stepping down to an easier job
Discussion
Sold my Land Surveying firm to my business partner about six years ago. Spent a year as a house husband/freelance surveyor/car delivery driver before getting a job as a school caretaker which I'm still doing today. I earn about 50% of what I did before and have to fund my own car but I have about 100th of the stress and responsibility and know that when I clock off for the day I can forget about the place until I clock back in the following day.
Have to say I don't miss the surveying in the slightest and am much happier and healthier than I was before and wouldn't go back. I've been asked twice since I left about reasonably senior roles in a couple of surveying firms but I'm not interested, despite knowing the money would be similar to what I was on before. What I do now is an absolute piece of p***, so I would think I'm here until retirement, which considering the job is most likely to be when I decide not when the school decides.
T'ain't all about the money.
Have to say I don't miss the surveying in the slightest and am much happier and healthier than I was before and wouldn't go back. I've been asked twice since I left about reasonably senior roles in a couple of surveying firms but I'm not interested, despite knowing the money would be similar to what I was on before. What I do now is an absolute piece of p***, so I would think I'm here until retirement, which considering the job is most likely to be when I decide not when the school decides.
T'ain't all about the money.
I think you need to be sure before you do that its the job and not you that is a problem. What I mean is - if you're going to work as hard at being a toilet cleaner as being a solicitor (for instance) there is little point in changing "down" - as you wont find it easier, just different frustrations - for less reward.
that is an interesting angle,
im kind of lower management level copping for all the flak night and day emails on phones laptops and tablets,
sometimes i just think sod it and get an easy job, 10k a year less, but you cut your cloth dont you?
kids are grown up house is paid for.
seems im working just to pay for other peoples luxuries,
swmbo is working as well
im kind of lower management level copping for all the flak night and day emails on phones laptops and tablets,
sometimes i just think sod it and get an easy job, 10k a year less, but you cut your cloth dont you?
kids are grown up house is paid for.
seems im working just to pay for other peoples luxuries,
swmbo is working as well
dirky dirk said:
im after your stories of stepping down to an easier job.
How did it work out?
im kind of in the position where id miss the money but i dont think id miss the mither.
I stepped down from an FD role in a medium sized Company. It was a merger of two existing organisations and a LOT of unhappy staff who were unsure about their jobs. As i was overseeing HR I was responsible for overseeing redundancies and pay cuts. I loathed my boss, stuck it out for 18 months and then left without another job to go to. i was fortunate in that the mortgage had been paid off and my wife backed me 100%. What really hurt me was my youngest child apologising to me because she thought I was stressed all the time because she'd done something wrong.How did it work out?
im kind of in the position where id miss the money but i dont think id miss the mither.
After a 3 month break I took a job that was about £30k less than my previous one. I loved it. Great team, a great boss, very easy worklife balance, and the commute was 15 minutes @70mph
Since then I'm back into a similar role and level to what i walked from but again having a great boss makes things so much easier.I "retired" at 43 and took a 30% pay cut.
Best thing I ever did.
Work / Life balance of 70/30 became 30/70 overnight.
As long as you can cut your cloth...
[edit] I said 30% cut - I meant 30% of what I was on. It was a massive loss of income, but a massive hike in happiness .
Best thing I ever did.
Work / Life balance of 70/30 became 30/70 overnight.
As long as you can cut your cloth...
[edit] I said 30% cut - I meant 30% of what I was on. It was a massive loss of income, but a massive hike in happiness
.Edited by pingu393 on Tuesday 2nd November 15:09
I was 'Head of IT' for a small manufacturing firm (it was really just IT Manager, although the pay was quite a bit more) which got bought out by a multinational and then I was furloughed due to Covid and eventually made redundant after about 9 months.
I went through recruitment agencies and ended up with a choice of two roles. One was very similar to what I'd been doing, about a 10% pay increase, but a 50 mile round trip every day which, due to vagaries of where I live, could have been anywhere between 2-4 hours in total (theres been extensive roadworks for the past year so it would have easily been 3 hours I think).
The other was about a 25% pay cut and working in the IT section of a local firm about 4 miles from my house.
I took the pay cut and the last year has been bliss. It's about a 20 minute drive to work and similar coming home. My gym chain has a unit just around the corner from the office. I'm no longer the boss so have no political cobblers to worry about.
If you can afford to do it I'd wholeheartedly recommend it.
I went through recruitment agencies and ended up with a choice of two roles. One was very similar to what I'd been doing, about a 10% pay increase, but a 50 mile round trip every day which, due to vagaries of where I live, could have been anywhere between 2-4 hours in total (theres been extensive roadworks for the past year so it would have easily been 3 hours I think).
The other was about a 25% pay cut and working in the IT section of a local firm about 4 miles from my house.
I took the pay cut and the last year has been bliss. It's about a 20 minute drive to work and similar coming home. My gym chain has a unit just around the corner from the office. I'm no longer the boss so have no political cobblers to worry about.
