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Career Change

75' Forty

New member
Joined
May 25, 2020
Member Number
1369
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2
TLDR? - Don't like job, want new job. Looking for recommendations.


Took a new job last year and moved back to Houston (not tied to Houston for next job i don't think, wife would have to quit her teaching job).
At the time i thought it was a good step forward, but honestly it's not a good fit and the stress isn't worth the pay over my last positions.
My industry (O&G) is in the toilet again for the 2nd time since i got out of school (Mech. Eng) in 2014 and not worth stressing on job security on top of day to day stresses. I've been with the same employer since getting out of school 6 years ago.
Big changes coming at work, and i think my time with the company is coming to an end. Starting to look what could be next that may make me happier.

Not as concerned on salary as i was the last few years where i'd be willing to take a pay cut. Who knew money doesn't bring happiness 😂
If i could make $60k+ benefits with less stress and leave work at work, i think i would be happier and enjoy life outside of work more again.
Would want some career progression opportunities to make more money over time, if i wanted.

Up until this most recent role, i would say i've excelled in picking up most of my new jobs quickly and excelling over my peers with a unique perspective that has helped me progress in the last 6 years. However outside of a couple roles, i've not spent enough time in them to build a strong background in any job but have liked bouncing around as it does keeps things fresh.

I like hands on work and have done plenty in past roles (and enjoy it as i'm a hands on learner), but i don't want to rely on that all day every day for my job.
Looking for some ideas on other careers i could bounce to. Still early enough in my career that starting from scratch isn't a huge deal i don't believe.

Likes - Analytics, hands on roles, process improvement, some customer interactions
Dislike - Management, design, presentations

Roles held
Manufacturing Engineer (6 months)
Sourcing (6 months)
Buyer (3 months)
Documentation "supervisor" - (7 months)
Design Engineer (2 months, Hated this role)
Applications Engineer/Technical Sales (18 months) - I may still have potential to go to a small competitor that has approached me in the past, but would keep me tied to O&G (not 100% O&G).
Quality Supervisor - 12 Months
Product Manager (Marketing) - 10 months
 
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Are all those rolls with different companies?

Same company. First few jobs were planned moves from date of hire, after that it was managers taking a liking in me and trying to use me to the be the most effective.
 
Seems like you don't care much about what you'd be doing or where. Check out Redstone Arsenal /Huntsville Alabama area. It has/is exploding due to Space Force stuff. Find a contractor job, get your clearance, prove your worth and get brought into the Civil Service system. If you don't care to work for the .gov, the .gov jobs create opportunity all around the area.
 
Seems like you don't care much about what you'd be doing or where. Check out Redstone Arsenal /Huntsville Alabama area. It has/is exploding due to Space Force stuff. Find a contractor job, get your clearance, prove your worth and get brought into the Civil Service system. If you don't care to work for the .gov, the .gov jobs create opportunity all around the area.

^^What he said^^^^ If you don't mind working for the .gov, www.usajobs.gov and see what pops up.

edit: I can't be the only one who sees the irony in "ted kaczynski" recommending federal employment.
 
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Oil and gar is going to be messed up for a while. The boom and bust really takes it's toll and I am looking for a new industry to get into. Now is not a good time to be looking for a job, there is a ton of competition for the few jobs that are out there.

Utility work is always a pretty stable bet if you can get it.
 
First off, I'm always surprised when people complain about the O&G industry booming and busting. I worked in it from 2010-2019 and everyone with a few years experience knows that it will bust.

As a mechanical engineer who got out of oil, I moved into cement manufacturing because it encompassed things I was interested in (mining, big equipment, and fire). Figure out an industry that covers your interests and start applying for jobs in that industry.
 
I say go for it. Like you said, money isn't everything. Being miserable in a job that pays well, is still miserable.
 
First off, I'm always surprised when people complain about the O&G industry booming and busting. I worked in it from 2010-2019 and everyone with a few years experience knows that it will bust.

As a mechanical engineer who got out of oil, I moved into cement manufacturing because it encompassed things I was interested in (mining, big equipment, and fire). Figure out an industry that covers your interests and start applying for jobs in that industry.

I assumed i had a couple years before the market would crash again, i was apparently pretty wrong on that... Plan was to get experience in what i thought was a good position and bounce out into another industry and use my experience to keep my pay similar to where it's at now.

My backup was always to go work with where everyone i went to school did (truck mfg) but they're apparently laying off now as well and a couple friends have lost there jobs recently.

I may have potential to go to a competitor from my last position, but that doesn't fully get me out of O&G unfortunately but stress level would drop. Last we discussed it'd be a at home position in Houston (where i'm at now) and have some customer interactions. Not sure of what the entire job scope would be however since we last discussed or if it's even still on the table as an option.


Thankfully i'm employed at the moment and can think about what i want to do next, but the unhappiness most days at work are wearing on me. Unless i'm laid off, i know i'm stuck where i'm at thru October 1st when my 1yr date hits for this position and i'm no longer liable to reimburse the relocation package.
 
have you been able to identify the stress points causing the misery? if you plan making a move that is better, you need to know what to avoid.
 
I've been working in O&G for 25 years now. The gap between busts is getting shorter every time, and the highs are getting less high every time. The problem is permanent now. O&G used to be owned and ran by people who wanted to make a living for 30+ years, then sell the company to retire. Now everything is ran by short term investment bankers who NEED the company to be growing to make money. So no one is doing anything like they plan to be killing it 30 years from now. Every decision is short term based and poorly decided leading to lots of failure. But no one is afraid to fail because it's not their money they're failing with. That and technology has got to where we are way to good at what we do. As soon as there is a gap in the market/pipeline we can drill a killer horizontal well and pack the line.

I'm looking for an exit but currently stuck at a dead end just to keep a paycheck coming in for now.
 
Also to add, I've always had a plan B - C - D etc. For the first time in my life, all my plan B - Z's have evaporated. I used to have open ended offers to go to No-Dak or Texas at least. I've checked around and everywhere is on a hiring freeze. The only people getting hired for anything right now are people who the company already wanted and were just waiting for the right person to leave so they could get shuffled in.
 
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