Regret leaving my previous job for a better paying one

[Lovely Difficulties]

I've been at my current company for just under two years now, and it has been a great experience. I get along great with colleagues, and I feel well-established in the company now. I was scheduled to go on an international work trip, which I was very much looking forward to. I was feeling a little discontent at work because the work was starting to get tedious for someone at my level, the hours were long and the pay wasn't fantastic. However, I did see a lot of room for growth within the company, even though I am still at least a year away from a promotion.

 

Unexpectedly, I was invited to go interview at another company, which also seemed like a great place to work. I wasn't expecting to get an offer, but I ended up getting one, and they offered me over 20K more in salary per year. They are also offering a better work/life balance, but less opportunities for travel. Anyways, it just seemed like an offer I couldn't refuse so decided to pursue it, but I am now feeling some cold feet and sad about leaving my current company. I only have a couple of weeks left. My colleagues have all been very supportive, understanding and told me the door is always open to come back.

 

Where I was certainly wasn't a bad place, and I'm questioning if it was maybe too soon to leave and I am leaving prematurely. I'm mostly sad about missing all of the awesome travel opportunities and my colleagues. I keep trying to convince myself that this is the smart move, with better pay and more stability, but I am nervous about it. My rationale for leaving is basically the compensation is better, the hours will be better, the work is very interesting and an offer was on the table that would take me at least two years to get to where I'm at. I had my life planned out for the year, and now I have to rearrange that, as well as miss out on some travel.

 

Any advice? Is it normal to second guess these things? I feel like I'm looking for reassurance that I'm making the right move because I'm questioning if I'm making a mistake. My current job is the first full-time job I've ever had.

[Arieswoman]

sassiechick21,

This;-

 

I had my life planned out for the year, and now I have to rearrange that, as well as miss out on some travel.

 

is a very small price to pay for a great opportunity.

 

Stop overthinking this - and good luck

[Survivor12]

With $20K & more personal time you can still travel--and choose your destination.

 

Enjoy your new job!

[applej4]

A lot more money, better hours more stability, interesting work....I don't see what your problem is (other than trying to find something to worry about). This is silly.

[Lovely Difficulties]

Thanks! I guess I am likely over thinking it. There are a lot of great things about my current company that I will miss, and I envisioned the rest of the year a certain way. I did see a lot of room for growth and advancement there, and I'm going to miss the people a lot. I didn't realize I'd feel so much anxiety over leaving. I guess I had invested some time there, and leaving that behind for something new can be nerve wrecking. I'm excited for the new position, but it's a big change. Given the package of the offer, it seemed like a no brainer to pursue. I guess I am going to miss the fun aspects about my current company.

[Arabella]

You're always bound to feel a little anxiety about leaving a job you're well established in. However, you need to remember that you had good reasons to make this decision. It really sounds like a great opportunity from what you describe!

 

You probably would've left your current company sooner or later. You can keep in touch with the friends you made there outside of work, and 20k extra is a lot of money that will allow you to travel if so you choose.

 

Instead of being sad about leaving your current job, try to think about all the great things your new company is offering you and get excited about that

 

-A

[Emilia]

It's just anxiety over change. At the end of the day they are just colleagues. You won't give them another thought in a month. A work trip is just a work trip, that gets old fast, believe me.

[newmoon]

if your job is fairly decent and the people are good it's like a break-up of sorts and you get emotional and start second-guessing your new path. totally normal feelings you're experiencing, it's just nerves. good luck!

[Fugu]

I agree with the others: you're nervous because you feel like you're a good fit in your current company culture, and that's no small thing. But there's nothing to say that you won't be a good fit in your new company's culture. It'll take some adaptation, but you should get there.

 

Moving to a new position or a new company is never a sure thing. I've been on both sides, with some moves working out beautifully and others turning into abject disasters. But take it from me - even if the worst happens, you'll live to see another day.

 

I think you'll be fine, though. Your decision seems very logical to me. You're leaving for the reasons you should leave. In terms of just pure logic, it seems like it would have made less sense to stay where you are than to leave, unless you happen to value comfort and security over career growth, and it doesn't seem like you're that type. Career growth involves calculated risk. I think you've made the right move, but don't worry too much if you made the wrong one. Again, bad things pass.

 

My one bit of advice is this - and I say this as someone who kinda sucks at it - but be sure to keep your professional networks strong. Keep in touch with people you've worked with. Send them an e-card once in a while. Keep them on LinkedIn. If they're in town, take them out to lunch. You never know when you might need their kind words of support in the future.

[Lovely Difficulties]

Thanks for the responses!

 

I think to get to what my new company is offering, it would have taken two more years with my current company, at least in terms of salary. I've gotten used to life there and now instead of being nervous to leave, I am more sad to leave, about all of the things that I'm going to miss. I'm sad to miss out on the fun things about the company, retreats, travel, mentoring interns, etc. I've gotten used to traveling several times per year for work. The new role that I am moving into will not have as many travel opportunities. I know that I will likely be able to travel with more income, but it's different taking a vacation as opposed to having a reason to be somewhere. Traveling for work gives you an excuse to go somewhere that you probably wouldn't have otherwise.

