Yet another career change question

scottmandue · 05-03-2006, 11:54 AM

I have a nice job working for the state at a science museum in downtown Los Angeles as an electronic technician, it is a great job and I like my supervisor.
On a whim I applied and tested for a job here "stationary engineer". For those of you who don't know a stationary engineer is the person who runs the HVAC system on large buildings. Now I haven't laid hands on a piece of HVAC equipment for fifteen years so I didn't think I would do very well on the test, however I have been called in for an interview.
I bemused and befuddled...
Pro's of staying with current job, I like my supervisor and co-workers, I get to meet a lot of interesting people, I work on a lot of different stuff so the job is rarely boring.
Pro's of new job, $1K month raise (I currently make around $40K), job is transferable i. e. most large buildings have a stationary engineer.

Thing being I have been where I am at for eight years and I am forty nine years old so making a change on the magnitude of learning a new job (I can do this job), working with a new group of people, and adjusting to a new schedule is well... scary.
However it does seem like a good career move.

So what say ye wise PPOTers?

JeremyD · JeremyD's Garage

What's your new potential supervisor like? people don't typically leave companies - they leave supervisors.

Rot 911 · 05-03-2006, 12:11 PM

On top of what Jeremy asked, would the hours change? What happens when the HVAC goes bad in the middle of the night or weekend?

artplumber · 05-03-2006, 12:19 PM

Why'd you quit touching HVAC systems in the past? Please keep it PG-13 rated.

Does the reason still apply today? If so, why go back?

scottmandue · 01:54 PM

Answers to your questions; New supervisor seems nice however he has a long commute and I'm not sure how long he will stay although he has been here for several years already. More importantly the department I would be transferring to for the most part treats their people a little better than the one I work for.

I currently work a steady Tuesday through Saturday 8 to 5 schedule. I would be moving to a rotating schedule covering weekends one or two months out of the year 6:30 to 3:30, I prefer the steady schedule however 6:60 to 3:30 is a much better commuting time so the schedules breaks even. Yes I would be on call for emergencies however the building shuts down at night so that would be pretty rare and I would be sharing job duties with two or three other guys.

Why did I quit HVAC: I was an HVAC installer for the family company for ten years, when my brother took over the business I decided it was time for a career change. That was when I was thirty and I figured crawling attics wasn't going to get any easier so I better learn to work with my head instead of my back. I went to school and got my two year electronics degree then got a job with Johnson controls doing HVAC controls where I got some good training. The branch office I was working for folded and laid everyone off one year after I started. Then I bounced around doing computer tech type jobs until I landed this job.

I really like my job, I get to do a little computer stuff, a little electronics stuff, a little audio video stuff... however I am topped out where I am at, I will never make more that 2% cost of living increase. Whereas the other job has lots of room for advancement and as I said I can transfer to any building in the state that need a stationary engineer, Check the classified for "exhibit electronic technician" and see how many jobs pop up

. Of course my skills as a tech are transferable but I want to stay in the state system.

artplumber · 05-03-2006, 02:16 PM

So if you're not working for your brother, or crawling in the attic, and the hours are a wash, and there's no place to go long-term as an electronics tech.... I think you get the picture.

Seahawk · 05-03-2006, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by scottmandue
however I am topped out where I am at, I will never make more that 2% cost of living increase. Whereas the other job has lots of room for advancement

There it is...you're young and time won't be an ally for long.

Best of luck!

M.D. Holloway · 05-03-2006, 03:16 PM

The grass is only greener if someone else is going to cut it for you - I bet you'd get bored.

scottmandue · 05-03-2006, 04:08 PM

Mike, yes that is my biggest worry... that and fear of the unknown... we have plumbers and electricians and a half dozen other tradesmen that do all the real work so I would probably fiddle with the computer all day and walk around the building pointing at things and grimacing.... hmmm... yeah... got to do something about that... uh huh.

Forty nine? young? what?

Peter, seems like a no brainer... yes no real future where I am at other to ride it out until retirement.

Hetmann · 05:08 PM

Seems like a decent increase in pay to me. Something to consider. Either way, perhaps you could add some zing to your worklife (and income) by doing something else you enjoy part time. Audio/lights for a theatre production, home theatre installs, building speakers.

artplumber · 05-03-2006, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by scottmandue
Mike, yes that is my biggest worry... that and fear of the unknown... we have plumbers and electricians and a half dozen other tradesmen that do all the real work so I would probably fiddle with the computer all day and walk around the building pointing at things and grimacing.... hmmm... yeah... got to do something about that... uh huh.

Forty nine? young? what?

Scott,
If you really get bored, look for another position in the system to move up to. Don't know it's equivalent in your line of work, but the common thing is to do as my uncle did: Assoc prof @ LA city coll then assoc prof @ cal state, then assistant prof LA city, then Assist prof cal state, then assist prof UC, then full prof LA city.... you get the picture.

49y/o really is pretty young. (especially since I'm getting there pretty quick)

Hoots · 05-03-2006, 06:03 PM

Take the new job. Work at it for 5 years then apply to a pharmaceutical company.

JeremyD · JeremyD's Garage

I really think that the only way to get decent raises is to change jobs - for what it is worth

jyl · jyl's Garage

Good raise, creates more opportunities down the road, good department, okay hours - sounds good to me!

Cdnone1 · 05-03-2006, 08:11 PM

make the change. Your going to have a mid life crisis and maybe this will keep you busy enough that you won't buy an old Ferrari to restore
Steve

bell · bell's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Cdnone1
that you won't buy an old Ferrari to restore
Steve

haahaa......you have (had) an old ferrari in your sig......i get it

Evans, Marv · 05-03-2006, 08:43 PM

Scott,
Jerry maybe hit on something. Why don't you take the new job and do it for a long enough time to get comfortable & efficient at it. Then consider going into private business doing the same thing or similar for 2 or more buildings. If you are having the trades people doing the hands on work, why couldn't you do the same for more than one building? Tell them you'll do it on a private contract basis for 66% to 75% of the money. If you could handle more than one, you could come out ahead.

scottmandue · 05-05-2006, 06:57 AM

Thanks for the input guys...

Several people applied for the job so I will wait and see if they offer it to me.

I have got eight years in with the state and I want to stay in the state system to keep my pension and med benefits.

One thing I have in mind would be to stay with the state until I am fifty five and retire vested, then get a job at a small city owned aquarium a few miles from me (walking/biking distance in good weather) or even the Long Beach Aquarium about a fifteen minute drive from my house.

M.D. Holloway · 05-05-2006, 07:02 AM

Scott - I'm working with the American Museum of Natural History in NYC on a project for asset management. It is nothing to do with lubricants rather it incorporates the use of mico-chip tags and a software program I wrote. The tag is about the size of a dime and holds the maintenance and inspection history of each asset as well as the PMs that are required. It was originally developed for the mining industry. If you would like I can get you more info.

masraum · 05-05-2006, 07:20 AM

Do you need the money or it would just be nice? Are you restless at your current position? It doesn't sound like it. I'd prefer an interesting job if the money was adequate, but that's a really big raise, 30%. That's hard to turn down, especially if there's a chance that it's "just the beginning."

I think it comes down to "how much does the money mean to you?"