Does taking a more junior role jeapordise career prospects?

[HangTime]

OK I'm aware this is a bit of a 'it depends' situation but just sounding people out and writing it down helps me think things through.

I left my job at the end of last year and now the schools have re-opened am looking to get back in the workforce. I am not desperate for a job as have decent savings to outgoings ratio so don't want to rush into any random job. That said if I stay unemployed for too long, prospective employers might start to wonder why.

I had 3 interviews for a role that was marginally more senior (in terms of job title and money) than my old one, but was rejected on the final stage. This has led me to reflect on whether I should continue pursuing the 'next rung on the ladder' or be prepared to take a small drop. A position has come up that I would rate marginally more junior than my old one (in terms of responsibility and salary) that might be workable. New, growing company, potentially decent opportunities for progression if I fit in well. Could be a case of two years down the line I've carved out a good niche for myself, but I don't want to bank on that.

But the question then becomes if I were to take this job, and opportunities don't materialise, when I'm looking for my next move is there a risk that I've shot myself in the foot by taking a more junior role? I get the impression that the most recent role is the one people tend to focus on and I know as a hiring manager I've been occasionally sceptical of people who have seemingly taken or are considering a 'backwards' step (which they may have very valid reasons for, but are just not able to articulate). Essentially my fear is that having the wrong job on my CV could set me back five years (broadly speaking I would say the role would be roughly equivalent to what I was doing from 2014-2017).

Finally the other thing gnawing away at me a bit is I feel like if I'm going to take a more junior role then I should perhaps just be looking at the contract market given I'm immediately available. That way, I will earn good money and it's perhaps an easier sell for future interviews. Job security isn't all that important to me currently.

 

[jaybee]

Sounds like you are overthinking it. What do you do?
At the end of the day I've recruited people that have been in both technical and lead type roles mixing back and forth between them. I think it's old fashioned to assume that more management/responsibilities = more "senior". I've worked with PMs that get paid three times what I do, who were some of the most incompetent people ever. You will get recruited if you can do the job. I don't think people should obsess about previous paths having to necessarily follow a path of always moving into more seniority. Sideways moves or even supposed downgrades are fine for me personally. Reasons can be money. I took a step "back" from a team lead role into a technical role and lost all my management duties. I also got a significant pay rise.

 

[Deleted member 77746]

Nobody can answer that you do what you feel comfortable in doing.

If you want to push further push. If you don't then don't.

The question is what do you want to do?

 

[mid_gen]

Just focus on the role at hand, is it a good job, a role you'd be happy with? How confident are you in getting promoted back up to your previous level?

I took two steps down on my last job move, which wasn't ideal, but there were a number of other factors that made it still the right move. Almost back at the same level now, as I expected too.

If I was only planning on staying in this job for a couple of years, I would have probably not taken the step down....but as I plan on staying here long term, it was more about getting in the door.

 

[sigma]

There's no right or wrong answer. Whilst you've been sceptical of people who have taken a juior role there are others that will be sceptical of people who have rather large gaps on their CV. The questions arise - what did you do for all that time? Are you that stuck in your ways that you can't do other jobs? Are certain jobs and tasks 'below' you? Do you have a narrow set of skills?

I've worked with a CXO who moved to a lower managerial job for personal reasons. They're now a CXO again. The job title doesn't define the person (unless you're lacking in awareness).

The situation isn't helped by COVID, this could be a good explanation for not finding a job but also could be a good reason for taking a lower job. I'd say that having a job is better than no job, you're not stuck at that job and who knows what opportunuites might present themselves. Certianly beats eating in your savings, surely?

Perhaps set yourself a rough plan; if I haven't found a job at level X by Y months I'll apply for jobs at a Z level as well.

 

[randomshenans]

But the question then becomes if I were to take this job, and opportunities don't materialise, when I'm looking for my next move is there a risk that I've shot myself in the foot by taking a more junior role? I get the impression that the most recent role is the one people tend to focus on and I know as a hiring manager I've been occasionally sceptical of people who have seemingly taken or are considering a 'backwards' step (which they may have very valid reasons for, but are just not able to articulate). Essentially my fear is that having the wrong job on my CV could set me back five years (broadly speaking I would say the role would be roughly equivalent to what I was doing from 2014-2017).

