Career change...

[j2sgam]

I recently found out that I need to make one. The Home Integration market around here is all but dead, the company I work for will soon be absorbed into the parent company, which does networking and network security. So I have the option to stay where I am and become a digital signage architect or a network engineer, or I can take an offer I got and get back into commercial low-voltage electrical...

I think Im better off staying here and moving positions. My boss will pay for all the training and I will have 5 years here next month. Pay goes up once I get the 1st certification...Never thought I would have to change career paths at 37...

If I take the offer, which was "Give me number that will get you away from Savant..", I already know most of what I need to, and if they do take the number i give them it will be a considerable bump in pay. But its not really progressing myself professionally anywhere else, just a better paycheck...

Just stressin over the right thing to do.. The better paycheck now but probably not real happy about going to work every day or stick in there for the long haul which I think I will be happy, but its a big step starting something completely different from what I have been doing since 1995...

[The Saltman]

Hey at least you arent going back to school, and going into a completely different field like I am at 30.

at least you do have options, good luck.

[Darth Biscuit]

Do you still have aspirations to start your own business? Maybe take the bigger paycheck for a year while you work on that...?

[j2sgam]

I do but the same reason I havent yet is the same reason almost every A/V company in the area has folded. This is an industry of wants, not needs. The money is made when houses are being built and people want the technology to control their home. Most of the houses here are being built by the builders and arent sold yet, builders do not see the value in having the houses wired... Same thing with the fiber optics, its not a need. Sure, a starlight ceiling looks really cool, but why spend a couple of hundred bucks to do some accent lighting?

[Darth Biscuit]

Yeah... the economy sucking has killed the housing industry which affects tons of subsidiary industries like yours and mine both. Maybe you can take the new position, still do A/V work on the side and eventually things will come around and you can pursue the idea later. As old as I feel sometimes, me and you aren't that old. 40 is not too late to start something new...

[Hawk]

change is good man....go for it

[j2sgam]

Which change Hawk? The company or career path? If I change companies I stay doing what I have been, or stay at this company and change paths?

Really, I think its best to take my lumps now for a better tomorrow. The network engineer path would be clearly laid out for me, and a brighter future. I was told that there a 3 levels, payscale is roughly $55k, $80k and 6-figures... I dont even know what the scale is for the signage architect, that industry is so new, but when almost everything else is slowing down, digital signage is blowing up...

Hey at least you arent going back to school, and going into a completely different field like I am at 30.

at least you do have options, good luck.

Hotel business got you down?

[Hawk]

career path....there's more to life than money...as long as your new career get's you what you need, the happiness you will find is worth many a extra dollars...and those will come too!

[charlotte49er]

I recently found out that I need to make one. The Home Integration market around here is all but dead, the company I work for will soon be absorbed into the parent company, which does networking and network security. So I have the option to stay where I am and become a digital signage architect or a network engineer, or I can take an offer I got and get back into commercial low-voltage electrical...

I think Im better off staying here and moving positions. My boss will pay for all the training and I will have 5 years here next month. Pay goes up once I get the 1st certification...Never thought I would have to change career paths at 37...

If I take the offer, which was "Give me number that will get you away from Savant..", I already know most of what I need to, and if they do take the number i give them it will be a considerable bump in pay. But its not really progressing myself professionally anywhere else, just a better paycheck...

Just stressin over the right thing to do.. The better paycheck now but probably not real happy about going to work every day or stick in there for the long haul which I think I will be happy, but its a big step starting something completely different from what I have been doing since 1995...

The age of staying in one's job or even one's company from the time you graduate from High School/College is long gone. It died in the 90's.

Nursing MAYBE the only exception. Though you may change doctors, hospitals, clinics, etc over the course of your career.

Teachers come close. Most get tired of the long hours and little pay and eventually look for something else.

I thought that when I graduated in 1979 and took a possition as an engineer with IBM, I would be there until I retired. I did moved twice. But still IBM downsized, and today, I'm not sure they even manufacture anything, maybe mainframes?

I have had many careers since leaving IBM in 1994. Some good, some bad. At times, I worked several jobs at once. (Usually between girlfriends.)

I have even went back to college a couple of times as well. (I was always the oldest one there!) It was almost a culture shock going back to college. I was in my 40's and everyone else was in the late teen's to early 20's! The young ladies are much more open these days!

IMO, just be happy that you have a position right now.

[Jackofalltrades]

I'm going to be a truck driver when able, hopefully soon.

[Squirrel]

Aleast you have options. I moved to stay in my career field. Bad thing is in my industry everything is driven my seniority. To stay over you even have to go to the bottom of the payscale no matter the experience.

[Anybodyhome]

A career change can be stressful and create some real problems aside from the obvious financial implications... if your job is an extension of yourself.

Trust me as you read this. I'm 55 years old, retired from the Navy in '93 and left my last job after 16 years in August. At 55 in this economy I walked away from my last job. I've got a new gig and I'm pretty happy even though it's a completely new direction, but that's not the point.

As someone else posted, there is no such thing as corporate loyalty anymore- hasn't been for years. Individuals have far more loyalty to their employer than the employer has for them and I fail to understand why.

Simply put, if you allow your job to define who you are as a person you'll have problems getting work in a new career. A job is nothing more than a means to an end- it pays the bills, keeps a roof over your head and food on the table. But does your job provide you with a personality? A set of values? The ability to show compassion and understanding for other people? Does your job make your family happy? The answer is, "No." Hopefully, the person you are at home resembles nothing close to who you are at work.

My answer to anyone thinking about changing jobs- make sure you're okay with your financial situation for a couple months and go for it. Screw it- it's just another job. You get paid for what you know and what you can do- that's it. It's just a f****** job, like getting up everyday, walking to your neighbor's house and washing his car for him everyday and getting paid to do it.

[j2sgam]

Thank all of yous for the insight as well as the advice. To be honest, I am a bit intimidated to just drop what I have been for the last 15 years and start anew. But like anything, its only a matter of learning...

Told my boss that I would like to pursue both the signage architect and the network engineer. I am now set up with the signage tutorial program and I already have access to quite a few networking classes. I figure I can study the networking after hours and then take the test here soon...

Many, many thanks to each poster in here, I really appreciate it, especially sports talk & AnybodyHome...

[sharkman]

Network engineer is a solid choice, but be warned the industry (technology) is moving faster than ever. Unified Computing Systems is putting the traditional network specific guy in a position of working on systems like never before. Lines are getting blurred, but it still shouldn't mean you have to become a Unix or Windows expert anytime soon. I'm certainly not!

For entry level certificates look into CompTia's Network+ cert. It's a great launch pad and never expires, so it's on your resume for life. You should be able to knock that out with nothing more than a book and some time.

Then go here:

http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/learning_career_certifications_and_learning_paths_home.html

Even if your company (now or in the future) doesn't use Cisco hardware, the certifications carry a lot of weight in the industry.

I've been in the networking industry for 14 or 15 years now. The last 11 with the same employer.

I was told that there a 3 levels, payscale is roughly $55k, $80k and 6-figures...

I'd never expect 6 figures in my lifetime doing this. I'm at the senior level now and 6 figures isn't on my horizon, nor the architect position above my senior position. (four levels here) Maybe if you get into management, but we all know managers are over paid! :)

I figure I can study the networking after hours and then take the test here soon...

If you really want to make something of yourself in networking it's going to take much more time than this. Once you start looking at anything beyond entry level you'll find there is much more to it that most suspect.