Fed up, ready to leave, how do I proceed? 6

[Gorpomon]

Hi,

Here's my situation in brief:

I'm the sole mechanical engineer (and only engineer) at a company that sells products in piping. I was hired on two years ago to steer the company in an engineering direction. Provide technical assistance to customers, provide technical support for our products, and train industry in our products. I report directly to the company owner, (a non-engineer) and we're about 20 people strong.

Two years later, that technical work is now basically by gone the way-side. I've moved into inside sales and am doing some small technical projects, nothing major or resume defining. Customers, I've found out, NEVER, need technical assistance. And with recent new sales practices, I'm tethered to my desk doing inside sales all day, and while I'm good at it, I'm miserable. At this point I've learned all I can from this job technical info wise, and about sales.

My career goals are to work for a PE so I can get hours to get my own PE, preferably in MEP/AEC, or go to architecture grad school. I'm actively searching for a job right now, but no luck. In part, I think its because this work is so non-technical...

Luckily, I've saved up a lot of money working here (30k). I live at home, few bills ($500/month all said and done, add $200 for health insurance if I leave too). I could be unemployed for a solid year before I start itching for money.

I want to leave, so I can work on projects at home full-time for a grad school portfolio, search for a job full-time and maybe travel to see relatives (my grandmother is not doing so hot....).

BIG QUESTION: Is this insane to want to leave? I'm not getting any better technically, not learning any other business aspects, not getting PE hours and am now basically feeling mistreated. But still in this economy, would you tough it out?

If its not crazy, how would you go about leaving? What should I say? I want to keep this place as a reference, but I'm worried if I do that, then my boss (who will likely be unhappy I leave), probably won't be the best reference. Having this place as a reference is my biggest concern actually, anyone know of a way I can handle/resolve that?

Any thoughtful input is required. Just to put it out there, I'm not whining in a "oh poor me" sense, I'm very lucky to have got this job when I did, it started out pretty good for the first year and just went down from there. It's just that I feel like I have the means to leave, have maxed out my learning here, and now with these new sales practices implemented, am miserable.

Again, any thoughtful input is really appreciated!

 

[YoungTurk]

I get the impression you're thinking about quitting so as to give yourself a kick in the pants down the road you really want to be on. A lot of us keep doing what we're doing precisely because it is what we're doing.

If so, then go ahead and jump. You're young and in as good a place on the risk/reward spectrum as you'll ever be. If, on the other hand, you've already decided to move on and the only question is now or later, then take the conservative road and find the next step before jumping off this one as our wiser (timid?) counterparts suggest

-
The answer is easy if you
Take it logically
I'd like to help you in your struggle
To be free
There must be fifty ways
To leave your employer

You Just slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don't need to be coy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Hop on the bus, Gus
You don't need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free

 

[vpl]

Here's an article from Government Exec magazine. The writer is really aiming at upper management types, but he asks some good questions:

http://blogs.govexec.com/executivecoach/2011/06/three_things_to_consider_befor.php

Patricia Lougheed

******

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[SNORGY]

Or, you could develop a sense of adventure like the one I had in my younger years.

My exit interview statement was, and I quote:

I am too drunk to work here today, and too intelligent to work here tomorrow.



That was the first time I met the building security personnel.

I was out of work for a while.

I'm much better now.

Regards,

SNORGY.

 

[MikeHalloran]

Star for SNORGY.

Too many times I have been in situations where the response you described is the one I should have used, had I been able to summon the courage.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[MacGyverS2000]

LPS for Snorgy... been there once or twice, never had the balls (or wherewithall at he time) to do it.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com