I Quit!

[envisionelec]

I turned in my resignation today with the "large imaging company that recently emerged from Bankruptcy". I worked as a technician for 8 years. I had given them some nice power supply designs that are used all over the world in their labs and customer sites. They got these for "free" as they weren't properly compensating me for the job I was doing - but for the job I was titled.  I'd had enough!

I accepted an EE position as an Applications Engineer with a local audio/transducer company. It's a big step in my career path. I am glad to have had a side business all these years to hone my skills not learned in college. By the way, I am not a four-year degreed EE - I have an Associates Degree (2 years) in EET and one year of University, the latter of which was a complete fail due to time constraints and general lack of understanding of how college works (it's not about learning...).

I'm in my late 30's with two kids under 4.

As one of my EE friends said, "You can do it, but you're taking the long road." I agree - and it is the path I wanted to take.

[alank2]

I hope your new job goes well for you and your family!

[free_electron]

The people saying 'you can't do this' should never interrupt the people doing it.

[dr.diesel]

Each of the 3 times I've quit it was the best decision I could have made.  Good luck on your new venture and I'm sure your headed down the right path.   

[Mechatrommer]

encrypt the PSUs before you leave, so next time you can charge them 10 months salary for repair job. job is not so important, life is...

[mcinque]

You've do the right choice! Best wishes for your career!

[zapta]

Good luck!

BTW, what 'transducer' means in this context?

[envisionelec]

Good luck!

BTW, what 'transducer' means in this context?

In this case it's electrical energy to mechanical bending via the piezoelectric principle. In simpler terms, they make piezo beepers, MEMS and dynamic speakers, microphones, etc. If it makes noise, they seem to make it. You can see more at puiaudio.com

[EEVblog]

I don't think I can recall a single person I know who ever regretted quitting their job, myself included. 
Sounds like you've taken a big step up, and once you do that, you (should) never come back down.
A change is a good as a holiday.

[envisionelec]

encrypt the PSUs before you leave, so next time you can charge them 10 months salary for repair job. job is not so important, life is...

Quite the contrary. They were originally designed by some PhD's and were constantly blowing up. I redesigned them with a bunch of extra features and impossible to damage. Five years later, they're all (50 or so) still in service!

[envisionelec]

I don't think I can recall a single person I know who ever regretted quitting their job, myself included. 
Sounds like you've taken a big step up, and once you do that, you (should) never come back down.
A change is a good as a holiday.

Thanks, Dave, for the compliment!

[pickle9000]

Good luck sir, having freelance stuff on the side is always a winning choice.

[lapm]

Dont know you, but good luck. May your new path be better then the one you left behind.

[jancumps]

Enjoy! All the best in the new job.

[MrAureliusR]

It's great to hear someone with the same diploma (or at least an equivalent -- I'll have 2-3 years of EET in college) can get a good job! I'm certainly willing to work from the bottom up, but I definitely want to end up somewhere I love! I have been thinking a lot about careers and what I want to do after school and it's definitely hard to decide. I'll have to see how I feel as time goes by.

To second what everyone else has said above, Congrats! And I hope you find real satisfaction in your new job!

[george graves]

I love handing in that letter of resignation.  It's so freeing.  Especially if you have some money in the bank so you're not so stressed about it.

[envisionelec]

It's great to hear someone with the same diploma (or at least an equivalent -- I'll have 2-3 years of EET in college) can get a good job! I'm certainly willing to work from the bottom up, but I definitely want to end up somewhere I love! I have been thinking a lot about careers and what I want to do after school and it's definitely hard to decide. I'll have to see how I feel as time goes by.

To second what everyone else has said above, Congrats! And I hope you find real satisfaction in your new job!

I'm 37, so figure about 20 years of persistent effort. The most important part of my experience was that I owned a small business as an engineering contractor. I built switch-mode power supplies, detectors, audio amplifiers, signal processors and many other "things" over the years. I also spent time as a repair technician so I can also fix nearly anything (but not everything is worth fixing).

You basically has to be carefully discontent with your current situation and be willing to put in the work. Also, being able to ignore people that say you're wasting time is a plus. 

I'm sure I've said it before, but my lack of education is not for lack of trying. I was the first in my family to go to college (and so far the only to graduate). My family was poor and there was no expectation of getting out of the ghetto. I literally made up my mind that I WILL become an engineer, however I can. I was an average student and not so good at math. It wasn't until just before college that I learned that math was the key to future success in engineering. Do I use longhand? Hell no! I use a calculator just like everyone else.

I was also a forum whore for years, contributing many thousands of posts of good data to various topics. It forced me to investigate, experiment and verify my claims. Being able to communicate effectively on a forum has done wonders in communicating with suppliers over email. I will use the phone if necessary, but I have fulfilled whole contracts using email. Writing skills are a huge requirement in today's job market.

