Stay or go?

Fiyatoe

Sorry for reposting from another thread anyone who’s already read it! Was looking to hear the thoughts and advice of older more experienced heads on here.

in a bit of a dilemma and it’s tormenting me what to do. Risk vs reward I suppose

I’m at a bit of a crossroads.

I don’t know whether I’m mad or not with my next move. Or trying to be too ambitious, for what?

I earn mid 70s euros at present for a global construction consultancy providing cost management to the client ( a well known multinational FAANG) on data centres in EMEA.

I Work 100% remotely, no one goes into Dublin office, it’s now 2.5 hrs drive /train from me as I relocated during Covid from Dublin.

its very handy, I rarely do more than 9-5pm and my bosses / colleagues are sound out. Some days I might even disappear for an hour or two and do my own thing, as long as I get my work done and available for client calls no one really cares where I’m at. No travel abroad involved to the project in Europe, I look after assessing costs only from the contractor.

I’ve been in the role for 2 years now. my problem is I’m almost 29, and I feel I’m wasting away in the role, not learning anything and no pressure or responsibility. I have a fear I’ll become useless if I stay at it too long. I’m comfortable financially and own my own home with my partner. We’ve no children.

I loved the home working but I’m now finding it tough on the head. Stuck in the house all day every day, apart from going to the gym and a walk in my town I don’t meet anyone some days even virtually apart from my OH.

some people would bite my hand off for mid 70s salary at my age with no travel, I have tried to be grateful for that.

I decided enough was enough recently as I got stuck in a rut and got a bit down, and unmotivated by not having enough to do, despite asking for more work from my boss. I applied to a few roles recently. I wouldn’t go back to any office 5 days per week, but I think one or two would be beneficial.

A big 4 firm have offered me to move up to mid 80s base (10% increase) into their tax team concerning property and investment clients as a construction consultant, not an accountant.

There is a bonus which I’ve been told will bring it close to 6 figures, but it’s a senior manager role. I’ve never really managed people before, will only have 1 or 2 grads under me.

It’s a risk as it’s a new industry for me, away from QS’ing in construction. I’d be lying if I said I enjoy the construction industry or QS role, so I welcome the change. However I am not sure if I am getting into bed with the devil moving for money and a change, for what could be monster hours and pressure. I’ve asked around internally and they said the hours shouldn’t be more than 9-6 from someone in that department as it’s a specialist area and not auditing .

not sure how it will look on the CV if I decide to fall back into my previous role.

I will only have to travel into the Dublin office 1 day per week, maybe 2 the odd time which will be 2.5hrs train or car, a step up from 100% remote now. I could hate the travel again, usually a commute to an office over 30 mins is too much in my opinion.

70% of me is accepting this new offer and the remainder says stay where I am and move to a different area within the company, take life easy and not worry too much.

if I stayed where I am I’m going to take up a diploma in counselling therapy in evenings at night college and qualify as one to help people on the side with the view to doing that later when I’ve built up enough clients if it pays anywhere near as well as my current salary. I’ve did my research into it.

I could be jumping out of something quite boring and handy where I can take a day off and no one really bats an eyelid, to what could be a stressful manager role with a lot of eyes. I could be looking back in no time!

The longest I’ve stayed with a firm is 2 years so far, making this the longest stint.

if it wasn’t for the large money increase in this new role I probably wouldn’t move. I am just missing a bit of daily human interaction and colleague craic in the office at the moment. I’m a relationship based person I suppose.

billyhead

No point been unhappy in a job. A lot of people would envy your position but each to their own. Also it's worth noting the saying the grass isn't always greener.

Patsy167

You'll earn every penny you get in that big 4 job. If your main motivation is money, it won't end well.

My advice would be to look for fulfillment outside of your job - meetup groups, volunteering, travel, or sports teams.

Good on you OP, you're doing well for yourself and sound like you've a very level head.

Fiyatoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027521#Comment_119027521

Yes that’s what I’ve heard.

working for contractors in the past id never have gotten away with a 9-5, more like 8-7 on site. Hated it.

not sure if I’ve the energy to go back to a long hours job but I’ve been told a couple of years in a big 4 firm looks good, so maybe put the head down and work hard.

to be honest I would say a lot of it is luck and personality! Honestly! I’m not the most academic person ever, hated exams, only hold a bachelors degree. I get on well with people and I’ve done so many interviews over the years I’m very comfortable in them.

it really is luck, I’d say I applied to maybe 50/60 jobs over the last 3 months and I just struck lucky with one. Or unlucky! Time will tell.

Fiyatoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027304#Comment_119027304

Yep, after tax it’s probably only an extra 200 a month on the base salary to move. If I last the year I won’t see the bonus until next year so it’ll be a wait for it.

definitely wary of the grass not being greener just for money .

I just want to get out of construction and try something else, very toxic cut throat industry and I wouldn’t recommend to young people unless you’ve a thick skin

Degag

OP, when you say no one goes into the office in your current job, do you mean no one? Or do some people go in?