I personally think it does impact things. My step brother is one of these "At least I'm lucky to have a job" kinda guys and never pushes for anything more. He used to be a service manager. The company closed the office in Newcastle, just near his house and said he had to commute to Redcar each day and his role would be 2nd line support now (with this empty verbal "promise" they were looking into a new role for him). I was like nah, sorry, they have to make you redundant if that's the case. Role is less than current etc. You are entitled to redundancy. But again, "at least I have a job and they are going to try and create a role for me". So he did it. He commuted there and back daily (about 1h30 in traffic each way) and did a much lower level job. He did it for 2 years and then wondered why he wasn't getting invited to any interviews for service management roles. I would be thinking, seeing a CV like that, that he obviously was as good as his last 2yrs work and wasn't a great service manager, otherwise why would he take a job for 2yrs at a much lower level?
Obviously you can explain these things in person, but you have to get to the interview first and I think it'd put people off.

At the end of the day though, you have to put money on the table and when push comes to shove you have to consider that first over anything else. If I was in the position of needing work and taking something lower than previously was the only route to ensure bills paid etc. then I 100% would take it. Family first.

 

[HangTime]

He did it for 2 years and then wondered why he wasn't getting invited to any interviews for service management roles. I would be thinking, seeing a CV like that, that he obviously was as good as his last 2yrs work and wasn't a great service manager, otherwise why would he take a job for 2yrs at a much lower level?
Obviously you can explain these things in person, but you have to get to the interview first and I think it'd put people off.

Yeah this is my worry - and to address the posts above, it's not so much about about what I feel about it, if I consider tasks beneath me, whether I have old-fashioned views or not, but rather whether prospective employers might.

The issue I believe, is I look at some roles and think, would I be happy doing that for a couple of years? Yes I would. Would I be happy doing it without any significant evolution or expansion for 5+ years? Maybe not. So there's an element of risk there, trying to pick the right job where there might be opportunities to grow.

Regarding having a job being better than no job, again I think there's a potential opportunity cost there, whereby if I take a job then that will stunt my suitability for another job that might come up (as it will inevitably put people off if it looks like I'm switching jobs quickly). But of course there's the risk element about being out of work for too long and how that looks.

 

[Martynt74]

From older posts i get the position you're at a fairly senior level at the moment. As such i assume most recruitment would be done by recruiters and that gives you/them the opportunity to explain things like this. Are job titles fairly rigid in your industry to cause concern? For example you could be a Director at a small local firm but move to a new larger company and end up as an Assistant Director which in reality it is a much more senior role even though on paper it looks worse.

 

[HangTime]

Yeah, it gets discussed with recruiters. Job titles aren't particularly rigid but equally they are how people get categorised first and foremost. Ironically I am also interviewing for a role with a more 'senior title' than my previous one with seemingly smaller scale / responsibility. I am still sceptical of how much people truly look beyond job titles though, a lot of assumptions get made and you can be be met with surprise when you bring up experience people assume you wouldn't have had based on your job title.

 

[Cooler running]

Finally the other thing gnawing away at me a bit is I feel like if I'm going to take a more junior role then I should perhaps just be looking at the contract market given I'm immediately available. That way, I will earn good money and it's perhaps an easier sell for future interviews.

Showing that you are desirable to businesses by doing contract work is a good idea, even if the money doesn't matter to you.

is there a risk that I've shot myself in the foot by taking a more junior role?.

If you're moving from one industry to another, I'd say no. Changing career path requires sacrifice, either by taking time and money to do exams after work or by taking a low paying position. If you're moving within an industry it depends. Moving from one mid level job to another slightly lower but still mid level job usually isn't a big issue. Moving to a job which has (or implies) junior in the title can be an issue. I personally would also not bother applying to such jobs, primarily as the business are usually looking for young people when they title a job in this way.

 

[wesimmo]

I've just done exactly this.

I went for a job that was significantly less money than my last few roles.

I simply explained at interview that the last couple of years had changed my priorities and that I wanted a better work life balance.

I got the job, and they offered a third more than it was advertised at in the end to recognise that I was over qualified compared to the sort of people they had expected to apply.