Have you ever voluntarily taken a large drop in salary?

edinburgher

Thanks all for the comments - I have put in another application (also a uni, oddly enough). This is a bit less library, but still features advice, databases and all that jazz

The second job is a bit more realistic re. money - a £8k drop as opposed to £15k, with a significantly improved pension offering vs my current employer.

markwilkinson

Can't resist responding.

I left school at 17, I hated school but was coerced into retaking my O Levels, hence the extra year. Started a low paid paid job and moved up a few rungs and then moved to another employer doing the same job. I got head hunted (sounds glam!) and offered quite a bit more money to move again. Tendered my resignation and had a meeting with my boss. That meeting lasted about an hour and resulted in him matching what was offered but also we chatted a bit about the company I intended to move to. In the end I stayed, as I could really see where my boss was coming from. We 'split the difference' on his offer to match vs my current salary, at my request. I don't think I was stupid, looking back, though many would say that I was. Does that count as a salary reduction?

Ignoring the following decade....

I ended up in a really good job, high salary and loads of benefits. Lasted 5 years, if I'd been to a doctor in the last 18 months of those 5 years I'd probably have been diagnosed with depression. I walked without another job to go to.

Started my own business and havnt looked back really. Not making much money but the house is paid for and we go on holiday more than once a year.

I really don't feel the need for another career, despite being quite young. I'm happier and that's the main thing in life, I think.

All the best OP.

fawd1

have you looked at applying at TV and radio companies? I used to work in one and each department had their own library with their own dedicated librarians. Yes, it's all footage and audio tracks etc etc, but it still requires researching and databasing (especially when someone decides to make a programme about something with an historical slant-which happens more than you'd think. Every time a programme shows a previous event, whether it's from yesterday or 70 years ago, they got it from their libraries database.

edinburgher

have you looked at applying at TV and radio companies?

I haven't seen any roles like this advertised (ever) - not really a big fan of speculative applications, but it's worth a bit more research on my part.

fawd1

edinburgher wrote: »

I haven't seen any roles like this advertised (ever) - not really a big fan of speculative applications, but it's worth a bit more research on my part.

They don't tend tend to advertise that much, but certainly every company will have an archiver, so a bit of speculative applying might be a good idea. Most people wanting to work in TV/radio etc will do anything to get a foot in the door, so in my experience most people working in the libraries didn't tend to want to be there! I bet any decent company would bite off your hand if you wanted to work for them and could prove it was a long term commitment.

littlelibrarylass

Took a £6000 pay cut from being a Library Manager to go into Business Administration. To be fair I was about to lose £3000 as they were removing the pay incentive for working weekends ( mainly why i left) but i don't regret it.

My role now has many elements of library work- archiving, filing, report writing , dealing with public, database creation and upkeep so its not as far removed from my previous role.
LLL

dandelionclock30

I think you need to leave, you clearly sound very miserable there. I know what its like to have to pretend there is work to do when in reality there is none. My old job was like this and what made it worse was that most people kept the pretence there that it was brilliant!. It was nauseating in the extreme. I couldnt keep quiet about how I felt and I got really depressed and angry and I kept thinking is this my life? coming here and pretending for 8 hours per day.
So I know what your saying.You need to make a plan about getting out of there, so look at short term things like looking for different jobs doing different things etc as well as long term goals.
I dont think its sounds like it will get any better and you only have one life. Grasp the nettle and move on, now on your terms. Earning a lot of money doesnt take away the pain of hating being there.