Anyone left the IT sector and what have you done?

[markys]

I have been in the IT sector since leaving school, now 43 and getting a bit tired of it now. Been working for the NHS for the past 17 years and its very much like constantly hitting your head against a wall. So thinking about leaving, luckily I have some money set aside so can afford to take some time out or invest in a new venture, ideally I would like to do something that can fit in with day to day life. So what have people done and who have you found it?

[CzechItOut]

I'd imagine working in any private sector company would be different from working in the NHS. Therefore if you're frustrated with your current role, I'd suggest looking elsewhere.

If you fancy moving away from a permanent IT role completely, have you considered contracting? It is a good mixture between running your own business and not having to continually bid for work. Most contracts are for a minimum of three months and often six months. The other benefit of contracting is that you don't need to worry about office politics, performance reviews, working on your profile and all those things that can often drive you crazy at work.

[gothatway]

I left the software development world after 35 years to go farming. I got a lot fitter, but after a few years felt that my brain was stagnating, so found a part-time job back in the IT world. Now I think I have the best of both worlds.

[miniman]

As above, seems like you need out of the public sector.

[silent ninja]

You need to leverage your existing skills and wealth of experience. Otherwise, be prepared to drop 5 notches and earn a pittance as you build back up.

Either move to private sector and a different employer. Or do something closely related to IT but in another function: sales, technology (IT) strategy, consulting, procurement, project management, teaching and so on. Trick is to show your unique IT history is an essential ingredient in your offering, and of course you are brilliant at it.