Post: #1

I have a civil engineering degree but I've been working in tech. sales for quite some time. I've basically topped out and would like to get back into actual engineering, but since I haven't been using my degree (no design work, not using engineering software, etc.) I don't see how I could qualify for anything other than an entry level position (lower salary for sure). Has anyone made a transition like this before? What are the odds I'll be able to actually pull this off?

PS I passed the E.I.T. exam but I can't take the PE exam since I haven't been working under any PEs (not that I think I'd be able to pass it at this time).

Post: #2

Yes, but not in the same way you are describing.

When I started my first business and it came to a point where I needed to quit my day job to focus on my own. It was a huge pay cut for at least a year or so.

After a failed business in 2013 I had to go back to my old trade to stay afloat. The money was good but the whole time I was focusing on my next step. So when it came time to jump back into business for myself in 2016 it was, again, a massive pay cut. I took another slash in earnings last June when I took on partners and we bought out our pub-co VCers. Still struggling but I know from previous experience it does not last forever.

Post: #3

(01-14-2018 12:40 AM)Laner Wrote:  Yes, but not in the same way you are describing.

When I started my first business and it came to a point where I needed to quit my day job to focus on my own. It was a huge pay cut for at least a year or so.

After a failed business in 2013 I had to go back to my old trade to stay afloat. The money was good but the whole time I was focusing on my next step. So when it came time to jump back into business for myself in 2016 it was, again, a massive pay cut. I took another slash in earnings last June when I took on partners and we bought out our pub-co VCers. Still struggling but I know from previous experience it does not last forever.

What's pub-co VCers?

Post: #4

I have. My wife has been supporting me as I've been setting up a new business. Thank god for her, because once this business starts paying out, she can for all intents and purposes quit her job. Basically took a massive pay cut for pretty much a whole year.

I'm a week or two away from the real gravy. I'm glad I have an excellent wife who helped me through this.

Post: #5

I assume, public company venture capitalists?

Post: #6

(01-14-2018 11:36 AM)brick tamland Wrote:  I assume, public company venture capitalists?

Correct.

Post: #7

(01-14-2018 12:11 AM)nek Wrote:  I have a civil engineering degree but I've been working in tech. sales for quite some time. I've basically topped out and would like to get back into actual engineering, but since I haven't been using my degree (no design work, not using engineering software, etc.) I don't see how I could qualify for anything other than an entry level position (lower salary for sure). Has anyone made a transition like this before? What are the odds I'll be able to actually pull this off?

PS I passed the E.I.T. exam but I can't take the PE exam since I haven't been working under any PEs (not that I think I'd be able to pass it at this time).

If you have topped out in tech sales why would you want to be an engineer?

You should be pulling in $300k-2 mil if you top out in tech sales.

I've personally seen guys in their 20's hit 7 figures in tech sales. Nearly every rep in a field sales role is making $200k+ in a major city.

Post: #8

Do you need a tech degree to get into tech sales?

My girlfriend is looking for a new career. She’s 26, outgoing and hot so I would think she’d do well in sales.

Post: #9

(02-05-2018 10:09 PM)jbkunt2 Wrote:  Do you need a tech degree to get into tech sales?

My girlfriend is looking for a new career. She’s 26, outgoing and hot so I would think she’d do well in sales.

no

Post: #10

Just cut my pay in half by dialling back work for my major freelance client in order to devote time to building a side biz.

Things I should have done, but did not:

- all the guess and test work on nights and weekends for months leading up to the change
- pulled back on spending and increased my short term nut

Since I got cocky and figured I could get everything up and running in a month (and didn't), I had to scramble to take on a bunch of new one-off clients to pay bills.

My rate was way higher for these new clients, but I didn't factor in the time-cost of finding/pitching the new clients, so once you take that into account I was basically making the same as I would have been if I would have just kept my old hours.

So, OP, hopefully that gives you some pitfalls to be aware of.

To relate to your case, is there any way you could do more training/interning/volunteering (during off-peak work hours) to raise your qualifications above entry level before you leave your current job?

Post: #11

I did. I had a liberal arts degree in business and languages and was working a shit job that I didn't enjoy. At age 32, I enrolled in an energy engineering master's program and finished it recently at age 35.

I went back to living like a student again for the last 3 years. Just today I got a new job contract in the mail. I'll be working as an engineer in solar power, making more money than I ever have before. Needless to say that I never regreted my decision.

Post: #12

(02-05-2018 05:22 PM)Graft Wrote:  

(01-14-2018 12:11 AM)nek Wrote:  I have a civil engineering degree but I've been working in tech. sales for quite some time. I've basically topped out and would like to get back into actual engineering, but since I haven't been using my degree (no design work, not using engineering software, etc.) I don't see how I could qualify for anything other than an entry level position (lower salary for sure). Has anyone made a transition like this before? What are the odds I'll be able to actually pull this off?

PS I passed the E.I.T. exam but I can't take the PE exam since I haven't been working under any PEs (not that I think I'd be able to pass it at this time).

If you have topped out in tech sales why would you want to be an engineer?

You should be pulling in $300k-2 mil if you top out in tech sales.

I've personally seen guys in their 20's hit 7 figures in tech sales. Nearly every rep in a field sales role is making $200k+ in a major city.

Long and short of it is that my particular company, products, and my client (govt) don't really change much. Not to mention, I like actual hard engineering as I feel as though I'm developing a skill set.

Post: #13

(01-14-2018 11:08 AM)The Beast1 Wrote:  I have. My wife has been supporting me as I've been setting up a new business. Thank god for her, because once this business starts paying out, she can for all intents and purposes quit her job. Basically took a massive pay cut for pretty much a whole year.

I'm a week or two away from the real gravy. I'm glad I have an excellent wife who helped me through this.

Did this end up working out for you? Hope it went well. Success stories around here are like honey in my ear (didn't mean to rhyme but I would like to add this to the official forum song if there ever was one).

Post: #14

I've been doing this for a while. After I finished my degree and moved to China, I steadily increased my income. I peaked in the winter of 2016. However, I had to work a lot of hours to earn that income. I was working a part time job Monday-Friday for 15 hours a week and then a ton of gigs evenings and weekends. So, in the spring of 2017, I cut out the part-time morning job so that I would be starting my day at 7 and ending it at 8 or 9 in the evening.

This cost me some income, but my income/hour rate skyrocketed. And it gave me the freedom to start working seriously on building a legitimate product-based business.

I'm currently working towards being able to completely drop my hourly work by the end of the year and begin focusing purely on product creation and sales.

Always one step back, two steps forward.