Making a Career Change

[Skeever]

Anyone else here ever make, or consider, a major career change?

I don't really feel passionate about what I do (compliance) much at all, but lately the management/culture of my organization has gone to shit. I've been starting to think it might be time to finally shove off.

I've been considering just looking for similar roles at other companies in the area and I'm pretty sure I could be hired somewhere else relatively quickly, though the idea of lapsed benefits and such is a bit scary if the new gig doesnt work out. But also, given how I feel overall about specialty, it feels like it might be time for a more radical change, maybe even going back to school (though, no idea for what, or why).

Just figured I would throw the net out and see if anyone else had any kind of similar experiences or stories to share about changing their career later in life.

[King Postwhore]

I always look at the financial situation when changing jobs. If you are in a good place, search away.  It doesn't hurt to look and see what's out there.

So that might energize you either the process.

[Skeever]

Finances are definitely not my prime motivator, or even one of my motivators at all. To be quite honest I might even be willing to do a lateral move, or take a small paycut (it would have to really shine in other areas though obviously, like fulfilling more personal aspiration, or expanding into a new area with some greater potential). I wouldn't take a paycut just to do the same thing somewhere else, though. That would have to at least provide a little bit of a raise. 

[wolfking]

Anyone else here ever make, or consider, a major career change?

I don't really feel passionate about what I do (compliance) much at all, but lately the management/culture of my organization has gone to shit. I've been starting to think it might be time to finally shove off.

I've been considering just looking for similar roles at other companies in the area and I'm pretty sure I could be hired somewhere else relatively quickly, though the idea of lapsed benefits and such is a bit scary if the new gig doesnt work out. But also, given how I feel overall about specialty, it feels like it might be time for a more radical change, maybe even going back to school (though, no idea for what, or why).

Just figured I would throw the net out and see if anyone else had any kind of similar experiences or stories to share about changing their career later in life.

Dude, I could have written this whole post word for word.

I need to jump ship where I am for all the mentioned reason plus more.  I'm starting to finally start seriously thinking about other things but it's hard.  How long have you been there for?  I've been in my joint for 15 years and that's a long time to be stuck in a rut, which is exactly what I'm in.

[King Postwhore]

Finances are definitely not my prime motivator, or even one of my motivators at all. To be quite honest I might even be willing to do a lateral move, or take a small paycut (it would have to really shine in other areas though obviously, like fulfilling more personal aspiration, or expanding into a new area with some greater potential). I wouldn't take a paycut just to do the same thing somewhere else, though. That would have to at least provide a little bit of a raise.

Then the door is wide open. Take all of it in, and find something that fits your lifestyle you envision. 

[Orbert]

I made a major career change when I was 33 years old.  My Bachelor's is in Education, and I was a high school math teacher.  But after six years and a son, it was becoming more and more obvious that you can't raise a kid on a teacher's salary, at least not where I live (Chicago suburbs) with any kind of standard of living.  So I jumped ship and became a computer programmer.  Entry level grub work was 5K a year better than the best teaching offer I had, and I was willing to bust my ass to make it work.  That was 28 years ago.  I'm making more now than I ever could have teaching, even if I'd gone on to get my Master's (which would've been insanely hard to do given the time and money requirements).  So mine was financially motivated, but not for me; it was for my wife and son, and any other kids we might have.  I was a starving artist for years.  But the goal of any generation is to make things better for the next.

While the decision was easy to make, it was still scary as hell.  I considered myself a teacher, and I was good at it.  I had a minor in computer science and some experience programming back home at the community college.  Could I parley that into a career?  Apparently yes, since I'll be retiring in another four years.

[gmillerdrake]

Now is the time to do it. I think there is a lot of opportunity out there to really improve your situation. I'm don't know much about the field you're in...but, it 'seems' like most fields have companies fighting over qualified candidates left and right....headhunting them and just offering great opportunities. So, I think now is as good a time as any to pick a direction and see what is out there.

Couple questions:
 - are you married/committed to anyone?
 - Have children or other responsibilities that are binding you to play it safe?

I only ask because if your answer is 'no' to both of them or 'no' to the no kids/responsibilities then there seems to be nothing to lose for trying so to speak.




