Mid Life career change advice

Flanging_Fred

I've been in a fairly niche engineering job for the last 15 years and it has been comfortable but a bit dull.  I've now got an opportunity to retrain into a management position and I've got until next week to make up my mind if I want to go for it or not.

Other than feeling a bit scared and nervous about making a leap into an area I've not done before (I'm your typical headphones on in front of a PC all day software engineer), the one thing I'm concerned about is the amount of extra work I'll have to do. This year I had to CUT my hours simply to be able to manage to look after my 2 daughters (10 & 4). 

It sort of feels like I have to go for it otherwise I might not get another chance (in my current company) but am very worried that it's going to totally screw up my family life.

Any wisdom or advice?

jellyroll

Snatch their hand off. You can always go back to being an engineer. You might not get another opportunity like this.

Heartfeltdawn

If family is that important, then don't change. Going into a new job with more hours might be more entertaining but losing time with the kids will end up adding stress to your life. How much extra work are you talking with the new position? 

Grunfeld

Flanging_Fred said:

....worried that it's going to totally screw up my family life.

Any wisdom or advice?

Career change:  that's good in principle.  (I'm enjoying mine; others enjoy theirs.  And it is scary and challenging but that's the good bit as it happens.)
Screwing up your family life:  that's not good.  That's really not good.  And it's not worth it IMO unless you can say, "it's only for such and such a period of time" and everyone's okay with that.  But it's also worth digging into what "screwing up family life" specifically means.  Is it gonna be so terrible?
So a career change can be good but this one may be unsuitable.  Find one which fits you and your family better.

jellyroll

OK flippant comment from me above...but work/life balance issues are common to most jobs....as you say you have it now...so why not maximize your earning potential and, more importantly, your future career options, by doing this? Decent organizations should allow you to balance your lifestyle.

Flanging_Fred

My problem is that my wife is a project manager (in the same corporation) and she brings home work every night and is on the laptop until the small hours.  I find I spend a lot of time covering the childcare so she can do it. All the other managers I speak to say they have to do the same thing. I don't see how we can both function like that.

To complicate things further, the big contract that is keeping a lot of people employed is going to come to an end in the next 18 month s or so. Unless another big contract gets won soon, there's going to be a pretty substantial man loading drop off. And that not good when you're a niche engineer....

jaytmon

What does your gut say? And is there another option that you haven't considered?
What if you didn't apply for the management training, and ended up facing redundancy - would it be a potential push into something else that make give you more fulfilment? 

Or if management sounds appealing (as well as scary), would paid childcare be an option, even if temporarily? 

What is really important to you? Management experience is something you could take elsewhere too in the future. 

I'm just throwing in a few questions in case you haven't thought of them, maybe playing devil's advocate a bit, but with the intention of (hopefully) being helpful!

TTony

Flanging_Fred said:

My problem is that my wife is a project manager (in the same corporation) and she brings home work every night and is on the laptop until the small hours.

That doesn't sound like very good project planning.

Budgie

I've never understood the requirement to have to bring home a mass of work every night . Surely if the work can't be mostly completed during normal business hours then the person pushing the agenda needs a kick up the arse. It's stupid putting people,under unrealistic pressure and probably counter-productive. Having said that, I thankfully haven't worked in an office environment for donkeys years so what do I know. Good luck with it though... the promotion, if it's worth it with additional reward etc. sounds worth a go, especially if you think your position may be at risk and you can add depth to your cv.

Flanging_Fred

Budgie said:

I've never understood the requirement to have to bring home a mass of work every night . Surely if the work can't be mostly completed during normal business hours then the person pushing the agenda needs a kick up the arse. It's stupid putting people,under unrealistic pressure and probably counter-productive. Having said that, I thankfully haven't worked in an office environment for donkeys years so what do I know. Good luck with it though... the promotion, if it's worth it with additional reward etc. sounds worth a go, especially if you think your position may be at risk and you can add depth to your cv.

Like it or not, it seems to be endemic in large businesses that you're expected to work way beyond your contracted hours if in a position of responsibility. It just goes with the territory, if you're not prepared to do it, then someone else will.

The rat race is alive and well.

thomasross20

Personally I wouldn't from what you've said, and I don't think it's easy to go back to engineering. I've always promised myself I'd remain technical and not let work disrupt my personal life too much.

TheBigDipper

"Spending all of your time making money. Spending all of your money making time"

Be careful. Do you think you could be a better manager than the ones around you now? If so, maybe you've got the drive to enjoy the change and the challenge. You'll still have the issues regarding home life, but you'll probably rise to that challenge too. If not, then don't do it. Moving back to being a techie after a year or two as a proper hands off manager can be difficult to achieve, because a decent professional man manager - even in a technical environment - is no longer a technician. 

(Background - I spent 25 years in the software products business, initially as a technical specialist and then into management for most of that time). 

impmann

To answer your question - I think you've answered it yourself.

I'm your typical headphones on in front of a PC all day software engineer

So what do you want out of a managerial position? More money? Responsibility (believe me, that isn't all its cracked up to be)? An office of your own? Being called sir? Status? Being able to "manager" as a job title?

You need to ask yourself *why* you want to make the leap before you can answer it for yourself.

ArchtopDave

One obvious question - what does your wife think about this?

Steffo

Take the job, if the company sheds staff you have much more chances of keeping your job or finding another with the broader skill set you would get training as a manager.

mike_l

Flanging_Fred said:

Like it or not, it seems to be endemic in large businesses that you're expected to work way beyond your contracted hours if in a position of responsibility. It just goes with the territory, if you're not prepared to do it, then someone else will.

The rat race is alive and well.

Precisely why I left working for big companies (that and the cunt I was working with)

Flanging_Fred

Thanks everyone for your input. It is very helpful in trying to clarify my thoughts on the matter.

My overriding motivation is simply to move on and try something new.  I see people around me that have been in the same job for 40+ years and I think if I don't have a go at different things now then I'll regret not having tried in the future.

Its just a bit scarey and there are the usual little demons in my head saying "you won't cope" "your not capable" etc etc.  However I know that I felt the same way last year when I was asked to join my first proper band, and that worked out great, so who knows...

RandallFlagg

I'd Rather Jack

axisus

Are you a manager type? I've managed people and I hate it. I'm much better as the ultra reliable No.2 who makes everything happen (for less money!)

Flanging_Fred

axisus said:

Are you a manager type? I've managed people and I hate it. I'm much better as the ultra reliable No.2 who makes everything happen (for less money!)

Well, that's the thing, I simply don't know unless I try. People around me seem to think I could do it and they all have more experience at it than me but it will mean pretty big changes for me. 

intertestingly as I read through this thread I'm starting to feel defensive over being questioned about thinking about making this leap, which is starting to make me think that I should go for it despite the obvious hurdles.

its funny how how our minds work....

marcus449

I'd be open with your family, see what they think, let them know if you really want to do it and discuss the potential consequences. Sounds like they are the ones you are worried about 

I wouldn't worry about yourself, you sound like you want the jump and that you'll put maximum effort in