People who left higher paying jobs for more meaningful work and less pay was it worth it?
I have a high paying union government job. I’ve been here three years and I can see my future self living financially comfortable and also dead and soulless. Have no kids or significant other and 35. My question is has anybody else made a change that on the outside was financially dumb for more meaningful and rewarding work? And how is it working out for you?
Jobadvisor
Quitting the Comfort Trap: Is a High-Paying but Soulless Job Worth the Sacrifice?
For many, a stable, high-paying job represents the pinnacle of career success. Yet, for a growing number of individuals, the golden handcuffs of a lucrative but unfulfilling career can feel more like a life sentence. The question of whether to trade financial security for a more meaningful, albeit lower-paying, path is a deeply personal and often daunting one. Personal accounts and expert advice suggest that for many who take the leap, the answer is a resounding "yes," but the journey is not without its challenges.
This is a path many have walked. At 35, with no dependents and a financially comfortable but "dead and soulless" union government job, you find yourself at a crossroads that countless others have faced. The fear of making a "financially dumb" decision is real, but so is the soul-crushing weight of a life devoid of purpose.
Voices from the Other Side: Was it Worth It?
The internet is replete with stories of individuals who have traded in hefty paychecks for work that aligns with their values. From corporate executives who became artisans to lawyers who now run non-profits, a common thread runs through their narratives: a renewed sense of purpose and well-being that money couldn't buy.
Many who have made the switch report a significant improvement in their mental and emotional health. The chronic stress, anxiety, and even depression that often accompany a high-pressure, misaligned job can dissipate when one's work is in harmony with their personal mission. They speak of waking up with a sense of excitement rather than dread, of finding joy in their daily tasks, and of feeling a deeper connection to their work and the impact it has on others.
However, the transition is rarely seamless. A recurring theme in these stories is the importance of careful financial planning. Many who successfully made the change spent months, or even years, downsizing their lifestyles, paying off debt, and building a financial cushion before taking the plunge. This often involves a significant shift in one's relationship with money—from a tool for consumption to a means of enabling a more fulfilling life.
Not all who make the change find immediate bliss. Some express initial regret, particularly when faced with a drastic drop in income and the loss of the social status that came with their previous roles. The journey to finding meaningful work can be a process of trial and error, and what seems like a dream job from the outside may come with its own set of unforeseen challenges.
The Financial Realities and How to Prepare
Making a financially "dumb" move on paper doesn't have to translate to financial ruin in reality. The key is strategic preparation.
Define Your "Enough": Before making any moves, it's crucial to understand your financial needs. Track your expenses meticulously to get a clear picture of your essential spending. This will help you determine the minimum income you need to live comfortably, which is often less than one might think.
Build a Freedom Fund: A significant savings buffer is non-negotiable. Most experts recommend having at least six months' to a year's worth of living expenses saved up. This "freedom fund" provides a safety net to cover your bills while you search for or establish your new, more meaningful career.
Test the Waters: You don't necessarily have to quit your current job cold turkey. Consider exploring your passions on the side. This could involve volunteering, taking on freelance projects, or starting a small business in your spare time. This allows you to gain experience, build a network, and validate whether your passion can be a viable source of income before you give up your primary source.
Reframe Your Definition of Wealth: A significant part of this journey is redefining what it means to be "rich." For many who have made the switch, wealth is no longer measured solely in monetary terms but in time, freedom, and fulfillment.
The Verdict: A Calculated Leap of Faith
Ultimately, the decision to leave a high-paying but soul-crushing job is a calculated leap of faith. It requires introspection, careful planning, and a willingness to embrace a period of uncertainty. For those who feel a deep sense of misalignment in their current roles, the potential reward—a life imbued with meaning and purpose—often outweighs the financial risk.
Your current situation, free of dependents and with a solid financial foundation, offers a unique window of opportunity to explore what a more fulfilling life could look like. The feeling of being "dead and soulless" is a powerful indicator that a change is needed. While the path may not be easy, the stories of those who have gone before you suggest that the pursuit of a life with less pay but more meaning is not only a valid choice but one that can lead to a richer and more authentic existence.
Was told I’d get my promotion payrise this year but now not looking likely: thoughts?