When I was furloughed then let go during Covid...that summer was BRUTAL. I've never been more stressed about trying to find a job. 72 applications applied to....4 interviews from those 72 and one job offer. it was a 35% pay raise from what I had been being compensated at the job I worked at for a decade until covid!! I took it obviously, had to....worked there for 14 months and hated every day of it. Never stopped looking for a better spot. Found another job after a few months of looking hard (while working there) took it with a 15% pay increase and it was a good job, great company and good people but it was a job that I wasn't all to familiar with and if I'm honest I just didn't have it in me to 'learn' a whole new industry. So, while I was working there I diligently looked for a position in the industry I'd worked in for a decade and applied to a handful of jobs, interviewed a few times and ended up where I'm at now. Got a 10% increase with a very generous bonus structure and am doing what I 'know' and for the first time since I was let go by the job I had prior to Covid I feel like I'm at a company/position I can retire at. Just a much better situation for me and my family...took a bit....but I got here.

Was made fun of and given a hard time by my close buddies and a few family members for changing jobs twice in just over 2-1/2 years but man....there are opportunities out there to be had. Just have to make your mind up to commit to doing what's necessary to get them. Clean up the resume, play the cover letter game....call in favors....whatever. Don't just 'settle' just because.

[Skeever]

How long have you been there for? 

10 years. My salary has doubled since I started as the "new guy", and I've seen a lot of changing of the guard within management. Lately, the feeling is that the place has passed me by. I'm still one of the younger guys, but I've been there longer than almost everyone with the exception of 2-3 people. I don't think I could get to management from where I am today, at least not for several years. And, not that I'd want to even do so, exactly. But I can't go on feeling like I'm personally a piece of furniture that's been sitting there - forever -.

Couple questions:
 - are you married/committed to anyone?
 - Have children or other responsibilities that are binding you to play it safe?

I only ask because if your answer is 'no' to both of them or 'no' to the no kids/responsibilities then there seems to be nothing to lose for trying so to speak.

---

Was made fun of and given a hard time by my close buddies and a few family members for changing jobs twice in just over 2-1/2 years but man....there are opportunities out there to be had. Just have to make your mind up to commit to doing what's necessary to get them. Clean up the resume, play the cover letter game....call in favors....whatever. Don't just 'settle' just because.

Answer is "yes" and "yes". So yeah, it is harder. Making any change at all might not jeopardize our ability to pay the mortgage, but it certainly will add strain. Taking something lateral, or even lower paying, for the chance to be happier also carries an inherent risk.

As to the last part, though. It's something I could do more of. Polish the resume, spend an hour or so per week perusing the job boards. Fact is, I've been where I'm at so long, I have lost my grip of what's out there, and what the possibilities for me could be.

[WilliamMunny]

Anyone else here ever make, or consider, a major career change?

I don't really feel passionate about what I do (compliance) much at all, but lately the management/culture of my organization has gone to shit. I've been starting to think it might be time to finally shove off.

I've been considering just looking for similar roles at other companies in the area and I'm pretty sure I could be hired somewhere else relatively quickly, though the idea of lapsed benefits and such is a bit scary if the new gig doesnt work out. But also, given how I feel overall about specialty, it feels like it might be time for a more radical change, maybe even going back to school (though, no idea for what, or why).

Just figured I would throw the net out and see if anyone else had any kind of similar experiences or stories to share about changing their career later in life.

Dude, I could have written this whole post word for word.

I need to jump ship where I am for all the mentioned reason plus more.  I'm starting to finally start seriously thinking about other things but it's hard.  How long have you been there for?  I've been in my joint for 15 years and that's a long time to be stuck in a rut, which is exactly what I'm in.

And now there are two posts I could've written word for word! 

Approaching 18 years here, and for a variety of reasons (that are shared by many, I suspect), I am highly motivated to find something else.

In an effort to 're-tool' myself, I began a grad program earlier this summer that finishes next spring. I've been casually looking for a couple of years, but having a small child at home kinda locks me into a certain income requirement that forces me to be a bit more choosy.

I am hoping that a Masters and experience will at least land me some interviews.

Anyone have any suggestions for a good resume writer? (last time I asked, the only reply was to try Chat GPT  )

[Skeever]

What you getting your Masters in William?

[Lonk]

I've been struggling with this as well. I got my BA in Music Education, but never landed a teaching job (arts being cut and what not). A year after I graduated, I gave up and started working in operations/facilities management, and made my way up to a good title (in compliance/facilities management) and descent salary. I want to switch fields but don't know to what, and switching would mean most likely cutting my salary in half to start at a lower position.

