Ever stepped backwards in your career, and loved it?
February 1, 2016 1:18 PM Subscribe
The current, white-collar, project I'm working on will be wrapping up soon, and with it my contract. I've interviewed for a role that's in just about every way a step backwards for me - but could it still be the right step?
I'm a professional in a corporate setting with around 10 years experience now. A role has come up in my current org, and I'm not sure about it.
The role is something that I love doing, something I'm very good at - delivering training. But that is all it is. Not writing it, not (imho) effectively measuring it, not any strategy development etc. In addition:
* It would be a pretty substantial pay cut (around 25%)
* There is a vague amount of travel involved
* It's not permanent, though there is a possibility it may become so - but no guarantee on performance or anything
* The team is tiny (3 people)
* They seem fairly... unevolved, I guess you could say. It's not at a level of maturity I have historically worked at in the past; the stakeholders I'm working with are very low down the totem pole when I've come from C-Suite, etc etc.
*It would add literally nothing to my cv that I haven't already done, better. I worry I would be specialising myself into non-existence.
So why on Earth am I considering? I wasn't, really, until my wife mentioned "gosh that sounds like a great job for you, you love training, and there wouldn't be any stress at all". She has somewhat of a point.
I'm more on the anxious side of things. Work - with a few notable exceptions - is often a source of stress and anxiety for me. This can range from a mild frisson to Sunday Night Blues of epic proportions and there are definitely times (less now than once) where I feel it poisons not just my happiness, but how I'm interacting with my family, and my health (I have colitis, it is exacerbated by stress to a greater or lesser degree).
Generally, I work at or near the limits of my capability/experience (not necessarily the limits of my productivity, i.e I'm working hard, not always lots, my hours are fine). I have learnt a lot this way; my cv looks very good for someone at my age in my area, and I've had a very wide range of experience in my field.
But... I have a 2 year old and 4 year old, and we're thinking of maybe adding a third. I don't want to come home grumpy (this doesn't happen every night; I don't want it to happen at all). I'm wondering if maybe taking a step backwards is the right thing to do. Financially, we're fine. It would mean cheaper holidays pretty much is all.
I should add, my wife (Also corporate) is the more career-minded and ambitious of the two of us, I wonder if taking less responsibility would be helpful for us as a family unit, too, i.e she's more the "bread winner")
Questions:
1. Have you ever taken a voluntary step backwards in your corporate career, temporarily or otherwise, how did it work out?
2. Did you find working at a job that in some/many ways is "below your level" still satisfying, or was it frustrating?
3. When it came time to move down, was that step backwards a liability that hurt your future prospects?
4. Did it reduce your stress levels and do you regret it?
Thanks very much
I'm a professional in a corporate setting with around 10 years experience now. A role has come up in my current org, and I'm not sure about it.
The role is something that I love doing, something I'm very good at - delivering training. But that is all it is. Not writing it, not (imho) effectively measuring it, not any strategy development etc. In addition:
* It would be a pretty substantial pay cut (around 25%)
* There is a vague amount of travel involved
* It's not permanent, though there is a possibility it may become so - but no guarantee on performance or anything
* The team is tiny (3 people)
* They seem fairly... unevolved, I guess you could say. It's not at a level of maturity I have historically worked at in the past; the stakeholders I'm working with are very low down the totem pole when I've come from C-Suite, etc etc.
*It would add literally nothing to my cv that I haven't already done, better. I worry I would be specialising myself into non-existence.
So why on Earth am I considering? I wasn't, really, until my wife mentioned "gosh that sounds like a great job for you, you love training, and there wouldn't be any stress at all". She has somewhat of a point.
I'm more on the anxious side of things. Work - with a few notable exceptions - is often a source of stress and anxiety for me. This can range from a mild frisson to Sunday Night Blues of epic proportions and there are definitely times (less now than once) where I feel it poisons not just my happiness, but how I'm interacting with my family, and my health (I have colitis, it is exacerbated by stress to a greater or lesser degree).
Generally, I work at or near the limits of my capability/experience (not necessarily the limits of my productivity, i.e I'm working hard, not always lots, my hours are fine). I have learnt a lot this way; my cv looks very good for someone at my age in my area, and I've had a very wide range of experience in my field.
