Knowing when to change from a job you enjoy?

[HangTime]

I guess it depends how you define "stress". Some stress is fine, some jobs have some pressure that comes with more responsibility and a higher salary. That is normal. Would you really want a job that is completely stress free with zero pressure? Sounds boring and unsatisfying

I've seen studies on this, there is a performance curve whereby if you have too little pressure you are inactive and bored, it then rises up to a peak level (different people have different optimal levels) before dropping out as you start to hit stress and eventually burnout. It certainly rings true for me, I was one of those people that enjoyed exams at school because it was right in the optimal zone, making me work at a heightened state and better than I might do outside of that environment. Conversely there have been times where I've just felt overwhelmed with too much to do, feeling fatigued etc.

 

[OspreyO]

I'd take lower pay, stress-free and lack of being pushed over a higher-paying stressful job any day of the week.

Work-life balance and all that, you've no idea how a stressful job messes with it and the money isn't worth it.

I certainly worked in places where the pressure was so much that its just wasn't worth it.
But its also stressful being in a job where its so quiet there's nothing to do, or its so lightweight that you're constantly bored.
I like to be productive and having a pointless job even if its easy I find really depressing.

 

[Lopéz]

I was 38, doing a job I was very good at and overall really enjoyed.
I changed career and industry, for what at the time was a 30% pay rise.
I'm now happier than ever and earning 120% more than when I left my previous employer less than 3 years later.

Go for it!

 

[Terminal_Boy]

One thing I would say is I've never regretted leaving a job, but have regretting staying in the same job too long.

Oh, snap!

I only stayed at my final job for 10 years as I was very well paid for what I did and I knew I’d be retiring when I left.

 

[Amplus]

I was 38, doing a job I was very good at and overall really enjoyed.
I changed career and industry, for what at the time was a 30% pay rise.
I'm now happier than ever and earning 120% more than when I left my previous employer less than 3 years later.

Go for it!

Bloody heck that's some jump. What did you do before and what did you change into if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Lopéz]

Bloody heck that's some jump. What did you do before and what did you change into if you don't mind me asking?

I was a Learning & Development specialist - mainly training Sales and Customer Services and developing training material. Whilst doing that I got a secondment doing an internal Salesforce CRM implementation and used that as a springboard to learn Salesforce.
Moved to a role as a Salesforce Consultant (perm role, not contracting) and now lead a team of 7 Consultants in the same place.

You could argue I have more responsibility now, but honestly it doesn't feel that way. I work shorter hours, the work is less demanding, I get to Friday feeling energised not drained. It's literally the best thing I ever did.

 

[Brok]

I was a Learning & Development specialist - mainly training Sales and Customer Services and developing training material. Whilst doing that I got a secondment doing an internal Salesforce CRM implementation and used that as a springboard to learn Salesforce.
Moved to a role as a Salesforce Consultant (perm role, not contracting) and now lead a team of 7 Consultants in the same place.

You could argue I have more responsibility now, but honestly it doesn't feel that way. I work shorter hours, the work is less demanding, I get to Friday feeling energised not drained. It's literally the best thing I ever did.

I think this is an important lesson for people to learn who are interested in advancing their careers but don't necessarily want or are able to go through external training/learning to develop. Learning a product well enough to be able to implement it is something that can really propel you upwards in terms of earning potential. If you are given an opportunity to do it through work and its something you feel you might have a future in, grasp the opportunity with both hands and really immerse yourself in the product and you will gain an immediate competitive advantage. This is exactly what happened to me in my early 20s, I worked in an office filing pieces of paper for peanuts,showed some initiative and was given the chance to learn a new tool the company were introducing. I worked hard at it for a lot of years and I now own a consulting company that implements that same tool and earn many multiples of my starting point. I have no degree and A levels in an unrelated subject.