AIBU to consider leaving an easy remote job for a complete career change?

Personally, I think it’s a big risk. I have a job like yours, although it can be busy at times. Sometimes I get itchy feet, and then I remind myself how easy I have it.

I have friends who own/work in EA, it’s a hard, stressful job (they also don’t make a lot of money). But, on the plus side, they are never bored! I feel like the future work landscape is really uncertain, so I would stay in my safe job. Wish you all the best in whatever decision you make.

There's no way I'd leave your current job! It sounds perfect and I'd take it in a heartbeat.

Also just check the job if you do go for it. The estate agents we used had sales negotiators and then different people who showed people around houses. The sales negotiators were the ones sorting the offers and doing the best and final type stuff. So a lot more discussing offers, checking finances and things rather than doing house viewings, could be different at the one you've applied to though!

The tasks you mention in your opening post sound very tedious and likely to be taken over by AI. I would go for the new job if I was you.

Your current role sounds like it could be replaced by AI tomorrow - all those tasks can be done efficiently and well by a machine now. Use the free time to upskill and ride it out until you get a redundancy payout.

I hear you on the boredom aspect, but if you have so much free time I would take up a hobby. Are you artistic? Good at writing? Take an online interior design course?

Insane to leave. Do an online course, read more books, exercise, do gardening. You’d be completely insane to give up a flexible job which pays a good pension. Nuts. Work from
starbucks once a week for company.

😂😂

I'm in the same boat as you op, my job is really dull. I'd say on average I work 15 hours per week.

But it's 80% WFH, good holidays, flexitime, great pension, no sales targets, good insurance etc etc.

Just stay where you are.

same as me but I’ve looked for progression internally, any sales role will be stressful target driven and subject to a high churn rate, I’ve done sales my whole life, keep stress free and in your current role until at least you kids are in secondary school don’t subject them to a stressful home environment !!! Also sales roles are seductive but reality is shocking

I would keep the remote job and pick up other skills.

Can I have your job!

Honestly I'd be more tempted to pick up another job or do something that interests you alongside your main role, if being bored and unfulfilled is the issue. Whether it's a mix of doing something that you could eventually turn into a career (e.g. doing online training on AI, or learning another language), or just a side hustle to earn more money (transcription checking, ironing, cleaning, jewellery making), or just something you want to do for fun (gym, read, write a book), as long as your work isn't impacted, (which if you can do in 1 hour what you're scheduled to take 8 for doesn't seem like the case), you could get the best of both worlds.

Commission isn't guaranteed, constantly doing the hard sell day in day out is horrible. Once you've got used to WFH having to get up and go out every single day, regardless of whether you're tired or feel ill or cba or it's chucking it down and there's a huge traffic jam, is grim.

I opened an Ebay shop while I was working full time (3 days a week at home) and with great flexibility. When I eventually retired from employed work I spent half my time on consultancy and the other selling vintage/antiques on various platforms such as Ebay, Etsy etc. Im now in my 80s and still have my Ebay and other side hustles. which are a useful additional income.Since your job allows such amazing flexibilty is there something you could combine with it? Maybe something to get you away from the computer. Volunteering? OU degree? Market research?

What's your current job and can I have it please???
If I were you I would use my free time to study something you're really interested in, to improve your CV and then change career.

All of this ^^

In the current climate I wouldn’t be jumping from a boring but flexible WFH job for something with worse Ts&Cs pretty much all round.

Use your spare time to upskill then consider moving.

There is no way I’d leave your current set up. Absolutely no way!

Ive left jobs because I felt ‘bored’ and I have always regretted it.

Hey OP I didn't want to read and run because I was in the same situation as you. For ten years I was in an administrative role that went fully remote about 6 years in. Spreadsheets and diaries and invoicing and data entry. And one day it hit me how I'd stayed here because it was easy, and then I stayed because it fit with my family life, and then after that it hit me that I'd stagnated. Yes WFH is good but every day is incredibly isolating and I didn't have the self discipline to get dressed and brush my teeth every day because why bother, no one was there to see me. And yes I stayed on top of housework and laundry but did I really want that every day for the rest of my life whilst still being tethered to my desk until 5?There was no career progression and I didn't want to look back on my life knowing I'd entered the same data on the same spreadsheet and sent the same email template every day of my life. So I studied (eLearning) to get the qualifications I needed to land an entry level role in my dream career. Slight pay rise with excellent pay and career progression.

It was and still is hard. Had to change our routine a bit as a family. And there's a lot more work to do. But it will open so many doors for me which means professional progression but also eventually more money which I'm sure everyone could do with.

I can understand why people would think you were mad to give it up but if you're not happy then something needs to change. I expressed displeasure at my old job and yes I appreciated it for what it was but the pay was rubbish and it was such a quiet unfulfilling role and I just need more for myself. If I have to go to work I need it to be something rewarding that keeps my brain working and my old job just wasn't doing it for me. And I'm proud of myself for stepping up and saying I don't want to be the mum that stays at home for minimum wage just because it means I can do everyone's laundry during the day.

If you are unhappy then you are not a tree and you don't need to stay. And nothing is permanent. If you don't like the new role then look for something else.

I've worked from home for 7+ years. I wish I had your job. I am glued to the computer and phone. Metrics to achieve, so much pressure ..

This.

These jobs don't/should not exist any more.

I can relate and I feel like I’m Goldilocks. I recently left a job that was also mainly WFH and was 6 figures but mental workload and toxic management for a job that is £16k less a year and a great company but I’m finding it boring and unstimulating.
Why can’t I just be happy earning good money and being chill?!
I need the medium in between - that space where you feel intellectually challenged and stimulated but not abused with it - perhaps you do too. Go for it. Good luck to you x

I would 100% go for the new job.

WFH can be terribly lonely and you have a really exciting opportunity here. I'd take the risk rather than spend the next 10-20 years lonely and bored

For a little more money this would be crazy, but for less it’s insane. Look at what you can retrain in that will improve your job prospects, a career as an estate agent is a very precarious one. My DP is the one with a boring mostly WFH job and it’s well worth it for both of us as he has flexibility that I don’t (teacher), he chose it specifically so he could be flexible for his kids and whilst the job is boring he loves being at home and hates office days. Our house runs better because he can do laundry and go pick up sick kids from school if needed etc. You need to seriously consider how complicated your life could be without that flexibility.

If you’re craving socialisation why not look at whether you can join some local daytime classes (I have a local spa/gym for instance I’d love to join if I had flexi working) and go to those a couple of times a week to break up your days. You could book them as your lunch hour.

Whereabouts do you live and what is the property market like at the moment? Where we are, it’s very slow and, with rumours of the mansion tax and changes to stamp duty, is likely to get slower. I’d be very careful about going into a commission based role if you need the commission rather than it being a nice bonus which might pay for holidays or something like that.
I’d also be asking a lot of questions about when viewings would take place. You might find that you are working all day on Saturdays. Would that work for your family set up, both now and in the future? I’m guessing your DC are quite young - further down the line, at lot of weekend time might be spent taking them to and watching them at sport or drama or dance and, if you have more than one child, these can clash so it’s easier with both parents around so they can do two different things.
I can understand you wanting a change but I’m not sure that this is the right change.

Why dont you try in part time for a bit. Weekends.

What jumped out at me is that you want to be around people. I’d bite your hand off for your job at the moment but the other sounds like the dream tbh. Just make sure you have childcare/ school collection help because my god it gets tough having to firefighter because the afterschool only have x day they can take them or there’s no room on the school bus or they need to know your hours in advance. Best of luck op!