After resigning from work, I went about looking for another job to replace it. After a series of highs and lows, I am now at my happy place, but it is not what everyone may think it is. I am currently working at a job that is way below the salary range that I used to get. I am not in any management position like what I had before. I am not even close to being in management. It's not that stable of a position either. But for now, I am happy. People may wonder what sort of mid-life crisis I am in now if I tell them my life choices but I am OK. In this post, I want to share reasons why people like me choose a lower-paying job in place of a successful career. You may be skeptical about choices like this, but I have my reasons. I hope that it will give others a look at this whole career rat race thing from a different perspective.
Things I Love with my Lower-Level Job and Pay
Work-Life Balance
Since I am no longer in management, I do not need to answer calls outside of work hours. I have not had any calls outside of work hours at all. Being at a lower-level job helps me to have that kind of freedom. Outside of work hours, I can relax and pursue things that I never had time for when I was in management. As someone who has had many issues with stress and anxiety in the workplace, I am very happy about this. I have had panic attacks before and I used to have anxiety whenever the phone rang because of my previous job. Now that I work at a lower level, I don't need to stress out about anything. I am starting to recover from the anxiety I have with the phone ringing too, but that's a story for another post.
Reduced Pressure
As I mentioned with work-life balance, there is less stress because I am no longer in management. There is no longer any pressure that comes with the high responsibility to worry about. My mental health is improving by being in this lower-level position. All that they need from me is to do my job and I am in and out of work. That simple. No other things that pop up to worry about even when I'm home. I leave work at work once my time runs out.
I used to be in a position that many people wanted to have. There was constant pressure to do or achieve things so that people would not say I was slacking off. With people also gunning for the job and waiting to see how they could get it, it can be a lot on my shoulders sometimes. Now that I am in a lower-level position, I don't have to worry about any of that.
Flexibility and Independence
My current job has a flexible time for work. As long as I can fulfill the number of hours needed, I can work anytime during the day. I love that. I control my time and that helps me be more refreshed for work because there is no pressure about work hours. I also love that no one is hovering over me to complete any tasks or to check if I meet my deadlines. People are available for guidance if needed, but they do not hover.
I developed social anxiety from the pandemic, so not having people hovering is good. It has reduced a lot of stress for me that I don't always have to be that social during work hours. I can work in peace and finish my tasks without having to entertain other people as much. When I was a manager, that was not the case. I had to be available to help whenever possible and it used to take a toll on me. I'm glad I don't have to worry about that anymore.
Fulfillment
Another thing that I am happy about when it comes to my job is that I get to do something that I am interested in. I am in a field so far from my previous career. No one would have guessed that this is something I would try. But I love that I am doing it and I am happy to be learning and to have a challenging environment. This is one of the reasons why I am OK with having a lower salary. I am not a pro. I am new in this field and I am still learning. I would love to aim higher at some point but for now, I am happy taking this all in at my own pace. I am looking forward to how I can use the skills I am learning now in other things in the future. The possibilities in this field are endless, and I am very excited about it.
Learning Experience
Being in a field that is new and that I have zero experience in is a big challenge. It is also a big learning experience. I love that my job helps me to learn about the industry but also about a lot of other information as well. It's very interesting. I like that despite the repetitiveness of the tasks, there's always something new to learn. I would never have been able to learn this if I hadn't left my previous job. It's great that I get to expand my horizons this way.
Time for My Passions
Having a flexible work schedule and reduced responsibility means having more time. This is the time that I am now using to pursue my passions. It's something I did not have time to take on as much as I would have wanted back at my previous job. I have so many things that I want to do and this job is giving me the chance to do that. Apart from this blog, I have also been exploring other forms of media that I am interested in. I am also working on some books that I've always wanted to write. This time I hope that this opportunity to work on them will mean being able to finish the things that I started.
Work Culture
This is something that I had to adjust to. It is very different from my previous job, but I am happy about it. At first, I thought that it was hard since the company did not spoon-feed information, but I am learning as I go. I am finding that I like that kind of pace and style. I am also happy with how my superiors and co-workers are helpful when I have a question. No matter how stupid it may sound, they will answer in a way that is neither condescending nor impatient. And I am grateful for it.
At the end of the day, we should all make choices that will make us happy. Life is too short to be doing things that make us miserable. My current job does mean that I have to cut down on my expenses and my little luxuries, but I do get something out of it. I get happiness, peace of mind, and freedom to do what I love. Right now it is not the most stable job in the world, but it is what is good for me for now. It helps me to have something different in my resume to widen the number of fields I can enter if I ever need a new one. It also helps me to not have a gap in my resume if I ever decide that I need to pursue other options in the future. I know accepting a lower-paying job may not look good on the resume. But as someone who was also in HR, I know that there are companies who would appreciate it. It shows someone willing to take risks for growth and improvement.
If you are a person who can manage their stress well and would like better pay, then good for you. Go for that big paycheck. As for me, after years of stress, I am taking this time to fulfill myself in other ways because it is what I need. Always remember to make career choices that are right for you and not what everyone else thinks. You are the one who has to live with the decision so it is best that you base it on what you want.
I don't know if anyone out there has made similar decisions as I have, but I would love to find more like-minded people. I would love to know their career jump story and how they feel after making that decision. I have had higher-paying offers compared to this current job I have, but I have turned them down because of the reasons I listed above. I have had higher-paying offers compared to this job. I have turned them down because of the reasons I listed above. Is it crazy? Maybe. But I guess we'll see in the long run if this gamble works out. As they say, you'll never know until you try.
If you are reading this and wondering if you should do the same, take your time to think about it. I am happy, but it also takes some time to adjust to something this different. It is a very humbling experience going from being a boss to being one of the many replaceable staff in the group. And if you loved spending that hard-earned pay every payday like I did, living on a more simple income isn't easy. You have to realize that with the benefits come these sacrifices that you have to live with as well.
I hope people can learn from my experience with job change. It's a matter of choice and preference and is about weighing the things that are important to you. Have a plan of where you want your career to go. If like me you want to enter a different industry, you can make the choice to start over. If not, aim higher than your previous job, you deserve a career that fits your experience.
To job seekers out there, make informed decisions and know what you want before making the leap. Aim for what is best for you. Good luck!
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