Should I quit my boring job for a lower pay but more stimulating job?
October 21, 2015 8:28 PM Subscribe
My good paying and stress free job is boring me, I am not sure what else to do but I feel like I need to try something new that will challenge me more. A lot of people are telling me to stick to my comfortable and secure job but I just feel so useless and bored at my job as there's no opportunity for growth and a dead end for me. I am just doing repetitive tasks. Should I quit my job for a lower pay but more stimulating job?
I am 28 years old and have worked for the same company for the last 4 years. Basically straight out of college with no real job experience, I took this job because it offered a great pay, a car, insurance, cellphone etc. At the time, the job challenged me very much, but 4 years later, it does not stimulate me in any way and there's no opportunity for growth at the moment. I mostly work on the road so I get a lot of freedom (probably too much), and I hardly put in any work because I find my tasks and objectives are so boring and meaningless. Most of the time I just feel guilty for not doing the work as I should and at the same time so angry to be stuck in such a mind-numbing job. The only problem now is that I am so scared to let go of this stress-free good pay boring job for something unknown and my results are suffering. I still am not sure what I want to do exactly all I know is that I want to try something different and more challenging but am so afraid to regret it and to lose all this freedom and great conditions. I am still young, with a career ahead of me, and I know I have the intelligence and potential to do something great. I just have this constant nagging feeling telling me to make a move soon to get out of my comfort zone and learn new things and find a more fulfilling career! But a part of me likes to stay in my comfort zone and security as I see people doing 60 hours week and burning themselves out. If an interesting opportunity presents itself that pays a little bit less should I take it? Even if I don't know what to do exactly? At the risk of maybe not liking it 6 months later and lose car, insurance, freedom etc.
I am 28 years old and have worked for the same company for the last 4 years. Basically straight out of college with no real job experience, I took this job because it offered a great pay, a car, insurance, cellphone etc. At the time, the job challenged me very much, but 4 years later, it does not stimulate me in any way and there's no opportunity for growth at the moment. I mostly work on the road so I get a lot of freedom (probably too much), and I hardly put in any work because I find my tasks and objectives are so boring and meaningless. Most of the time I just feel guilty for not doing the work as I should and at the same time so angry to be stuck in such a mind-numbing job. The only problem now is that I am so scared to let go of this stress-free good pay boring job for something unknown and my results are suffering. I still am not sure what I want to do exactly all I know is that I want to try something different and more challenging but am so afraid to regret it and to lose all this freedom and great conditions. I am still young, with a career ahead of me, and I know I have the intelligence and potential to do something great. I just have this constant nagging feeling telling me to make a move soon to get out of my comfort zone and learn new things and find a more fulfilling career! But a part of me likes to stay in my comfort zone and security as I see people doing 60 hours week and burning themselves out. If an interesting opportunity presents itself that pays a little bit less should I take it? Even if I don't know what to do exactly? At the risk of maybe not liking it 6 months later and lose car, insurance, freedom etc.
Assuming that you aren't completely burned out on this company, I'd start by talking to my boss/supervisor/manager. Tell them that you believe you're ready for the next set of challenges, and ask what opportunities might exist for you.
Worst case, they have nothing for you. You still have the option of looking around.
Likely case, you get training, additional responsibilities, exposure to new areas, more seniority, etc etc.
Best case, you get some of that plus an increase in salary for your trouble.
posted by Dilligas at 8:53 PM on October 21, 2015 [3 favorites]
Worst case, they have nothing for you. You still have the option of looking around.
Likely case, you get training, additional responsibilities, exposure to new areas, more seniority, etc etc.
Best case, you get some of that plus an increase in salary for your trouble.
posted by Dilligas at 8:53 PM on October 21, 2015 [3 favorites]
There's a lot to be said for a job that compensates well, that isn't demanding more than a third of each workday, and that you're doing well enough at. Enough that it's certainly worth pausing carefully before making a decision to move on.
It's probably best to really ferret out the limits of your job -- perhaps beyond your current job description. Could you automate any of the boring stuff? If so, that'd give you chance to learn something new. Or are there any recurring/systemic problems you can see in your workplace that you can identify and may be able to offer solutions to? Will management help you identify other ways you can contribute?