Last year I got a promotion which I was thrilled about, but I was told that because the company was going through an investment process I wouldn’t get my payrise until April this year. That’s now been and gone and recently been made aware that we now have new investors. We had an all company meeting yesterday and it was stated that there will be no salary reviews until next April. I’m absolutely gutted as I was told I would receive it this year and been working my absolute ass off with my new responsibilities and honestly still been doing even more. Just feel deflated and not sure what to do. Do you think they would maybe make an exception for me or is that wishful thinking? Probably going to check out the job market anyway just to see what I could get, but I really don’t want to leave. But now o have no motivation at all to do my job. Advice would be amazing. Thanks
Jobadvisor
This is an incredibly frustrating and demotivating situation, and you have every right to feel gutted and deflated. Your feelings are completely valid. You've upheld your end of the bargain by taking on more responsibility and working hard, and your employer has, so far, failed to uphold theirs.
Here are my thoughts on the situation and some actionable advice.
My Thoughts on the Situation
The New Investors are Key: The arrival of new investors changes everything. Typically, when a new investment round completes, the new board members or parent company will want to conduct a full review of the business's finances. This almost always includes a temporary freeze on hiring and discretionary spending, including salary increases. They want to establish a baseline before making new financial commitments.
A Blanket Policy is Easier: The "no salary reviews until next April" announcement is a classic move to manage this. It's a blunt instrument that's easier to enforce across the board than to deal with individual cases.
Your Case is Different: Critically, your pay rise is not part of a standard annual review. It is, or should be, part of your promotion package that was agreed upon last year. The money was deferred, not denied. This is the most important point to leverage.
Is an Exception Possible? Yes, it is possible, but it is not guaranteed. It's not wishful thinking to ask, especially given the clear promise made to you. Companies can and do make exceptions to blanket policies, especially to retain key talent who have a pre-existing, documented agreement.
Advice: Your Step-by-Step Action Plan
Losing motivation is a natural reaction, but before you let it impact your work (which could weaken your position), you need to take control of the situation. Here’s how:
Step 1: Gather Your Documentation
Before you do anything else, find any written proof you have. This could be:
The email confirming your promotion.
Any email or written communication that mentions the delayed pay rise and the April timeline.
Your own dated notes from the conversation where the pay rise was discussed. If you don't have this, write down everything you remember now, including the date of the conversation, who was there, and what was said.
Step 2: Schedule a Private Meeting with Your Manager
This is the person who made you the promise. Do not bring this up in a team setting or via a casual instant message. Send a formal meeting request with a clear, professional subject line.
Example: "Follow-up on my promotion compensation" or "Catch-up regarding my role and compensation package".
Step 3: Prepare for the Conversation
This is a business negotiation, not a confrontation. Go in calm, prepared, and professional.
Start Positively: Begin by reiterating your commitment to the company and how much you've been enjoying the challenges of your new role.
State the Facts Calmly: Refer back to the original agreement.
"When I was promoted last year on [Date], we discussed that my salary increase would be deferred until April this year due to the investment process. I was happy to agree to that at the time."
Acknowledge the New Reality: Show that you've paid attention to the company-wide announcement.
"I understand from the all-company meeting that there is now a general freeze on salary reviews until next year. This has left me feeling concerned and uncertain about where my specific agreement stands."
Clearly State Your Position: This is where you differentiate your case.
"As my pay rise was part of my promotion package from last year and not part of a standard 2025 salary review, I was hoping you could clarify how the original agreement will be honoured."
Be Quiet and Listen: After you've made your case, stop talking. Let your manager respond. Their reaction will tell you a lot.
Step 4: Discuss Potential Outcomes
Your manager might say their hands are tied. Be prepared to explore alternatives.
The Ideal Outcome: They agree to process the pay rise now, back-dated to April 2025. This is what you should ask for first.
A Good Compromise: They can't process it now but agree, in writing, to a specific percentage or amount increase to be automatically applied in April 2026, plus back-pay for the missed year.
A Lesser (but still acceptable) Compromise: A one-off bonus now to compensate for the delay, with a written commitment for the salary review next April.
The Red Flag: If they are dismissive, can't give you any firm answers, or tell you to just wait and see, this is a major red flag about how much they value you.
Step 5: Follow Up in Writing
Whatever the outcome of the meeting, send a follow-up email to your manager summarizing what was discussed and agreed upon. This creates a new paper trail.
"Thanks for meeting with me today. Just to recap our conversation, we agreed that..."
Yes, You Should Absolutely Check the Job Market
You are doing the right thing by looking at what else is out there. This is not being disloyal; it's smart career management.
Know Your Worth: Find out what your market rate is for your skills and new level of responsibility. This will give you confidence and leverage.
