To be worried about a new job and to turn it down?

[Littlewillowy]

I've been in a role I enjoy and find interesting/meaningful for almost 5 years. The work life balance is great and management is relaxed. However, there is no career progression, despite me taking on more and more responsibilities each year, and I'm worried I'm stagnating. I started on £40k and had one raise in this time to £42k (average-ish salary for the industry). Financially I'm comfortable, but only because I have a partner who earns similarly and we don't have kids (living in London). My manager isn't supportive and has basically told me to leave if I don't like it. (Essentially, if he's not getting a pay rise or promotion himself, he's not going to help me).

I've accepted a public sector job paying £52k (£600 more a month take home), plus excellent pension. Just waiting for reference checks. I should be delighted, and I am, but for some reason the thought of it is filling me with anxiety. It's going to be much faster paced and I'll be a line manager. I'm worried it will really stress me out. Is this normal? Should I listen to my gut and be grateful/stick with what I've got? I've also never handed in my notice before. I left my last job when my contract ended, previously I was freelance, and before that I was made redundant when my company folded.

Take the job.

Enjoy showing what you're capable of.

Do the manager your current manager isn't.

Good luck.

If you like a self-help audio book.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is well worth a listen.

Really appreciate the responses. It will be a big change, I'm always just worried I'm falling into the 'greener on the other side' trap with decisions like this. I'll take a look at those books too @Bebedoogoogle, thank you.

That's a nice way to think of it @Disfordarkchocolate, I would very much like to be the manager my manager isn't!

While we’re recommending books, someone on another thread on here a while back recommended The First 90 Days - it’s about how to handle professional transitions. Well worth a read!

Definitely go for it!!!!

When I'm panicking about a decision I find that if I ask myself myself what I need right now (rather than trying to imagine the future) that helps.

So what do you need from work right now?

I find that things that suited you five years may not necessarily suit you now. Perhaps now you need to progress, have a payrise, start paying into a decent pension, have a decent line manager, take on extra responsibilities (i.e. line manage people), etc.

I think five years of doing one thing with no significant is probably long enough really otherwise you are moving into stagnation territory.

Agree with PPs, new job sounds better and if you dislike it you can move again, and will have a better chance of keeping or even increasing the higher salary.