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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Anyone not climbed the career ladder?

88 replies

Celebrityskin88 · 22/04/2021 23:06

For instance in the school I worked in, many teachers were clamouring for heads of department roles and eventually moving up to SLT. Friends of my age (30) mostly been promoted into managerial roles now.

I feel like it's a societal expectation that we have to keep progressing and climbing the ladder. Is there anyone who's just happy with the status quo and isn't interested in moving up?

Managing a team of people doesn't interest me particularly. And it sounds lazy but to some extent I just want an easy life, I don't really want a job with high stress and responsibilities for more money.

I've had comments from some people about how I could be 'doing more with my life' , and 'do I want to be in this role for the rest of my life?" And I don't understand it.

Anyone else?

OP posts:
Original poster
Celebrityskin88 · 22/04/2021 23:07

I'm willing to accept that I won't earn as much but I am prepared to live within my means.

OP posts:
Porcupineintherough · 22/04/2021 23:11

Yes me! Well I've moved up to Project Manager and have no interest in moving up any further as I like delivering actual things and if I go up any further I'll just be managing people.

notacooldad · 22/04/2021 23:13

Me!
I have a career but I don't want further promotions.
My time away from work is more important.
I earm a good salary for my area I work with a good team and have a great manager. If I went for more promotions I would be dealing with more problems and hassle.
I'm happy as I am!

Original poster
Celebrityskin88 · 22/04/2021 23:16

It's great to hear that you've found roles you're happy in.
I wish there wasn't this whole 'lacking ambition' thing and expectations to move up but who cares what others think I guess.

OP posts:
TedMullins · 22/04/2021 23:18

I have a good career but I’ve absolutely no interest in managing people. I managed 2 people in my previous job and hated it. I’d like more money but accept there’s a ceiling on my earnings if I don’t go down that route. Would rather have static earnings than extra work stress

SwimmingOnEggshells · 22/04/2021 23:35

Me. 🙋‍♀️ I've a good career, good salary and no people management responsibilities. I couldn't take the stress of it and I like my job. I'm in third level education. I'd say it's fairly normal for teachers to not want to get into management roles? I know most of my colleagues feel the same as I do.

Knackered1986 · 22/04/2021 23:45

Yeah, I have no intention of climbing the career ladder. Have a decent job with a decent enough salary (admittedly not as much as many of the high earners on mn). But, the extra stress and responsibility (not to mention working hours) of a senior role don’t appeal to me at all.

blueshoes · 22/04/2021 23:47

I think this sort of being happy at your level and not wanting responsibilities tends to be the norm rather than the exception for non-professional staff. There are big pools of secretarial, admin staff in my office who probably just work to live. Absolutely fine. Unfortunately some are being made redundant by advances in technology and changes in the way people work.

georgarina · 23/04/2021 02:30

I started in this career late due to multiple life reasons so I'm a junior at a time when a lot of people my age are middle/senior...it's not unusual to have a wide range of ages in my job though, people older than me are more junior than me too.

And in terms of career progression I definitely work for more salary but I'm more invested in family than in working all the time for progression.

OnlyheretovoteonAIBU · 23/04/2021 04:18

It's totally ok to work to live. If you're happy in your job then stay

KarmaNoMore · 23/04/2021 04:25

Frankly, you have reached a point of maturity that most of us get to after 40 years of work: you know what you want, you are happy with your jlot and you are not willing to change the status quo just to keep up with society expectations.

Ignore your friends and thank your luck for finding a job that is exactly what you need/want so early into your life.

Letsallscreamatthesistene · 23/04/2021 04:35

Yes me! Last year my boss sat me down and said 'letsall, we really need to think about promotion' to which I replied that I wasnt interested. Ive managed a team of about 50 people before and hated every second of it. Im in a job now with no personnel management involved and its honestly great. Ive no intention of pushing on further.

MrsTerryPratchett · 23/04/2021 04:40

I had to climb. I was temporary and the only permanent position was 'up'. I still get to deliver my job, but I do manage 3 people. I'd much rather be one of the three people! It's awkward because one of the three also applied. I do think I'm better at the job than she would be but it's weird because she really wanted it.

So good job anyone who has managed to stay in the prime positions. I will actually try to stay here or climb down as I age.