But... I have a 2 year old and 4 year old, and we're thinking of maybe adding a third. I don't want to come home grumpy (this doesn't happen every night; I don't want it to happen at all). I'm wondering if maybe taking a step backwards is the right thing to do. Financially, we're fine. It would mean cheaper holidays pretty much is all.
I should add, my wife (Also corporate) is the more career-minded and ambitious of the two of us, I wonder if taking less responsibility would be helpful for us as a family unit, too, i.e she's more the "bread winner")
Questions:
1. Have you ever taken a voluntary step backwards in your corporate career, temporarily or otherwise, how did it work out?
2. Did you find working at a job that in some/many ways is "below your level" still satisfying, or was it frustrating?
3. When it came time to move down, was that step backwards a liability that hurt your future prospects?
4. Did it reduce your stress levels and do you regret it?
Thanks very much
1. Have you ever taken a voluntary step backwards in your corporate career, temporarily or otherwise, how did it work out?
Yes. I quit the practice of law in 2001 after practicing for 8 years as a corporate securities lawyer. I really am so glad that I did. After stepping down, I started out as a legal secretary, which I did for about 5 years, and since then have been working under the title "paralegal" but the job I do is a bit more complicated than that, and has grown around me based on my background both as a lawyer and also the 8 years I spent before law school working directly in the securities industry.
2. Did you find working at a job that in some/many ways is "below your level" still satisfying, or was it frustrating?
I found it calming and satisfying and although there were some frustrations, I was able to work with people who knew and valued my background, so my judgment was often given consideration in places where the judgment of someone else in my job would not have been. There were some frustrations with management, but I've been more or less able to insulate myself from them. Small minds with a little power can be the devil.
3. When it came time to move down, was that step backwards a liability that hurt your future prospects?
It was quite difficult to even get interviews at first, and the questions I faced were often bizarrely intrusive. The worst was from a LABOR law firm, and I couldn't believe my ears. They said, oh you know you'll be taking a 50 percent cut in pay to do this? and I said uh yeah actually about 66 percent. They said how can you afford to do this? Thinking that there was a slight edge of validity to their concerns that I would quit when I saw my first paycheck, I said, well, I've been paying quite a bit of alimony for the last 6 years and my obligation to pay it has now ended so I have more freedom. They said, oooohhhh, I seeeeee. Oh that makes sense. Okay, we'll just need to see a copy of the court order outlining your alimony obligations. I said, oh sure, no problem. Then when I got home, I called my recruiter and told her that (a) I would never consider taking a job with those people and (b) she should tell them that they are lucky I didn't file a lawsuit against them.
I know I'm never going to want to be a lawyer again. I'm perfectly content with my current salary, etc. But I am very sure that if I did want to get back into practice, I would suffer a great deal from the decision I made 15 years ago. I call it the "flake factor." I doubt that anyone would take me seriously as an attorney candidate. But frankly that is fine with me.
4. Did it reduce your stress levels and do you regret it?
Absolute reduced my stress level. I started doing volunteer work again, and going on meditation retreats, which you can't do if you're tethered to a phone. I don't regret it at all.
posted by janey47 at 1:46 PM on February 1, 2016 [4 favorites]
Yes. I quit the practice of law in 2001 after practicing for 8 years as a corporate securities lawyer. I really am so glad that I did. After stepping down, I started out as a legal secretary, which I did for about 5 years, and since then have been working under the title "paralegal" but the job I do is a bit more complicated than that, and has grown around me based on my background both as a lawyer and also the 8 years I spent before law school working directly in the securities industry.
2. Did you find working at a job that in some/many ways is "below your level" still satisfying, or was it frustrating?
I found it calming and satisfying and although there were some frustrations, I was able to work with people who knew and valued my background, so my judgment was often given consideration in places where the judgment of someone else in my job would not have been. There were some frustrations with management, but I've been more or less able to insulate myself from them. Small minds with a little power can be the devil.