I started an MBA program, with a concentration in Project Management (finishing up in Spring 2024), and I honestly don't even know why I'm doing it, since it's not a field I care much for, but I guess pays well enough.

I guess for you, if you don't mind taking a small pay cut, it doesn't hurt to see what is out there. You can also look within your own work place. If you know someone in management in the field you want to go to, they might be willing to provide pointers on what to focus on, or even help you make the transition.

[Stadler]

So... I suppose I have.  I was a Project Manager/Division Manager for an environmental construction company and I wanted something different, so I went to GE as a Contract Manager in their Industrial Systems group (basically, home electronics, small electric motors, transformers, that kind of stuff).   

I've never looked back.

I'm not in anything close to that now (I'm Senior Counsel in a company that builds trains) but everything I've done in the last 25 years has come from that jump.  And that's sort of my advice; you can make a switch without abandoning everything.  Don't look at your JOB, look at your SKILLSET and find an analogue.  Obviously, if you have some industry connections, that important.  There are some people who still believe "my industry is unique" and you'll fight that.  But since that break, I was in industrial systems, I was back in environmental but as counsel for GE, I was in real estate, I was in liability transfer, I was in the passenger rail space, I was in the signaling business...  find a company that has opportunity and will let you follow it.

This sounds complicated, but it's really not, if you're of the mindset and reframe yourself in the right way.  I've not sold myself as a construction guy in 30 years, but I DO sell my project management skills, my negotiation skills and my transactional skills (particularly the last one).  It gets easier, too; at this point I don't fight the "industry" problem; I can credibly say that I stepped into the consumer electronics industry, the heavy rail industry, the passenger rail industry and the signaling (software) industry without missing a beat. 

I'm also enjoying myself more now than I have in 20 years.

[Stadler]

I've been struggling with this as well. I got my BA in Music Education, but never landed a teaching job (arts being cut and what not). A year after I graduated, I gave up and started working in operations/facilities management, and made my way up to a good title (in compliance/facilities management) and descent salary. I want to switch fields but don't know to what, and switching would mean most likely cutting my salary in half to start at a lower position.

I started an MBA program, with a concentration in Project Management (finishing up in Spring 2024), and I honestly don't even know why I'm doing it, since it's not a field I care much for, but I guess pays well enough.

I guess for you, if you don't mind taking a small pay cut, it doesn't hurt to see what is out there. You can also look within your own work place. If you know someone in management in the field you want to go to, they might be willing to provide pointers on what to focus on, or even help you make the transition.

I get that maybe it's not a clear answer, but the important part is knowing what you - generally - want to do.  Maybe "project management' sucks, but are there any job you DO want that rely on a core project management skill?

[WilliamMunny]

What you getting your Masters in William?

Strategic Communication Management–essentially, a catch-all certification that represents the variety of unique skill-sets that I've spent the past twenty years honing. A lot of the positions I've looked at have had a Masters requirement 

[Skeever]

I've been struggling with this as well. I got my BA in Music Education, but never landed a teaching job (arts being cut and what not). A year after I graduated, I gave up and started working in operations/facilities management, and made my way up to a good title (in compliance/facilities management) and descent salary. I want to switch fields but don't know to what, and switching would mean most likely cutting my salary in half to start at a lower position.

I started an MBA program, with a concentration in Project Management (finishing up in Spring 2024), and I honestly don't even know why I'm doing it, since it's not a field I care much for, but I guess pays well enough.

I guess for you, if you don't mind taking a small pay cut, it doesn't hurt to see what is out there. You can also look within your own work place. If you know someone in management in the field you want to go to, they might be willing to provide pointers on what to focus on, or even help you make the transition.

This sounds exactly like my situation except I haven't gotten into any kind of MBA type program yet. And not sure that I would since climbing the corporate ladder sounds the opposite of thrilling to me.

[wolfking]

Skeever, not sure what your leave situation looks like but being there 10 years, do you have some annual leave or long service leave banked up, or do you use it routinely?  A thought I'm having is taking 6 months of leave, jumping into something else and if it doesn't work, you still have your job to go back to.  Not sure if that' even a possibility however.

[wolfking]

How long have you been there for? 

10 years. My salary has doubled since I started as the "new guy", and I've seen a lot of changing of the guard within management. Lately, the feeling is that the place has passed me by. I'm still one of the younger guys, but I've been there longer than almost everyone with the exception of 2-3 people. I don't think I could get to management from where I am today, at least not for several years. And, not that I'd want to even do so, exactly. But I can't go on feeling like I'm personally a piece of furniture that's been sitting there - forever -.

