How did you know it was time to move on to another job?

About-time

I always used to move on quite quickly and with no concerns - throughout my twenties I probably had about half a dozen jobs, and never stayed at one for longer than two years (granted a lot of these were appalling call centre jobs) - but now I've been in my current role for ten years, and I'm that bit older (just turned 40), suddenly moving on comes with 'the fear'. What if I don't like it? What if I can't do it? What if it's worse than the job I'm doing now? What if due to any of the above factors, I end up moving on again and losing money/taking a big step back?


There is definitely an argument for saying that you stagnate by staying in the same place for too long, but then again, I've had jobs in the past where I've walked out on my lunch break and honestly wondered whether I can bear to go back in the afternoon, and I do enjoy the job I do now and get paid well for it, so there's an equal argument for staying too!

sangie595

Well, it probably should have been the trumped up gross misconduct allegations. But they were too easy to disprove. The ongoing fully paid suspension after I did disprove them because the employer couldn't find anything else - that sort of suggested that I'd outworn my welcome!

AubreyMac

Well, my new job on Monday has been delayed.

My replacement in current job has pulled out for reasons unknown (she was from agency so we heard through agency and not directly from her). Me, current manager and new employer have liaised and my stay in current job has been extended for another week. New job is still waiting for me and new manager has decided to have next week off so this extra week works out well.

I’m now questioning whether it’s a sign I should stay. Either way I’ve questioning whether going or staying is the right thing for me. Even if I stay (I don’t even know if this is an option anymore) my current work knows I was job hunting.

fairy_lights

I'm struggling with this at the moment. In my current job the pay is good, and I'm good at what I do, but on the other hand it has no prospect of advancement and the environment is increasingly unsupportive and stressful.
I'm not enjoying being there at all but I know if I leave it's almost certainly going to mean taking a paycut, and as unhappy as I sometimes am I'm wondering if it's a case of the better the devil you know?

fairy_lights

AubreyMac wrote: »

I’m now questioning whether it’s a sign I should stay. Either way I’ve questioning whether going or staying is the right thing for me. Even if I stay (I don’t even know if this is an option anymore) my current work knows I was job hunting.

Will the fact that they know you've been job hunting make things awkward? You never know, it might make them realise they need to change things if they want to keep you and offer you a different position.
But you said in a previous post that the thing that has made it so comfortable there are the colleagues who you know will be moving on soon - in which case I'd leave while you have the opportunity, better than staying and regretting it when things start to change for the worse.

AubreyMac

fairy_lights wrote: »

Will the fact that they know you've been job hunting make things awkward? You never know, it might make them realise they need to change things if they want to keep you and offer you a different position.
But you said in a previous post that the thing that has made it so comfortable there are the colleagues who you know will be moving on soon - in which case I'd leave while you have the opportunity, better than staying and regretting it when things start to change for the worse.

I don't feel any awkwardness from anyone about my leaving, there are few team members who have made it clear to everyone they plan to leave, retire or move on at some point.
In the 5 years I've been there, a few left and luckily their replacement has been really nice.

Thomasevans10012

Madbags, does your new employer know you were given a written warming?

Slowdown

I'm leaving my job this Christmas. I've been a teacher for 28 years and I'm married to a head teacher and we've both had enough. I've spent many weekends barely able to get out of bed from exhaustion and that feeling of being down and out. I have always stuck it out because I believe in educating children, because I know I'm good at what I do, because this has been my life, because I trained for four years to have this career, because I care. But at 51 I'm done. There are too many systemic problems that will not be fixed in the near future and I am finally at peace with my decision. I have no idea what to do next, I don't have a job lined up and haven't really got a clue what I can do outside of eduction. I am currently cutting my cloth to fit a reduced budget and will put in some job hunting mileage come January. I know I have options and should push come to shove I'd have to look at supply teaching/tutoring etc.
But the deed is done after all these years. I swing between panic and delight. I know I'm in for a rocky ride. I have friends of the same age who have done exactly the same thing and moved on to other jobs. One is temping in an office, one is starting up a tea room, one is counselling now. I'm up for many things, from dog walking to shop assistant to cat sitter.
Anyone got any ideas for an ex teacher who may be in mid life but is still in full swing?:)

luvabargain

Came across this thread tonight. I’m 47 and worked as a Higher Level Teaching Assistant for the past 5 years, I started there 11 years ago as a dinner lady. Things had got worse over the last couple of years despite 13 weeks holiday (6 of those unpaid I might add!) My husband said he noticed I was always in a bad mood and stressed. In January last year I started saving money to supplement my wages as I knew if I left I would have to take a pay cut.

How do you know it’s time? .....On a daily basis on my way to work I convinced myself my job was perfect. Seven minutes walk to get there, no bus fares, perfect hours, I could nip Home and let the dog out, I got 13 weeks holiday, I planned my own work, it was decent money, why, why, why would I give it up? Then I’d get to the school gates, my heart would sink and I felt like bursting into tears. All the positives couldn’t outweigh the fact that I hated every minute there doing the job I did. I even got to the point where I had no patience with the badly behaved children and was often rude to the useless headteacher, my boss, that had driven down the school into a place where nobody wanted to be unless you were ‘one of the click’.

Three months ago, after serving 6 weeks notice, I took a three grand pay cut, took on a two and a half hour daily bus commute and am studying for a business and administration diploma with the NHS. I love it. Turns out when i did a personality test I am perfectly suited to my new job and have in fact been in the wrong job for 11 years! Best thing I’ve ever done and now feel I have a career again at 47.

I see colleagues in the NHS who say things I said, feel like I felt and are really fed up and to them I say life’s too short take a risk and move on!

sulphate

I've worked as an administrator for 5 years, and no plans to move in the near future as I'm going to be starting maternity leave in February.

I liked my previous job in a biochemistry lab lot but I didn't have the qualifications in the right field to progress any further. It was also long hours (they were talking about making night shifts essential too which I wasn't thrilled about) and low pay considering the amount of responsibility. I applied for my job now on a whim one night when I was feeling a bit fed up. I took it because I believed the prospects to be better and the pay increase was substantial. I rarely do unsociable hours now and they are also very family friendly which has turned out very useful.