It's also worth noting... not every kind of worthwhile growth is going to happen as an employee. A boring but bounded and stable job might well be a decent base for some other kind of personally invested endeavor. Maybe that's starting your own side business. Maybe it's writing that book. Maybe it's mastering that instrument you've always wanted to be better at.
Failing something like that... yeah, "more interesting" and "pays a little bit less" sounds like a great trade, assuming "a little bit less" is still enough. In the meanwhile, maybe make it an interesting project to try and save up as much money as possible so that when you take the (very reasonable) risk of making a change you hope will offer more, you have that to fall back on in case the grass is really not greener.
And finally... while there's no hurry, remember that one way or another, you will eventually lose car, insurance, freedom, etc. anyway.
posted by weston at 9:31 PM on October 21, 2015 [6 favorites]
It's probably best to really ferret out the limits of your job -- perhaps beyond your current job description. Could you automate any of the boring stuff? If so, that'd give you chance to learn something new. Or are there any recurring/systemic problems you can see in your workplace that you can identify and may be able to offer solutions to? Will management help you identify other ways you can contribute?
It's also worth noting... not every kind of worthwhile growth is going to happen as an employee. A boring but bounded and stable job might well be a decent base for some other kind of personally invested endeavor. Maybe that's starting your own side business. Maybe it's writing that book. Maybe it's mastering that instrument you've always wanted to be better at.
Failing something like that... yeah, "more interesting" and "pays a little bit less" sounds like a great trade, assuming "a little bit less" is still enough. In the meanwhile, maybe make it an interesting project to try and save up as much money as possible so that when you take the (very reasonable) risk of making a change you hope will offer more, you have that to fall back on in case the grass is really not greener.
And finally... while there's no hurry, remember that one way or another, you will eventually lose car, insurance, freedom, etc. anyway.
posted by weston at 9:31 PM on October 21, 2015 [6 favorites]
Is there a reason you aren't looking for a more stimulating job that pays the same or better? There is no inherent inverse correlation between the enjoyableness/excitingness of a job and the pay you receive for the job. Actually the more jobs/careers I work, the less I think pay has any relationship to ANYTHING. I've completely changed careers twice (so far) and each time I got a substantial pay increase. I mean, I started out at a REALLY underpaid job, but still. I don't think I've ever taken a pay cut when changing jobs. And I was always changing to jobs that I believed were going to be better (sometimes they were, sometimes they weren't).
That said, if for some reason you are going to need to take a pay cut (it's entirely possible, depending on what field you're interested in trying out), try living on what you would make at your hypothetical lower-paying job for a while. This has the twin benefits of 1) allowing you to save and 2) helping you notice how much you miss things like not living with roommates, eating out frequently, regular pedicures, or whatever it is that you like to do with your money (before it becomes financially necessary for you to do so). Since your job pays for a lot of things you would have to pay for if you didn't have the job, open a savings account and put a phone payment, a car payment, and an insurance payment into it every month.
posted by mskyle at 9:34 PM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
That said, if for some reason you are going to need to take a pay cut (it's entirely possible, depending on what field you're interested in trying out), try living on what you would make at your hypothetical lower-paying job for a while. This has the twin benefits of 1) allowing you to save and 2) helping you notice how much you miss things like not living with roommates, eating out frequently, regular pedicures, or whatever it is that you like to do with your money (before it becomes financially necessary for you to do so). Since your job pays for a lot of things you would have to pay for if you didn't have the job, open a savings account and put a phone payment, a car payment, and an insurance payment into it every month.
posted by mskyle at 9:34 PM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
Why are you assuming that you'll have to take a pay cut to get a more challenging job? People who stay at their companies for more than two years are statistically making LESS than they otherwise could be. You're also just entering the phase in your career where you're not completely useless. Your competition is recent graduates who can't tie their own shoelaces. Objectively, you've never been more hireable in your life. Your employer should be moving you to a different role with more responsibilities. If they're not they're holding you back.