Amore2 · 23/04/2021 05:34

When i was younger and pre-dc, i did climb up to a middle management role. I enjoyed the challenge for a few years but was pretty stressed by it. After dc, priorities did change, i stepped down, professional role still but no management responsibility or additional responsibilities. Overall, i feel happier but like you, still feel a bit of pressure from either society or myself that i should 'progress' as those younger/ same age as me are starting to be my manager. Wish i could get over this feeling. But work to live instead of live to work!

Mostly i am pleased to leave around 5pm instead of 7pm and then have a home life too.

Spb123 · 23/04/2021 06:12

Me. I'm 30. I am a SAHM now but did the same job for 8 years and I enjoyed it. I would be asked multiple times per week what I was going to do "next", and more senior colleagues would frequently ask how they could "help" me move up. I'm the kind of person who gets stressed very easily and I know what I'm comfortable with.

My best friend earns more than twice what I did, but she often comes home to her (very lovely) big house and cries because she's so stressed by it all. I don't get it.

DH doesn't earn much either though he would like to progress eventually. Despite this we have a lovely 3 bed house (admittedly lucky to live in a cheaper part of the country). While I was working we had two holidays per year and each bought a new car. No debt other than mortgage. But I should have been striving for more apparently! Why? No thanks. In my view we had the best of both worlds. It's obviously quite tight now we are on one income, but it's only for a few years until DC go to school.

HelenaJustina · 23/04/2021 06:18

I have two family members who were SLT or HoD in secondary schools, both of whom have now ‘stepped down’ (their choice) to being teachers with no management responsibilities. I think if you have the work/life balance working for you, then ignore everyone else.

Seashor · 23/04/2021 06:20

I have absolutely no desire to climb higher. I stepped down a few years ago and am more than happy where I now am. My husband felt exactly the same in his role. Both professional jobs.

FTEngineerM · 23/04/2021 06:24

Not all progression equals managing people though; that would be my worst nightmare but I am very ambitious so always like learning and improving moving up on the complexity rather than the ‘managing people’ sense.

jay55 · 23/04/2021 06:24

I became a contractor so I could earn more without having responsibility. Means zero job security but that is less stressful than office politics for me.

Frazzlefrazle · 23/04/2021 06:32

I envy those who are happy in their jobs and don't want to push for promotions. I've just left a very convenient job as there was zero chance of anything more and decided that I couldn't do that to myself and not try and see if I could gain more qualifications/money elsewhere. My husband is the same, i think it stems from very working class backgrounds and not wanting to watch every penny (which we were up until around 3 years ago) but now we have pushed to get to this point it's hard for us to see where we stop, does that make sense? Any way as I said I envy you! Enjoy your job and feeling settled is a wonderful feeling- I can't wait to feel like that again.

Wobbitcatcher · 23/04/2021 06:40

I’ve not long had my 2nd dc and have no intention of taking on anything more at work for a very long time. I’ll be going back to work part time and I find that helps massively because most promotions aren’t available to part time staff so I can just let that be the reason. At the moment I can see myself remaining part time and in the same job for a long time. Perhaps some ambition will come back to me but I’m in no rush and if I earn more money I’ll just spend it and then have more stuff to keep tidy Wink

LaMariposa · 23/04/2021 06:42

I had management responsibilities. After children I stepped back, and now work 2.5days a week over 3. I have enough time for my children, still not enough time to keep the house nice, and am far happier.
DH has the ambitious gene in this household.

MinnieMountain · 23/04/2021 06:47

I’m a solicitor who has never wanted to be a partner. I’ve used my years of experience to find a PT role instead.

DH has never fully qualified as an actuary. He doesn’t see the need when he can earn well as a contractor.

HarebrightCedarmoon · 23/04/2021 06:59

I don't blame you at all. If you find a job you love and pays enough to get by, why ruin your worklife by taking on more responsibility than you want and probably your physical and mental health.

That said I am a director, but in a very small organisation where we all just manage ourselves mostly. I've done a lot of changing jobs to find something well paid (though I could get paid a hell of a lot more in a higher stress job elsewhere) in which I can also use my skills and is interesting enough but is not stupidly demanding. Needless to say I would like to stick at this one!

SimonJT · 23/04/2021 07:00

Yes and no, I have a good career, I made a significant move up the ladder about 18 months ago, I disliked it and the extra stress etc, so in December I stepped down back into my old job.