Career Choices - What would you do?

[ua_guy]

I'm looking at changing careers here in my early 30's. It's a daunting proposition since I've been employed in the same sector and skillset for roughly the last 7 years. While that's not a LOT of time in the grand scheme of lifetime employment, it's enough to make me feel like I'm peering over a steep cliff when I think about changing careers. I'm currently employed, I don't have any specific jobs lined up, but I'm assembling my search and am conducting skill inventories and career assessments.

Let's say "Job A" that I really don't enjoy pays $100k/year. It doesn't, but for the sake of math, let's say it does. This job will help me pay off our house in 10 years and is helping me contribute full-steam ahead to a retirement account which should be nice and ripe for picking by my late 50's. "Job A" is an exercise in tolerance, where I go to work and be miserable, but afford a very good life when I'm not on the clock (in theory, of course, the stress and fallout is almost unmanageable some days and definitely spills into time at home).

"Job B" is a prospective job. It only pays $60k/year (it doesn't, but for the sake of math...) we're looking at a 40% hit in salary. Benefits are roughly the same. But it's a job that I might actually enjoy doing, and could have fun with. Growth potential? Maybe upto $80k total salary in 10 years, or whatever that is inflation adjusted by then.


It would take our household from being two primary-income earners, down to a primary income earner (my partner) and me (a secondary/support income earner). The schedule of "Job B" lends itself to exactly an 8 hour day, it's very close to home, so in theory I could spend a lot more time helping out around the house and becoming more of a caretaker at home, and I'd appreciate that. Is that wrong? That's something my partner and I lack right now...we're both so busy and tired all the time that it's amazing we cook at home or do the laundry at all.

In the change, I'd recover $2k/year in parking, 15k miles/year in driving, and in a more relaxed lifestyle, who knows how much I could save on eating out for breakfast/lunch and other stress-habits that I've formed. It doesn't make up for the $40k/year drop in income, but life automatically becomes a bit cheaper by default.

What say you? Given the choice, assuming you could still afford your expenses, what would you do?

[frugalredhead]

I took a pay cut almost 9 years ago to go from a Monday through Friday job I hated, to a job that I loved and had to work rotating weekends and holidays. It was the BEST move I ever made. Now, it wasn't a pay cut of the magnitude that you are referring to, but I would do it again in a heartbeat if I could afford to live off of the lower salary. There is nothign worse than a job you hate - you spend more time there than you do at home with your family, so it needs to at least be somewhat pleasant. I was miserable, would call my husband crying every day at lunch and on the way home, and would have quit on the spot with nothing else lined up if we could have afforded it. Good luck with your decision and follow your heart!

[Reggie]

My predecessor worked 55 hours a week to do my current job. I do more work and I'm only here at the most 38 hours a week. I changed tasks, delegated workload, and remodeled how things were done. It was a horrible job before and now I really love it. Is there anything you can do at your current job to basically process re-engineer the day-to-day activities? Just an idea that a lot of people don't consider or think they can do.

[ua_guy]

My predecessor worked 55 hours a week to do my current job. I do more work and I'm only here at the most 38 hours a week. I changed tasks, delegated workload, and remodeled how things were done. It was a horrible job before and now I really love it. Is there anything you can do at your current job to basically process re-engineer the day-to-day activities? Just an idea that a lot of people don't consider or think they can do.

That's an interesting point. The work I do isn't incompatible with my skills/personality I just hate it. I work downtown in a crowded urban area, I have an 80 mile/day commute, I work in a sweltering hot cubicle farm, and this sedentary stress-laden lifestyle is destroying my body. In another thread I mentioned I recently found my birth family (I'm adopted) and not shockingly, heart disease is one of our genetic risk factors. Men on my mother's side have suffered heart attacks before 50, and that's an ominous finding for me since I already have many risk factors. If that isn't impetus to drop out of life and save my heart, I don't know what is.. I feel like I'm dying in this job. Literally.

The job I'm condisering (it's a super-long shot, but I'm encouraged to find others like it) would have me doing work outdoors, walking and hiking a couple of miles every day, in and out of different vehicles, etc. The job description got me excited. I love working with my hands, I love inclement weather and changing weather. I think I know the answer, I'm just afraid to take the leap when the right opportunity comes along.

[Drake3287]

My father worked 40 years for the "old" BofA and hated the stress, long hours and low pay all his life. Growing up all I remember as a kid is him complaining about his job. I swore I'd never do something like that and sure enough I've loved every minute of my life long career. Life's to short to be unhappy.

[Bob B.]

No kids, right?
Little or no debt other than mortgage?
Is your partner on board?
Is degrading your health worth 40K per year?