Couple questions:
 - are you married/committed to anyone?
 - Have children or other responsibilities that are binding you to play it safe?

I only ask because if your answer is 'no' to both of them or 'no' to the no kids/responsibilities then there seems to be nothing to lose for trying so to speak.

---

Was made fun of and given a hard time by my close buddies and a few family members for changing jobs twice in just over 2-1/2 years but man....there are opportunities out there to be had. Just have to make your mind up to commit to doing what's necessary to get them. Clean up the resume, play the cover letter game....call in favors....whatever. Don't just 'settle' just because.

Answer is "yes" and "yes". So yeah, it is harder. Making any change at all might not jeopardize our ability to pay the mortgage, but it certainly will add strain. Taking something lateral, or even lower paying, for the chance to be happier also carries an inherent risk.

As to the last part, though. It's something I could do more of. Polish the resume, spend an hour or so per week perusing the job boards. Fact is, I've been where I'm at so long, I have lost my grip of what's out there, and what the possibilities for me could be.

Can I ask why you think you'd never or haven't had any opportunities to progress when you've been there almost the longest than anyone else?  I'm not judging because I'm in the same situation.  My problem is I don't suck the bosses dicks.

That last bolded part is so true also.  15 years for me and each year that passes by, the scarier and more frightening the thought is of jumping ship, no matter how shit things are.

[Skeever]

Can I ask why you think you'd never or haven't had any opportunities to progress when you've been there almost the longest than anyone else?  I'm not judging because I'm in the same situation.  My problem is I don't suck the bosses dicks.

That last bolded part is so true also.  15 years for me and each year that passes by, the scarier and more frightening the thought is of jumping ship, no matter how shit things are.

I actually progressed quite a bit over the first 7 years. I got a pretty significant increase as well as a title change about every other year. Not to "management", but still. I became a parent during COVID, and I chalked up the lack of advancement to those major factors. For about 1-2 years, it seemed like everything was just standing still. Now we've been out for a year, and still no movement.

I look around the office. There's a president, a vice president, a contracts and compliance manager, a finance manager, and then a bunch of line employees in those areas. Most people who aren't younger "newer" hires have been in their roles for 5+ years without much advancement. In short, everyone's come across the same dead end. When my boss retired recently, they put his position out for about 3 months, interviewed a ton, and declined to hire any of his direct reports (myself included). Now it's merging roles and responsibilities, efficiency, etc.

In short, nowhere to go, nothing to learn, so day to day happiness is pretty contingent on liking the people you work with. And, well...

[wolfking]

Can I ask why you think you'd never or haven't had any opportunities to progress when you've been there almost the longest than anyone else?  I'm not judging because I'm in the same situation.  My problem is I don't suck the bosses dicks.

That last bolded part is so true also.  15 years for me and each year that passes by, the scarier and more frightening the thought is of jumping ship, no matter how shit things are.

I actually progressed quite a bit over the first 7 years. I got a pretty significant increase as well as a title change about every other year. Not to "management", but still. I became a parent during COVID, and I chalked up the lack of advancement to those major factors. For about 1-2 years, it seemed like everything was just standing still. Now we've been out for a year, and still no movement.

I look around the office. There's a president, a vice president, a contracts and compliance manager, a finance manager, and then a bunch of line employees in those areas. Most people who aren't younger "newer" hires have been in their roles for 5+ years without much advancement. In short, everyone's come across the same dead end. When my boss retired recently, they put his position out for about 3 months, interviewed a ton, and declined to hire any of his direct reports (myself included). Now it's merging roles and responsibilities, efficiency, etc.

In short, nowhere to go, nothing to learn, so day to day happiness is pretty contingent on liking the people you work with. And, well...

Ha!  Seems like such a common trend these days, seeing that also.

I dont mind so much being stagnant as I've always enjoyed and been good in my role but I take offence when I see people sidestepped into higher roles that are clearly morons and have no right being in those positions.  That's a big reason how the culture where I am has gone to shit.

[Stadler]

So, Wolfie... it's one thing to post in P/R because it's relatively abstract, it's another to post here where it's people's lives.  People I consider FRIENDS' lives.  I'm always torn: do I offer advice but potentially offend, or shut up and nod, but knowing there's a different take?  I've been married twice, so maybe that says something about my choices in cases like this!  . In any event, nothing here is personal, it's just broad observations I've seen over several decades of working in corporate America.

