Complete career change: have you done it?

[Poop~Ghost]

Have a friend at a big hardware tech company (you probably have owned stuff they make). He's been there since '98 and now has a good deal of pull with the powers that be.

I've been a programmer for 15 years now and I've pretty much maxed out my potential $ without moving into management which I have no interest it and wouldn't happen anyways at this company... so basically my gig will look like it looks for the foreseeable future. I like my job too, in that it's almost always pretty chill, no travel, good people and I can ski powder / bike after work without problems.

So my buddy calls up and goes "Do you want a job?" He's looking to fill a position in technical marketing. More money (10-30k more), better benefits, work from home and probably 1 week of travel per month. Added stress of not really knowing WTF I'm doing for a while - travelling M-F with 2 kids at home - and working from home, which I'm not sure I would be very good at.

Anyways, just curious what others have done and of course... /diary

[GiBo]

I did a complete career change about 8 years ago. Spent 11 years in IT/GIS and was burnt. A friend hired me doing land development. I fucking LOVED that job. Dried up with the market and I'm back in IT, but it was the best thing I ever did. Really life changing. Can't wait for the economy to pick up so I can move on the the next adventure.

Your job offer sounds similar to an offer got at the same time as the land dev job. ESRI regional sales. Work from home, 1 week a month on the road. But I couldn't be away from the kids and I had the same reservations about working from home. Not sure I wanted to be home all of the time.

I'm a big fan of taking the plunge. Life's too short man. Security's overrated.

[systemoverblow'd]

I don't know if 3 years counts as a career but it was the path I planned on going. I was a voice and data network installer. One day I just up and quit and moved home from California (they moved me out there for work). Decided I didn't want to work that shit anymore and went to school for video. I think deciding to work part time and go to school coming from a good paying fulltime gig is a hell of a lot harder than your decision.

Do it.

sweet blog.

[Brock Landers]

Im not sure the career is a total change, but maybe the work routine? The marketing and job itself may take some adjustment but you have the technical part down already. The alternative is the status quo...theres really only 2 options right?

[Poop~Ghost]

Im not sure the career is a total change, but maybe the work routine? The marketing and job itself may take some adjustment but you have the technical part down already. The alternative is the status quo...theres really only 2 options right?

Yes - 2 options. I guess the hard part is knowing what the breaking point is to leaving the cushy gig for more money + more stress.

[Supermoon]

Yes - 2 options. I guess the hard part is knowing what the breaking point is to leaving the cushy gig for more money + more stress.

Do you need the money? Are you ok with working from home in exchange for the ability to work from the ski lift on pow days? Do you like to travel enough to do it 25% of the time? Can you keep your kids and home life from interfering with work stuff?

I personally really like working from home, but some people hate it.

[MJbumper1121]

Like you mentioned more $$ is only one part of the story. There is something to be said about job security and knowing you won't be axed at any time for any reason. Find out as much as you possibly can about the responsiblities, hours, PTO, benefits, etc. Will the new gig be rewarding and fulfilling? Are there opportunities for advancement? Is the extra money worth being away from the family and things you love to do?

Good luck!

[TahoeJ]

To clarify, is it marketing or sales? If it's marketing then maybe give it a shot, if it's sales... you'd better really want that extra 10 - 30k.

[iceman]

If the wife can handle you travelling it sounds like a no-brainer.

"working from home" can also mean from a library, Starbucks, remote office (check out Regus.com for example), etc. You don't have to be home with the kids underfoot.

[systemoverblow'd]

Also a point you may think about it how much is the $10-30K percentage wise of your current salary? If you're making $150K then $10K isn't much of an upgrade to completely change your life around. If you're making $50K those increases can be significant.

[Poop~Ghost]

Do you need the money? Are you ok with working from home in exchange for the ability to work from the ski lift on pow days? Do you like to travel enough to do it 25% of the time? Can you keep your kids and home life from interfering with work stuff?

I personally really like working from home, but some people hate it.

I don't need the money, in that our bills are paid and there's enough left over to put some savings away. But in 12 years, I'll be looking at the first kid going into college and 2 years later another. Having a shot to pull in an extra $20k a year could potentially make that less terrifying.

I have never travelled M-F before so I am not exactly sure how I'll take that. I have worked from home at various points part time (few days a week), but never full time. That's a big question for me too.

[skiHOG]

Computer engineering schooling and 3 years of work experience, then switched over to medical sales. Been doing that for the last 4.5 years. Will never look at another computer/IT job again. And, make almost twice the money.

[iceman]

Get on those 529's pronto if you haven't P-G. Sending our first to college this year and not a penny out of pocket. It's a good thing. Just saying.

[Poop~Ghost]

Like you mentioned more $$ is only one part of the story. There is something to be said about job security and knowing you won't be axed at any time for any reason. Find out as much as you possibly can about the responsiblities, hours, PTO, benefits, etc. Will the new gig be rewarding and fulfilling? Are there opportunities for advancement? Is the extra money worth being away from the family and things you love to do?

Good luck!

Definitely will do the due diligence on responsiblities, hours, PTO, benefits, etc and get a real world understanding of what day to day is. It sounds like there's huge opportunity for advancement and being away from the kids is almost a wash in that I typically get home with an hour or 2 to see them before bed. This would be swapping the ability to see alot more of them 3 weeks a month with 1 week very little.

[Poop~Ghost]

To clarify, is it marketing or sales? If it's marketing then maybe give it a shot, if it's sales... you'd better really want that extra 10 - 30k.

It's technical marketing. No sales at all.