3. When it came time to move down, was that step backwards a liability that hurt your future prospects?
It was quite difficult to even get interviews at first, and the questions I faced were often bizarrely intrusive. The worst was from a LABOR law firm, and I couldn't believe my ears. They said, oh you know you'll be taking a 50 percent cut in pay to do this? and I said uh yeah actually about 66 percent. They said how can you afford to do this? Thinking that there was a slight edge of validity to their concerns that I would quit when I saw my first paycheck, I said, well, I've been paying quite a bit of alimony for the last 6 years and my obligation to pay it has now ended so I have more freedom. They said, oooohhhh, I seeeeee. Oh that makes sense. Okay, we'll just need to see a copy of the court order outlining your alimony obligations. I said, oh sure, no problem. Then when I got home, I called my recruiter and told her that (a) I would never consider taking a job with those people and (b) she should tell them that they are lucky I didn't file a lawsuit against them.
I know I'm never going to want to be a lawyer again. I'm perfectly content with my current salary, etc. But I am very sure that if I did want to get back into practice, I would suffer a great deal from the decision I made 15 years ago. I call it the "flake factor." I doubt that anyone would take me seriously as an attorney candidate. But frankly that is fine with me.
4. Did it reduce your stress levels and do you regret it?
Absolute reduced my stress level. I started doing volunteer work again, and going on meditation retreats, which you can't do if you're tethered to a phone. I don't regret it at all.
posted by janey47 at 1:46 PM on February 1, 2016 [4 favorites]
I will let others give their personal accounts as I have not personally been in this position yet.
That said, almost this exact situation/set of choices faces many (most?) corporate-working mothers in the US, as they are more typically not the breadwinner of the family. If you are looking for personal accounts, I expect that you will find a breadth of stories by googling using those keywords, or even just by asking the other mothers in your social group.
posted by samthemander at 1:52 PM on February 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
That said, almost this exact situation/set of choices faces many (most?) corporate-working mothers in the US, as they are more typically not the breadwinner of the family. If you are looking for personal accounts, I expect that you will find a breadth of stories by googling using those keywords, or even just by asking the other mothers in your social group.
posted by samthemander at 1:52 PM on February 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yup. I learned new skills, and with them, moved back up a new ladder.
Sometimes you want to take a step backwards, you want less stress or a better work/life balance or you're relocating and it's a means to an end. For any of those reasons, it's good.
If it's a decrease in pay, and it's not gaining you anything, maybe keep looking.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 2:06 PM on February 1, 2016
Sometimes you want to take a step backwards, you want less stress or a better work/life balance or you're relocating and it's a means to an end. For any of those reasons, it's good.
If it's a decrease in pay, and it's not gaining you anything, maybe keep looking.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 2:06 PM on February 1, 2016
When my family relocated, I went from being the director of a large corporate site to being the assistant director of a much smaller site belonging to a different entity, and I couldn't be happier. BUT--my core duties essentially stayed the same with the exception of some administrative stuff that I never liked that much anyway, my income actually increased, and I work with a bunch of really delightful people and my work-life balance is much better. And there is a reasonable possibility that I might move back up into the director role in the next 5 years or so, since my boss is an ambitious and smart guy.
One thing I would ask is whether this is a false choice between "no-stress lower paid yawn job" vs "Stretch myself to the limits"? That is, many people I know who are anxious high achievers would find a way to make a job at McDonald's 1) challenging (in the sense of setting and achieving goals) and 2) stressful, because the pressure is coming from within them, not from external factors. And if this is true of you, this is going to be a bad move because you're going to have the same amount of stress but none of the rewards. So, I would say, just know thyself. And if the issue is the intrinsic way you relate to the working world, you might benefit more from some mindfulness techniques than a job you find dull.
Would it be possible to say "You know, I recognize that I would like to have a lower-stress environment for my next job" and specifically look for things that will still be interesting and high level, but with a better work-life balance?
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 2:11 PM on February 1, 2016 [10 favorites]
One thing I would ask is whether this is a false choice between "no-stress lower paid yawn job" vs "Stretch myself to the limits"? That is, many people I know who are anxious high achievers would find a way to make a job at McDonald's 1) challenging (in the sense of setting and achieving goals) and 2) stressful, because the pressure is coming from within them, not from external factors. And if this is true of you, this is going to be a bad move because you're going to have the same amount of stress but none of the rewards. So, I would say, just know thyself. And if the issue is the intrinsic way you relate to the working world, you might benefit more from some mindfulness techniques than a job you find dull.
Would it be possible to say "You know, I recognize that I would like to have a lower-stress environment for my next job" and specifically look for things that will still be interesting and high level, but with a better work-life balance?
