Quote:
Originally Posted by de captain
I've been hesitant to offer an opinion, and it seems you're moving past boats, but milk cartons aren't particularly easy to drive and you're qualified/capable of driving anything someone offers up. IF you want to drive boats you could have your choice and be well employed within a few weeks. Yachts, ferries, deliveries, take your choice.
You should have quit your job long ago. You know it, I know it, all of OOT knows it. You're better than that, you know it, I know it, all of OOT knows it.
I've no insight to the tech, or academic, world but it sounds like the rest of OOT has your back. Just make sure you're balancing your future career w/ how you'd like to actually spend your days.
It sounds like you're keen to move on to the next phase. Ime everyone tends to hold onto the past, or be fearful of change, despite the fact that change is highly cathartic.
Step up, you're a Captain. You're sought after in multiple fields. Go forth and do the **** you want to do.
I want to address this if i can, for all the experience I have on the milk carton, I'm not a very experienced captain.
For one, the boats I drive are extremely difficult to drive because they have one propeller on each end and a rudder on each end as well. This makes them drive quite unlike any other kind of boat, most people with prior boating experience are completely unable to learn them. In fact the more experience you have, usually the worse you do.
I've driven small twin prop boats and I'm just bad at it. I can dock them in a pinch but I need a LOT more practice and I don't feel comfortable or safe at all, probably because I'm so used to the precise maneuverability of the boats I usually drive. I can put them to the inch where I want them, and it would take years if I'm able to learn how to drive a twin prop like that (if I'm even able to).
I have no doubt I could learn but I'd be going into a position basically starting from square 1. I don't know much about the practical side of running a boat, I have no relevant experience in anything but running dinner boats and even then not much. I can pump out a marine head, I can tie a line to a cleat, and that's about all I know how to do. Engine wise I'm not savvy. And if I got a job on a larger charter, I'd be hired as a mate and not a captain.
Another issue is my license is very small. My license is so small they don't even issue them. The smallest issued license from the coast guard is a 50 ton inland, and they gave me a 25 ton for some reason. This means I basically can't drive anything but the boats I drive right now.
I can upgrade but it's a hassle that I don't really want to deal with. In other words I feel much, much more confident about my skills as a programmer than my skills as a boat captain. It's just not for me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chopstick
Seems like a lot of the folks advocating negotiating are not taking into account:
- your desire to escape the milk carton NOW
- your lack of negotiating skills
- this would be your first job in the new field
- how often people switch companies in tech
- your anxiety related to a massive life change
- your inaccurate self market valuation
- etc
yes all of that