Return to old job after maternity or completely new challenge?

[ponderingthefuture]

Brief background: I've worked for the same organisation since graduating in 1997. I've been promoted every few years or so and am now in a fairly senior role in a job for which I have acquired professional qualifications and a masters degree. I work in HR but have been feeling for some time that it isn't the job for me.

I'm on maternity leave at the moment and DH has set up a business which (remarkably for current climate) is doing well. He really needs someone else to work with him and I feel that I have something useful to add. It is however, a completely different job to the one I currently do although there are some transferable skills.

I feel very excited about the possibility of growing a business with DH. Even if I go back to my current job, I'd probably carry on doing the books and some other things. I feel very reluctant to go back to my old job for a number of reasons. It no longer excites or interests me; in fact at times the job irritates me. However I have reasonable flexible part-time hours, good salary and pension. I feel a bit trapped there by the benefits, if I'm honest.

Obviously I've thought about the negatives of working with DH and the impact it my have on our relationship.

I feel very torn, and hoped to find a way of deciding without going with what my heart wants to do. Any thoughts?

Personally I wouldnt run the risk of you both working for the company...what if something happened you would both be unemployed.

Could you input into company in the days you do not work at other company?

Yes...this is something I have mulled over. We have two young children and I originally reduced my hours to spend more time with them. Working with DH would help logistically but as you say, all our eggs would be in one basket.

I have pondered over leaving current job, working with DH but working on a consultancy basis in my old profession as a way of mitigating the risk.

If there is a strong need for consultancy in your field and you can get a reliable income from it then that could work.

However you originally reduced your hours so you could spend more time with your children. Would this mean you were overstreched if you did both?

Maybe you could reduce your hours further instead of breaking all links whilst doing some work for OH?

If you are really unhappy then I wont say stay in job just just to minimise risks.

Thanks for taking the time with me on this. I do agree with everything you've said; it is just I feel so excited and energised by the business I went to be there. If only DH and I could swap places!

I've asked about reducing my hours but work aren't particularly keen on a further reduction. I'd planned to do 2 long days allowing me to spend a day or so with DH. My current contract is for 3 days.

I went in today to discuss return to work options and I am feeling more negative about the place than ever.

Re consultancy: there probably isn't a strong need as such but DH has good links with quite a few small businesses that would be my target client group. We don't need my income as such so it would just be a way of keeping my hand in with my current profession until the DC are in school and I can either return to full-time work or do something completely different. I've also been toying with the idea of re-training; it isn't just DH's business that is pulling me away from my job, it is the job itself if you see what I mean?