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 2:11 PM on February 1, 2016 [10 favorites]
I ran away from the software developer/engineer track and went back to school to be a nurse. A paycut was initially taken, but I'm now back above what I'd been making before and am moving right along the new career track set before me. I regret nothing except not doing it sooner.
posted by RainyJay at 2:28 PM on February 1, 2016
posted by RainyJay at 2:28 PM on February 1, 2016
1. Have you ever taken a voluntary step backwards in your corporate career, temporarily or otherwise, how did it work out?
I'm in the library field, does that count? If so, I went from being the Queen Bee of a Small Hive to being a Drone Bee in a Big Hive.
2. Did you find working at a job that in some/many ways is "below your level" still satisfying, or was it frustrating?
I find some parts of it frustrating. I used to have a variety of tasks and now I have a set list of tasks with little room for branching out. This is also an effect of working at a large organization where I don't wear many hats. I wear one hat. I can't wear a different hat if I see something that needs to be done, I need to contact that person who wears THAT hat. I see things happening at the admin level and I have opinions, but they don't care what I think because I am a Drone Bee, even though I once was a Queen Bee and was in their exact position and might have some insight they could consider.
But, there are things I don't miss about being the Queen Bee. I can hand unpleasant things off to other Bees instead of having to deal with minutia and unpleasantness. I don't supervise any Bees and don't have to deal with inter-bee drama. I'm just a Bee. That's alright with me.
3. When it came time to move down, was that step backwards a liability that hurt your future prospects?
I'm not sure. I don't plan on going anywhere for a while. I didn't enjoy a few parts of the Queen Bee job and I'm probably not going to go down that particular road again. If anything, I would like to move into a position in which I am a Specialist Bee or a Consultant Bee - and do work related to my unique skills without the added "bonus" of supervising others.
4. Did it reduce your stress levels and do you regret it?
Yes, it reduced my stress levels.
As for regrets...hmm. There are things I miss. Mainly perks like my own office and being able to control my own schedule. I also miss having so many different kinds of tasks on my plate: I used every part of my brain when I was the Queen Bee. Now that I'm a Drone Bee, I use fewer parts of my brain. I do miss that.
posted by Elly Vortex at 2:44 PM on February 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'm in the library field, does that count? If so, I went from being the Queen Bee of a Small Hive to being a Drone Bee in a Big Hive.
2. Did you find working at a job that in some/many ways is "below your level" still satisfying, or was it frustrating?
I find some parts of it frustrating. I used to have a variety of tasks and now I have a set list of tasks with little room for branching out. This is also an effect of working at a large organization where I don't wear many hats. I wear one hat. I can't wear a different hat if I see something that needs to be done, I need to contact that person who wears THAT hat. I see things happening at the admin level and I have opinions, but they don't care what I think because I am a Drone Bee, even though I once was a Queen Bee and was in their exact position and might have some insight they could consider.
But, there are things I don't miss about being the Queen Bee. I can hand unpleasant things off to other Bees instead of having to deal with minutia and unpleasantness. I don't supervise any Bees and don't have to deal with inter-bee drama. I'm just a Bee. That's alright with me.
3. When it came time to move down, was that step backwards a liability that hurt your future prospects?
I'm not sure. I don't plan on going anywhere for a while. I didn't enjoy a few parts of the Queen Bee job and I'm probably not going to go down that particular road again. If anything, I would like to move into a position in which I am a Specialist Bee or a Consultant Bee - and do work related to my unique skills without the added "bonus" of supervising others.
4. Did it reduce your stress levels and do you regret it?
Yes, it reduced my stress levels.
As for regrets...hmm. There are things I miss. Mainly perks like my own office and being able to control my own schedule. I also miss having so many different kinds of tasks on my plate: I used every part of my brain when I was the Queen Bee. Now that I'm a Drone Bee, I use fewer parts of my brain. I do miss that.
posted by Elly Vortex at 2:44 PM on February 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yes! And, it was incredibly difficult. I learned a ton, but it took me two years to find a job I love. I recommend to everyone they try a new career at least once.
posted by parmanparman at 3:00 PM on February 1, 2016
posted by parmanparman at 3:00 PM on February 1, 2016
1. Have you ever taken a voluntary step backwards in your corporate career, temporarily or otherwise, how did it work out?
