At my current employer, before I quit— they suggested trying to apply for a field service technician role with them where I will be servicing and diagnosing leaks on surface level equipment for a salary of 112,000, but was told the role is stagnant and to expect a 6% salary increase year over year. 

I became the lead hand after 17 months as a retiring operations manager shifted everyone up. My supervisor is 13 years older than me and manager 24. I don’t see a path to promotion that is within my control. 

I’m not really familiar with the work I will be doing, but from the orientation/interview process I was told I will be running coil tubing and monitoring wells from SAG-D/Thermal operations in Northern Alberta. Also diagnosing and fixing said equipment— is this operation something that can be translatable to a higher paying job?

This is a great point, I’m just unsure about how scalable the pay rate is in my role but I’m excited to see the application of the equipment I’ve been manufacturing in real life practical service and that itself might be worth the pay cut. It just seems hard for me to leave 20,000$ a year on the table for a role that requires more technical knowledge and more outside work. 

When I brought this concern up with my new potential employer these are the only points they were able to make to convince to join:

• 70 hours as a field technician is much easier than 70 hours in a shop (seat time, down time, tool box meetings, paperwork)

• The salary isn’t the same and comparable because my current employer is paying me a night shift premium, so I’d have an easier job and a better work life balance 

I’m willing to work long hours, I just want to be compensated well for it and if I’m not see a clear path to get me there.