If you answered yes, yes, yes, no, strongly consider switching careers. You are still young.

[Eagle]

No kids, right?
Little or no debt other than mortgage?
Is your partner on board?
Is degrading your health worth 40K per year?

If you answered yes, yes, yes, no, strongly consider switching careers. You are still young.

+1 to Bob's comment.

[ua_guy]

No kids, right?
Little or no debt other than mortgage?
Is your partner on board?
Is degrading your health worth 40K per year?

If you answered yes, yes, yes, no, strongly consider switching careers. You are still young.

No Kids- and probably won't have any.
Mortgage and vehicles are our only debts, but they are significant. We won't be forced to sell or anything, but it will be a lifestyle change. Cars will stick around for a LOT longer. The house will pay off more in a 20-30 year timeframe.

Partner is mostly on board. He says he's absolutely supportive and "we will figure it out" and the most important thing is I move forward and beyond my career misery. But I worry about him--he has been the high earner and is also in a high stress job, and he has days where he wants to do something different as well. I guess it would then be my turn to support that and ride along with any changes ahead.

I'm beginning to realize that health is priceless.

[bjl584]

Before jumping ship, would it be possible or feasible to approach your current employer and talk about changing some things up to make your job better?

Going to a different company could be good. But then again, you could end up walking into a total mess. The grass always looks greener on the other side or so they say. It may be at least worth your time to improve your current situation.

[ua_guy]

Before jumping ship, would it be possible or feasible to approach your current employer and talk about changing some things up to make your job better?

Going to a different company could be good. But then again, you could end up walking into a total mess. The grass always looks greener on the other side or so they say. It may be at least worth your time to improve your current situation.

I think the point is, I'm done working in a business-casual cube farm inside all day, rotting away staring at a computer screen. I can't fix that without turning my career upside down.

I need to work with my hands and not be confined to a box. Like I said, a dream job description floated past the other day, so I applied. If I get the job, I'll feel like I've won the lotto. But, it's a long shot, and I KNOW how job searches go. A lot of resumes get thrown into the wind before one finally returns in the form of a phone call. But I think the fire has been lit. I want to find something with a similar flavor and make a change.

[MonkeyMama]

No doubt about it, I would make a change. Good Luck!

[JoeP]

Put yourself 10 years into the future, and figure out which option will put you in a better position then. Some people think more money = better life, but that is simply not true.

[Baby_nurse]

There is a book I read many years ago called "Two Incomes and Still Broke" by Linda Kelly In it, she helps determine whether that second income is worth it or not. One of the eye opening things is realizing that the 100K income from job A may not really be worth 40K more than job B from a financial perspective by the time you add up the extra expenses that may go along with it. In fact, the total financial worth of the two jobs could potentially be closer than you think.

It might be worth trying to locate a copy and use the worksheets to help you make your decision.

[Singuy]

How many hours/week will you be working in Job A vs Job B on average? From what you said, looks like you'll be working more hours with Job A.

Add driving time then to free overtime you are providing for job A(assuming it's a salary job, and not hourly). Then divide by pay/year, figure out pay per hour and go from there.

The pay for Job A may not be significantly different than Job B.

[snafu]

Life is too short to spend 35 years at a job that makes you miserable. In your shoes, I'd start by defining your ideal employment, possibly taking the tests that define your strongest career aptitudes. Since you've applied for a position that meets your ideal, note those features and start researching potential employers in reasonable commute distance. If you can define the actual position, send your targeted resume to recruiters. 2nd make an appointment with someone who holds your dream job, ask to take them to coffee and ask how they obtained the employment and skills to emphasis or possibly improve/acquire.

I wouldn't relinquish my current position because the research makes it clear that employes prefer to hire someone who is currently employed. Have a look at the new format for resumes that identifies the position sought, words from their ad or job description that outlines your qualifications and education at the bottom of the page. Employers are reviewing resumes in a few minutes so don't make it difficult to find the facts they seek.

Meanwhile, since this new career path comes with a lower pay scale, start a serious review of items to be cut, reduced, changed so that income is sufficient to cover savings, needs and wants. Squirrel away money from current earnings to cover any shortfalls during transition. Look at a myriad of small changes that won't painfully affect day-to-day lifestyle. Start dumping change in a big jar, plan meals based on loss leaders and plan-overs to reduce food budget spending, sell items no longer used, needed or loved for example.

In September organize a big de-clutter project to simplify life retaining only items that are used regularly, needed and loved as that helps reduce feelings of stress. Identify a place for everything and strive to keep everything in it's place when not in use.

Wishing you best luck in moving forward.