Re: career doldrums

BMJ wrote:
Gregg wrote:

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But that same lack of cash flow can also result in anxieties about whether one still has a job. I've worked for several smaller firms that spent a lot of time trying to stay afloat. Having to look over one's shoulder takes its toll on creativity and commitment.

Point well taken -
As with any decision - you need to do your homework (see below)
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Routine work isn't bad in itself. Being familiar with a fixed way of doing things can lead to one being able to do them quickly and, thereby, getting more things done. When I started worked for a company building gas compressors, it took me about two weeks to check a set of shop drawings. Within a few months, I got through them in less than three days because I knew, by then, what information I needed and how to proceed.

- depends on your personality.
Everyone needs to do a little self examination to determine the type of work that suits them.
Some people work so they can live and others live to work.
If you're lucky - you can find the job that suits your temperament.

As for the politics, that can hardly be avoided. Every place I worked at had something going on in the background.

I agree - but some places are awful. The best job I had from a technical challenge was run by the biggest A-hole I have ever met.
In the 5 years there - we had about 120% turnover in salaried employees (and a higher hourly rate turnover). - the entire second shift walked off the job one night - they got tired of the spanking sessions.
- almost everyone (salaried) who left was fired. I had some stupid bug in my craw that I was going to outlast the president of the company and I did. - I left shortly afterwards. (people will sometimes stay with a job for the stupidest reasons)- The president left to become a politician and now holds an elected seat in the state assembly. (he fits right in)- I think the owner of the company was ready to fire him if he didn't get elected.
I loved working on customer problems and developing new technology - the guys on the floor were great- but the job sucked because of a few people.

The setting I'm in now- is much lower energy and has long development cycles (technical nature of the beasty), but the people are great to work with. - yes there are politics, but it's not too bad. My boss feels it's his responsibility to take care of the politics so his people can do their jobs (how often do you find that?). - It's a big company - but I'm still using duck tape and dumpster diving.
every job has it's aggravations.


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It may not be the field your in - just the company your working for......


Before jumping to another company, one should check up on its financial situation as well as any other news about it. When I was a rookie engineer, I didn't do that, but, then, there was no Internet nor did I know how to read a financial report. If I'd done my homework, I might have saved myself a great deal of grief.

I agree - but looking for another job oportunity maybe more prudent than switching fields.

Unfortunately, I know a number of people who went to work for a large stable company - and it went into the shitter in a matter of months.
Stock went from ~$110.00 or so to $2.00 - the company survived and is on the upswing - minus thousands of employees.
Doing your homework on this company would not have paid off - they went into the shitter because they were following the advice of wall street gurus on how to focus the company.
Sometimes it's just a crap shoot - but doing your home work can minimize the risk.
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