Career progression and clubbing

i wouldn't mind making that amount now...

Money is necessary, but should not be the main/only reason to take a particular position - if management isn't for you then it may not be a good move to be doing something you may not like or be a good fit for you and it may affect your quality of life - perhaps down the line you may be more ready for a management position.

Perhaps you can look into a side biz that is a good fit for you or maybe some side freelance work.

Listen to Papi Chulo

Plus, you’re already making a very high salary and your wife works

I'm with justme62.

I went the management route, maximizing my income. I saved a high percent of my salary and was able to retire at a very young age. Since then, the strong stock market has put me in great shape financially.

Just another possibility.

In 2010 dollars, $75,000 was the number where one study showed day-to-day happiness plateauing:

lifehacker.com

Then another study rated it at around $160k:

huffingtonpost.com

Some of the best times in my life have been when I was the poorest, just because of having people around that I enjoyed connecting with. It was more of an intrinsic thing, appreciating everything for what it was rather than being a douchie income-based ego trip.

Consider that you would have to sit in meetings all day with a bunch of managers playing politics and posturing and be held responsible for the results of some asshole who lied on his resume. That could impact your overall happiness apart from the income factor. Likewise, if your effective hourly pay while working more hours is lower, it could suck enjoyment out of life.

As a career, management looks to me like being in politics, where your fate can be determined as much by allegiance as performance. On the other hand, I have heard finding jobs as an old guy working in IT can be more difficult than in management.

Take side contracts. IT covers a wide range of topics. Can you be more specific ?

If your in IT learning to program shouldn't be a big leap. And there are plenty of jobs well over $100k.

I’ve seen surveys where people claim they could be happy if they made 20% more than they currently make. That’s true no matter what their current income level is.

I’ve also seen research into international economies showing that its difficulty to be happy unless you are making $15,000 to $20,000, meeting basic needs in developing countries. Beyond that, happiness is mostly based on how you look at life.

I was thinking along the same lines as @K. If your wife is pulling in good health insurance for both of you, start a consulting career.

Ppwh, it's similar for me as well. I remember better the various razzing, joking, and horseplay of co-workers at $4 to $9 per hour jobs than what I encounter in cubicle land.

They say happiness caps out at 70k, and beyond that, the increase in happiness doesn’t correlate w income. Can you downsize, and simplify, instead?

I'm in the opposite position. My yearly salary is $95,000. A title/responsibility/management increase I am suppose to get come January 1st should, in theory, get me to between $120,000 and $125,000. Not sure how more money doesn't bring happiness. I'm already saving 12% of my income for my 401K. That percentage will not change with the raise, but the left over money will allow me to take an extra overseas vacation every year and visit the SC more often.

If one enjoys their job and is good at it then extra hours and responsibility is not as big a deal and worth it for the extra pay

i.e. if one's job is a big source of stress then the extra $$$ may not be worth the extra stress from the extra hours/responsibility

Often one can get promoted out of their job - e.g. football assistant coaches that thrive as assistants but fail miserably as head-coaches

Papi,

You are absolutely right about the stress. IT management is stressful job and lot of politics involved .

I agree with Mark94.

SJG

Consider Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Money satisfies basic needs, like shelter, food, and basic health care, but after those needs are met, the higher needs are more difficult to satisfy with money. Ppl try to expand their basic needs instead, like getting a bigger house, and throwing money at problems that are created by a higher stress. What they really need is to take time to work out, have a hobby, and spend time w family and friends, etc. Ofcourse, that might not apply if your hobby is sleeping w strippers.

I entered my profession at age 22. After one year I felt I could do a better job than my boss was doing. It took 5 years of experience before I moved into a low level management position, I enjoyed it, and felt I could do a better job than my boss was doing. Those who have mentioned a "fit" for you are spot on.

i'm impressed that some have found purpose and satisfying life. i'm still looking.

I banked a good bit in 20yrs of heavy hitting IT work, then made a change 11 years ago that still has me working with what I love, but in a way that got me off the road and away from the long hours so that I could be more involved with my kids growing up.

Now that they are both in college, I'm thinking about going back to something a little more high powered and/or requiring travel (so I can go back to visiting clubs in other places). Although, if I stick with this for 9 years I'd have a 2nd pension coming and all the young tax payers could fund my old age clubbing and sex romps.

Move into PM.

Buy Bitcoin

Money never made me happy or unhappy. I used it as a tool it certainly can eliminate a lot of unhappiness but money alone is neutral how you feel is more important.

Depending on where you live, $110,000 can be a comfortable salary. Since you are a contract consultant, I’m guessing you use your wife’s benefits. That seems to be a good arrangement.

Here’s my suggestion. While you are still working - use a long weekend - and do some soul searching. It’s not easy - but it’s best done while you have a job. If you are at an emotional crossroads - you should decide what will satisfy you going forward.

I was downsized last spring - and I didn’t do any soul searching. I jumped right back in - and was working a month after being released. I don’t recommend jumping back like I did (for your emotional health).

Age is important - and so is family - so moving up in management can be more hours - and stress from several additional areas. It might not be worth the marginal increase in salary.

I’m thinking of working for a few more years, and then retiring, so I’m ok without jumping up in salary or level.

Worker and low level supervision for 14 years and upper management for 10+ years. More money is good but the other posters are correct when you have to wade through the morass of politics and nonesense the position brings. I was lucky and got involved in a great start up company so there was not any deadwood or old school crap going on but its probably starting to creep in. Now. Was it worth it for me, yes and I have enjoyed my job with good staff.

I would ask yourself these questions if you are considering the move up...

1. Do I enjoy the Company and would like to work for my future boss (s)
2. Do I enjoy and am I good working with people. Am I comfortable hiring, evaluating, and terminating staff.
3. Do I have a high tolerance for checking my own opinion and properly executing management/executive orders. i.e. Dont say if I were in charge I would...
4. Can I work with other managers and find ways to work together even if we may disagree. i.e. Dont call him a dumb fk.
5. Can I make important decisions when they can carry significant risk. i.e. Am I decisive or am I too scared of screwing up.
6. Probably most important...Is this going to make me happy or am I just gonna be miserable for whatever reason. More $$$ for misery is not a good life plan and you will probably flame out at some point.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with not being interested in moving up the chain. Its not for most people which is totally ok. If I diddnt have such a good experience in my Company I might just have stayed a happy worker.

I might have had more time to research Bitcoin 10 years ago and have had retired by now, you never know...

Be honest with yourself and do whatever is most likely to make you happy. Only you can answer that question.

I got a Senior Management gig after 13 years of front line IT work. It's a tough transition. Looking at employees knowing you could write a better script or solve a specific problem but not having time to do those things because meetings meetings meetings.

I don't enjoy it, but I'm younger (late 30's) and still single. Hoping to make vendor contacts and network my way into eventually starting my own consulting gig.

We are like fish.... we grow to the size of our tank. People making 50k a year seem to be just as happy as those making 500k a year. Happiness is not about how many zeroes are on the end of your paycheck. I crossed 100k when I was 29, I'm 48 now and have never looked back. Trust me on this though, if your priorities are not in order you can make a shit load and still be miserable

There is no need to leave a good job. There are many side jobs in IT. Programming , SQL monkey, small network installs.

@daddilac true fucking story bro

I'm in a very similar position career wise. This thread is somewhat helpful.

The "progression" may become "regression" if it's not a good fit