Yes, I stepped out of the federal medical research establishment to work on regulatory policy for a non-profit org. I've been a supporter of this org since I was a teen, and I had no idea I could use my skills to work for them until about seven years ago. It's worked out great, all things conisdered. I took a huge pay cut (about 50%!), which still causes me little egotistical pains, but the change in quality of life and work is both immeasurably worth it and hard to put into words.
I suppose you could say I had a huge crisis of faith with my chosen field--it's inefficient, ineffective, prone to bloat and waste, inhumane, etc. That was too much to deal with on a daily basis, and it left me angry and depressed.
Post-switch, I feel like every iota of work I do makes the kind of difference I wish was possible in my field at large. Maybe it will be, in another 5 or 10 years, if people like me keep opting out and making things better from "the outside."
2. Did you find working at a job that in some/many ways is "below your level" still satisfying, or was it frustrating?
Work is work, it's always frustrating. The differences, though, are in the details. When I had a success before, it felt minimal, even inconsequential, lost in the crush of progress and doomed to be ignored and left unused like most of the good things in medical research.
The only skills I left behind are those used at the bench, the wet chemistry and biology that is the tactile experience of laboratory-based research. I still pine, in some ways, for a lab of my own (the end goal of most careers in medical research), where I direct the work that I find valuable and needed. But I also don't spend most of my time fighting for the funding to do that work; instead, I award that funding, where I can, and otherwise do everything possible to make sure it's done well, its impact is maximized, and its meaning is communicated to the public. It's a lateral shift, not a reverse, and it feels great.
3. When it came time to move down, was that step backwards a liability that hurt your future prospects?
That's relative, but no. I feel like it's changed the orientation of my career trajectory more than its substance. Now, instead of slogging through the well-beaten (and crowded) path, I'm walking the less-traveled one, and that means that my future is blurrier but more exciting and promising for it. Create your own reality, right? Make it happen. Worry less about the rules and do what you feel you need to do, see where that takes you. I'm close to a decade down this blurry path and it's been wonderful more than it has been a liability.
4. Did it reduce your stress levels and do you regret it?
It reduced my bad stress, and increased the kind of stress that suits me, that makes me do good work. I respond to the stress more than I shrink away from it, which was my old routine.
These can be hard decisions, but (as they say) I don't get to run the life.exe program more than once. I'm happy to be choosing my own adventure, even if it means watching my peer cohort making much more money than I make.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 3:37 PM on February 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yes, I stepped out of the federal medical research establishment to work on regulatory policy for a non-profit org. I've been a supporter of this org since I was a teen, and I had no idea I could use my skills to work for them until about seven years ago. It's worked out great, all things conisdered. I took a huge pay cut (about 50%!), which still causes me little egotistical pains, but the change in quality of life and work is both immeasurably worth it and hard to put into words.
I suppose you could say I had a huge crisis of faith with my chosen field--it's inefficient, ineffective, prone to bloat and waste, inhumane, etc. That was too much to deal with on a daily basis, and it left me angry and depressed.
Post-switch, I feel like every iota of work I do makes the kind of difference I wish was possible in my field at large. Maybe it will be, in another 5 or 10 years, if people like me keep opting out and making things better from "the outside."
2. Did you find working at a job that in some/many ways is "below your level" still satisfying, or was it frustrating?
Work is work, it's always frustrating. The differences, though, are in the details. When I had a success before, it felt minimal, even inconsequential, lost in the crush of progress and doomed to be ignored and left unused like most of the good things in medical research.
The only skills I left behind are those used at the bench, the wet chemistry and biology that is the tactile experience of laboratory-based research. I still pine, in some ways, for a lab of my own (the end goal of most careers in medical research), where I direct the work that I find valuable and needed. But I also don't spend most of my time fighting for the funding to do that work; instead, I award that funding, where I can, and otherwise do everything possible to make sure it's done well, its impact is maximized, and its meaning is communicated to the public. It's a lateral shift, not a reverse, and it feels great.
