Hi
I have worked, for almost 7 years, for a big company. I can't mention their name, but they're in the US and they make big aircraft. I came here out of college. When I was in college, I got the privilege (I didn't know it then, but it was) of working at a local mid-size company (then about 500 employees) that designed and manufactured electronics in-house, right here in the US. I have always liked electronics since I was a little kid, and imagined it was my future. Working at the current company has been...VERY boring. When I showed up, they showed me a schematic of a microscopic sliver of a huge product, and said I would be responsible for it. Little did I know that it was only going to be a "turn the crank" sort of job...very little change from one customer to the other. It was mind-numbing. I actually left the engineering department after about 2 1/2 years to go into process improvement, just to keep from going insane. That was much better, but still not what I thought I was meant to do.
My plan was always to leave the company in about 3 years, but just as that time was approaching, the economy tanked. I took the time to go to school for a masters in business. I always knew I was a bit different as an engineer, as there is a people-oriented side of me that I had always wanted to let out, but was too afraid to, and so I clung to my technical side, thinking that's where my security would be. This time was a fun time when I was able to do that.
I see my 7-year mark with the company approaching, and I think if I'm going to leave, now's the time. I never thought I was doing what I was meant to here. Now I have a new opportunity. A potential employer has invited me for an informal interview - a good sign. It's a mid-size engineering company, and this would be a potential position in their control systems dept.
The big company turns out does have some perks - this new job will be a downgrade in pay, benefits, and a certain "freedom". I say freedom because my current big-company job involves work at many locations, which I'm allowed to choose at will, which I like. I have little to no supervision, and a lot of schedule flexibility...still, a certain dissatisfaction that won't go away.
The thing that has me the most concerned though is experience. I'm not sure how I could market what I do now elsewhere, and I don't think it has the prestige and stability of true engineering (these are assumptions on my part, since I haven't tried). I'm hoping to find people who have come from big company to mid-to-small companies who might give me your thoughts on your happiness there. Also, anyone who knows about control systems, can you tell me what you think of it, especially its transferability? I have a friend who started when I did in straight electrical engineering - designing pumps, motors, etc for large industrial environments. She is certain she could up and get a job anywhere in the country she wanted to tomorrow if she felt like it. I'm not terribly sure I could say that.
By making this jump, I'd hope to trade pay for valuable experience that I could then use to go somewhere I really want to (if I ever wanted to some day). If you've made a move like this, has this been your experience?
Thanks for any advice about your own experience.
-Chad
I have worked, for almost 7 years, for a big company. I can't mention their name, but they're in the US and they make big aircraft. I came here out of college. When I was in college, I got the privilege (I didn't know it then, but it was) of working at a local mid-size company (then about 500 employees) that designed and manufactured electronics in-house, right here in the US. I have always liked electronics since I was a little kid, and imagined it was my future. Working at the current company has been...VERY boring. When I showed up, they showed me a schematic of a microscopic sliver of a huge product, and said I would be responsible for it. Little did I know that it was only going to be a "turn the crank" sort of job...very little change from one customer to the other. It was mind-numbing. I actually left the engineering department after about 2 1/2 years to go into process improvement, just to keep from going insane. That was much better, but still not what I thought I was meant to do.
My plan was always to leave the company in about 3 years, but just as that time was approaching, the economy tanked. I took the time to go to school for a masters in business. I always knew I was a bit different as an engineer, as there is a people-oriented side of me that I had always wanted to let out, but was too afraid to, and so I clung to my technical side, thinking that's where my security would be. This time was a fun time when I was able to do that.
I see my 7-year mark with the company approaching, and I think if I'm going to leave, now's the time. I never thought I was doing what I was meant to here. Now I have a new opportunity. A potential employer has invited me for an informal interview - a good sign. It's a mid-size engineering company, and this would be a potential position in their control systems dept.
The big company turns out does have some perks - this new job will be a downgrade in pay, benefits, and a certain "freedom". I say freedom because my current big-company job involves work at many locations, which I'm allowed to choose at will, which I like. I have little to no supervision, and a lot of schedule flexibility...still, a certain dissatisfaction that won't go away.
The thing that has me the most concerned though is experience. I'm not sure how I could market what I do now elsewhere, and I don't think it has the prestige and stability of true engineering (these are assumptions on my part, since I haven't tried). I'm hoping to find people who have come from big company to mid-to-small companies who might give me your thoughts on your happiness there. Also, anyone who knows about control systems, can you tell me what you think of it, especially its transferability? I have a friend who started when I did in straight electrical engineering - designing pumps, motors, etc for large industrial environments. She is certain she could up and get a job anywhere in the country she wanted to tomorrow if she felt like it. I'm not terribly sure I could say that.
By making this jump, I'd hope to trade pay for valuable experience that I could then use to go somewhere I really want to (if I ever wanted to some day). If you've made a move like this, has this been your experience?
Thanks for any advice about your own experience.
-Chad
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