How many times should an Engineer change industry in his Career? 4

[BSMEclassof2012]

Dear Engineers,
It is good to change industry ever few years because we learn more and our chances of getting a job increases. So, if the economy is doing bad we can switch job and work for another industry, whichever is in demand. But, it is not easy because every time we change industry we somewhat start from scratch and the pay is low.
As a mechanical engineer my options are: Oil&Gas, Automotive, HVAC, Aerospace, Lighting fixtures, Utility, etc
So, my question, from senior and retire engineers, is how many times do you recommend to change industry in a career?

Note: I live in Los Angeles, CA

Sorry, I think I wasn't clear enough. By changing jobs, I mean when the Engineer really has to switch company because of relocation, lower pay, slow work, etc

 

[berkshire]

BSMEclassof2012
You may not have a choice in this matter, this may be forced upon you by circumstance.
B.E.

You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.

 

[IRstuff]

Nor should you be changing jobs solely for the sake of changing jobs.

TTFN
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!
faq731-376 forum1529

 

[GregLocock]

You don't start from scratch each time, in fact three out of four times I changed industry I got significant pay rises.

Cheers

Greg Locock


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[HamburgerHelper]

3.14158 times

 

[metengr]

As a semi-retired engineer, I changed jobs twice. Never had thought about it long term until conditions required a change.

 

[aap2]

As the wise soul of this board, the reason why you might have to change is out of your control, i.e. the economy. Therefore, do not worry.

However, be careful what you do if you signed a non compete or non disclosure when changing companies.

 

[GregLocock]

If you do sign a non compete take a hint from the finance guys and insist on a years extra salary. Unrewarded non competes are restraint of trade in many jurisdictions.

Cheers

Greg Locock


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[Maui]

Don't sign a non-compete agreement. I did that once. Never again.

Maui

 

[KENAT]

BSMEclassof2012, sorry but the idea of setting some goal of the number of job changes seems a bit odd given the multitude of factors that can play into job changes.

Now it's one thing if you want to have a plan of working your way up or getting a foundation ins various roles in the industry, e.g. wanting to spend some field time, then some in the design side, then some in the operations side ... working up through O&G or some such.

However, arbitrarily setting a number of times to change industry seems like overly simplistic thinking.

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[MadMango]

“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” This is good and bad in engineering.

Being specialized in an industry leads you to be a subject matter expert. It allows you to command higher salary. The downside it that you are bound to a specific industry and working environment. If forced to change industries, you may find yourself at a disadvantage. Having a multifaceted base of experience allows you to problem solve quicker (maybe not better) simply based on shear exposure; been there, done (tried) that.

I say change as often as needed to keep you happy and living the life you want to live.



"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

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[moltenmetal]

Beware too many voluntary job changes- really good employers, the few that are actually loyal to their employees, see this as a potential bad sign. Some people leave jobs voluntarily for more pay or for more interesting work, and others leave because they don't fit in anywhere- there's something wrong with them. A string of 2 year job placements with no five-plus year placement over a 20 year career is going to be taken as a bad sign by potential employers- at least the ones with whom it's possible to imagine remaining on staff for more than two years. It's a buyer's labour market at the moment, and I don't see that improving- basic labour market conditions to me indicate an extended over-supply relative to labour market demand. Employers can afford to be choosy.

A word of warning: advice based on a thirty year career is all in the PAST and isn't necessarily good advice for your future.

In some industries, like the EPCM consulting business, short job assignments can be the norm. The employees move from company to company based on which one is awarded the big projects. By the end of their careers, they have a shelf full of hats from all the major EPCs. That can be a satisfying life, for some. For others, it's torture. Depends what you're after.

As to broadening rather than deepening the selection of skills you have by jumping from industry to industry- that can be OK, or terrible, depending how you do it. Twenty years ago I ditched the environmental industry and went into something else. It was the best move I ever made.

My bottom line is this: leave if you feel that you're being disrespected by what you're being paid, not because someone is for the moment offering you something above market rate. Leave if the industry you're in is in the crapper for systemic reasons. Be loyal where your loyalty is earned, by proper compensation and proper treatment. Interesting work is invigorating and is worth more than ten percent of salary! Keep your options open, but don't exercise them merely because they exist.

 

[HiDrPo]

Changing careers is not the same as shifting your concentration.

My first job out of school was a mistake. It was a stagnant manufacturer with older engineers very set in their ways under an oppressive boss. The "established" twenty plus year veterans were not sharing knowledge. Truth be told they really had one year of experience twenty times. I spent the same time going nowhere as a grad degree would take. That first move was a career change with a pay drop. Some years later I discovered the place was shuttered.

After a decade in HVAC engineering with three employers that up and down sized and enabled me to become a PE, I stumbled into an energy engineering opportunity. Each job change and this shift included a pay increase. The shift to energy made me a better HVAC engineer. When the energy industry took a dive, I went back to HVAC without missing a beat. After about five years I flipped back to energy then six years back to engineering as a project manager and now I'm with a energy services company overseeing engineering subconsultants.

Along the way I met a Chemical engineer who was an expert at the carbon black process at a very rural plant making upstream product for the tire industry. Only five plants exist in the country and all are in remote rural areas.

One of a couple rising stars is a PHD chemist who specialized in platinum and the other a partner track lawer. He got a nice watch at twenty years and laid off. His specialty was so focused that he could not apply it anywhere else. He tried his hand at sales with little luck and tutored to make ends meet. He never got his feet back under him. His wife got caught in political cross fire and fell off the partner track. She looked at non-profits but couldn't accept the significantly lower salary. I believe she is bouncing and tredding water.

My turtle pace career is far from stellar, but the shift to energy provided multiple skills in demand and kept me working with increasing income without changing my address. I sometimes joke the only reason they put up with me is because they can't find another that can do the job with less grief. I also created the ability to walk away from a bad situation or choice.

Diversity works for me because of both skills and shortfalls. Only you know what works for you and only you can put yourself in a place to make choices. If you don't, someone will choose for you and you won't like what they pick.