 

I am leaving on good terms and will stay in touch with the people there. I'm not nervous about not being able to do the new job, more nervous about what I am leaving behind and whether or not the move is the right one to advance my career. Even though it pays more, I think there will be some aspects about it that won't give me as much of an adrenaline rush. However, as I mentioned, it will offer more stability. I'm moving from a fun, fast-paced environment to a more stable one. People do move on from my current company, but they typically move on after 3-4 years as opposed to two. I think after 3-4 years, people are more than ready to leave, whereas for me, I think there were still some things that I could've experienced there. If the new opportunity didn't develop then I wouldn't even be thinking about leaving. I do think there is more to be learned, but this offer developed that I wasn't anticipating. I do still feel some cold feet about it, but it's already done.

[Lovely Difficulties]

So now I am into my job for a few days and am starting to feel that I made the wrong choice. I decided to make this jump due to the salary increase, but I miss the nature, pace and colleagues at my former job already.

[Arabella]

So now I am into my job for a few days and am starting to feel that I made the wrong choice. I decided to make this jump due to the salary increase, but I miss the nature, pace and colleagues at my former job already.

 

What makes you feel that way?

 

I'd give it at least a month before you make any decisions. It's common to feel overwhelmed the first couple of weeks into a new job.

[Lovely Difficulties]

There were a lot more people my age at my old job and I feel my skills are being underutilized. I am doing very administrative work, and my commute is also a bit longer.

[Eternal Sunshine]

It's early days yet.

 

When I started my current job (a little over a year ago), I left my old and established job of many years. In my first week, I felt so uncomfortable that I went to the toilets and cried a few times. I also rang my old boss to tell him how I made a mistake.

 

Well, it lasted under a month and now I am loving it here. So much so that a thought of leaving makes me deeply depressed. I think some of us just get attached to jobs and co-workers more than others. It also depends how much you have going on in your personal life. If you miss people your own age, think about how you can make friends in non-job settings.

[Lovely Difficulties]

I keep thinking - what have I done... I was in my last job for just under two years and remember not loving it when I got started there either. I had finally got to the point of it feeling like home just in time for this new job to come up. In hindsight, I wish I would've stayed at my former job a while longer. Then I probably would've felt better about making a switch. Right now I feel that I may have left prematurely. If I can be honest, the reason why I was attracted to this job was due to the money, which is significantly higher than my last job. As of right now, I feel like it's a much slower pace than I am used to and my skills aren't being properly utilized. I miss my old job already.

 

In terms of personal life, I have friends where I am at, but at my last job I felt I had a family. I've been across the country from family for a while. I moved for my last job and then this one came up.

 

Any advice??

[GemmaUK]

Give it a good 3 months and see how things re progressing.

 

If in your last job it took longer than that for you to feel you 'fitted' there then give it the same kind of length of time.

 

I resigned from a job I loved due to salary a few years back.

I thought there was no room for negotiation to be honest.

On my last day (er..afternoon actually) and after I had been given my leaving gift my lovely boss asked me some questions that led him inot finding out the real 'why' that I was leaving. He was quite a shy introverted guy, great to work for and had a wicked sense of humour. We were a family there too to be honest and I loved the people there.

He asked how much of a pay rise it would take for me to stay.

I told him.

He coughed. Stood up and walked down the office - he went to speak to our Vice President - literally there and then. It was 4.30pm and we finished at 5pm.

 

He came back just a few minutes later and offered me the pay rise I needed.

I stayed and stayed for another 2 years.

 

Have they directly replaced you at your old place or would the possibility be there that you could if you wanted to go back and slot back into the team?

We have had several people leave where I currently work and a few months or a year (or a few later) they are back in the fold again.

It's been lovely to see folk come back and at my place in the space of 8 years since I have worked there 9 folk who left have come back.

[Lovely Difficulties]

I'm just used to things moving a lot faster and the work being more engaging. To be honest, I feel like I've taken a step back, from managing assignments, being involved with high-level projects to something very administrative. My new job is much less stressful, as I was working a ton of hours at my last job. However, I felt much more integrated and involved at my last job, which was more polished and the talent was much stronger.

 

I honestly made this move for the money, as it was over 20,000 more in salary than my last job. So, if I did go back to my last job, I would be making less money. I left on good terms I could return if I ever wanted to go back, and I do know people who have departed and returned there. Probably had I been making what my current company had offered, I wouldn't have ever left. My previous company would've been able to get my salary up a little bit but unable to match what my new one was offering.

 

Any insight? Would it have been better to have stayed at my last job with less money? I'm starting to feel it may have.

[Lovely Difficulties]

The work at my new job is getting better, but I am continuing to feel "homesick" for my old job and sad about all of the things that I am missing out on where I was at previously. I just feel like I fit in better (culturally) there than where I am currently at. I feel like it was a bit too hasty of me to make this jump, and I got overly excited about the financial aspect of it as opposed to what the position really entailed. I keep daydreaming about my old job as opposed to what I am currently doing.. Honestly, I had some hesitations about leaving my previous position, and I wish I would've just stuck it out. At this point, I don't think I can go back because I haven't been at this new position nearly long enough. It would burn a bridge at my new position and my former colleagues might not feel as confident about me being there. I do wish I would've thought it over better because now I am just feeling a sense of regret.

