroad industry. My experience to that point had been hyper-focused on one company, one perspective. Suddenly I was able to better understand how other railroads accomplished similar tasks, and found myself in a position to cross-pollinate, share new best practices, to offer innovative solutions.

At HDR, I provide railroads with access to subject matter experts across a wide variety of industries. Acousticians, bat biologists, climate scientists, sustainability experts, industrial architects, cybersecurity professionals are just a few of the specialties I’ve needed to pull into my rail projects. I’ve worked on massive railroad mergers and tiny capital improvement projects. I’ve helped railroads obtain cash for vital projects through federal grant funding, and once they receive that funding, I’ve helped them work through the federal requirements that come with it. This sharing of resources and knowledge has brought me great career satisfaction and happiness.