Look for a new job. If it's not the right one, you can find a different one.
posted by danny the boy at 11:46 PM on October 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
Look for a new job. If it's not the right one, you can find a different one.
posted by danny the boy at 11:46 PM on October 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
My experience would say do it, as long as your budget can take it. I quit my decently-paid but horrendously miserable job for a rather lower paid (just barely as much as I need to maintain my modest lifestyle and seldom any more) but legitimately enjoyable and fun job and I don't regret it one bit. Remember how much of your life you spend at work, and ask yourself how much money is worth your happiness for all of those hours. I don't dread going to work every day, I don't get anxiety on the last night of my weekend/vacation (any more than my usual background level of anxiety, anyway), I often leave work feeling better about myself than when I arrived, etc. As someone with a lot of internal problems, I can't tell you how much of my coping resources have been freed up for working on myself.
Now, personally I don't like to work excessively hard, but if you do and you're not getting that out of your current work, more power to you if you want to change.
posted by gloriouslyincandescent at 1:45 AM on October 22, 2015
Now, personally I don't like to work excessively hard, but if you do and you're not getting that out of your current work, more power to you if you want to change.
posted by gloriouslyincandescent at 1:45 AM on October 22, 2015
Is there a reason why you can't pursue your passion at the same time you have this job? You say it's unchallenging and I get the impression the job leaves you with plenty of spare time, so why not start your own business on the side or do something else you find really fulfilling? If you have a stable, well-paying job that's relatively easy for you, that's a rare gift. Unless you have a specific, compelling passion that's pulling you toward a new company or a new career, I'd say stay where you are and get passionate about something else. But if you are going to stay at your current company, put in the effort to get your work done. You don't want to have this decided for you by getting fired for being sloppy.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 4:02 AM on October 22, 2015
posted by Ursula Hitler at 4:02 AM on October 22, 2015
The "rare gift" of the job that pays well and expects little to nothing of you is not a gift for everyone in practice. I understand your conflict really well. Hating your job, feeling useless, bored, and then feeling guilty about how little you care about this job doesn't result in good mental health, even when the pay check is great. I completely understand your situation. You need to feel like you're contributing in a way that you feel good about and being challenged in a meaningful way. That feeling doesn't go away. It just grows. What sort of person that would long-term restlessness, resentfulness, and regret turn you into? Don't give up your desire to feel good about your job every day because of a good pay check.
More money isn't everything. A job that pays a little less but you love more, and you have some path to promotion, is worth more to you at this point. It's a scary jump, and a lot of people won't understand it, but I suspect you'll never regret it.
Your happiness may not fit on a ledger sheet, but it's at least as important as your salary, right? Go with your heart.
posted by Hildegarde at 5:01 AM on October 22, 2015 [3 favorites]
More money isn't everything. A job that pays a little less but you love more, and you have some path to promotion, is worth more to you at this point. It's a scary jump, and a lot of people won't understand it, but I suspect you'll never regret it.
Your happiness may not fit on a ledger sheet, but it's at least as important as your salary, right? Go with your heart.
posted by Hildegarde at 5:01 AM on October 22, 2015 [3 favorites]
The "rare gift" of the job that pays well and expects little to nothing of you is not a gift for everyone in practice.
I don't want this to cause a derail, but an easy, high-paying job is something most people can only dream of. If it was eating up all of the OP's time so they were stuck spending their life bored and restless, I can see how that would be awful. But it sounds like it's non-demanding and leaves the OP with free time. In that situation, I think it makes sense to consider keeping the job and putting energy into something the OP is passionate about. Having a nice pay check and free time means the OP can think about starting a side business, volunteering for a cause, taking online courses. With a well-paying, easy job, you have a lot of options.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 5:39 AM on October 22, 2015
I don't want this to cause a derail, but an easy, high-paying job is something most people can only dream of. If it was eating up all of the OP's time so they were stuck spending their life bored and restless, I can see how that would be awful. But it sounds like it's non-demanding and leaves the OP with free time. In that situation, I think it makes sense to consider keeping the job and putting energy into something the OP is passionate about. Having a nice pay check and free time means the OP can think about starting a side business, volunteering for a cause, taking online courses. With a well-paying, easy job, you have a lot of options.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 5:39 AM on October 22, 2015
Response by poster: Thank you for all the responses. Very insightful on many levels. My current job is in sales and I think I got completely turned off to work in sales because of it. I could definitely find a more challenging sales job that pays more but I don't think I will work well under pressure and doing cold calls. The reason why I'm considering taking a pay cut is because I want to change fields of work more into marketing, because that's what I graduated in and I think that's where I'll strive. But working for the past 4 years on the road, I acquired very little experience in marketing. Also I did speak to my boss about opportunities, in order for me to move up or get more responsibilities I have to get promoted, and with the way things are going I highly doubt they will promote me anytime soon. I lost the spark a long time ago.I am not interested in getting more paperwork or boring tasks in this job. So I'm pretty clear on the fact that it's the job itself I dislike and not so much the fact that it's boring. I contemplated a career change but I realized I never worked in marketing and that's why I need to take up a junior position to try it, at the risk of getting a pay cut. Marketing jobs are scarce here and don't always pay good when you start. For the moment it seems to be my only option. Also I dread going back to an office job but I really don't have a choice at the moment. Either that, or I take up a sales job that pays more, but I feel like that won't help my case considering I already have little interest in the field itself. But like some of you said, I could try it for a few months, save the money, and see where it takes me.