If some do you could go in one day a week to "meet people" similar to what you'd do in the new job.

Fulfilling your wish to get out and about a bit but keeping your comfortable number.

This is moot of course if you do want a new challenge.

Fiyatoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027827#Comment_119027827

None of my team or client account I suppose.

its a tough one, as much as I want to go in and meet people it’s a 2.5 hr travel each way. Which means leaving 6:30am to be in for 9am. And then worrying about leaving around 4.

there’s some people in on different floors. Just annoying when your boss or colleagues aren’t in so you can learn off of them and collaborate better

Did you not ask this in another thread about 2 weeks ago? You were told by several people who have worked in Big4 that it isban unrelenting slog and you will be worked hard.

You seem to value your free time. Say goodbye to that in Big4 at a senior role. And don't expect the office time in Dublin to be just 1 day, that can be changed at the drop of a hat. You could soon find yourself with 5 hours driving 2 or 3 days a week, on top of much longer hours than you're currently working.

Stay!

RainInSummer

Mid 80s base for what you describe as a senior management role? I'd be looking for triple that. Double for mid management in a big 4 company.

Fiyatoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027889#Comment_119027889

I asked the manager I’m going to be working under and he told me he rarely does more than 9-6

hes in a similar situation lives 2 hours away and goes in once. The 3 times I’ve had a video call with him he’s been at home.

I agree with you I’ve found it hard to believe cos of what everyone else says about big4.

I was honest and said if it was a slogging match and more than one day travel I wouldn’t last as I’d have zero interest in doing that just to climb the ladder.

Fiyatoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027922#Comment_119027922

As far as I understand, above senior manager 1, you have SM2, and then director, then partner, who is the head of the business unit you report to. A partner interviewed me.

I could be wrong there as I’m not from the financial industry.

I looked up glassdoor and asked around and the lowest Senior Manager wage was around €74K upwards, so it’s prob not bad.?

squigglestrebor

I wouldnt be overly bragging about a 75k role as a 28yr old , plenty on much more than that in Dublin , whats with the explaining that your arent the most academic?

Fiyatoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027964#Comment_119027964

I wasn’t bragging, sorry if I came across that way. I’m sure there are plenty on a lot lot more and fair play to them.

Was just trying to be honest and say there are probably people who would love to have a handy number for that money , maybe in lower skilled jobs and no qualifications.

id say most people in there 20s in this software development/engineer/data science space are making six figures easily. Well if you read any online forums that’s all you read about!

was just saying that I have went to do postgrads / certificates and further education a few times, but revising for exams and putting in time to sit studying is not and never has been a strength of mine.

i couldn’t wait to finish college and vowed I’d never study again unless it was something I was very interested in and passionate about.

Fiyatoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027964#Comment_119027964

The ones on that could be working very hard for their money though. I worked hard to get here, but apart from the odd intense deadline that last a week or two I’ve never seen past 9pm on the laptop in my life or before 8am.

Quadrivium

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119028043#Comment_119028043

It didn't come across as a brag in my reading of it, you had to mention the salary and age for context. It is a very good wage for a 29 year old in any industry.

Have you thought about looking into a different area of QS'ing? M&E, Civils? Have you thought about taking a step up in the QS career ladder, commercial manager, director etc? Maybe even think about setting up your own consultancy, you're young and have a lot of runway ahead of you in life so you can afford to take a chance, if it doesn't work out you can always slot back into a QS role with a consultancy or a contractor with ease as you already have a lot of experience.

My understanding of the big 4 firms based purely on third hand information is that they get their money's worth out of you. Unless there was a hugely significant difference in salary like from mid 70's to 100k, then it's probably not worth the risk, you don't even know if you'll like it any more than your current position.

Also, managing people is a different ball game. I have found the management of people to be far harder than understanding technical information, humans by nature are unpredictable, emotional etc. You could get lucky and get two great grads or you could get unlucky and get two grads who will increase your workload 10 fold, in a sector you yourself will be scrambling to get your head around.

There is huge demand for experienced QS's at the moment so maybe you could make a move to a different company and stipulate that you'd like to work in office for at least part of the week. You have many options available to you within construction which will build on the strengths you already have.

Fiyatoe

Thank you for that.

construction is what I’ve wanted to get out of for a long time, I don’t particularly like the industry and haven’t for a long time.

My current role is probably the one I’ve been ok about, definitely don’t hate it, it’s grand, remote working helped a lot as pre Covid being stuck in a construction office 5 days per week with dinosaurs and board room fist slammers almost drove me mad.

do you work in it yourself @Quadrivium ? I went to do the chartership recently and realised about half way through the prep I have absolutely no interest in doing it, and wondered why I was bothering at all.

Quadrivium

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119030024#Comment_119030024

I tried to pm you but your profile is private. I work in the trades and have general building experience. If you really hate the industry, as in you wake up every morning full of dread and depression and have done for a long time then I'd say get away from it. If however, you've just got into a rut then I'd say do a bit more research before jumping ship, the culture in the big 4 might not be as overtly aggressive as it is in construction but it's just as Machiavellian, if not more so. The type of culture in big corporate offices is one in which they will smile to your face whilst plotting your destruction, see you making mistakes and smirk at the thought of the consequences rather than trying to help you out or point you in the right direction, and that's just your department colleagues, superiors will claim your work as theirs and your ideas as theirs.