If you can afford to do it I'd wholeheartedly recommend it.
dirky dirk said:
that is an interesting angle,
im kind of lower management level copping for all the flak night and day emails on phones laptops and tablets,
sometimes i just think sod it and get an easy job, 10k a year less, but you cut your cloth dont you?
kids are grown up house is paid for.
seems im working just to pay for other peoples luxuries,
swmbo is working as well
This is the second post you've made on the subject and on both used a word (mither) that in all my 54 years have never come across before - so if nothing else, I appreciation the education im kind of lower management level copping for all the flak night and day emails on phones laptops and tablets,
sometimes i just think sod it and get an easy job, 10k a year less, but you cut your cloth dont you?
kids are grown up house is paid for.
seems im working just to pay for other peoples luxuries,
swmbo is working as well
I hope you don't mind but I'm going to be what may appear to be somewhat abrupt. I work in the field of Behaviour Change so am pretty adept in reading what's really going on.
From your description, I'm guessing you're in the late 40s/50s age bracket. Having reached this point but stalled at lower management, you've developed resentment at the situation, which is perfectly understandable. That resentment is aimed at those who employ you and the work you do. Neither of these things will be resolved by taking a lower-paid, easier job. If anything, your resentment may grow further but with less money to compensate for the feelings you have. You may even find that you like the lack of challenge less than you like the work you do now but moving back 'up' will be very hard.
So my advice is that before you make the leap, you should apply a period of critical introspection. You may find it helpful to spend some time with a life or career coach. Good ones can help to refocus your thinking and set out priorities that you didn't realise existed. Fundamentally, you need to determine if you are pissed off with your job or pissed of at the situation you're in. The difference is subtle but important.
HTH. Good luck.
StevieBee said:
This is the second post you've made on the subject and on both used a word (mither) that in all my 54 years have never come across before - so if nothing else, I appreciation the education
I hope you don't mind but I'm going to be what may appear to be somewhat abrupt. I work in the field of Behaviour Change so am pretty adept in reading what's really going on.
From your description, I'm guessing you're in the late 40s/50s age bracket. Having reached this point but stalled at lower management, you've developed resentment at the situation, which is perfectly understandable. That resentment is aimed at those who employ you and the work you do. Neither of these things will be resolved by taking a lower-paid, easier job. If anything, your resentment may grow further but with less money to compensate for the feelings you have. You may even find that you like the lack of challenge less than you like the work you do now but moving back 'up' will be very hard.
So my advice is that before you make the leap, you should apply a period of critical introspection. You may find it helpful to spend some time with a life or career coach. Good ones can help to refocus your thinking and set out priorities that you didn't realise existed. Fundamentally, you need to determine if you are pissed off with your job or pissed of at the situation you're in. The difference is subtle but important.
HTH. Good luck.
your spot on with the age, ive no corporate ladder climbing desire, i never have.im quite happy being a plodderI hope you don't mind but I'm going to be what may appear to be somewhat abrupt. I work in the field of Behaviour Change so am pretty adept in reading what's really going on.
From your description, I'm guessing you're in the late 40s/50s age bracket. Having reached this point but stalled at lower management, you've developed resentment at the situation, which is perfectly understandable. That resentment is aimed at those who employ you and the work you do. Neither of these things will be resolved by taking a lower-paid, easier job. If anything, your resentment may grow further but with less money to compensate for the feelings you have. You may even find that you like the lack of challenge less than you like the work you do now but moving back 'up' will be very hard.
So my advice is that before you make the leap, you should apply a period of critical introspection. You may find it helpful to spend some time with a life or career coach. Good ones can help to refocus your thinking and set out priorities that you didn't realise existed. Fundamentally, you need to determine if you are pissed off with your job or pissed of at the situation you're in. The difference is subtle but important.
HTH. Good luck.
its more that ive got less people relying on me, and less outgoings,
the money is just average the people are ok, i do resent the more wants more attitude of the employers, but i can understand it
maybe i worry too much,
i know for the next few months ill get loads of aggro now, and i was looking to gather thoughts about if its all worth the extra sleepless nights,
i wont get anymore money or better thought of, or more rewards
ive undertaken a lifestyle chainge and lost getting on for seven stone in weight.
i suppose its a case of do i ride a storm of good and bad periods in my working life or jack it in for osmething with less stress
where as if i get out of the industry, drive a van till i retire, i will have a fair bit less in my pension but the lack of stress and worry, might mean itll take longer to get there but ill get to retirement age
krisdelta said:
I think you need to be sure before you do that its the job and not you that is a problem. What I mean is - if you're going to work as hard at being a toilet cleaner as being a solicitor (for instance) there is little point in changing "down" - as you wont find it easier, just different frustrations - for less reward.
I can relate to this post. I resigned from a Board Director role in a medium sized company where I was working 60-80 hours per week and went to a middle management position elsewhere.
The reduction of hours was great, but there were other frustrations, namely my new boss and generally no longer being the master of my own destination. All whilst earning considerably less and giving up my company car.
Suffice to say I have gone back to a Board Director role, but one where I am able to control the hours and workload better than the first role.
Perhaps the answer is not to demote yourself? Perhaps the answer is to find a sideways step or even promotion elsewhere, but address the specific issues you currently experience.
I hope this helps. It is a candidates market at the moment and I wish you well finding the right role for you.
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