Mid-life Employer Change?

Sep 16, 17 17:40

Post #1 of 23 (1475 views)

Is it good to change things up once in a while?

Been employed by the same employer since college. 15 years. It's good. Good work, pay, people, and job security. 15 years of good performance reviews. View of the Pacific Ocean. Due to seniority have earned the coveted corner office and crazy amounts of vacation time.

It is something close to perfection on paper - the American dream.

But there's an itch. To try something different. Not a different career - just different employer and location. Part of it is that 8 people who worked with me have left. They did it for pay - our particular skill set is in an extreme bubble of demand. We get head-hunted. They were all less senior than me, so it made sense for them to leave. Pay is less of an issue for me.

So I guess I'm asking for a more philosophical rationale. Is it good to break out of one's comfort zone and change locales, at least once in life? Fortunately my wife also has a job where she can work anywhere, and we have no kids. So we can up and move relatively easily.

Or is it "be careful what you wish for?" and I should just leave it well enough alone.

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [trail] [ In reply to ]

Sep 16, 17 17:57

Post #2 of 23 (1461 views)

Yes. You just need to accept that it is near probable that it won't go the way you think it will, which may have negative impacts. You have to acknowledge and accept the negatives and embrace them as the spice of life.

Gnothi Seauton.

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [trail] [ In reply to ]

Sep 16, 17 18:40

Post #3 of 23 (1424 views)

Do you enjoy work life balance? Do you go home at night andstress about work? Or do you leave it at the office?

At the end of your life will you regret not having taken a chance at change or will you regret that you had a sweet job and you decided to make your life worse?

I doubt that you will regret not changing.

Work is work. Go to work, leave it there and then enjoy your life.

How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [trail] [ In reply to ]

Sep 16, 17 19:25

Post #4 of 23 (1383 views)

15 yrs in the same company? I wouldn't hire you regardless of your success and qualifications. Why? Because I know your fantasy about a better situation is totally unrealistic and you'd regret it, and it'll then be my problem. Be VERY thankful you are in your situation and stay put.

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [trail] [ In reply to ]

Sep 16, 17 20:40

Post #5 of 23 (1352 views)

If you come to a fork in the road, take it.

-Yogi Berra

Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [trail] [ In reply to ]

Sep 16, 17 21:21

Post #6 of 23 (1339 views)

"View of the Pacific Ocean. Due to seniority have earned the coveted corner office and crazy amounts of vacation time. `

Sounds like a gig that a lot of people would kill for, especially the vacation time part. Weigh your options very carefully. Its a risk so don't take it unless it seems very much in your favor. I' ve known people who have done it and never looked back and others that have regretted it.

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [trail] [ In reply to ]

Sep 16, 17 21:35

Post #7 of 23 (1331 views)

Make some enquiries and if an offer comes your way, then you can decide whether to stay or go. You might find nothing out there sparks your interest, on the other hand you might find a gig that will be the perfect fit.

Personally, I think changing things up periodically keeps you fresh and gives you a new perspective on life in general.

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [trail] [ In reply to ]

Sep 17, 17 0:15

Post #8 of 23 (1298 views)

Setting aside the tangible benefits of your current role i would bet there are many intangibles in your day at the office, be it process, comfort, environment etc

What if you move and you do not like the changes required and the new company will not change or adapt to what you are familiar with

The grass is always greener on the other side until you get there

Because there are simply to many cliches that could be used i would be careful what you wish for

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [trail] [ In reply to ]

Sep 17, 17 8:56

Post #9 of 23 (1215 views)

I think you keep an open mind and explore opportunities as they come up. If a new situation makes sense based on your criteria then do it. If not, then stay put. You are in control...which is a great place to be.

Life, in my opinion is about reaching our potential, however you choose to define that.

I've literally just gone through the same thing. 15 yrs, in a great company, currently in an amazing role etc. My field of expertise is highly sought after and so I was getting calls constantly for the last year plus. Took every one of them but it was never the right thing. Finally a call came through and everything came together. Financially, culturally, possibilities.

So, I'm giving my notice this coming Friday. I'm half terrified, half blowing up with excitement.

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [JD21] [ In reply to ]

Sep 17, 17 9:16

Post #10 of 23 (1202 views)

JD21 wrote:

15 yrs in the same company? I wouldn't hire you regardless of your success and qualifications. Why? Because I know your fantasy about a better situation is totally unrealistic and you'd regret it, and it'll then be my problem. Be VERY thankful you are in your situation and stay put.

This, more or less.

A good friend of mine got a government job out of college where he stayed for 10 years. Around that time, he got an itch to not be in an office full of depressed, lazy people over 50 who were counting the days until retirement. He was doing some kind of GIS mapping work. He interviewed pretty extensively in the private sector and never got a call back, from what I understand, due to what you described. He was already over paid in a cushy environment, there was no way he could get close to what he was earning by starting fresh at a private company (some of the positions he was interviewing for had salaries less then half of what he was making).

He ended up leaving anyways and starting a business. Still undetermined how he's going to make money at it, but it is growing quite a bit.

Long Chile was a silly place.

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [JD21] [ In reply to ]

Sep 17, 17 9:28

Post #11 of 23 (1195 views)

JD21 wrote:

15 yrs in the same company? I wouldn't hire you regardless of your success and qualifications. Why? Because I know your fantasy about a better situation is totally unrealistic and you'd regret it, and it'll then be my problem. Be VERY thankful you are in your situation and stay put.

I disagree. It's going to depend on the person.

Have they been in the same job, what has their progression been, what are their motivations?

For sure there will be many cases where it ends in disaster, but not as a hard and fast rule.

