#CareerChange #WorkLifeBalance #JobSatisfaction #CareerAdvice
Hey everyone,
I’m at a bit of a crossroads and could really use your thoughts! 🤔 I’m considering a change in my career path, but I’m a bit torn about whether the benefits outweigh the sacrifices I’d have to make. So, here’s the scoop:
Current Situation:
- Working 3.3 days a week with a rotating 3-week roster.
- Hours are 8am-6pm, which includes a weekend day every three weeks.
- Earning around $130-135k plus super.
New Opportunity: A 4-year specialty training program.
Here’s a quick rundown of my situation:
- 32 years old
- 680k mortgage
- Married with a 7-year-old
- Household Income: $250k
Pros of the New Job:
- Potential earnings of $200-250k once fully qualified 💰
- Better working conditions
- More respect from clients
- Improved hours (8am-5pm).
Cons of the New Job:
- 4 years of intensive training (60-70 hours a week) 😩
- Only earning $80-90k during training
- High stress level
- No guaranteed success in exams (I’m confident, though!)
- Impact on family time, which worries me the most 💔
- Adding financial stress with our mortgage while trying to manage expenses.
Currently, I find my work challenging and fulfilling. We also manage to save $30k annually and put an extra $25k into our super funds.
So here’s my burning question: Would you chase a potentially bigger career, or would you stick with a job that gives you more time with your family? 🤷♂️ I’m leaning toward thinking it might not be worth the stress and sacrifices.
I’d love to hear your experiences or any advice you can share! Have any of you faced a similar dilemma? How did you handle it? Let’s discuss! 🙌
No one can make this decision for you. I know a couple who happily live on less than $50k a year combined, paying a mortgage, going on overseas holidays with 2 children. The point being only you know your lifestyle and money needs but to me your current situatiom sounds perfect, working so little for a large salary.
Is this medicine?
It’s a massive commitment. Could you use your days off for the next 4 years to gain qualifications and make that kind of money in your current job?
Can you go back to your current job if the new one doesn’t work out?
I’d say do it if the money is something you really need AND you think you’d enjoy the new job more than what you’re doing.
The biggest question I see here is whether this career path allows you to be the parent and partner you want to be.
If you are already fulfilled in your current role, what would this new career provide you and your family?
Can you juggle being a great parent and this training program? Your child will be 11 by the time you finish.
Do you want a big challenge outside of being a parent? Do you just want more money to live more comfortably?
What’s the career path? What job is it. Doesn’t sound worth it to me. More money isn’t everything in life. Spend time with your family you won’t get that time back.
Why not just work 5 days for your current job and earn that 200k right now? If you can’t do this, why not work for a second vet clinic at the same time? So 3 days at your current job and 2-3 days at your second vet job.
Which job would you prefer at the end of it, from an intellectual stimulation/fulfilment perspective?
3 days a week making 130k?
I would not be changing that, best work life balance. Can’t believe you even make that much working part time.
I personally wouldn’t while you have young kids too and can use that time with them.
But it’s your life, gotta follow what you think is best for you. Can you do this course later? Can you return to your current job later?
Beware of lifestyle creep. Also, it’s up to you. And also in 5 years time what would your future self (and your future family) say to your present self? And not everyone is lucky to live for another 5 years, so anything could happen so enjoy the now.
>4 years specialty training program, average 60-70 hours a week
The training requires a 60-70 hour per week commitment?
>I have a 7 year old, will miss out on family time, will be grumpy
What I can tell you, is by the age of 11-13 your kid doesn’t really want to know you any more, They start growing up rapidly. Some kids have a stronger bond, but I’m not sure how you would cultivate that being away from them for basically 2/3 of the day. Weekends will just end up being a write off trying to recover.
Tough choice, but that training hours seem very much over the top.
Is the “lots of stress” part referred to the 4 years of training or there will be lots of stress even when you are specialized? You’ll need 3 years of work to make up for the money missed during your training program, and you’ll have a hard time putting those extra $25k into supers and the extra $30k into offset/savings. Will your partner be able to cover the extra chores / taking care of the kid required because of your increased hours or you’ll have to hire a cleaner / nanny?
To me it sounds a good move for the long run but with the next 4 years being really shitty, probably not worth it.
You are still young, now is the time to do these changes I reckon. If you have the passion for the job and it will grow your career go for it, if you are thinking just because of money don’t waste ya time…..
Oh if you are thinking wow 200-250k it still doesn’t go far you will just enjoy life more 😎.