Create a Safety Net: Having a potential offer on the table gives you options. It allows you to make a decision from a position of strength, not desperation.
Rebuild Your Morale: Just seeing that other companies would value you and pay you appropriately can be a huge morale boost, even if you decide not to leave.
You don't want to leave, which is completely understandable. But the trust has been broken. Your next steps should be focused on seeing if that trust can be repaired. If the company is unwilling to make an exception for a promise they made, it tells you a lot about their culture and how they will treat you in the future.
Just got paid, and was briefly explained about some lunch break pay separate?
Can’t find any law that’s been passed on this recently, but apparently on our paystubs have a section now for an hour exactly everyday you work that’s taken out of your regular hours. The last pay period I worked 86.5 hours, which is 6.5 hours of OT usually. Now with this law my bosses say passed recently, my pay has gone down to 78 hours. Which barely misses the mark for overtime.
Now. I’m slightly pissed. But I’m more worried about the other people I work with that work 12/13/14 hour shifts and count on that OT
I’m in the state of Maryland btw
Jobadvisor
No New Maryland Law Mandates Unpaid Lunch Breaks, Employer Policy Likely Cause for Pay Discrepancy
There appears to be no recently passed law in Maryland that universally mandates a one-hour unpaid lunch break for all employees. Your employer's recent implementation of a daily one-hour deduction from your work hours is likely a change in company policy rather than a new state-level legal requirement. This change has significant implications for your overtime pay, as you've correctly pointed out.
Under both Maryland and federal law, the rules regarding meal breaks and overtime are well-established. Here's a breakdown of how these laws apply to your situation:
Meal Breaks in Maryland: For most employees in Maryland, there is no state law requiring employers to provide meal breaks. The primary exception is the Healthy Retail Employee Act, which mandates that certain retail employers with 50 or more employees must provide a 30-minute break for shifts of more than six consecutive hours.
However, federal law, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which applies in Maryland, permits employers to require employees to take unpaid meal breaks. For a meal break to be unpaid, it must typically be at least 30 minutes long, and the employee must be completely relieved of all work duties. If you are required to perform any tasks during this "break," such as answering phones or monitoring equipment, the time should be considered compensable work time.
Overtime Pay: Maryland law requires that non-exempt employees be paid 1.5 times their regular hourly rate for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. By deducting an hour from your daily work time, your employer is reducing your total number of compensable hours, which, as you've experienced, can cause you to fall short of the 40-hour threshold for overtime.
In your case, working 86.5 hours in a pay period would typically include 6.5 hours of overtime. With the new policy of deducting an hour for each day worked (assuming you worked a standard number of days in the pay period), your total paid hours have been reduced to 78, thus eliminating your overtime earnings.
What You Can Do
Given that your employer has attributed this change to a non-existent "new law," here are some steps you can consider:
Request Clarification in Writing: Ask your employer to provide you with written documentation of this new policy and the specific law they believe mandates it. This creates a record of their reasoning.
Review Your Employment Agreement: Check any employment contract or employee handbook you may have for details on company policies regarding work hours, breaks, and overtime.
Inquire About Authorization for Deductions: In Maryland, deductions from an employee's wages are generally not permitted unless authorized by law, a court order, or with the employee's express written consent. If you have not authorized this deduction, you may have grounds to challenge it.
Contact the Maryland Department of Labor: You can reach out to the Maryland Department of Labor's Division of Labor and Industry to inquire about your rights and your employer's obligations. They can provide information and potentially investigate if there is a violation of state wage and hour laws.
Consult with an Employment Lawyer: For personalized legal advice, you may want to consult with an employment lawyer in Maryland. They can assess the specifics of your situation and advise you on the best course of action.
It is important to approach this matter calmly and professionally. While your frustration is understandable, gathering information and understanding your rights will be the most effective way to address this significant change to your compensation.
Auto Rejection Emails Needs to Be Abolished
This is a hill I am willing to stand on. I have gotten to the point where I feel comfortable with the rejection emails, I actually prefer an auto-reject email over no communication at all. However, I believe that they still need to be abolished. I believe that companies should at least communicate three things that can help your application stand out so you can be a better candidate for the next position you apply to. What do you think?
What do you think companies can do better in regards to the job hunt that would help everyone out?
Jobadvisor
An interesting and thought-provoking stance. You've pinpointed a significant source of frustration for job seekers everywhere, and your desire for more constructive feedback is a sentiment shared by many. While the complete abolition of automated rejection emails might be a complex challenge for high-volume recruiters, your core argument for more humane and helpful communication is spot on. Let's delve into why your proposal has merit and explore what companies can do to improve the job hunting experience.
