I am currently in my fourth year in a developmental biology PhD research program. I really never had an interest in being a PI, but I was under the impression that if I wanted any kind of real career prospects even outside of academia, I would need a PhD. So, here I am, 3.5 years deep. I proposed my thesis a year ago, and my research simply is not going well. It is very high risk, minimal reward type of project, and I've grown to loathe it. I am receiving minimal to no guidance from my PI, and I'm frankly quite miserable.
I know this type of question has been answered in an FAQ here, but it looks to be from 2011. What was a fleeting urge to master out has now become a real possibility for me. What I'm wondering is, what are the job prospects for a PhD program dropout, now, in 2017/2018? I have lab experience mainly in molecular biology and imaging. I have no problem with continuing to do lab work in a more well defined environment. I also want to leverage some soft skills I have (hopefully) developed, such as written and oral communication. I have no problem with leaving research for good either. I fear that being a dropout with a masters looks much worse than if I had simply completed a masters program. Additionally, if decent job prospects exist, how do I get started?
Really, any advice is welcome right now. I am at a total loss here in terms of moving forward, whether it be sucking it up and finishing the PhD or quitting and finding a job.