Could you leave a high paying job that you hate for a low payig passion?

[eliza61]

Hypothetical question (well maybe not so much)

I absolutely hate my job and before it was tolerable but now I've got a boss who micromanages every thing so I can't even do my job. The only thing keeping me there is I've been blessed with one that comes along with a good salary (75K+) even during the recession. I do like my co workers and we've worked together as a small group for the last 17 years.

Lately though I've been thinking about persuing my passion for baking. I've gone to the local Culinary institute got information on culinary degrees but in my researching I'm finding that chef's don't make a lot of money, at least not initially.

I'm 50 so we've already have a house (still have 7 years on the mortgage) and cars (1 note, 2 paid for) I do have 2 kids, 1 already in college and one a junior in H.S.

Could you take a 2/3 pay cut in salary?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Have you ever worked in a commercial kitchen? Working in a kitchen can be micromanaging and oppressive bosses to the nth degree.

I have only work in the school cafeteria however there is alot of pressure to be fast...and you have to be fast. Do you watch Top Chef, Hell's Kitchen? You are always under pressure to serve your food quickly, that never changes.

My SIL brother was a chef. That was his life, not married, no kids.

Bottom line changing your direction in life needs to be about your passion and dedication and not about the boss du jour who has you under a microscope.

I will add I would not do it unless my kids college was set. Also the whole insurance thing is dicey. For me that would be a deal breaker to go all out at your point in life.

 

[LuvOrlando]

When I was going through the decision of whether or not to keep working I sat down and created a detailed spreadsheet of ALL of our expenses at the time projecting out 3 years.

This included:
Mortgage payments
Property taxes (buffer for increases)
Appliance replacement buffer
Household projects
Car loans, including projections on when we would need replacements.
ALL Debt
Utilities
Clothing
Holiday expenses
Vacations
Medicines & Dr's visits
In your case maybe tuition for your DD, or $ to help out


On paper we were ok so I did it and have never regretted the decision, but a word of caution. In our case, once the kids came along our spending way outpaced anything I had projected BUT, my DH was younger then and fortunately, his carer offered incremental increases in salary. I wouldn't bank on leaps in salary as your DH approaches retirement, but on the other hand, you are more experienced than I was when I did it so probably less likely to make miscalculations.

So in answer to your question, on a philosophical level I see nothing wrong with taking the pay cut for happiness. My DH left a lucrative job when our DS was born to work locally so he wouldn't miss all the good stuff and it was worth it (he went back to a REAL position 5 years ago). BUT, and its a big but, there is stuff you will HAVE to give up and that isn't always as easy to do for everyone in the household as you might think. Also, if you walk away so close to retirement getting another equivalent job might not be easy to do if it doesn't work out. Experience is valuable when you are in one place because you're familiarity reduces the likelihood of error and thereby reduces cost but when you are competition for a totally new job with college kids who will ask for less money they get an edge because they are cheaper.

Good luck with whatever you do

 

[manning]

Some of the most successful people have said that the reason for their success was doing what they love to do.

If you love what you do it will show in your work.

What I would do first if this is your path is to clear up all your debt and live within your means.

I never had debt. When I worked I was paid the same as my fellow workers, but there was a difference. They lived in the world of credit card debt, buying on credit and paying interest. I on the other hand paid cash and instead of paying credit was putting 16% of my pay into savings. With 401-k match of 5% that was 21% savings.

I didn't start a business but have one heck of a retirement.

I only mention this to show what can be done. If you can become debt free and live within your means you may have a good shot at doing what you love to do. If you can weather the lean years you may have a lot of good enjoyable years. Just don't over reach and don't borrow to go into business. Cash flow is important and if you have to pay interest on a debt that takes away from cash flow. One big reason businesses fail.

That last bit of advice is from Dave Ramsey. Don't borrow to go into business.

Matter of fact if you have Fox Business he os on there every night M-F.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

In a general sense:

It would depend on how dependent upon that salary I was/we were.

If money was not an issue, then yes, I would.

If it was, then no, I would not.

It's hard to imagine the stressors that come along with financial difficulties combined with not enjoying a new career after all the time and money put into obtaining it. They may well be worse than the job stress you feel right now.

Culinary specific:

What you have heard about Culinary grads is true. Positions via the schools pay very little, as do those for people with little experience in the field (look at pay scales in job ads).

