h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Fed up and stressed at the end of every working day.
Constant niggle that I've been here too long and have grown stale.
Too much managing and not enough proper job.
End of the supportive atmosphere and flexible working that made it too good to go.
Feeling in danger of forgetting all the specialist skills that make me employable.
But it pays well.
But I think it's time to explore new opportunities.

So you've got to let me kno-o-w, Should I stay or should I go?

Well, you are in a strong position in terms of applying for other jobs and negotiating pay scale so I would say have a good and serious look round and apply for anything that looks better in terms of what you want out of your work life.

When you get an offer I think then you will know for sure if you are ready to leap, if you are then pastures new, if not at least you feel that you have made a definite decision to stay and will then feel at least more settled.

NO harm in looking round, even applying for stuff elsewhere, whilst your in the 'secure' position, of being in the current job? Maybe the actual choice of whether to stay or to go, will be easier, when you know, with a greater degree of certainty what else exists in terms of jobs?

The longer you stay the harder it will be to go but make sure you have something good to go to before you take the big step.

Websailor

Sensible suggestions all.

I have been looking haphazardly for a while now, only got round to actually sending in one application so far but I got an interview out of it which was an encouraging start. There are jobs around doing what I do, and lots of other people looking as well of course. Job hunting's not the scary bit - I definitely want to move on and there's no big decision on whether or not to do more of that.

The big decision's more about whether I do the sensible thing (ie grit my teeth and carry on being paid while job-hunting for similar stuff to what I do now) or the more risky thing and leave first. There's lots of personal reasons why a brief career break would be a good thing and not necessarily prejudice my CV, it's 20 years since the last time I did this and it's not as mad as it might sound. I toyed with the idea of applying for a sabbatical from work but that's not really sorting the problem and wouldn't really work for my team.

Hey ho, think I just need to get my 'what next' plans a bit more in order.

I actually saw, for the first time in ages, a job I would love to have, advertised, yesterday... only I'm not sure I could cope with living in the small town that I'd need too... I may apply anyhow, as I've not applied for anything in so* long... I lack soem of the experience they want, but I have a lot of other, very relivent experience to the job, so maybe even a chance of an interview for once and its related to one of my favorite... err, passions.... (clue, not the making bread one).

*thinks* you mean the bacon one

I don't think it makes a huge difference to most employers whether you are currently in work or out of it. The benefit to them with you being out of work is that they can potentially hire you more quickly. Most people prefer to be in work because of the risk that there might not be an income coming in for a few months - if that's not of concern to you then you are in a better position.

One great thing about moving into a new job is how it reinvigorates you - all these new things to learn. I guess it's a personality thing how you might enjoy it, but enthusiasm is such an important thing in any job.

Best of luck!

"I don't think it makes a huge difference to most employers whether you are currently in work or out of it."

I would add some caveats to that

How much breaks matter is sort of proportional to there length, short breaks don't matter at all, Longer breaks make the interviewer wonder why you were not working.

Even then longer breaks are easy to explain if you have a reason for them.

"I took a year off to go round the world" is a good reason as is "I needed a break so I spent the last 6 months doing my house up".