[Wiff180]

It's a massive rise, a great opportunity. Whatever your love for your old job, it makes a lot of sense to take the new role. Loyalty is cheap at work, if they wanted you out, they'd not worry about you....so likewise you should have the same mindset about leaving your old company.

[Lovely Difficulties]

I am relatively early in my career and had a stable job with opportunities for growth / advancement. It was a work hard / play hard place and a great culture fit. The people I worked with felt like a family, and I was there for 2-years and had a lot of great friends there. However, I did feel I was underpaid for the amount of hours I was working. Perhaps I just got too greedy.

 

I wasn't actively looking to leave, but an opportunity developed with another company that offered me a 40% raise. I wavered back and forth on if I should stay or go, but decided to just give the new one a shot. I figured that trying something new could also help me build my career. I left on good terms at my old company, and they said if I wanted to come back someday, I could.

 

However, now that I am into my new job, I am starting to regret leaving what I had. I worry that I made a hasty jump without really thinking it through and got too excited about the raise. I didn't actually feel ready to leave my old job, but talked myself into it due to the pay, even though I had some hesitations about it. The work is fine and something I can handle, but also not nearly as challenging as my prior position. I also don't work with as many people my age nor have as many friends as I did at my prior company, and I am not managing as much. I worry that even though there was a salary bump, my responsibilities are less. I really miss the culture of what I had. I wish I could rewind time and stick it out at my prior company for a while longer. I know I'd still feel dissatisfied with my pay there, but it eventually would have gone up. I've been kind of depressed though because I've been missing it so much. I feel incredibly homesick for it, regret leaving and honestly wish I could rewind time and stay. I think there was something to be said about feeling so sad / reluctant to leave, and while I am at my new job, long to be at my old one. I feel like it might be too early to try and go back, and also would burn a bridge with my new company if I leave so soon.

 

Any advice on what to do from here?

Edited June 28, 2015 by sassiechik21

[Emilia]

Well you won't lose previous experience so stick with this for a while then start looking for a new job with this sort of pay but more potential. Don't go back to the old job. Colleagues aren't worth a 40% paycut

[pink_sugar]

While having the family friendly atmosphere is nice, it isn't everything. My workplace is sort of cliquey and I do enjoy my privacy to a certain extent. A lot of my coworkers are talking with upper management about their love life and it's definitely not something I would do. I like to stay somewhat professional at work. As much as I enjoy the closeness at work, I am very depressed about making such a crappy salary, though I do enjoy my work, the salary isn't enough for me to make it on my own and the work I do is worth a lot more. I have 4 years experience in my field and I know people who are getting entry level jobs making more than I do. I am sticking around for the experience until I get through grad school, but after that, I need to move on. Even if you stuck around at the last job, you might be miserable making so little for so long. Where I work now will never pay me a career wage. It's fine for a "get some experience while in school" wage, but it's definitely not sustainable long term if I want to own a decent car and a house and travel. I would put up with less close ties with people at work for an adequate wage. While my work is laid back, you just can't put a price on being able to be ahead financially instead of struggling.

[Eternal Sunshine]

You did the right thing. Homesickness feeling will pass, I can gurantee it.

 

Evaluate where you are about 6 months from now.

[Fugu]

The work at my new job is getting better, but I am continuing to feel "homesick" for my old job and sad about all of the things that I am missing out on where I was at previously. I just feel like I fit in better (culturally) there than where I am currently at. I feel like it was a bit too hasty of me to make this jump, and I got overly excited about the financial aspect of it as opposed to what the position really entailed. I keep daydreaming about my old job as opposed to what I am currently doing.. Honestly, I had some hesitations about leaving my previous position, and I wish I would've just stuck it out. At this point, I don't think I can go back because I haven't been at this new position nearly long enough. It would burn a bridge at my new position and my former colleagues might not feel as confident about me being there. I do wish I would've thought it over better because now I am just feeling a sense of regret.

 

I would stick it out, for all of the reasons you mentioned. It wouldn't be a career killer if you reversed course, but it might raise questions. Also, sometimes there's a tendency to believe that returning to a familiar place will be just as it was when you left. Yet the reality is that your old place of work is changing too. Who knows, it might change for the worse. There are no guarantees.

 

I think you actually made a logical decision in leaving the company. You moved for money, which is a good reason to leave. You will be more valuable in your next job - at least with some employers. Also, it's entirely possible that another job within the company you're now working opens up, and it could be an opportunity that you might like better.

 

It's okay to miss certain aspects of your old job, but you used your gray matter when you made this decision. It was the right choice. You can make other choices in the future. Nothing says you have to stay there forever. In the meantime, definitely keep open your lines of communication. Stay involved with your business community, chamber of commerce, LinkedIn etc.