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 great. You gain almost 3 hours a day & get to see your teens morning and evening. It's still a pretty good salary even for London. It might bring some stress but the trade off is no commute & seeing family.

Just a quick reply - I did similar a few years ago and I have never regretted it, not for a minute.

You shouldn't have to disclose current salary when applying for future jobs. So that issue should not deter you. Go for it.

Choose life OP. All the way.
I took early retirement last year.
I'm skint but happier 👍

I am doing the same job I have for 20 years but 3 years ago went part time. Best decision of my life

I effectively did this, via a career break for kids and a dabble at self employed.
I'm no longer responsible for 1/4 the country, dozens of employees, health and safety, hr on a local level, several millions of £ budget and an ever changing sales force, and no getting on for 2 hour commute (driving) each way, admittedly not into London.
Now I'm a 10-15 minute drive away (I would cycle but crossing the A4 is decidedly dodgy where I need to cross in the rush hour, a fabulous rural location not far from home. Glorious views from the office. It's flexible - can pop out any time anything crops up like the boiler man is coming. Lovely work colleagues. And near the pub for lunch. Still responsible for a much smaller number of staff and for health and safety though not anywhere near as stressful and the salary is minus a potential but usually got it big bonus each year and considerably more basic! Oh and I get a day extra annual leave here too.

There is so much more to life than money, and work. I took voluntary redundancy two years ago, and have been unable to find a permanent job. Even though I'm financially not in a good place I am happier than I've been for many years, and so many people have commented on how great I look. I don't have one second's regret. My advice is to go for it - as long as you can be happy on the lower salary and aren't too worried about stepping up your career in the future.

I also think this is a great idea and could massively improve your quality of life. Not everything in life is about money. I'd take it

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

Then you leave the job, but at least you've tried. OP, if you don't need the big salary, then take a local job. Quality of life is so much more important than money-hoarding.

Really helpful to get the lowdown from people who have done it.

I think the relentless pace of the most senior jobs is not for me anyway, I'm not calm and collected enough. Which means I'd probably be taking a step down anyway - why not try walking to work?