Every industry has it's pro's and con's, there's no such thing as 'finding your passion', make as much bank as you can and diversify with investments that will allow you to have financial freedom or security as soon as possible. It sounds like you are already half way up the ladder, you could be on 6 figures + within the next 5 years if you remain in construction, still young and with the ability to accumulate assets that will give you long term financial security.

Fiyatoe

@Quadrivium just took it off private now, didn’t even know it was on, I couldn’t seem to message you either.

thought about starting my own consultancy and pricing work for small contractors who do extensions / house Refurbs etc but I wouldn’t be a whole pile sure where to start if I was asked to do one and wouldn’t have the confidence, I could put the estimate together no prob for them if they knew the prices, never worked for a small company on jobs that size and wouldn’t be that familiar with prices of materials as all my jobs were large scale as in €5m+. We’d usually receive composite rates from subcontractors in their Boq.

thanks for the advice on big4. The only reason I am moving to them is for the change of industry and the money. I’ll be going from mid 70s to €100K including bonus, but the base is mid 80s, so I’m sceptical of that bonus tbh, might not ever see it if I don’t see 12 months.

if I stay where I am and ask for a raise up to 80s that could be a goer, but not in current role as it’s boring as hell. Basically a letterbox for one of the big technology / social media firms

I don’t hate the industry anymore since I moved client side to consultancy. It’s grand to be honest. Just feel like I’m not learning anything, and get away with doing too little WFH. I come from a Construction background, so I like getting out to site once a week or so to see the project.

A job you find easy and not overly taxing for 70k+ a year WFHing? Personally, I'd being staying put and taking up a hobby or something.

and get away with doing too little WFH

You make this sound like a bad thing.

Fiyatoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119032518#Comment_119032518

I know, at the minute I’m saying I’m bored, stuck in the house, not motivated, all that.

but on the flip side isn’t it great. From 4pm on most days I can essentially go to the gym early, do lots , just taking it for granted.

it’s the social interaction I crave, but my local area are opening up a small working hub soon so that should be good.

Xidu

You are joking? Working in big 4 for 7 years and managing 8 people my salary is 80k and 60k shares.

Xidu

Looks like the really motivation isn’t about career progress? If it is then you should move. Becoz once you get into managers door, you can move up higher in few years. But of course tougher work longer hours. Relationship w co-workers might sucks in the beginning or latter. As being a manager, there’s always someone in team don’t like you.

Fiyatoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119032696#Comment_119032696

80K base, and what does the shares mean? Is that not only if you’re a director ? I was only told about a bonus. And that It is in the 15-30% category.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119032717#Comment_119032717

what sort of hours do you do?

Xidu

My bonus was 12k last year.

so total package was 80k base, 12k bonus, 60k shares.

my working hours are crazy, sometimes weekends, public holidays that I will have to work if there’s emergency.

but daily work time is 8:30-5:30, sometimes con calls can last until 7pm.

so no way have 9-5hours job while wishing to own 100k

not what I know. All my friends who owns more than 100k package is working crazy hours.

Fiyatoe

Some package. I wouldn’t do those hours you do to be honest. Not for £200K.

done those sort of hours in Australia for big money once; fell into a state of depression and put on weight very quick. Different people are built for it I suppose

Fiyatoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119034168#Comment_119034168

PM’d you @Xidu

893bet

Worth noting alot of (perhaps all) of the direct pay rise will be soaked up by cost of commute.

Fiyatoe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119035603#Comment_119035603

Hiya; I’ll only have to go in once per week. That’s what my new boss does at the moment and he’s about 2hrs away.

train is £20 return or else drive, cost more on diesel.

if I have to go to a client project / offices a second day each week I can claim expenses

I wouldn’t commute 2.5hrs each way more than 2 days per week for any money.

JPup

Just FYI you might want to consider editing some of the detail out of your initial post if you are sensitive about being identified. I assume if your boss or anyone you work with was to read it they’d know it was you. If you decide to stay put it could make things awkward for you.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119028034#Comment_119028034

That’s what I read too, but I can tell you something for nothing, and I won’t go into it too much here, but I know somebody with decades experience in senior tech who sporadically struggles with debt, doesn’t own a house or drive a car. Many make out very well in small money, others flitter away apparently large money. But it also seems there isn’t always that huge earning power that people tend to speak of.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119032545#Comment_119032545

People underestimate the social interaction bit. Ok, some can be negative in an organisation where bullying is allowed to fester, but in a well managed environment there’s nothing like interacting face to face with other human beings. Whether you are introverted or extroverted, it matters not, we all need to have some presence of fellow humans passing our way, if even to wave over to and occasionally share a quick anecdote. Connecting the entirety of our working time through a screen just isn’t as fulfilling.