Accepted a job offer. Was it a mistake? Should I turn back?

[blackthought]

Hi

I recently was offered a position with a large Nuclear engineering firm as an I&C Engineer.

Currently I am employed with a Controls System Integrator. I have been with the company for approximately two years since graduating from school. Over the past two years, I have worked primarily in the batch manfacturing sector and have gained a lot of experience with HMI and PLC programming.

I have verbally committed to accepting the offer of employment with the Nuclear engineering company, but now I am having second thoughts? I have not informed my current employer yet.

I am not unhappy at my current job, and I was not out hunting for new opportunities. In this case, the new opportunity found me via a former co-worker who works at the nuclear engineering firm. And it seems like an amazing job opportunity in the long run. The new opportunity is offering a marginally better salary, more vacation time, and overall much better benefits.

I would like to know people's opinions on what is a better career path for a young man:

1) manufacturing control systems (especially in the food & beverage and pharma industries)

2) nuclear I&C

And I would like to know if I still have time to turn back and stay with my current employer?

I can't make a decision and it's driving me crazy.

 

[Ashereng]

Verbal contracts are not binding in most jurisdictions that I know of, including mine. So, I guess you have time.

Which industry should you go into? Hard to say.

If it was me, I'd go with the money/benefits all else being equal.

I am not too sure about the nuclear industry. For me, if something goes wrong in the pie factory, no big deal. If something goes wrong in a nuclear plant, bigger deal.

What should you do? Can't help. Good luck though.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[GregLocock]

The Australian manufactured meats industry has killed far more people than the civilian American nuclear industry!

You've entered an oral contract. It probably has no legal standing. If your word is your bond, you should take the new job. If it isn't then please don't apply for any jobs near me.

On the other hand, if you phone the nuke people and explain that having slept on it you've reconsidered they will probably just shrug and go back to the next applicant.

Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[MintJulep]

Pharmacutical industry seems to have a never-ending pile of money with which to build new facilities and install new equipment in existing ones. The beverage industry does too, although to a lesser degree. My experience with the food industry is that they are pretty primative.

Nuclear industry is a good place to be when plants are being designed and built. Not so good when they are not.

 

[keepinitcool]

A good thing for your future is to gain as much experience and exposure to various aspects of engineering, and the tools and skills related to them. Which do you think will do that for you? Staying where you are or going to this new position?

 

[MortenA]

This run along the same line as the previous posts:

With regards to job selection dont try to be too speculative about what will happen in the future. Nuclear energy may see a big reviveval over the next years - who knows?

Look at what your tasks will be and how that fits into what you would like to do now.

Whith regards to your respone on the verbal job offering: Call them and explain as suggested (or accept the offer )

 

[epoisses]

Nuclear is the future! What exactly makes you hesitate?

(And yes I too consider verbal agreement an agreement. If ever in business I think I have a verbal agreement with somebody and he turns out to be b*llsh*tting, I need a LONG time before I start to feel like doing business again... if ever.)

 

[Ashereng]

Greg,

The very first day I started to work at Chalk River (nuclear plant in Ontario), I was given a little badge that I was told would stay with me forever (including when I left to go somewhere else). It measures radiation exposure for my lifetime. Once my allotment of exposure was used up, I'm done. No more exposures.

I don't think too many people die from working at a nuclear plant. I think more have exposure to things maybe not so good on a health basis?



With regards to verbal agreements to accept a job, I believe we all reserve our right to change our mind. There have been many instances, in Eng-Tips, where people have stated they left the company after less than a month. No one seems to begrdge them changing their mind. I don't see why blackthought can't change his/hers now.

Personally, I think I'd prefer working with someone who wants to be there, than someone who doesn't.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[IRstuff]

It sounds like you have "buyer's remorse," and possibly some comfort-zone uncertainties.

If you feel that you made a rational decision to change jobs, then you should proceed onward.

TTFN

 

[blackthought]

Thanks guys for all of your responses.

I am having second thoughts because I have learned a lot and been given a lot of responsibility in a very short period of time with my current employer. I have enjoyed working on challenging projects and have developed good relationships with my coworkers. I have only been with the company for less than 2 years, so obviously I still have a lot to learn and a lot more room to grow here. Also, I hate leaving when there's still stuff left to do, but...

I wasn't out hunting for a new job. It just found me and it comes across as this amazing opportunity that I just can't pass up. This engineering firm is much larger than the system integrator I work for, and the different aspects of engineering design that I will be exposed to seem a lot more varied, because I will be working with people other than automation techies, such as process engineers, mechanical engineers, etc. Additionally, the company seems a lot more stable than the employer I am currently work with, where the turnover rate has become alarmingly high. Also, I will not have to travel nearly as much, and the benefits with the company are great because they are owned by the government.

The thing is, I'd like to be in both places. But given that I have decided to move on, I think will stick with that decision. I was just having a mild freak out. It has been a very tough decision for me, but like others have told me ... it's just a job. Decide and move on...

 

[Ashereng]

Congratulations!!! Seems like a great opportunity.

Personally, I think working with engineers is over-rated. Hee Hee.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[THEReifleman]

From my 5 short years in the nuclear industry, here's my two cents. If you're use to and enjoy a manufacturing environment, chances are, you'll be disappointed in the nuclear industry. It's a bureaucratic quagmire of regulations, some necessary, many not but must be followed because the customer is THE D-O-E. You'll most likely find your work consisting of writing endless procedures, work instructions, requirements. There are claims of being productivity driven but it's a fraction of what is expected in private industry. Safety IS paramount, as well.

That being said, the pay is generally much better, chances for advancement are good, and benefits are very competitive. I've doubled my salary in five years. So far, the people I've worked with are great to get along with and good team players. It's just that progress from A to B is so dang slow!!!

I believe that nuclear is going to see a BIG revival in the near future as brown-outs become more frequent and cost of oil inches higher. After all, how are we going to stay cool in this age of "global warming". ;-)

But I digress. The stuff you learn is cool but make sure you don't mind being a paperpusher. I don't like it but I'm use to it now and too close to retirement to change. On the other hand, if there is a revival, consulting fees could just keep me ........ hummmmmm........ :-D

Good luck!

 

[blackthought]

TheReifleman...

My brother works in the nuclear sector and has warned me about the same thing. But I don't think I will mind. I just want to do my job, whatever that entails. Although, the manufacturing sector is fast paced, and kind of exciting at times, I am not all that sure that I'm cut out for it in the long run. I've worked in the pharma industry where there's also an emphasis on documentation and regulations, and didn't really mind it.

A better benefits package including a 37.5 hr workweek, time and a half for any overtime, and 3 weeks is just too good to pass up.

 

[THEReifleman]

Good grief, and you have to think about it?!?!?

 

[THEReifleman]

My last nuke job, they hired me in at the highest grade that still paid overtime. "Overtime? What's that?", I said. Then, one month after I started, they had across the board, carte blanc approval for an extra 20 hours per week as people saw fit. How many jobs allow you to increase your pay by 75% at your discretion? It went on for over a year, then they started the cost cutting dogma. The stupidest thing I did while there was turning in timeslips with <20 per week extra. My previous job (manufacturing), 60/wk was considered normal @ far less than average engineers salary.