When is it time to leave a good job? (UPDATE: I got the job!!)

[anth2000]

Need advice....

I have been at my current job for 7 years as of last Friday. It's been a good job where I have been seen as a leader and subject matter expertise for global packaging creative for a billion dollar company.

Problem is, growth. I have had one promotion in 7 years. I am only a Sr. Manager and others really see me as a Director, at least outside of our department. I don't like our department VP, he's an idiot and really prejudged everyone when he came in over 3 years ago. I don't think he has ever truly understood what I do.

I have had three managers and three titles in a little over a year and a half. In 2020, I was finally given a team of two direct reports and then this past Oct, they were given 6 months notice that their jobs were terminated because of their roles being redundant to our Mexico team (I think that was BS, by the way).

I am 55 and don't like change much. I have been laid off in the past, fired once, part of a company merger, so I get anxious thinking of getting another job.

With that said, I just don't like the work anymore though I love some of the people I work with OUTSIDE of our department. They love me.

I am in the running for a job and will find out any day now if I got it. It would be a great opportunity, still Sr. Manager level but with direct reports, room for growth, can work remote, and a big salary and bonus increase.

Lately, I have been suffering from a lot of migraines, sleepless nights, stressed out all the time. I know it's my job.......it's time to move on....

I don't want to second guess myself.....
My wife of 25 years said to me..."your department has never respected you. It's time to move on. You are going nowhere there" - I agree 10000%

Guess my question to you guys is....when do you know when its time to leave a job you are good at? I know I will kick ass at this new job, but after 7 years, I am a little scared.....that's IF, I get the job...

Thoughts???

[focus]

[jonnybravo]

What is there to second guess? Other than a comfort zone, I didn't read any reason to stay. I hope you get the gig. And for what it's worth I have a lot of peers that are working in the corporate ladder. The overwhelming majority obtained their promotions/raises via switching companies. It's almost par for the course.
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KOBE

[kikanga]

[kikanga]

Make sure to consider pensions and travel time to and from work.

If you’ve factored that in OP. Move on.
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"Every hurt is a lesson, and every lesson makes you better”

[anth2000]

Thanks, all.

Like I said, 7 years is a long time at one job. I have a wife and three older teenagers, one in college, two in high school, so my stable income is important, thus there reason I say "comfort."
I am very good at what I do, but I am overworked and under supported and have no team to support me. It's ridiculous....

With this new opportunity, if it pans out, its a very very large stable company that is continuing to innovate and grow, so I am not worried there.

Corp office is up in Northern California but I can work remote full time.
Not sure what the pay or bonus structure is.....will cross that bridge IF I get to it.

Like I said, when you have a comfortable gig, even though you are not totally happy, when is it time to jump.....

[aprevo15]

No growth and idiot VP. I would get the hell out of there if you get the new job. If you don't then I would keep searching for something new.

Change is always scary. Especially at an older age. But 55 is still young these days. I had make a big life change 2 years ago at an age of 48. I am glad I did.

[LakerLanny]

My advice would be to keep the current job while you look for a new one.

Most employers prefer to hire someone currently employed then someone already not working, even if it is just a short gap. At least in my experience.

But certainly look and see if you can find a situation that you think could have better upside potential for you. One thing I have found though is every company has a different culture and sometimes the grass isn't always greener even for more pay. Just my two cents, good luck!
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Love, Laker Lanny

[anth2000]

[venturalakersfan]

[anth2000]

[focus]

[anth2000]

[Surfitall]

Thought I'd chime on on this thread from a different perspective even though it's kind of off topic. I lead a team of software sales people and was recently trained on a concept that I've found really helpful in understanding how best to work with my team based on a combination of their skill, and their will to do what's needed to be successful.

Obviously, you want to keep the high/skill and high/will people. They often lead by example, and tend to be consistently successful. They can also get bored and can start looking for another job if they feel they are no longer being challenged, appreciated, or given opportunities to grow. That's where as a leader, it's important to continue to engage them, help them to grow professionally, leverage their ability to mentor others, and start working with them on their plans for career growth and expansion.

Then you have the high/will, low/skill people. These tend to be new hires, and/or people earlier in their career. As a leader, my job is to help these folks become highly skilled, while also helping them to maintain their high will. Having the high/skill and high/will team members act as mentors to this group can actually help both of them in their careers.

The low skill/low will people are an easy decision. They need to go.

