Looking for a certified planner to do a short interview!!!!

[swdrumcp]

I need a planner, must be of an actual emloyee of a city planning department.

Otherwise any type of planner will work. I am wanting to do a short interview, only need to ask a few questions.

Questions would get a feel for what life in the feild is actually like, and how much (or little) you enjoy your job and why. All questions are going to help me produce a short paper on what a planner actually does and if the field sounds encouraging to me.


Anybody interested please respond, must be an actual planner though. I would appreciate your time, and thoughts. My questions ownt take long, I promise. I would either contact you by phone or email.

Again, thanks, Damon

 

[Rem]

I would be happy to answer your questions if you PM me.

Please note I work, was educated and was born in Australia - this may not be a useful perspective for you. We zone for kangaroos and crocodiles.

 

[SGB]

Focus, focus, focus!

From what country? The U.S. is not the only nation with planners. I think.....

Certified planner? Do you mean AICP?

City planners only? No town, village, county, regional, or state planning office types?

If just anyone will do, I suggest you post your request to the alt.planning.urban newsgroup.

 

[biscuit]

swdrumcp: I've only been out of school for three years now but would be happy to answer any questions you have about working as a planner in city government. Do note however that I do very little in the way of zoning. Just PM me.

 

[nerudite]

Feel free to PM me as well. I'm certified (or is it certifiable?)... I'm in Canada now, but most my background is in the States.

 

[Plannerbabs]

Me, too. I'm not certified yet, but I do work in city planning and work with ordinances all day long.

 

[donk]

Feel free to PM me also. I am a bit on the jaded side, but still generally like the profession, just not my current job location.

 

[Repo Man]

Feel free to PM me too. I am certified Grade A (ICP) and work as a Planning & Zoning Admin.

 

[swdrumcp]

Thanks to all those that were willing to do an interview, I really appreciate it. I sent those interested a pm.

Thanks Again, Damon

 

[mr. peterman]

similarly

hi everybody-
I'm someone who's interested in planning, would like to learn more, and is considering going into it.

so to piggyback on Damon's idea/approach -
would anyone here mind if I messaged them with a few questions, along the "what's it like to be a planner/what do you like/dislike about planning" variety? it would be very very appreciated and very helpful to moi.

thanks-

brent

 

[Cardinal]

Re: similarly

...so to piggyback on Damon's idea/approach -
would anyone here mind if I messaged them with a few questions, along the "what's it like to be a planner/what do you like/dislike about planning" variety? it would be very very appreciated and very helpful to moi...

Why not post an into and ask the questions in the forum? You'll get a very good response. If you prefer not to, then PM me.

 

[Mary]

I'll answer questions as well.

Side note: SGB are you nuts sending some poor kid to alt.planning.urban newsgroup. That's a quick route to suicide I spent just long enough there about 5 years ago to pick up one of Dan's adds and decide I was NEVER going back.

Feel free to contact me most of us should be more than happy to answer a few questions.

 

[PlannerByDay]

If you trying to determine if planning is something you are interested in, don't limit yourself to working in the Public Sector. I work for a City of about 40,000 people for a while then got a job as a private sector consultant.

If you would be interested in learning more about planning in the private sector feel free to PM me and we can go on from there.

 

[mr. peterman]

actually, I'm going to follow Cardinal's suggestion and post a few general questions about planning for those who feel like answering.

1. describe what you do in a "typical" day at work
2. what do you like best about planning?
3. what do you dislike most?
4. what kind of person tends to enjoy being a planner, and what kind of person doesn't?

thanks a bunch-

brent

 

[Cardinal]

actually, I'm going to follow Cardinal's suggestion and post a few general questions about planning for those who feel like answering.

1. describe what you do in a "typical" day at work
2. what do you like best about planning?
3. what do you dislike most?
4. what kind of person tends to enjoy being a planner, and what kind of person doesn't?

thanks a bunch-

brent

I am a planner focused on economic development. My role with regard to current planning is more often that of an ombudsman, trying to work out solutions to issues like on-street parking (recent post) or facade materials or driveway widths. I play an active role in long-range planning, and it is often my projects that are the stimulus to begin developing neighborhood plans. A fair amount of my time is spent doing economic and demographic research and analysis, and preparing factual or marketing pubications. I get to play developer. I have developed almost a square mile of ground, mostly industrial, but also some commercial, residential, and park land. I head up our brownfield redevelopment and downtown revitalization. I spend a good deal of time meeting with our local businesses and trying to attract new industrial and commercial businesses to the city. Currently, I am in the preliminary stages of building a new office building on a downtown redevelopment site.

Planning fits my personal strengths and interests. I enjoy that it has me constantly working on new projects and that the job constantly changes. My current job lets me be creative, though this is often more of an issue of the employer rather than the job. It is very rewarding to see the positive changes in which I have had a hand.

I do not like dealing with the administrative work, such as personnel, or grant compliance. I am also required to attend several meetings outside of normal business hours, usually in the evenings.

 

[SGB]

Side note: SGB are you nuts sending some poor kid to alt.planning.urban newsgroup. That's a quick route to suicide I spent just long enough there about 5 years ago to pick up one of Dan's adds and decide I was NEVER going back.

It was a sarcastic (and perhaps inappropriate) recommendation.

Anyone with a genuine interest in constructive dialog about planning is usually able to recognize the a.p.u. newsgroup for what it has become in short order.

 

[mr. peterman]

Thanks

Cardinal -
thanks for your answer to my questions. that helps.

sincerely-

brent