The Problem with the Black Hole of Applications
You've moved past the sting of rejection to the desire for growth, which is a commendable and proactive approach. Your preference for an auto-rejection over silence highlights a major issue in modern recruiting: "ghosting." Many companies simply never respond to the vast majority of applicants, leaving them in a state of limbo. This lack of closure is not only unprofessional but also detrimental to a company's employer brand. Research shows that a negative candidate experience can deter future applications and even impact a company's bottom line, as candidates are also consumers.
The automated rejection email, in its most basic form, is a step up from complete silence. It provides a definitive end to the immediate uncertainty. However, as you've rightly pointed out, its impersonal and often unhelpful nature is a missed opportunity.
Your Proposal: The "Rule of Three"
Your suggestion that companies provide "three things that can help your application stand out" is an excellent ideal. This approach would transform a moment of disappointment into a valuable learning experience for the candidate. It would demonstrate a company's investment in the talent pool, even those they don't currently have a role for.
However, the practical implementation of this "Rule of Three" on a mass scale presents a significant hurdle. For a single popular job posting that can attract hundreds, if not thousands, of applications, providing personalized feedback to every applicant is a daunting task. The time and resources required for hiring managers or recruiters to meticulously review each unsuccessful application and offer tailored advice are often beyond their capacity. This is precisely why the generic, automated rejection email has become so prevalent.
Bridging the Gap: What Companies Can Do Better
While personalized, multi-point feedback for every applicant might be the ultimate goal, there are several intermediate steps companies can and should take to vastly improve the job-hunting experience for everyone. These improvements focus on transparency, respect, and providing value wherever possible.
Here are some actionable steps companies can implement:
1. Tiered and More Informative Rejection Communications:
Instead of a one-size-fits-all rejection email, companies could adopt a tiered approach based on how far a candidate has progressed in the hiring process.
For all applicants: A prompt, automated acknowledgment that their application has been received. This email could also set expectations about the timeline and the volume of applications, transparently stating that only shortlisted candidates will receive further personalized communication.
For those screened out by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Instead of a generic "not a fit," the system could be configured to provide slightly more specific, albeit still automated, feedback. For example: "The successful candidate for this role possessed more direct experience in [Specific Skill A] and [Specific Skill B]," or "This position required a candidate with experience in the [Specific Industry] sector." This gives the applicant a general idea of where the gap might be.
For candidates who have been interviewed: A personalized email or even a brief phone call is a must. At this stage, the candidate has invested significant time and effort. Providing specific, constructive feedback is not only respectful but also crucial for maintaining a positive employer brand. This is where your "Rule of Three" could be most effectively implemented.
2. Greater Transparency in Job Descriptions:
The job hunt would be significantly less frustrating if job descriptions were clearer and more realistic. Companies can help by:
Clearly distinguishing between "must-have" and "nice-to-have" qualifications. This helps candidates better assess their suitability for the role before applying.
Including a salary range. This respects the candidate's time and ensures that compensation expectations are aligned from the outset.
Providing a clear overview of the interview process and timeline. This manages expectations and reduces anxiety for candidates.
3. Investing in a Better Candidate Experience:
The entire recruitment process, from the initial application to the final decision, should be viewed as a reflection of the company's culture and values.
Simplify the application process: Long, cumbersome application forms that require manual entry of information already on a resume are a major deterrent.
Maintain regular communication: Even a simple automated update informing candidates that the position has been filled or that the review process is ongoing is better than silence.
Humanize the process: Wherever possible, using a real person's name in communications and adopting a respectful and empathetic tone can make a significant difference.
4. Building a Talent Pipeline:
Instead of viewing rejected candidates as a closed door, savvy companies see them as a potential future resource. A positive rejection experience can leave a candidate with a favorable impression of the company, making them more likely to apply for future roles or recommend the company to others in their network. A well-managed talent pipeline, where promising but unsuccessful candidates are kept in mind for future openings, is a strategic asset.
In conclusion, your call to abolish the standard auto-rejection email is a call for a more human-centric and respectful hiring process. While the logistical challenges of providing detailed, personalized feedback to every applicant are real, there is significant room for improvement. By embracing greater transparency, tiered communication, and a focus on the overall candidate experience, companies can move beyond the impersonal and often disheartening nature of the current system, creating a more positive and productive job market for everyone involved.