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [trail] [ In reply to ]

Sep 17, 17 9:33

Post #12 of 23 (1191 views)

If I were in your shoes I'd use that vacation time to go on an adventure and find a new hobby. If you do both and you're still bored then it's probably time for a new job.

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [JD21] [ In reply to ]

Sep 17, 17 10:03

Post #13 of 23 (1177 views)

That seems narrow-minded. Depending on the company and progression the 15 years may not matter.

drn92

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [trail] [ In reply to ]

Sep 17, 17 10:07

Post #14 of 23 (1173 views)

I agree with an earlier poster ... use your vacation time to find fulfillment outside of work. Keep kicking tail in your job, keep your ears open to new opportunities, and find something to do that keeps you engaged the other ~120 hrs/week you are not in the office.

I know someone who appears to have it good by my definition ... high paying job with tons of flexibility, lives in a great city with tons of recreation opportunities, financially set ... but still is searching for something. I get it. I'd trade places if I could, but I get it.

drn92

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [BCtriguy1] [ In reply to ]

Sep 17, 17 10:16

Post #15 of 23 (1165 views)

BCtriguy1 wrote:

JD21 wrote:

15 yrs in the same company? I wouldn't hire you regardless of your success and qualifications. Why? Because I know your fantasy about a better situation is totally unrealistic and you'd regret it, and it'll then be my problem. Be VERY thankful you are in your situation and stay put.

This, more or less.

A good friend of mine got a government job out of college where he stayed for 10 years. Around that time, he got an itch to not be in an office full of depressed, lazy people over 50 who were counting the days until retirement. He was doing some kind of GIS mapping work. He interviewed pretty extensively in the private sector and never got a call back, from what I understand, due to what you described. He was already over paid in a cushy environment, there was no way he could get close to what he was earning by starting fresh at a private company (some of the positions he was interviewing for had salaries less then half of what he was making).

He ended up leaving anyways and starting a business. Still undetermined how he's going to make money at it, but it is growing quite a bit.

My cousin quite his cushy government job to start his own business in the belief that he'd make more money and be his own boss. He ended up begging the government to take him back but they wouldn't look at him because he quit on them. Twenty years later his business still isn't what he expected and he gave up a great retirement plan. Fortunately his wife has a great job in the government with a good retirement package and they don't have kids otherwise he'd be working until he died.

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [cerveloguy] [ In reply to ]

Sep 17, 17 10:22

Post #16 of 23 (1160 views)

Yeah, my friend's wife has a great, stable job, otherwise he would not have been able to survive the first couple of years of his venture without outside investment, which I doubt he would have taken on.

I wonder whether he will be able to grow his business in to something more profitable or if it will just be sort of a side passion project of his.

They have two kids under 3 now, she works 4 days a week from home, he has 3 days a week he can totally dedicate to his business and must work the rest around time spent watching the kids. Don't really see how he can grow much with that limited time, but we will see.

Long Chile was a silly place.

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [Perseus] [ In reply to ]

Sep 17, 17 16:08

Post #17 of 23 (1081 views)

Perseus wrote:

If I were in your shoes I'd use that vacation time to go on an adventure and find a new hobby. If you do both and you're still bored then it's probably time for a new job.

I'm fine out of work. Love my hobbies. Perfect family life. And I'm not "bored". Just have a slightly stagnant feeling.

That's a good idea about using vacation time, but I'm terrible at vacations. My skin starts crawling about day 2. If I'm not working or training I don't know what to do with myself. In this sense I'm a pure American. The religion of work.

Last edited by: trail: Sep 17, 17 16:09

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [Furiosa] [ In reply to ]

Sep 17, 17 16:24

Post #18 of 23 (1072 views)

Furiosa wrote:

Make some enquiries and if an offer comes your way, then you can decide whether to stay or go. You might find nothing out there sparks your interest, on the other hand you might find a gig that will be the perfect fit.

That's what motivated the post. I made *one* inquiry with a really interesting company, and they jumped all over me the same day and scheduled a phone interview. Shit got real way faster than I expected.

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [trail] [ In reply to ]

Sep 17, 17 16:34

Post #19 of 23 (1069 views)

That's often how it goes!

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [trail] [ In reply to ]

Sep 17, 17 18:24

Post #20 of 23 (1031 views)

Bluntly, if you're doing the same thing you were 5 years ago, just leave. They're too comfortable with what you're doing and you're probably not doing as well as they think you are. Change is good.

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [trail] [ In reply to ]

Sep 17, 17 19:21

Post #21 of 23 (1012 views)

I had a cushy well paying job for 18 years. I was bored. Just changed careers completely at age of 50.

Don't be a pussy. :)

I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [trail] [ In reply to ]

Sep 17, 17 21:29

Post #22 of 23 (990 views)

Are you loco?

_________________________________
I'll be what I am
A solitary man

Re: Mid-life Employer Change? [trail] [ In reply to ]

Sep 17, 17 21:37

Post #23 of 23 (987 views)

trail wrote:

Perseus wrote:

If I were in your shoes I'd use that vacation time to go on an adventure and find a new hobby. If you do both and you're still bored then it's probably time for a new job.

I'm fine out of work. Love my hobbies. Perfect family life. And I'm not "bored". Just have a slightly stagnant feeling.

That's a good idea about using vacation time, but I'm terrible at vacations. My skin starts crawling about day 2. If I'm not working or training I don't know what to do with myself. In this sense I'm a pure American. The religion of work.

So why don't you try a side project instead of just upping and leaving - some business idea to explore and possibly grow whilst you're still treading water in your existing job.

If it plays out, great, think about leaving

If it doesnt go anywhere, no worries. You've still got your regular paycheck.

It doesn't have to be all or nothing

Swim. Overbike. Walk.

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