But with that understanding...  companies don't make a habit of promoting morons, idiots and losers.  Now, don't misunderstand me; most people DON'T know how to manage other people and in my experience, promoting is a flawed process except in the rarest of circumstances.  But what happens is that those in the position of promoting others use clues and characteristics that they BELIEVE signifies achievement and accomplishment.  Remember, the person doing the promoting has their OWN boss to impress. "Similarity" to them or their boss is a key characteristic.

If you see people streaming up the corporate ladder and you're just shaking your head wondering why, one has a choice; one can accept it, or one can do two things:  one, look for patterns in the people that are being promoted (and be as objective as you can be; not EVERYONE is completely devoid of any positive characteristics, despite how so many people approach things these days, see "Donald Trump") and two, be brutally honest about your own performance; not just what you do, but what impression or residual your boss takes from you. It's literally the hardest thing to do in a work environment (in my experience); but yourself in the shoes of your boss and imagine how they ACTUALLY see you.  And you have to work at it; in all my 33 working years, in my opinion, ONLY GE has given meaningful performance reviews with actionable feedback.  My first company, the reviews were a joke; it was essentially a circle jerk, then at the end there was this seemingly arbitrary dispersement of salary increases and advancement opportunities.  One has to parse the clues as to what is important on a day-to-day basis.   Keeping your head down and just doing your work isn't always enough, unfortunately. 

Those people are being promoted for a reason.  You may not want to do those things - unfortunately, "kissing ass" is often one of those things - or not be able to do those things - moving, working odd hours - but there ARE reasons. 

[Lonk]

I can probably name a few dozen reasons why people receive promotions in the work place. Based on my limited experience, "(X person) is the most qualified candidate to do this job" is not the most common.

Keeping your head down and just doing your work isn't always enough, unfortunately. 

Those people are being promoted for a reason.  You may not want to do those things - unfortunately, "kissing ass" is often one of those things - or not be able to do those things - moving, working odd hours - but there ARE reasons. 

And this is a reason why I think current hiring practices are crap (for the most part). I consider myself an introvert. For the most part, all I do at my job is "Keep my head down and just do my work". Just the thought of "kissing ass", or forcing myself to be more outspoken and present exhaust me. Maybe that's why I end up leaving my jobs instead of waiting and hoping for the possibility of a promotion.

[WilliamMunny]

I can probably name a few dozen reasons why people receive promotions in the work place. Based on my limited experience, "(X person) is the most qualified candidate to do this job" is not the most common.

Keeping your head down and just doing your work isn't always enough, unfortunately. 

Those people are being promoted for a reason.  You may not want to do those things - unfortunately, "kissing ass" is often one of those things - or not be able to do those things - moving, working odd hours - but there ARE reasons. 

And this is a reason why I think current hiring practices are crap (for the most part). I consider myself an introvert. For the most part, all I do at my job is "Keep my head down and just do my work". Just the thought of "kissing ass", or forcing myself to be more outspoken and present exhaust me. Maybe that's why I end up leaving my jobs instead of waiting and hoping for the possibility of a promotion.

You beat me to it.

Obviously, we all have a personal perspective, and while I appreciate what you've posted, Stadler, in my experience, the 'most qualified' candidate is rarely the person who wins the promotion.

Speaking from experience, there are multiple occasions where I was far from the most qualified, but I interviewed well and wasted no opportunity to express my insatiable desire to exceed expectations. Sadly, in my experience, being an outspoken advocate for oneself is half the battle.

Games, games, games...it's all about them games, unfortunately.

[Skeever]

Hoping we can keep this on topic...

[WilliamMunny]

Hoping we can keep this on topic...

Sorry...

That said, I do think the idea of being frustrated about the lack of a promotion and the reasons why is pertinent to any career change discussion...at least, in my case, it is playing a major role.

[Stadler]

I can probably name a few dozen reasons why people receive promotions in the work place. Based on my limited experience, "(X person) is the most qualified candidate to do this job" is not the most common.

Keeping your head down and just doing your work isn't always enough, unfortunately. 

Those people are being promoted for a reason.  You may not want to do those things - unfortunately, "kissing ass" is often one of those things - or not be able to do those things - moving, working odd hours - but there ARE reasons. 

