HELP! To take the plunge and change career?

[Junesun2]

Advice needed please!! I’ve been feeling so fed up with work for the past year or two now.

Details as followed, would really welcome some impartial comments having spoken to those close to me already.

I am 34 so a lot of working years ahead of me. Have had DC’s already so that’s not a consideration. Please assess purely on merits below.

Current role

Pro’s:
-Reasonably well paid (c.50k)
-Secure enough as big company, decent redundancy package
-Good pension contributions
-Decent flexibility, hybrid working
-Low stress

Con’s:
-Gone as far as I can, no further progression
-Pay-rises will only be standard annual ones, no potential for bigger promotion rises
-No longer taxing, find it mind numbing a lot of the time and time drags.
-Minimal interaction with colleagues, hardly see my manager in person.

Career change role

Pro’s:
-Work has potential to be rewarding and of greater interest to me, more interaction.
-Potential for (much) higher earning potential in the future.
-Some flexibility/hybrid (not as much flexibility as current role, at least initially).

Con’s:
-Initial salary drop (c.10k less) but will still cope financially.
-Challenging certainly at first when getting to grips with things (in a way this is an appeal)
-Will lose my current job security/peace of mind (biggest con tbh, I am a worrier)

Thanks!

Change from what to what?

Do it. Follow heart and passion

You might find it difficult to find a change of career that offers more money, even long-term. I am a teacher so earn around 54k. I've seen countless people leave the profession and not one of the has earned anywhere near as much as they were earning teaching.

Many careers earn much more than teaching. £54K would be a starting salary for someone outside of London in my sector.

I’ve done a lot of research and it definitely pays higher than my current salary once established.

I’d stay in the current job. 10k drop is quite substantial. How long would it take to regain that?

I took a huge pay cut to change career.

Five years on and I’m now earning more, have much better earning potential and am happy, most importantly.

Go for it!

Follow your passion. Working in a job that you don't really enjoy or feel fulfilled by is a waste of your life. I also found, in a similar situation, that I just wasn't giving it my best - I'd stopped caring.

If you can manage with £10k less then do it. Life is short.

Following as I'm in a similar dilemma.

In the past I left a secure job for a lower paid temp job and it worked out..but I wonder will it work out again

I have been asking myself what will I wish I had done when I've retired. But when so much is unknown...it's hard to say. Hard to leave the security even though I am bored.

You are a lot younger so I think I would go for the job you like.

I switched careers at 38. There's still so much time for progression, growth and new directions. Do it!

That is encouraging. Thank you!

It honestly depends on what you’re changing from and changing to. Don’t assume becoming established and eventually earning more will come overnight - expect a few years of lower/equivalent pay initially. Also lots of seemingly exciting / more interesting jobs have soul-destroying elements that are not apparent at first.

BUT you’re not happy currently and that’s enough reason to make the move. Good luck.