The most interesting challenge is the high/skill but low/will employees. These are almost always employees who were once high/skill and high/will employees, but have slipped down a notch to become low will. I actually had one of these employees once tell me, "I wish I had the passion that I did when I started here 15 years ago, but I just don't anymore." In sales, this is a challenge because these folks were once high performers, and they clearly have the capacity to become high performers again, but their attitude can have a corrosive effect on the rest of the team. Being empathetic and curious about what is happening in their lives, how or why they shifted, and trying to get them back to a place where they are again high-will employees is the challenge...but if you can't get them there, they need to be let go.

Your story made me think about this concept. It sounds like had your leadership team applied some of these concepts, they probably wouldn't be at risk of losing a strong team member. I wish you great success in whatever you choose to do. We only have one life to live, and life is too short to stay in a situation that causes you too much stress, heartache, and frustration when there are so many better options out there for you.

[hoopschick29]

Yeah, you might want to go ahead and duck out. They took your only 2 direct reports. I'm actually surprised they haven't already moved to eliminate you.
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So glad we gave you your flowers while you were here, Kobe.

[anth2000]

[PLATNUM]

I think the fact that you created this thread means the decision is made and you just want to validate it with your LG brethren.

It seems the CONS car outweigh the PROS... And it's time to move on.

It's hard to let go of that life raft sometimes... But when your resources are depleted and you can see that island on the horizon... It's time to let go.
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"Dread it, run from it... destiny arrives all the same."

[anth2000]

[ChickenStu]

Here's a different perspective, from someone who hasn't worked a "real" job since he was 27 and who has the luxury of living a great life. My husband, who is in his early 40's, has switched companies four times in the past 10 years and each time, he got a pay increase; the last three moves he got a pay increase without a bump up in job title. He actually doesn't want the official "director" title, even though he certainly has had a fair degree of responsbility. He's always had a remarkable work ethic since I've known him, and he essentially just wants to be able to lead his team and have upper management stay out of his way. At his last company, a VP who had no idea what she was doing (because her area of expertise was in a different field) was affecting his work and the work of his team. He went to his boss and made his feelings clear, a few months went by, and nothing was done. After he got a compelling offer from another company, he finally went to his boss and basically said get rid of her or re-assign her or I'm out, the boss didn't, and he left for this newer company with a nice raise and no increase in responsibility. Since last year they have actually given him 3 sizable bonuses already and he's making way more money than he ever has. He actually liked his old boss, but she didn't have the gumption to fire or even re-assign this person, whom she had a prior work connection with, and it gives my husband a certain degree of pleasure that his prior team and division completely fell apart without his leadership and with that incompetent woman still there. They saw a rash of defections in the year after my husband left, and he's even poached a couple of those employees onto his team at the new company. He would have stayed at his old company if they had at least re-assigned this VP to a different area. But as soon as he felt his work was being compromised, bang, he was gone.

Not everyone has the opportunity to change companies with pay increases and the like. But it sounds like you are going to get a raise out of this and that your current gig is bringing you stress. That's the bottom line. You gotta do what will improve your mental health and what will make you happiest, as long as it isn't a big financial hit. And it sounds like it will be the opposite for you. The reason my husband has turned down offers in the past to become a director is because it would require far greater responsibilities and travel and work hours, and that's simply not what he's looking for, as that wouldn't make him happy. And he hightailed it out of his last company when management became incompetent and when he had another compelling offer. I can't even imagine the stress of having incompetent management when you know that things can be done better or should be done better. I watched my husband become affected just from those few months, and as soon as he had the other offer, it was an easy decision in his mind that he was going to take the offer unless his boss acted. He really didn't have any hesitation about it. And now he's working with much less stress. Sure, as hard as he works and with what the job entails, there might be stressful times, such as during an FDA audit. But he can handle that, because he trusts his work process. What clearly was making it harder on him was when management got in his way. That was just unnecessary stress.

My advice would be to embrace this possible change, and to jump in with full optimism. Get that stress out of your life. I hope it happens for you. Good luck!

[anth2000]

[anth2000]

Just got the job offer......I negotiated a slightly higher salary...

$33k more salary than I am making
$10k signing or sign-on bonus
20% annual bonus

Gave me a team of 4 employees (remember, my current employer fired my team in Oct)
Unlimited vacation/work-life balance
All remote

I am thrilled!!!

[focus]

Congrats!! After you accept, the lovely giving your notice and chill period at work, and I personally like taking some time off after that before the new gig too. Bye migraines, sleepless nights, etc.

[hoopschick29]

That's really good news.
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So glad we gave you your flowers while you were here, Kobe.

[ChickenStu]

Congrats!

[ChefLinda]

Congratulations!