Stay in current job & get promoted to Manager or pursue dream job.

[OleRoy]

In my current company as a Project Engineer, if I stay with the company, I will be promoted to Project Manager within 2-3 years. Now the bread and butter but not necessarily our focus of the company is Waste Water Treatment plants - not extravagant work mind you. However it's not like I am in the hole getting dirty, I usually will go on-site briefly to check on a measurement or progress or to see a problem area that is reported to me by my superintendent or other subs etc. Even the PM's I see now hardly go on-site.

My wife and I are pretty much stuck in the state/area and will be here until we can not make ends meet financially. My dilemma is whether or not to stay within the company and get to Manager status; not really being passionate about the industry . I am fairly good at what I do and presently make low money according to industry standards but that will soon jump in 2 to 3 years when I get to Manager status. I like the small company and they definitely want to retain me. In fact my company is short on "good people like me", so they say. The stress level is not very high but since I'm basically an Engineer in Training with a few more years to go, I don't really know how stressful it'll get. Granted most jobs are stressful anyways and its about how an individual manages their own stress...

To that effect, it is not like I am even doing hard calculations; its more like coordination work. I've read previous threads that say the closer you get to management the farther you'll be from the nitty gritty work/calculation/etc. I'm not opposed to moving away from the nitty gritty and towards management but like I said before, I don't know that I want to stay within the industry. The work is steady and there will always be jobs that my company gets so its not like I'll be laid off.

At one point I thought about joining the military but then I feel "I went to College to avoid having to enlist in the first place" . Plus I don't want to leave my wife alone for long periods of time. I want to get back into technical work and I enjoyed previous robotics classes (albeit it limited) in College. I'd love to try to reintegrate myself into that industry and I've sent my resume to companies around my area. However, I know that in their eyes I have zero experience which is true, and will be overlooked in the hiring process easily, I'm sure. The thing is I'm the type of person who learns as they go; I was basically thrown into the fire within this company and industry and I'm excelling at it so I feel that if one of those companies would give me a chance, I'd know I could progress and learn. Cliche-sounding, I know.

I'm basically hung up on the feeling of "If I stay in my current industry, I'll be able to pay the bills but I don't necessarily like what I do." My resume is already in the hands of prospective companies, I am in good standing with my current company, I am stuck in the area with my wife (no kids, mid 20's), have "good" debt, don't want to enlist, and plan on having 2 kids by the time we are 30. Any thoughts, suggestions, or feedback is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[OleRoy]

Thanks everyone, for all of your replies.

I have applied to at least 15 or so entry level jobs not related to my industry. I guess it'll be another waiting game for a while.

 

[johnp]

Hi kids,

I just watched a discussion program on TV - We have this Budget Surplus, how should we spend it? It had to do with dreaming about a world as we would like it to be by 2050.

Concensus - we have plenty of managers. What the world needs is leaders with some real vision.

How many of our young engineers are taught about the creative process in problem solving? How many are taught about the power of small hot groups? As in the CEO Refresher

http://www.refresher.com/!hotgroups

Bring some fun into your career. Makes you think, doesn't it.

Regards - Sgt John.Rz

http://www.latviantourists.com.au

Johnp.Rz

http://www.mets.net.au

 

[HgTX]

"The file you have requested has either been deleted from the site or more likely now resides in The CEO Refresher Archives and requires a very nominal subscription to access."

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[Ashereng]

A dream job that doesn't pay well really isn't a dream job is it?

Let's go at this from another point of view. What is important to you? And I mean, write it down right to the nuts and bolts. For example, here is a list I once started:
1) $34,000 (Yeah, I'm old.)
2) With in 1 hour driving distance, 1 way.
3) Job with at least a 5 year future.
4) Job with one of the leading 3 companies in the field.
5) Benefit plan with medical coverage, insurance (disability), sick days, etc.
6) ...

Once I did that, determining what I need to do next was pretty easy. All that was left was the doing.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
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[Ashereng]

Concensus - we have plenty of managers. What the world needs is leaders with some real vision.

I would like to disagree.

We have a massive shortage of skilled trades. What the world needs is not more people with a vision. What the world needs is more people willing to do an honest days work.

Yes, we do need vision. I just think we only need one or two of them. Once we have the vision, we will need a LOT of people to execute that vision. That is where the shortage is.

One or two guys probably came up with the idea of the Hoover dam - thousands of guys had to work hard to make it a reality.

Just a counter point.

"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?

 

[OleRoy]

Ashereng,

Good points, and your scenario is very very similar to mine. Thanks.