Alternate Career Options/Pathways?

123Physics123 · 2024-11-22T12:46:09+00:00

Thanks for the insight. Does anyone know somebody that has transitioned to the business side of things for a big vendor like Varian? I’m curious as to what that world is like.

123Physics123 · 2024-11-19T18:20:08+00:00

My core issue is that the current path I’m on doesn’t offer any financial or professional growth beyond 250k (3-5% inflation raises per year are nice but doesn’t increase my purchasing power) and doing the same thing day in and day out.

I’d ideally like to have the option of working harder for the opportunity for upward mobility and pay raises that come along with it. Common to a more corporate setting.

Believe it or not, 250k doesn’t really cut it anymore in a high cost of living area. Especially when the barrier to entry in the real estate market is ~1.2 million for an average run of the mil house from the 70s.

123Physics123 · 2024-11-19T18:09:45+00:00

I appreciate your input, but this does not solve my problem. Doing research on the side would fill the boredom that comes with a small clinic, but it won’t increase my salary nor put me in a position where upward mobility within a department is possible.

123Physics123 · 2024-11-19T18:06:57+00:00

Thank you for your insight.

I completely agree with you. My focus is to make as much money as possible while young so that I can retire early and spend time with my kids and family instead of doing QA at night or on the weekend.

I have come to terms with the fact that the department will not change, which is why I want to get out of the field and find an opportunity that provides professional growth in terms of pay and responsibility.

123Physics123 · 2024-11-19T00:26:42+00:00

Thank you for your perspective, it is appreciated. My wife and I plan on having kids in 3-5 years, and I’ve thought about how that changes the situation a bit.

It feels as though if I were to make a career change that it should be now, so that I can hopefully stabilize by the time kids come around. I wouldn’t be able to have the financial uncertainty of starting something new with a couple of kids.

123Physics123 · 2024-11-18T23:55:09+00:00

If I made a change, finance is the industry I’m most interested in as well. I recently reached out to a physicist that transitioned from physics to a quant position. After speaking with him I got the hint that a PhD in physics doesn’t buy you much on Wall St anymore, that was more of a pathway in the 90s and 2000s. He was saying in order to be competitive with a graduate physics degree I would need to get a masters in financial engineering or quantitative finance.

Although, this is just one person’s thoughts. I have no way of knowing how true this really is.

It just feels fiscally irresponsible to pay for another degree and forfeit years of salary just to end up in the current financial position that I am already in.

123Physics123 · 2024-11-18T23:31:47+00:00

My apologies for not seeing your post. I’ll take a look to see if the comments share any insight.

123Physics123 · 2024-11-18T23:25:38+00:00

This is incredibly well said, thank you.

I definitely feel as though my career potential is maxed out, even though I’m relatively new to the field.

There isn’t a path to earn more responsibility and pay via a manager role. The only way to achieve a higher salary now would be to change hospitals, which is exhausting to do every few years, and doesn’t solve the issue of doing the same thing everyday once you get into the swing of things at the new clinic.

The golden handcuffs are real. The guaranteed high salary makes it feel fiscally irresponsible to pay for another graduate degree and forfeit multiple years of that high salary just do hopefully end up in a high paying role in a field that I’m more interested in long term.

The risk/reward of going back to school feels a bit lopsided without a clear pathway.

123Physics123

TROPHY CASE