Leaving higher paid job for less

Coshaby

Hi all, this is my first post so hoping to get some valuable insight.
A bit of a back story, I am 23 years old, my partner is 26 years old and currently he is working in a coffee shop full time and works in a barbers on Saturdays training to fulfil his dream career. He is due to go full time at the barbers soon.

I work in an office based job to do with an independent aviation, my pay is good I suppose for the area and my age, however my partner working in a coffee shop doing a few more hours than me gets more sometimes!

I really absolutely hate my job, this past year it has made me so unhappy, effecting our relationship as i go home sobbing every week, it's making me ill and i am having dreams every night to do with work and me destroying the place! It's gotten that bad.
I have been there 3 years, it was my first proper job as i used to clean the company before i started. They decided to give me an admin job, but has since escalated to a proper role, however my management has collapsed, my team is failing and i can't stand who i work with.


After I finish for the day I go to my partners work and help clear up the shop, I get on with all his colleagues, I am even going to their Christmas meal next week. I feel i would love to work there, i wouldn't have the stresses of opening 200 emails every morning, ongoing projects, unrealistic demands etc.
In future becoming a coffee shop manager to even opening my own coffee shop would be a dream, it would just mean starting from the very bottom as I have no barista skills at all!

Now my question is, would it be stupid to leave my well paying office job to a barista job that often pays more but its shift work so hours can't be promised the same each week etc, but I would be happy?

We rent a house and its not an extortionate area, i just feel people always encourage you to aim up and strive for more and more, that if you wanted a career change with less pay its totally taboo.
Both jobs are same distance from my house.

Any ideas would help on this.

[Deleted User]

If it's genuinely making you ill, then yes, you should move.

But if it's something you can adapt too, then you need to consider it more seriously. You're still very young, and work is generally not a fun-fest most days, whatever you do.

Try to figure out what the current issues are and if you can manage around them. A lot of it is about mindset.

Coshaby

Deleted_User wrote: »

If it's genuinely making you ill, then yes, you should move.

But if it's something you can adapt too, then you need to consider it more seriously. You're still very young, and work is generally not a fun-fest most days, whatever you do.

Try to figure out what the current issues are and if you can manage around them. A lot of it is about mindset.

Thanks for the reply, I think it would be adaptable but in the worst way. No one in my work has become a mother, reasoning for the job doesn't bode well for employees falling pregnant and that they never had the time as they worked too hard. It's that kind of job and that's not me.
It's only a bad omen of a place with a very negative atmosphere

jonnygee2

I really absolutely hate my job, this past year it has made me so unhappy, effecting our relationship as i go home sobbing every week, it's making me ill and i am having dreams every night to do with work and me destroying the place! It's gotten that bad.

Definitely leave. Not worth the money. Different situations have different effects on individuals. If its doing this to you, its not worth it.

Now much question is, would it be stupid to leave my well paying office job to a barista job

It's not the stupidest idea ever. After all you know you'd like it there. Money isn't everything.

But, long term, coffee shop managers get paid very little (anything in hospitality is low paying) and owning a coffee shop can be extremely hard work and a lot of risk. May be worth revisiting if it really is a viable long term option.

If you think office jobs could work out for you, but its your current one that sucks, a different option is to join a temp agency and do some temp work in various offices until you find one you like.

A lot of people get trapped in a job because they get 'scared' about the consequences of leaving. But generally I've found people are better off after they make the leap, as long as they did it with some forethought and planning.

Fireflyaway

I was in your situation recently. My workplace made me so unhappy. I was dreading work each day, feeling sick and not sleeping. I was over eating and drinking too much. Obviously I was unhappy but so we're my family seeing me like that.
I resigned ( would have been sacked anyway!) And took a job that pays 10k less. I now also have to pay petrol as it's far away but it's the best job I've ever had. I now don't mind work. The people are nice and the style of the company is miles better than where I was.
In general I find any work hard ( see post below!) But that's me, not work in itself.
100% go for it. He prepared it might not work out as great as you envision but what have you got to lose? So long as you can pay the bills, put your happiness first. Don't let a job crush your spirit!

phoenix1837

Similar situation but the option to leave was taken out of my hands as I am being made redundant in just over a week. I have secured a new job though doing something I have dreamt of for ages but the salary is around a £7000 drop per year. I have come to conclusion that it's not about the money but the job satisfaction and my new job will do just that. Also, have a look at a pay calculator as although I am taking a drop of £7000 it's only £300 a month after tax, NI and pension so manageable if I don't have takeaways and tighten the belt a bit more.

ReadingTim

Your issue seems to be more about the people you're working with than the job you're doing. You could end up working in a coffee shop with a bunch of complete [STRIKE]@rseholes[/STRIKE] so-and-so's too, maybe even having to manage them - in which case you'd be completely stuffed.

I'd definitely be looking to leave your current role, but try and either stay in that industry, or at least the professional office environment - the grass isn't greener in the hospitality trade.

Coshaby

ReadingTim wrote: »

Your issue seems to be more about the people you're working with than the job you're doing. You could end up working in a coffee shop with a bunch of complete [STRIKE]@rseholes[/STRIKE] so-and-so's too, maybe even having to manage them - in which case you'd be completely stuffed.

I'd definitely be looking to leave your current role, but try and either stay in that industry, or at least the professional office environment - the grass isn't greener in the hospitality trade.

It's a difficult one, because i think it's been so bad it's tainted all office work to me. But maybe i do just need a career change.
I don't think i could stay in the industry as i hate how 'urgent' the work is. Engineers always ordering something at the last minute so its never a leisurely job, its always shouting and pure stress. Earning money for one man and not helping a vast amount of people. It's pointless and I've lost the passion. So i think i wouldn't be returning to Aviation on this occasion

jonnygee2

Engineers always ordering something at the last minute so its never a leisurely job, its always shouting and pure stress.

I've been shouted at in hospitality to though, and some. And put under considerable pressure, probably more so than in any office.

When your on your own on the machine and there's a queue of ten people who start getting angry at you, tables to be cleaned and food to be served you may learn a new version of the word 'urgent'.

pmduk

You won't know the meaning of the word stress until you deal with the public, though, if you've got the right type of personality they can be the best part of the job.

rocketqueen

I left a well paid job with brilliant prospects in my 20s to work in health care as a care assistant with a HUGE pay drop. Everyone thought i was mad! But the job was getting to me and causing me immense stress.

I loved my new role, but my partner struggled with the change as we had a lot less money, I had to work long shifts, weekends and Christmas etc (before this I worked Mon - Fri 9-5) and after a while I struggled as the role wasn’t going anywhere and it was equally stressful in a different deferent way.

Now I’m working my way up in management in health care, but still on less money then I was in my old career 10 years ago, with probably the same amount of stress as I had in previous career and I do regret what I did as should have tried another company rather then leave my career altogether.