3. When it came time to move down, was that step backwards a liability that hurt your future prospects?
That's relative, but no. I feel like it's changed the orientation of my career trajectory more than its substance. Now, instead of slogging through the well-beaten (and crowded) path, I'm walking the less-traveled one, and that means that my future is blurrier but more exciting and promising for it. Create your own reality, right? Make it happen. Worry less about the rules and do what you feel you need to do, see where that takes you. I'm close to a decade down this blurry path and it's been wonderful more than it has been a liability.
4. Did it reduce your stress levels and do you regret it?
It reduced my bad stress, and increased the kind of stress that suits me, that makes me do good work. I respond to the stress more than I shrink away from it, which was my old routine.
These can be hard decisions, but (as they say) I don't get to run the life.exe program more than once. I'm happy to be choosing my own adventure, even if it means watching my peer cohort making much more money than I make.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 3:37 PM on February 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
A good friend of mine was a lawyer, and left to take a job as an administrative assistant (mostly data entry, filing, sending out emails, and scheduling meetings.) She says she's a million times happier and would do it again in an instant. She hated the stress of law and loves that she can do her current job with half her brain and come home (and a reasonable time) still feeling fresh to work on personal projects. She took a huge paycut, but still earns enough to get by.
She also says that it is key that she believes the work the organisation is doing is worthwhile (although they aren't a charity or social work or anything) so her own tasks are contributing to something positive, whereas she thought the law work she was doing before was improving life only for people and corporations who didn't deserve it.
posted by lollusc at 4:47 PM on February 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
She also says that it is key that she believes the work the organisation is doing is worthwhile (although they aren't a charity or social work or anything) so her own tasks are contributing to something positive, whereas she thought the law work she was doing before was improving life only for people and corporations who didn't deserve it.
posted by lollusc at 4:47 PM on February 1, 2016 [2 favorites]
1. Much earlier in my career, I quit computer programming (mostly big iron, such as it was in the 80s) for a couple years and drove school bus. Best thing I could have done. It cleared my head. Got me off a path that wasn't going anywhere, and gave me time to figure out what I wanted to do next, while keeping food on the table. When I went back, it was to a job that was much more suited to becoming a career.
2. If it was all fun and games, you'd be paying them, instead of the other way around. But working "below my level" gave me time to study and increase my level. Wasn't planning that when I left though. I was Just Plain Done.
3. It meant that when I came back to the field two years later, I almost tripled my earnings. And then tripled them again when I left after five years to take a better job. Sometimes the best thing you can do is walk away.
4. Different stress. Don't regret it a bit.
posted by DaveP at 3:51 AM on February 2, 2016 [1 favorite]
2. If it was all fun and games, you'd be paying them, instead of the other way around. But working "below my level" gave me time to study and increase my level. Wasn't planning that when I left though. I was Just Plain Done.
3. It meant that when I came back to the field two years later, I almost tripled my earnings. And then tripled them again when I left after five years to take a better job. Sometimes the best thing you can do is walk away.
4. Different stress. Don't regret it a bit.
posted by DaveP at 3:51 AM on February 2, 2016 [1 favorite]
1. Have you ever taken a voluntary step backwards in your corporate career, temporarily or otherwise, how did it work out?
Yes. I spent 2011-2014 overseas in an Ops Director role covering Southeast Asia for a consulting company. When that dried up I came back to the US and instead of staying in consulting I took a full-time role for a large company where I am responsible for owning the relationship with a consulting company in my area of expertise.
I've been here about ten months and have used my SME to make the lives of my superiors A LOT easier, which has earned me a great deal of trust and respect on an accelerated timeline.
2. Did you find working at a job that in some/many ways is "below your level" still satisfying, or was it frustrating?
One of the reasons I wanted a gig like this is because I had a few nightmare clients over in SEA and wanted to feel like I was "putting runs on the board" with whatever came next. Finding something that was a step back, but with an obvious pathway to achieving success, was really desirable to me. So this has been a very satisfying move.
3. When it came time to move down, was that step backwards a liability that hurt your future prospects?
I don't know and I hope not. I'm still getting headhunted off the strength of my last job overseas, which is flattering, but even that's going to dry up the longer I'm entrenched here. That being said, I'm seeing my SME from the other side of the fence (going from consultant to client) and even with a step back I think it fortifies my credentials the longer I'm here.
