Let me try a pros and cons list here.
Current Job
Pros:
- three weeks pto/vacation
- I am one of six engineers here, instead of being one of 100+ like other firms
- Ability to travel all around the US dependent on client location.
- decent work/life balance
- I get joy when I do a job well and the account managers praise me or even buy me treats
- It's the most money I've ever made at a job
- Benefits are good, about as good as working for the government.
- The company does not fire people, I could ride this out for another 30 years.
- A lot of people like me here and I feel I do well at my job.
Cons:
- Can sometimes be long hours to finish deadlines and proposal
- Sometimes traveling and being away from home gets old.
- The industry is sort of the bottom feeder industry (material handling)
- I deal with sales account managers, as opposed to actual engineers. So dealing with them can be difficult with their egos and micromanagement,
- Company has no structure and it sometimes feels like the wild west. I have to reverse engineer projects salesmen will sell at x dollars and find out where all the money goes and if they sold the right components, etc.
- According to glassdoor, salary.com, linkedin, I am at least 20% underpaid, but this seems like a nationwide thing.
- There is no upward mobility, I am a systems project engineer. The only other step I could make would be engineering manager.
Future Job:
Pros:
- Fresh new start
- Ability to grow with a company
- More upward positions Senior levels and the like
- Potentially more pay
- Ability to learn more
Cons:
- Maybe they won't like me or I won't fit in
- Could be an employer with a high turn over rate
- May not be that great at what I do since new job would be full of actual engineers and architects.
- To many unknowns.