DynaMechEng
Active member
I'd like your opinions on my job situation...
I've been working as a Mechanical Design Engineer for a small consulting firm (<100 people worldwide) for four years. Overall, I like the job. I make pretty good money (~77k/year with full benefits) and I have a lot of autonomy. I also get to do a lot of different things (mechanical, electrical, hydraulics, etc.) I should also mention that I'm the only ME in the company (my boss, the Director of Development, is an EE).
Here are my issues:
1) I've got a pretty heavy travel schedule (gone ~150 days a year, and have been gone for as long as 5 weeks at a time). This has become especially problematic lately as I have a two year old child at home. I feel like I'm missing out. FYI, when I took the job, the understanding was that I would be travelling 6-8 weeks per year.
2) I took the job 4 years ago with the understanding that my boss was winding down with his career and would be ready to retire by now, and that I was essentially in training to take over for him (I'd worked for this company before, left, and was asked to come back). Well, 4 years, a bad economy, and a nasty divorce later, he's decided that he now has no plans to retire (he's 64, I'm 28).
Meanwhile, to prepare myself for this position, I've obtained a Master's degree and a PE (passed the exam in October and waiting on the license). My boss has neither. I've gotten some modest raises over the past few years (3-5% a year in 2007-2009, 0% in 2010), but I expected a sizeable one when I officially took over. The company has been silent on the issue. Personally, I think they're thrilled he's staying. He's a huge asset and has busted his tail for the company. I respect him. However, this now leaves me in a tricky situation, as I am seeing a significant number of jobs in my field and geographic area that pay very well and would probably offer me an opportunity to move up the ladder rather quickly.
I guess where I'm going with all this is...should I start looking for another job....or should I just suck it up and be happy with the one I've got?
I've been working as a Mechanical Design Engineer for a small consulting firm (<100 people worldwide) for four years. Overall, I like the job. I make pretty good money (~77k/year with full benefits) and I have a lot of autonomy. I also get to do a lot of different things (mechanical, electrical, hydraulics, etc.) I should also mention that I'm the only ME in the company (my boss, the Director of Development, is an EE).
Here are my issues:
1) I've got a pretty heavy travel schedule (gone ~150 days a year, and have been gone for as long as 5 weeks at a time). This has become especially problematic lately as I have a two year old child at home. I feel like I'm missing out. FYI, when I took the job, the understanding was that I would be travelling 6-8 weeks per year.
2) I took the job 4 years ago with the understanding that my boss was winding down with his career and would be ready to retire by now, and that I was essentially in training to take over for him (I'd worked for this company before, left, and was asked to come back). Well, 4 years, a bad economy, and a nasty divorce later, he's decided that he now has no plans to retire (he's 64, I'm 28).
Meanwhile, to prepare myself for this position, I've obtained a Master's degree and a PE (passed the exam in October and waiting on the license). My boss has neither. I've gotten some modest raises over the past few years (3-5% a year in 2007-2009, 0% in 2010), but I expected a sizeable one when I officially took over. The company has been silent on the issue. Personally, I think they're thrilled he's staying. He's a huge asset and has busted his tail for the company. I respect him. However, this now leaves me in a tricky situation, as I am seeing a significant number of jobs in my field and geographic area that pay very well and would probably offer me an opportunity to move up the ladder rather quickly.
I guess where I'm going with all this is...should I start looking for another job....or should I just suck it up and be happy with the one I've got?