AIBU - to apply for a job I did 20 years ago on half of my recent salary, so I can to walk to work?

[anon666]

I'm currently taking a career break to study and have a break to do some life stuff. It's heaven, the house is sorted, I've learnt new skills.

However I have to go back to work at some point and I've never applied for a job without having a job before, so no idea what to expect. I was meant to be weighing up my options and priorities but am no closer to solving the work-life balance dilemma. I want to be challenged but I don't want to spend 24/7 at the office.

A local job has come up. It would be a huge step down for me, going back perhaps 18 years in my 25 year career. It has two selling points. One is that I could walk to work. The second is that as it is in a different sector, I would then preserve my element of final salary pension from my other career.

I've anonymised myself so I can say that the job salary range is up to £58k. From experience of mumsnet, I hope this isn't too triggering for people who think that's an excessive salary.

It's London, I'm very well qualified and experienced at a high level in a well paid profession, so relatively speaking this would be a fairly low salary for my skills. Someone with my level of qualifications, skills and experience could be earning £120k as a Director, or much more as a partner/consultant.

I'm not too bothered about the actual money. I don't acquire stuff, don't have a big house, one car household. I've never owned a designer item in my life, and am mainly saving up to half my salary for an early retirement. My main and probably only worry is that once I have moved down the career ladder, will that permanently tarnish my CV? Will it look odd and prevent me stepping up again?

I'll be honest, COVID is part of the reason I want to be walking distance rather than commuting into London. As another side point I'd love to be home earlier to be here for my teenage daughters who will leave home in the next few years.

Every time I hit this work-life dilemma I've chosen work. This career break is the first time in my workaholic life I've chosen life instead. I have a sneaking suspicion there is a feminist root underlying this, in that no-one ever advises a man to take a more junior position paid half as much so he can achieve a work-life balance......

AIBU?

Sounds perfect. The acquisition of cash is pointless over a certain basic level if it is impacting negatively on your quality of life.

To walk to work is priceless if it really is only about a 20 minute walk,

Quality of life comes above money. If you can afford it, do it.

Oh wow, I did not expect that! Everyone so far thinks its a good idea.

What about the future - the career? Is that not even a tiny factor?

PS thank you all for your quick responses.

Its probably less than 20 mins.

I think its relevant that my last commute was 1 1/2 hrs each way plus both early and late meetings. I was often setting off before 7am and getting home at about 10pm.....

Would you be frustrated if you don’t have the same level of responsibility that you’re used to?

I don’t think I’d want to step back to a “lower” position, I’d look to go part time / job share instead, if that’s available in your sector.

I think the timing with Covid is perfect.
Lots of people are re thinking and re-jigging their lives.

Go for it. Give it 6 months and see how it works for you.
Walking to work is just so wonderful when you have been doing the commuting slog.
👍

I'd go for it. The job will come with less stress too, a big plus point.

To be honest, whilst I'm more of an 'are you having a laugh with thinking you're poor on that salary?' in general terms, I think you will benefit hugely from the change - it's a great salary if you already have what you need in life - pension, house, savings, etc, and I can heartily recommend being just a few minutes from home, as I did it for five years after twenty of awful rushhour commuting.

The novelty of rolling out of bed shortly before I was due in and strolling downhill home at the end of a rough day, to be home before most people had managed to get out of the carpark, never mind catch a bus to get to the nearest train station to watch the CANCELLED appear on the screen most nights, always made the toughest days that bit more tolerable.

Sounds pretty sensible to me. Why make life harder for money you don't need?

Ooh still positive.....

I'm warming to this now.

I do think it could be hard to step back up to where you were before. As a recruiter we would tend to have some hard questions to ask, and you might not even get to the question-asking stage.

If you think you’d be happy at that level long term I would go for it.

Sounds win win to me. The rat race is overrated

Do it
I’ve taken a massive pay hit but I’m happy

I think it will harm your career long term. If you want to take a step back and put family /free time/less stress etc first, that's awesome, it sounds great, go for it. But don't expect to be able to pick up from where you left off a few years down the line.

You obviously had the career break for a reason OP. Do you truthfully want to go back to the place where a full on career break rather than just a week off is what you need to feel like you again.

Chances are a large step back will probably damage your long term career prospects. But working at a breakneck pace for the next 20-30 years (I presume you're aged 40-50?) doesn't really sound like a good idea either. Unless you were hoping to retire earlier.

I've just done very similar. Inc a 50% drop in income.

3 weeks into my new role and I'm v v glad that I did.

Careers are not the only thing in life!!
If you can afford it and are offered it - take it!!
Enjoy both working and having a nice home time. Time at home to do hobbies/relax/see family or friends - in other words have time to live!!

One of my close family has done something similar. They earn half the amount that they were getting in their previous job but they now work close to home with far less stress involved. It has been an excellent move for them.

If you decide that you don’t like the new job or crave for more responsibility, you can always move on in another year.

I've done similar. Similar levels of salary (but no career break, straight from a 6-figure job to a local/WFH more junior job).

Do it.

I was earning money I didn't need doing something I didn't enjoy. Now I have a much better work-life balance and an easier logistical existence. Still a good salary, so no expenditure-related lifestyle changes. (Except saving money on the commute!)

The "change" period was hard and a bit stressful at times, but now I've settled - I've very few complaints.

I'm in a totally different sector and salary scale but have just taken a step back from a high powered and looks-great-on-CV role. Previously - like you - I had chosen my career- every. single. time.

I am now on half my previous salary for a part-time role with loads of flexibility and a great team which is supportive and won't give me any grief regarding childcare etc.

It's two weeks in so far and I am loving the flexibility and being around for my kids. It's a lot less high powered than my previous role but interesting and challenging enough. When offered the role my job title was made more senior and I was offered a slightly higher salary so it looks less of a dip on paper - it's still a dip though. One I can easily afford financially.

Once I am ready to move on again in a couple of years it might be a struggle to get back to a more senior position and salary. I hope it won't be but if yes this will be a risk I am willing to take. I intend to say - if asked - that due to the global Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 I had to make a slight sideways step in my career at the time and am now in a position to give 150% again. I assume in 2022/2023 this will be something said by many and recruiters will accept it without too many raised eyebrows.

If you look at what dying people regret most it is very often that they didn't spend more time with their family. No one ever seems to say that they wish they would have worked more, earned that huge salary when they were already comfortable etc.

I'd take the chance to hang out with your kids for these final few years before they leave home if I were you.

I think you're right about COVID. I presume there will be loads of people having to compromise whether they like it or not. 😳

Including me. I've no idea whether I will even get an interview with it being so far back in my career. I've done a lot since. They might also think I'm overqualified.

My main worry is - what if it's still really stressful but just less money? 🤔

Do it.

Happiness is much more important! If you find it a stressful job on much less money, you can always look for another job with more money? You sound experienced and qualified, therefore if I were you, I would take the chance for a better work life balance.

People prioritise different things, for example I am still in the first house I ever got a mortgage for. I'm looking at switching lenders at the moment, and equity aside, the bank will still be lending me 250k UNDER my limit. The odd family member and friend in the past has commented on me getting a bigger/better/nicer blah blah blah house, BUT, I don't want that level of debt and having a smaller mortgage gives me work/life options.

Sometimes if you keep chasing the bigger salary or house for example, you can end up working too hard to enjoy them if that makes sense?

What's the problem as long as you can afford it?
When I was working temporarily in a call centre last year, there were at least 5 or 6 other former teachers who started around the same time as I did.