Breakdance
OP I’m just a stranger on the internet but life has told me to exploit these opportunities when they arise as you may not get the chance ever again.
If you fall on your feet then it sounds like it wouldn’t be hard to fall back on a similar role.
Get your 45 year old self to answer this question. 4 years isn’t that long, you and your family are still young. This won’t just be a “you thing” though, it’s for your whole family.
As a 45 year old, who was not great academically, I did something similar and it paid off with my career projection
Just focus on your health a priority no. 1. sleep, diet and exercise in that order. I screwed that up, much harder to fix when you are older.
I couldn’t scroll past this post without offering my opinion, mate. I was very much in the same position as you are now. I have been in general practice for 10 years and had much the same motivations to specialise. I applied, got in, completed my first year, and dropped out. I’ll qualify this by saying that this was just my experience – it may not be yours. My reasons for quitting were:
1. Financial – at first it seemed OK but after 9 months I saw how much of a drain it was on our finances. I ended up with severe financial anxiety – I had saved so much and has us in such a great financial position only to then be haemorrhaging money. I was doing this course while the RBA decided to jack up interest rates 13 times so the environment has since changed but inflation is now a huge problem for everyone.
2. Family – studying was a huge mistake considering the family. My three kids were aged 5 and under. I failed to engage with them, and pretty much left most of the “raising” to my wife. It put a lot of pressure on her and although she went above and beyond I could see the cracks developing in the household. It was not pleasant to see someone you love so much carry on such a huge burden.
3. Academic – going back to uni after working in the “real” world was just awful. I felt like the academics were oblivious to the realities of my situation and to this day the words “having a family is no excuse” still echo in my ears. Essentially, the requirements were insane and I just couldn’t keep up. Between the clinical sessions, seminars, case presentations, assignments, undergrad tutoring, journal clubs, interdisciplinary meetings, fortnightly clinic meetings, and research requirements I went crazy. I did not have the luxury of turning “off” after a long day because I had three kids who needed their dad. I would have been lucky to touch my study material by 9pm each night, which wouldn’t have been so bad but for the fact that the faculty was so disorganised I’d have to prepare for seminars at the last minute. Which leads me to a major fault of university education: the practical requirements were so low it made me feel they were leading me to failure as they had during my undergraduate course. I had had quite enough after spending $55k for one year… They demanded my soul and by the end I felt brave enough to say “no more”.
4. Recreation – I abandoned all my hobbies and interests for the sake of studying and career progression. I no longer had the freedom to engage in things which fed my soul and that was unsettling because over time I didn’t recognise myself. My health and diet declined severely and I’m just now making a dent in the damage it did to my body. Don’t underestimate the demands a post-graduate course will have on your life – it’ll suck you in before you realise.
5. Social – although not a major reason for quitting at the time I see how terribly disconnected I became to my friends and extended family. When you’re in the thick of it you don’t give it much thought but once you stop and begin prioritising connection in your life you come to realise how poor you really are without it.
Of course all these issues didn’t exist in isolation and each problem would feed the other. By the end of it I became highly anxious and depressed. I thankfully came out of it but depression is the last thing you need while studying and trying to balance a mortgage and family. You must look after yourself, even if it’s for the sake of your kids.
Reflection – having gone through all this shit I realised that no amount of prestige or money will ever make me happy because at the end of the day no one actually cares where I live, what I drive, which school my kids attend, or what holidays we take. It all became about the ego and that’s just toxic. What matters most is the right balance between money and time to give you the freedom you desire in your day-to-day routine. The other thing which matters is the quality of your relationships, that is connection. So if you believe specialising is going to make you a better person and leave you more fulfilled then it’s a no brainier. But if not then count it as another one of life’s distractions and get on with being the best person you can be for your wife and kids.
Anyone want to trade with me ?
I work 50 hours a week for 95k.
I’d love to drop an extra 20 hours a week for 35k more per year and actually have a life .
Anyone ??
Nothing wrong with being a GP.
If I was working 3.3 days per week for your salary at age 32 I’d just ride that gravy train
3.3 days a week making $130k equates to ~$200k if you worked five days a week.
In my opinion, the cons definitely outweigh the pros of the new job. The only plausible reason (imo) would be leaving because of burnout in current role.
Is the higher salary based on full-time work?
If so, that’s only a 20% hourly pay increase. That extra income is at the highest tax bracket. It is earnt by sacrificing income and family time during your child’s formative years. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t do it.
I think you would do it if you were really interested in it