Work decision at 50 plus

[SausageSausage]

I need help to make a decision please.I am 54 years women working for the same company for 14 years. It gives me great work life balance with 2 days work from home and set hours. This allows me to look after my dog and attend regular exercise, house and family time. I have been interviewed for a new role a very exciting role but it is 5 days onsite and longer hours. I feel like I would be silly to give up the security of long term employment and work life balance. I feel like I am too old and tired from menopause to embrace a new role but I feel a bit sad to say no to this opportunity. What do you think ladies

for me, it would depend on the new salary and how far I’d have to commute. If neither are attractive prospects I wouldn’t even consider the new job!

Im 43 and debating applying for a new job with a 10k uplift but I just don’t know if I have the energy!

Why are you looking for a new role? (I would keep your current job but it depends on your priorities).

Personally, I’ve always chosen life/work balance over a career, so to speak. I’ve organised my job around my Ddogs for years, so I wouldn’t even consider it, especially not at 50+, but we are all different. There’s nothing I enjoy more than walking with them, pottering with them and being there for them. No job could tempt me away from that, ever, and if it did, I’d probably be a dog walker…

How would it affect your pension and planning for retirement? These are important considerations. Also, if your potential new post is with a different employer, bear in mind you would have next to no employment rights for the first two years there. And finally, if there's any prospect of redundancy coming up, you'd do better out of that with long service behind you.

If you are currently financially ok and are happy, I would stay as is. Don’t underestimate how much of a change a new job would be eg risk of redundancy/changes in benefits etc.

work to be able to live, not the other way around. If you need excitement- go bungee jumping.

I have been through this. I left a long standing job of 14 years to a job with a 15 minute max commute to one that involved a minimum hour each way commute for not much more money, but I was told I would be working on the kind of projects that excited me. In reality, the projects never materialised, the commute was more stressful and tiring than I thought and I got shunted round different projects, never more than for a couple of months. I stuck it for 2 years then went back to my old job.

Live to work, don’t work to live.

Unless it is your absolute dream job (mine would be testing beach towels in 5* hotels in the Maldives) then I wouldn’t bother. Your dog will be miserable and lonely, and you won’t find the time or energy to exercise and see family and friends as much.

I've successfully taken on a new and challenging role in my mid 50s BUT mine included changing from a commute and 5 days in the office to mainly working from home. I wouldn't change back, even for a big pay rise. It wasn't until I stopped that I realised how even a relatively short commute was taking it out of me.

Are you happy in your current job? What is it about the new role that interests you?

Keep your current job - sounds perfect - I’m a couple of years older than you and really appreciate my work from home days - at the same time I can’t wait to retire so no way would I take on a more challenging role now .

How old are your DC? I'm 51 and I have more time than I used to a year ago (now DC are more independent) and will have even more time over the next two or three years. I would welcome a more challenging role and I may indeed start looking for one. I say go for it OP!

I’m about to make a similar change in my 50s (been there 12 years, I’ll have less work life balance and actually a salary cut!) but that is because I feel strongly against recent changes to my job role. I wouldn’t be doing it if I hadn’t felt so strongly about things. If you do it, it needs to be for the right reasons.

IMO work/life balance is everything and I can't imagine working five days a week in an office any more. I'm three years your junior and I'd choose what you have over the new job unless it pays you a shitload more money and you really, really need to have a few years of stashing money into your pension. If that isn't the case, your quality of life is the most important thing. So if you have that right now, don't give it up.

Something to add to the equation is do you have DPs ? I am 55 and in the last couple of months the support they need has ramped up considerably, and probably cost me an extension at my full time maternity cover role as I try to juggle both. I really wish I had something part time that would allow me to do both better.

On the other hand could you retire earlier if you take the full time role ?