Would you take a big pay cut

[ViaBlue]

I'm currently on a salary circa 60k (including bonus). High pressure job, very little flexibility, toxic culture and bad atmosphere. Job is interesting but very stressfull and my manager is determined to keep me in his team forever, activily blocking any attempts to change teams.

I applied and got a job in a public sector. Even managed to negotiate the salary to middle of the pay grade circa 40k which they told me isn't standard. They agreed to a term time only contract. They seem caring, offer a lot of flexibility and training. My impression is they will support progression.

Is it mad to take such a big pay cut?

I have done the sums and I should be ok on the lower salary..I'm amazed I might get the whole summer holidays with my children. I'm very tempted to accept but have this feeling I'm somehow failing because of the money...

DH is supportive.

Do it!

Go for it. Have you factored the pension into your cost comparison? And term time only too. I think overall that’s equivalent to the same money.

Definitely do it. That is still a reasonable salary and the perks will make the cut much more palatable.

Go for it!! How old are dc? TT working is great while they're young. If DH is supportive and it's manageable....why think twice? Being happier at work means happier at home and happier with family....plus no holiday stress!

If the sums work out then go for it, I cant see any benefit to you staying in your current role.

I presume you get the civil service (defined benefit) pension. If so, it is worth its weight in gold and will make up the difference in terms of salary.

Holidays with children is of course priceless.

Definitely do it! You can't buy time with your kids and quality of life. Sounds like a perfect solution to me and you can always climb the career ladder again at a later date.

Thanks everyone. I think I will accept.
My children are young and the term time only will be great.

@blueshoes it's an average salary pension. But my current employer put's 15% into pension which I'm told is generous.

15% employer contribution is very generous but the pension pot that will build will probably still be dwarfed by a career average civil service pension.

Is it the Alpha Pension - that is the only civil service pension I know. I have looked into it before and compared it with a private pension - Alpha was minting it.

I worked out that you need to be in the civil service pension for at least 2 years otherwise a private pension will be better. The figures may not be the same for you but just thought I would mention.

@ViaBlue

I'm currently on a salary circa 60k (including bonus). High pressure job, very little flexibility, toxic culture and bad atmosphere. Job is interesting but very stressfull and my manager is determined to keep me in his team forever, activily blocking any attempts to change teams.

I applied and got a job in a public sector. Even managed to negotiate the salary to middle of the pay grade circa 40k which they told me isn't standard. They agreed to a term time only contract. They seem caring, offer a lot of flexibility and training. My impression is they will support progression.

Is it mad to take such a big pay cut?

I have done the sums and I should be ok on the lower salary..I'm amazed I might get the whole summer holidays with my children. I'm very tempted to accept but have this feeling I'm somehow failing because of the money...

DH is supportive.

So in effect you'll now have 1/4 of the year off and earn just less than 3/4 of your own salary with less stress and more flexibility?

Sounds a win win if you manage financially.

Not having to juggle school holidays & pay for extra childcare etc is massive, especially as your DC are young, maybe you can look to increase your hours/DH reduce his to balance it out at some point, but you spend a lot of time working, if you aren't happy and it's not a nice atmosphere, then it's really not worth it, especially if you can manage as a family.

Even managed to negotiate the salary to middle of the pay grade circa 40k which they told me isn't standard. They agreed to a term time only contract.

Is that 40k before or after the adjustment for tt?

Yeah are you sure thats not pro rata?

I did it OP!! Went from £80k to less than half that. Moved to what was supposed to be dream job in civil service.

The civil service drove me NUTS 🤣 in my department no one cared about actually getting real world resilts, just how it would look at their appraisal and when they’d get a promotion etc. All my colleagues were lazy.

Maybe it was just my department but I’d caution anyone moving to public sector from private to do a LOT of research on the job.

I didn’t care about the money for a fee years, but after having chikdren it became “Oh if I’d stayed in my old job we could have a bigger house / you could go to a nicer school” etc.

If I didnif again I would still have left the job where I was unhappy bug I would have moved into a better hours private sector job…

If it’s term time only, surely that 40K will be pro-rata?

I did something similar and zero regrets!! I was actually promoted within 3 years and now make much more than I did originally in the toxic job :) Go for it!! You can always chase the money when your kids are older.

Yes, to everyone who is asking that 40k would be pro-rata.

@Thewindwhispers are you still in that job?
I am a bit worried I will find it hard to adjust but at the moment the slower peace of working seems very very attractive..

Do it 20k pay drop won't be a bigger drop as you think due to tax .Also take off and child care in holidays .

💯 do it

I'd do it! 40k is still above average salary and term time only contract is very attractive

If it's civil service there should be lots of opportunity for promotion, so you might not be on £40k for long, it might not be too long before you've moved up a grade. Plus there is the pension as others have mentioned. If it works for you then go for it!