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OT: Need Career Advice - Engineering
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Posted by Randy Thatcher [Email] (#22) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Randy Thatcher) on Thu, 13 Jan 2005 09:19:22 Share Post by Email
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You Saabnet folks have always been really good at giving advice, so here's my latest situation. I'm looking at a potential career move and there are some pros and cons. Perhaps you can help me with some feedback. I'd stick with the same company in the engineering/systems integration business, but move from HQ in Automotive business to the local field office. I already work in the field office, but as a remote resource to HQ. The req got approved this morning, and it's listed as "preferred internal candidate", so they really want me. I have yet to talk to my boss, but I'll be doing that today if I can reach him...

Current Job: I do pre-sales engineering and project engineering/project management on systems that automate and/or improve quality at car plants. Call me a I.S./systems integration/MES consultant who also does proposals and pre-sales. I'm in the systems integration group at my company, and the main base for this operation is in Cleveland. My primary customer is Toyota, and my territory is California, Mexico, and China. My boss (and most of the team) is in Cleveland, and I work in our San Francisco bay area office. I love what I do, but deserve quite a bit more money. I just got an OK raise, and am due for a promotion to the title the new job offers. The promotion should occur later this month, but I think the salary will still be a little lower than a a job switch. Not significantly lower, but a little lower.

Possible new gig: Switch from a Cleveland based Automotive only engineering/Proj Mgmt position to one in the local field office. I'll run a team of engineers, but they will not be direct reports. I'll do work from central CA up to the Canadian border, plus Alaska. All industries include automotive, food/beverage, consumer products, life sciences, pulp/paper, and more.

FYI, I'll be putting my wife through optometry school beginning this fall. In 4.5 years she'll start an optometry practice and I'll help her out with it. So in 4.5 years I plan to be out of the rat race.

Salary
Current: So-so, straight salary. I'm getting by pretty well, but not much spare cash. Due for promotion in mere weeks.
New Job: Probably add $8-10k onto what I make now.

Boss
Current: Great boss, very good relationship, high mutual respect. He's 2000+ miles away, and all he cares about is the job getting done right, on time, and on budget. How I do it is not his concern, he trusts my style based on experience.
New Job: Super nice, straight shooter, bit wound up about expenses and policies, but very honest and helpful.

Travel
Current: 35-50%. SF, LA, San Diego, Mexico, Texas, and all over China. Some weekends (when in China)
New Job: 20-50%. Central/Nor Cal, Oregon, Washington, Alaska (no weekends?)

Pressures
Current: Not too bad, just the same as the past few years.
New Job: Meet margin on every project, managing good team of engineers, but no direct reports. Up to 10 small jobs going at a time. (none of that worries me) Using IFS, our new business system daily. Ramp up time, but a real PITA computer system. That will be streessful.

Stability
Current: My boss always has my back. I would really have to mess up to even get a lecture
New Job: As long as business is good, no problem. If business tapers off, who would be first to go? I will ask this point blank before I officially submit my name in the system.

Flexibility
Current: I have flex time, work at home a lot, call my own shots, set goals and travel schedule. Boss is 2000 miles away
New Job: Less flexibility, need to be at the office at 8AM everyday, but jeans are OK. Still in control of many aspects of my day.

Politics
Current: Small group of people to play political games. But, they're all over the planet and word travels fast.
New Job: Local politics, including sales folks. New boss will help be a buffer.

Growth
Current: I'm up for promotion to Project Lead. Will know about promotion sometime in January. Possibility into sales or automotive team from there. International Rotation opportunity?
New Job: Learn many new industries and applications, broaden the scope of knowledge. Don't know the promotion path from there. Need to ask about potential promotion path. 4.5 years is a LONG time in a field office.

Peers
Current: Team of about 20. About 16 of 'em are A+, with a C and D guy or 2 in there.
New Job: 6 guys working on projects for me, 2 more senior level and decent leadership, all have technical strengths, 1 has slight attitude. All in all a good group, but not as seasoned as the team at HQ. I'd not only be a leader but a teacher in some ways.

Tasks
Current: Automotive industry only. Pre & post sales engineering. Post sales job scope $50k-$2.5M
New Job: All west coast/Alaska heavy industry, project management to margin, customer satisfaction, and schedule. Up to 10+ concurrent projects. Size range from $5k - $200k

Visibility in the company
Current: Low/moderate
New Job: Low/moderate

Risk
Current: Low - Toyota doesn't stop growing, so my job is secure.
New Job: Moderate - Local economy is cyclic. see above

Status
Current: I'm regarded as an expert in the automotive field.
New Job:Mid level, some learning to do. Local team considers me an expert PM.

Expenses
Current: No questions asked. I enjoy many nice dinners and drinks with customers.
New Job: Not known 100%, but the new boss is very serious about expenses. His pockets are not as deep as at HQ. "Beg for forgiveness, don't ask for permission" may be a risky proposition. But he also understands business entertainment.

Customer Relationship
Current: Long term, I've known many for 8 years. I've worked with the same guys from USA, Japan, and Canada in USA, Canada, Mexico, Europe and Asia.
New Job: Many new relationships to make. Most will be shorter term as the accounts will not be "global".

Home Life
Note: wife used to do the same job, so she still (somewhat) understands my job. Some people would divorce if they knew their husband would travel as much as I do, but I'm lucky.
Current: International travel, away for longer periods. Live like a king on the road.
New Job: Ability to do more at home, get involved with scheduled activities in the evenings


Thanks!!!
Randy
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