posted by Lolly at 5:47 AM on October 22, 2015
posted by Lolly at 5:47 AM on October 22, 2015
Response by poster: Also I am not sure of what I can do on the side if I dont quit my job. I know that could be a solution but I don't even know where to start simply because I have no experience in anything else. What would you suggest for me to do as a passion? I have no expertise or specific skill, I am good at many things but would need practice. Maybe teach a class? Take a make up course? Video editing? A blog? How can I get a passion going on the side or a little business with no idea where to begin :(
posted by Lolly at 6:23 AM on October 22, 2015
posted by Lolly at 6:23 AM on October 22, 2015
If you're genuinely interested in getting into marketing, you might not have to start as junior as you think, if you can leverage your sales experience. There are jobs that have both a sales and a marketing component. You could get into the marketing of the product you're currently selling (your domain expertise will help you get paid more than you would otherwise). You could work on marketing a product that's targeted at salespeople. Stuff like that.
Figure out the core skills that marketing jobs require and work on developing those at your current job or in side projects. Learn to sell yourself as someone who does marketing, even if your job title doesn't change.
posted by mskyle at 8:20 AM on October 22, 2015
Figure out the core skills that marketing jobs require and work on developing those at your current job or in side projects. Learn to sell yourself as someone who does marketing, even if your job title doesn't change.
posted by mskyle at 8:20 AM on October 22, 2015
I've helped a bunch of people take this leap, here is what I have learned.
In the short term, keep your boring job and like @Meg_Murray mentioned, save money until you have a decent buffer for if / when you transition.
Request informational interviews with people who are doing what you think you might want to do. These are zero pressure, I'm not asking for a job, I'm just trying to understand what you do chats. You will
Start in Marketing Departments, but remain open to other options. Your own curiosity and other people's passion for what they are doing will get some sparks going.
Build a network of people who are each giving you a little bit of advice or wisdom.
If the informational interview goes well and you learn something, ask if you can connect to them on LinkedIn.
Thank people for their support and time via a hand written note follow up.
This method takes patience and time, but if you did 2 interviews / coffee / lunch chats per week for 6 months, you will have a pile of data and a lot of new connections at the end.
I have never had anyone turn me down for an hour conversation, people generally are willing to share the wealth of knowledge in their heads.
posted by bobdow at 3:31 PM on October 22, 2015 [2 favorites]
In the short term, keep your boring job and like @Meg_Murray mentioned, save money until you have a decent buffer for if / when you transition.
Request informational interviews with people who are doing what you think you might want to do. These are zero pressure, I'm not asking for a job, I'm just trying to understand what you do chats. You will
Start in Marketing Departments, but remain open to other options. Your own curiosity and other people's passion for what they are doing will get some sparks going.
Build a network of people who are each giving you a little bit of advice or wisdom.
If the informational interview goes well and you learn something, ask if you can connect to them on LinkedIn.
Thank people for their support and time via a hand written note follow up.
This method takes patience and time, but if you did 2 interviews / coffee / lunch chats per week for 6 months, you will have a pile of data and a lot of new connections at the end.
I have never had anyone turn me down for an hour conversation, people generally are willing to share the wealth of knowledge in their heads.
posted by bobdow at 3:31 PM on October 22, 2015 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Meg_Murry at 8:36 PM on October 21, 2015 [3 favorites]