Moving between academic and support

[hardknocklifeforme]

I'm currently an academic but for a number of reasons I'm thinking of applying for an admin (research) role. It would be a senior position but with lots less flexibility but I don't think I'd have the same level of work in evenings and weekends. I'm just a bit sick of working non-stop and never having any free time,

Has anyone done this? Do you regret it?

Watching with interest

There's at least one person who used to post regularly on this board that had done this and said her work-life balance was so much better.

Prepare to be treated as a second class citizen for the rest of your career. Plus if it’s a senior position you’ll still be working all the hours, while also being despised by your former academic colleagues. Just don’t…

This might be me? I went from academic to professional services (though not on the research side). There are pros and cons but for me personally it was one of the best decisions I've made. I was rapidly promoted, which means my workload is often quite crazy - I didn't use to work outside hours when I first moved over, but I do now I manage a team - but also that I find my job challenging and satisfying but not all-consuming as I once did. You have to be prepared to give up your identity as an academic and you need to think seriously about whether that's what you want. For me, it was incredibly freeing to be out of the 'culture' of academia and I don't miss it; I know that isn't the case for everyone.