Finally, you need to be more than just an engineer. One of the most overlooked aspects of engineering is the ability to verbally communicate concepts. For an applications engineer, being able to travel to a customer site with the sales rep and client and not stare at the floor is imperative. That's not to say you have to be gregarious, you just have to present a good front for the company. I am a dedicated yet emotionally detached employee. I care, but not too much. Besides, I'm not trying to climb the corporate ladder. I've got a family that I love and will not sacrifice any family time for the company. I can always climb that ladder after the kids are grown.

[Mechatrommer]

The most important part of my experience was that I owned a small business as an engineering contractor. I built switch-mode power supplies, detectors, audio amplifiers, signal processors and many other "things" over the years. I also spent time as a repair technician so I can also fix nearly anything (but not everything is worth fixing).

why dont make it a full time while you are freed? freed from being called an employee? out here we dont need diploma even primary grade cert to become rich, all we need is sweet lip. talking flowers to government side can give you good and everlasting income, not to mention private sectors, small biz niches indivuals etc. esp if you already have the skills, as i said we dont even need that out here, if we dont have the skills, we hire persons like you as employees how genius! but only here, not sure how hard it is in the USA.

[IntegratedValve]

Moving jobs can be stressful, just like moving house. Good luck!

Being a hardware designer and/or software designer is not about having bits of paper saying your qualified etc, it's about having that experience, it's about what you can actually do, about knowing what it is you're doing, no matter what route you took to learn it and what bits of paper you have or have not.

Others will disagree though, but that's OK.

Maybe true, but in reality respect and appreciation are for degreed people, no matter what we think.

[envisionelec]

The most important part of my experience was that I owned a small business as an engineering contractor. I built switch-mode power supplies, detectors, audio amplifiers, signal processors and many other "things" over the years. I also spent time as a repair technician so I can also fix nearly anything (but not everything is worth fixing).

why dont make it a full time while you are freed? freed from being called an employee? out here we dont need diploma even primary grade cert to become rich, all we need is sweet lip. talking flowers to government side can give you good and everlasting income, not to mention private sectors, small biz niches indivuals etc. esp if you already have the skills, as i said we dont even need that out here, if we dont have the skills, we hire persons like you as employees how genius! but only here, not sure how hard it is in the USA.

I worked in Malaysia for a few weeks this summer. I can't say I'd ever want to live there - always hot! The people are friendly, though.

 A funny thing...all my American co-workers were afraid to eat fresh vegetables and drink the soda - because of the health warnings. After speaking with the locals, I determined it was worth trying. So, I ate EVERYTHING - never got sick once. Malaysia was a good experience for me.

[Mechatrommer]

A funny thing...all my American co-workers were afraid to eat fresh vegetables and drink the soda - because of the health warnings.

rumours! alas quite true since diabetes and heart desease are quite famous here, and there is old saying "99% of deseases come from what you eat". no you wont get killed in short time, it will take a while. i believe this hold true not just here but in any countries nowadays. maybe people just exagerating it in some countries for eg like us. good luck with your career.

[envisionelec]

A funny thing...all my American co-workers were afraid to eat fresh vegetables and drink the soda - because of the health warnings.

rumours! alas quite true since diabetes and heart desease are quite famous here, and there is old saying "99% of deseases come from what you eat". no you wont get killed in short time, it will take a while. i believe this hold true not just here but in any countries nowadays. maybe people just exagerating it in some countries for eg like us. good luck with your career.

No, not health concern. Health dangers such as typhoid.

[envisionelec]

I just completed my first week of training and introductions. There are about 20 people in the organization and all are excellent. I fit in perfectly and already corrected a design issue. I am in process of spec'ing new test gear (woo hoo! Stuff!) for the design of product applications. Absolutely awesome. 

 

[calexanian]

PUI looks like a good deal. I think one of my vendors had something to do with them at one time. I will ask him when he gets back from vacation. He now has a company called GLobal Audio SOurces importing everything audio from Asia.

[M0BSW]

Good Luck with your New Job, I changed jobs a while back it's OK once you settle in, to start with you think you made a mistake , only because your hanging on to some things you like about your old job, but they soon pass, I remember sitting in the car parking thinking " what the heck have I done" but now I settled in, I will change jobs again, but it will be easier

[envisionelec]

Good Luck with your New Job, I changed jobs a while back it's OK once you settle in, to start with you think you made a mistake , only because your hanging on to some things you like about your old job, but they soon pass, I remember sitting in the car parking thinking " what the heck have I done" but now I settled in, I will change jobs again, but it will be easier

Right. That happened Day One.  But I reminded myself it was Day One and my fears subsided.

The old job is already a distant memory. I hated it for years, but kept my performance up in case an opportunity presented itself. I didn't want to start any bad habits.