And this is a reason why I think current hiring practices are crap (for the most part). I consider myself an introvert. For the most part, all I do at my job is "Keep my head down and just do my work". Just the thought of "kissing ass", or forcing myself to be more outspoken and present exhaust me. Maybe that's why I end up leaving my jobs instead of waiting and hoping for the possibility of a promotion.

You beat me to it.

Obviously, we all have a personal perspective, and while I appreciate what you've posted, Stadler, in my experience, the 'most qualified' candidate is rarely the person who wins the promotion.

Speaking from experience, there are multiple occasions where I was far from the most qualified, but I interviewed well and wasted no opportunity to express my insatiable desire to exceed expectations. Sadly, in my experience, being an outspoken advocate for oneself is half the battle.

Games, games, games...it's all about them games, unfortunately.

Well, I'm going to politely quibble with you, to make a point (actually to re-make the point that I made above): the most qualified person almost always get the job.  Qualified at WHAT is the question.  "Doing the actual job" may not be the qualification.   I'm not saying that's RIGHT, only that it's the way it is.

Again, I'm not agreeing with it; at work, I generally prefer to be like Victor.  In my heart, I wanted my boss's job when he moved on, but they gave it to someone else, and in my HEAD, that was the right move.  I don't want to deal with the admin/HR bullshit.  I want to practice law.  Thankfully, I have a (new) boss that wants to make a splash, and I can help her do that while still doing what I want to do. 

It's like music, in a way.  Bob Dylan could never be the singer in Judas Priest (even though he named the band).  He just couldn't, because that's not what the gig calls for. Steve Howe will never be the guitar player in REM.   It's not his thing.  Doesn't mean anyone sucks or isn't competent or capable, but it's more complicated than that.

[Stadler]

Hoping we can keep this on topic...

I'm sorry; I'm probably largely to blame here, but it IS all related. 

[Skeever]

The point of the thread was to see if anyone had any experiences with changing their careers, how they knew it was time, etc... not to argue general points about employers.

[WilliamMunny]

The point of the thread was to see if anyone had any experiences with changing their careers, how they knew it was time, etc... not to argue general points about employers.

Hey, man, I feel for your situation (just re-read your original post), but I'm not sure how fair it is to ask for people's thoughts and then immediately throw up guardrails when the conversation organically migrates a bit.

Anyhow, to specifically address your original question ("Anyone else here ever make, or consider, a major career change?"), I will reiterate that my previous point: I currently work in a situation where I feel criminally over-utilized and under-recognized. Add to that my point about the most-qualified person rarely getting ahead, and you have my reasons for my current desire to switch career paths.

As far as your thought about going back to school: I think enrolling in a part-time program is a great idea. You can take a couple of classes and always walk away from it if it doesn't fit, but you might just stumble upon a new path or passion.

[Skeever]

William, no offense and hope you dont take it personally. That goes for Stadler too. There are like 12 other active threads where we have had the same arguments about the nobility of our employers. I just see it happening here fairly quickly and do want to artificially stamp it out.

[WilliamMunny]

William, no offense and hope you dont take it personally. That goes for Stadler too. There are like 12 other active threads where we have had the same arguments about the nobility of our employers. I just see it happening here fairly quickly and do want to artificially stamp it out.

Hey, man, no worries here.

And you are absolutely right… this place loves to go ‘P/R’

I’ll do my best to keep any and all subsequent comments in line with your OP

[The Great Ape]

Is it time to make a change?
Are we closer than before?
Can we help them break away?
Are we profiting from war?
Is it time to make a change?
A change from what it's been
Can we help them break away?
Is our patience wearing thin?
It's time to make a change

Time for change
Fight the fear
Find the truth
Time for change

[Samsara]

Another perspective. I started my career as a journalist, became a lawyer, went back to journalism, and then found something that combines my skills as a communicator with my passion for legal issues. After working there for many years, I got antsy, and jumped to a similar employer for considerably more pay and other promised factors. I immediately regretted it and promises weren't kept. Thankfully, I burned no bridges and was loved by my previous employer, and they happily took me back after more than a year away, and provided me with some necessary bumps in various areas of importance to me and my situation.

Moral of the story -- the grass isn't always greener. If you like what you do and are comfortable, but just antsy for change (sounds like mgmt has you annoyed), perhaps discuss with them how you can improve your role with your current employer to make things better. Companies tend to be a bit more understanding these days. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have done that at the outset, and not jumped.

But every situation is unique, so take your time. Good luck.