Hi all. I would like some career advise from sifus because I feel my salary is quite low for my 5 years of experience (based on lowyat forum) and I feel a bit stagnant. Here is a bit about my background.

Job title: M&E Engineer
Job desc: Coordinate M&E Subcontractors works. Liase with consultant, client and authority.
Company: Main Contractor
Industry: Construction
Current Salary: Rm 3920 + Rm80 (phone allowance)
Years in current company: 8 months
Previous experience: 4 years, 4 months (Same job title, type of company and industry)
Qualification: BS Electrical Engineering (US uni)
Age this year: 29 years old

Salary progression:
Fresh
-> Rm2500
-> Rm2800 (confirmation increment after 6 months)
-> Rm2800 + Rm250 (site allowance work 6days/week)
-> Rm2884 + Rm250 (1st year increment)
-> Rm3279 + Rm250 (2nd year increment)
-> Rm3443 + Rm250 (3rd year increment)
-> Rm3920 + Rm80 (Jumped to different company)

My job role mostly consist of coordination M&E works (i.e. plumbing, fire sprinklers, electrical cables, their respective system design). My experience thus far has been more in high rise buildings. Though, I don't really get to do much hands on since the subcontractor usually does that part. As the main contractor, the task is more coordinating and managing them.

Aside from the actual task, I do take my own initiative to learn the nitty gritty technical details (i.e. from the detailed drawings, actual installations done by workers at site, studied the design aspect as well via internet eventhough is not part of the job scope). I had also recently took a Electronic to Electrical conversion program at Uniten (this is because Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) only recognized my US degree transcript as Electronic. So, with the Uniten Program transcript, I've appealed to BEM and will hopefully be recognized as an Electrical Engineering graduate so that I could pursue an IR in the future)

Looking at my seniors at work, the career progression seems to be M&E engineer -> Asst Manager -> Manager -> General Mgr. I have thought about jumping into m&e consultant firm as I like to learn more about design but then I think the salary would drop as I have no experience in actually designing and I heard consultants make less than Contractors. I have also thought about jumping into subcontractor firm as I could learn more hands on technical aspects but I hear the pay is low as well. I've also thought about just jumping to other industry but still in engineering although not sure what the prospects are.

Thank you if you've read till the end. I'd appreciate any advise you might have for someone like me. Would really like to have more salary satisfaction as I'm slipping away from peers my age. Thanks.