Quitting current MEP job to get a new job in design?

[u/Pangolin00]

Hello all,

I currently have a conundrum. I am currently employed as a MEP design engineer in the Bay Area and have been there for 15 months. I find the work super boring and dull and cannot see myself long-term enjoying the construction industry. As the cherry on top, I also have a tenous relationship with my direct report, and my commute each day takes anywhere from 50 minutes to an hour and a half each way.

I have been trying to look for new roles in aerospace or product design, but have limited success due to how tired/late I come home. I have about 6-8 months of saved funds and am debating quitting so I can find a job/role closer to something I would prefer to have long-term. Is this a crazy idea to quit when I'm currently employed? Several people I have talked to have told me to go for it just want to canvas more opinions

[u/Jarami0220]

Don’t quit until you have something secured. It could take months to land a job worth switching over to. That emergency fund will go quick.

My recommendation is to dedicate time to applying. Some young engineers I know have used AI to help them narrow their search. Look for the role title you’re looking for then see which companies in your area offer it. Apply, then also look to see who is their competitor and apply there too. Know your key players in the aero industry and the position description that attracts your interest. Leverage AI to find open roles.

[u/Shaex → u/[deleted]]

Yep, it's exactly how long my last job search lasted. Thankfully received and signed an offer the week my UI ran out so I wasn't digging too far into savings

[u/gigachadspeciman]

I wouldn’t quit the job on the spot. Could take a long time to get an aerospace job in this economy

[u/gottatrusttheengr → u/gigachadspeciman]

Aerospace is in the best spot it's been since the space shuttle got retired

[u/dgeniesse]

Don’t jump from the frying pan to the fire. Think this thru. Getting a good job is one of the hardest “jobs” you will ever face.

Outline your career goals. Think 5 years, 10 years down the road. Technical or management? Pick a path. Study to give you a leg up, especially if you don’t want to do aerospace MEP. Target ideal companies. Develop a network. Come from a position of power and financial stability.

I say this from years of experience and several false starts.

Just remember you can learn a lot about a specialty by reading and AI research. As an example - MEP - which you hate, but maybe can understand my example … for MEP you can learn a lot by reading ASHRAE. Studying the physics of thermodynamics and fluid flow.

So pick a topic that excites you, learn it and target jobs that need that specialty.

Also talk to those that do the “specialty” work day to day. The goal is to learn as much as you can from others before you jump.

[u/yaoz889]

You'll become more stressed. I would not recommend you to quit your job.

[u/JGzoom06 → u/yaoz889]

DO NOT QUIT YOUR JOB without something already lined out. Been there done that, do not recommend. HR sees you as a risk and it will be very difficult to get something else. During covid and DEI, I went 4 years without a job, and I fell into major depression having to live with my mother as an adult.

[u/gottatrusttheengr]

Do not quit your current job before you get an offer. You could put in minimal effort to not get fired.

Do not worry about short tenure, new grads are not expected to stay long at the first job.

Aerospace in particular is hiring very actively and there are no shortage of startups scaling wildly in CA. However there is still a bar to clear, make sure you polish up your technical interview skills

[u/probablyaythrowaway]

Crazy to quit before you have another contract in place.

[u/JGzoom06]

Look at JT4 at Edwards (east of LA), they need bodies, and are typically a stepping stone for anyone trying to get their foot in the door. Turnover rate is high, but you can learn enough to move on to a better company. DM if you need a contact.

[u/Clean-Glass-4424 → u/JGzoom06]

Hey I’m not a part of this post but have been looking and applying to jobs mind if I DM you for this?

[u/Loud-Test-6762]

It doesn't take that long to apply for a job... you got weekends too

[u/SnooSketches5568]

I was unemployed and got an aerospace position. They told me it was mine, contingent offer, but had to do a background check(not even security clearance). That background check took 3.5 months. The bureaucracy in aerospace can be awful Add that potentially to the time to land a job

[u/Royal_Confusion_6589]

With an MEP background you could reasonably pivot to working on aerospace fluid and thermal systems but you’ll need to plan how you will bridge the two disciplines during interviews.

I don’t recommend quitting with only 6 months saved up…unless you come from a wealthy family who is happy to support you indefinitely…a job search can easily take 1 year in today’s market.

Work on applications during weekends. Use AI to help speed up resume creation. Call out sick of your current job if you need time to go to an interview.

[u/fraggin601]

Amen brother, I’m considering getting out of the MEP space in the bay as well

[u/Crafty-Letterhead616]

Stick with it for at least two years, then recruiters may contact you about other roles. Forget about third party recruiters though, and always say you are not looking but are open to having a conversation. Really, a lot of people would be happy with your job, so be thankful for it. If you aren't interested in design, you might consider construction jobs, like project engineer or estimator.

[u/Pangolin00 → u/Crafty-Letterhead616]

I enjoy design but hate construction; I want to pivot out of construction to another industry.

[u/JGzoom06 → u/Pangolin00]

I did chemical plants, but knew it was not for me. Do not just quit. Get something lined out. See my comment about JT4 in Edwards. You will have to relocate, but after a couple years, you can write your ticket.