Been There...7 years ago after working 6 years for a firm that decided that Employees relatives and original low number alcoholic/subtance abusing employees were the ones who got the raises, I walked out on 7 days notice for a better package at a top 5 firm. I was doing my job plus my drunken bosses job and training new hires as Field Inspectors. Promises of my bosses job were made time and time again and every time it was "well we can't fire Pete! He's been here so long!".

I handled an investigation of a huge issue at a major project where the Garage floors(200,000 sq ft) were deflecting 3 1/2" and created a report that encompassed 10,000 pachometer readings and included a 3D Cad diagram. When we presented it my boss was too smashed to handle the presentation so I took over and blew the guilty firm off the map.

Two of the people in the room was a PE who I had worked for 6 years previously and her boss who was one of the creators of the modern High Strength concrete high rises in NYC.

2 weeks later when I got back from vacation my email and voice mail were full and every 2nd call/email was from her/him. We met for coffee at a Dunkin Donuts and wrote my contract on a napkin and I had a signed deal PDF by email by 5PM. It hasn't been easy, we lost our founder and reduced in force by 60% but we turned the corner this year on the serious debt we inherited from the founder ($5 million) and I have been one of the people who have been the difference, (really feels DAMN GOOD).

Since then I have watched my pervious employer get investigated for everything from Bid Rigging to ICE violations while I have built a good crew that is known for quality work and customer service. My former boss is known as Capt. Prozac (an upgrade from Jack Daniels), and I have helped all the good guys get out to other good firms. Other than my ace CAD guy who did the report with me, I never poached my previous firm, all I do is write a letter of reference and that gets them thru the door at good places.

I never looked back...and neither should you.