To return to my old job

[Boomerangsally]

NC for this.
My old job is being advertised, I left a few years ago for a career change to try something new - I didn't enjoy that - and I currently work back in the industry I previously left although this role is very different. I'm completely overworked (taken advantage of) and the team is very disjointed.

The old job was easier with less responsibility which I would prefer and honestly I have said for the past 2 years I wish I had never left.

Would you go back? I've seen so many people say no you'll look a failure etcetc but I kinda think life's too short.

I was in this situation recently and was prepared to take the pay cut / less management duty but after discussing with the team they didn't want to take the risk as they thought I'd leave again. It was all very amicable and ultimately I think they were
Right.

Just something to consider.

I wouldn’t worry about appearing a failure, there’s no failure in acknowledging that your current role hasn’t worked out as you’d hoped and returning to something you enjoyed. I would however be prepared for a role you left several years ago to not be the same as when you left it: the working practices, culture, structures, environment etc could be very different, with turnover of staff meaning it’s not as you remembered. I have a friend who was very excited to be returning to her “old job”, which turned out not to be her old job at all.

We had someone return to their old job after leaving a couple of years previously. No one saw it as a failure.
They didn’t finish their probation period before they handed their notice in again though, for all the reasons @ComtesseDeSpair posted.

I went back to an old organisation in a lower role after 10 years. I ended up showing the staff that had been there the whole time I was away how to use various systems. I was then promoted after a year to a higher role than I left.

If it suits you, do it.

Like @ComtesseDeSpair , the issue that would worry me is that the job itself or the culture would have changed since I left. It could be a very different experience than you imagine.