4. Did it reduce your stress levels and do you regret it?
The stress is way down, mostly due to getting those nightmare clients out of my life. I'm encouraged here to make a difference and empowered to make recommendations on tactical and strategic direction which, due to my SME, carry value in discussion with my superiors. It feels good to have those recommendations valued rather than dismissed out of hand (by the nightmare clients). The only regret I have is relocating back to the US, but there are a hundred logical, sensible reasons why this was the right move, so I try not to out-think myself on this point.
posted by GamblingBlues at 4:34 AM on February 2, 2016
Yes. I spent 2011-2014 overseas in an Ops Director role covering Southeast Asia for a consulting company. When that dried up I came back to the US and instead of staying in consulting I took a full-time role for a large company where I am responsible for owning the relationship with a consulting company in my area of expertise.
I've been here about ten months and have used my SME to make the lives of my superiors A LOT easier, which has earned me a great deal of trust and respect on an accelerated timeline.
2. Did you find working at a job that in some/many ways is "below your level" still satisfying, or was it frustrating?
One of the reasons I wanted a gig like this is because I had a few nightmare clients over in SEA and wanted to feel like I was "putting runs on the board" with whatever came next. Finding something that was a step back, but with an obvious pathway to achieving success, was really desirable to me. So this has been a very satisfying move.
3. When it came time to move down, was that step backwards a liability that hurt your future prospects?
I don't know and I hope not. I'm still getting headhunted off the strength of my last job overseas, which is flattering, but even that's going to dry up the longer I'm entrenched here. That being said, I'm seeing my SME from the other side of the fence (going from consultant to client) and even with a step back I think it fortifies my credentials the longer I'm here.
4. Did it reduce your stress levels and do you regret it?
The stress is way down, mostly due to getting those nightmare clients out of my life. I'm encouraged here to make a difference and empowered to make recommendations on tactical and strategic direction which, due to my SME, carry value in discussion with my superiors. It feels good to have those recommendations valued rather than dismissed out of hand (by the nightmare clients). The only regret I have is relocating back to the US, but there are a hundred logical, sensible reasons why this was the right move, so I try not to out-think myself on this point.
posted by GamblingBlues at 4:34 AM on February 2, 2016
Yep. Went from a fast-track role as an HR rep in an intense corporate banking environment where everyone was obsessed with promotions and advancement, to an admin finance role employed by state government. I make less money and there's not much room for advancement, but it has made an ENORMOUS, life-altering improvement in my mental and physical health. No more crushing anxiety about the direction of my career, no more corporate political drama, no more constantly toiling to measure up to ever-changing and unrealistic expectations just for the pittance of an approving nod from management. I come to work & I do my thing, everybody's smiling, stuff gets done, nobody's stomping all over people to get ahead... It's been fantastic. So worth it.
posted by cuddles.mcsnuggy at 6:58 AM on February 2, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by cuddles.mcsnuggy at 6:58 AM on February 2, 2016 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks so much for all this great feedback, everyone. I really appreciated each and every answer. Lots of food for thought and a real spectrum of answers here. I have my second interview on Friday; I'll update with my decision should they offer me the role!
posted by smoke at 3:34 AM on February 3, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by smoke at 3:34 AM on February 3, 2016 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Reader, I took the job. I had a second interview where a lot of my concerns were addressed. They bought along a customer from the business who really articulated what it is this team gives to them and what they need. They showed me a lot more scope and potential than I had initially supposed.
I still think it will still be stress free to where I am now, but it's also going to push me a lot more than I first thought. Thanks again for all your help.
posted by smoke at 8:08 PM on February 10, 2016
I still think it will still be stress free to where I am now, but it's also going to push me a lot more than I first thought. Thanks again for all your help.
posted by smoke at 8:08 PM on February 10, 2016
Congrats, smoke!
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 10:02 AM on February 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 10:02 AM on February 12, 2016 [2 favorites]
Congratulations, I'm excited for you!
posted by lollusc at 2:33 AM on February 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by lollusc at 2:33 AM on February 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
That said, this was actually a pay increase, not a cut, so that wasn't a factor. It hasn't totally tracked with the raises I would have been expecting in a senior role at a bigger company, but it's entirely, completely worth it.
Also, with a little cleverness you can turn almost anything into a positive resume point. Diversity of experience is often helpful down the road in unexpected ways.
posted by restless_nomad at 1:36 PM on February 1, 2016 [7 favorites]