And the work of a culinary professional can be, literally, back breaking. Baking, especially. Bags of flour come in 100lbs in commercial bakeries, and you need to be able to lift many of them per day, dump them in the mixers and lift the doughs when they're done, as well as move hot racks around, rotate supplies, work with extremes of temperatures, etc. (This summer one of the bakeries I know was 110 degrees out back with the ovens on. ) Bosses aren't generally happy when you ruin $3000 worth of product by leaving it in the oven too long. And you aren't too happy when someone calls in sick and you have to do everything by yourself that day. These are just some of the realities that you don't realize going into it if you haven't worked in the field before.

Food for thought when feeling stress on your current job. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Pin Wizard]

I will GLADLY take your high paying, hated job!!

 

[smiley]

Been there, done that. I had a job that paid very well, but stressed me out to no end. After calculating that it would work out financially and discussing it with my dh, I quit.

Initially I was a stay at home mom, but when my son entered high school I went back and earned a degree in biology. We graduated on the same weekend, he from H.S. me from college.

I am now an assistant field biologist and LOVE it!!! The pay is not very good, but my definition of being successful is being happy and I'm truly HAPPY with my decision.

If you can work it out financially, go for it. I'd take bets that you will not regret your choice one bit.

 

[SydSim]

I can feel your pain. Maybe pursuing the cooking on the side would make you feel so much better, that you could start to tolerate your other job better. Not that this is you, but I always feel that the most miserable people on my job don't have any outside interests or hobbies. The crap that is annoying on my job doesn't stick to me cause I have so many other things that I'm passionate about outside of my job.

I'm a nurse and work part-time at a hospital, but my passion is in the arts.
So, my other part-time job is as a nurse IN the arts. (and on that job, I make the same amount of money in 3 hours as I do in 8 hours at the hospital - and less stress!)

And you never know, that cooking passion could lead to a career that does make more money than your old profession (say, owning your own catering business or being the personal chef for a billionaire!)

 

[wdwfan16]

Hypothetical question (well maybe not so much)

I absolutely hate my job and before it was tolerable but now I've got a boss who micromanages every thing so I can't even do my job. The only thing keeping me there is I've been blessed with one that comes along with a good salary (75K+) even during the recession. I do like my co workers and we've worked together as a small group for the last 17 years.

Lately though I've been thinking about persuing my passion for baking. I've gone to the local Culinary institute got information on culinary degrees but in my researching I'm finding that chef's don't make a lot of money, at least not initially.

I'm 50 so we've already have a house (still have 7 years on the mortgage) and cars (1 note, 2 paid for) I do have 2 kids, 1 already in college and one a junior in H.S.

Could you take a 2/3 pay cut in salary?

Do you know how many hours a chef's work? Do you know the hours they keep?

We have many chef's in our family and after a few years all are doing other jobs. The degree got them into the next step, but they paid with long hours at a very low pay. They had to move around before they landed these jobs.

This does not sound like a job that I would start at 50 with an almost paid-off home, a family who is well established and you having a high paying job. Bosses come and go and like a PP states, working in a kitchen is not an easy environment.

 

[bigbabyblues]

My DH did it. He went for being an engineer (10 years) to a paramedic.....a little over 1/3 the salary. He loves his job.

Not sure if that will help at all, but best of luck in making a decision!

 

[Tink888]

Hypothetical question (well maybe not so much)

I absolutely hate my job and before it was tolerable but now I've got a boss who micromanages every thing so I can't even do my job. The only thing keeping me there is I've been blessed with one that comes along with a good salary (75K+) even during the recession. I do like my co workers and we've worked together as a small group for the last 17 years.

Lately though I've been thinking about persuing my passion for baking. I've gone to the local Culinary institute got information on culinary degrees but in my researching I'm finding that chef's don't make a lot of money, at least not initially.

I'm 50 so we've already have a house (still have 7 years on the mortgage) and cars (1 note, 2 paid for) I do have 2 kids, 1 already in college and one a junior in H.S.

Could you take a 2/3 pay cut in salary?

If I could afford to financially, absolutely I would take a pay cut to do something that I loved.

 

[BelleWDW]

I did it. BUT-my kids were out of college.

Did not have a a high paying job-went from $35k a year to $20K-but my DH makes a lot $$, so my income was really never part of paying the bills.

Like others said, my creative fun job ended up not being "fun" all the time, and now I am part time in my former passion.

I am now going back into the Arts and have no hope of making hardly any $$ in that -but love it

 

[Hillbeans]

I quit my high paying job that I didn't like in August of 2007 - my DH was promoted at work and I had wanted to be home more with the kids and maybe work PT. I ended up finding out that I was not made to be a SAHM and have worked temp and odd jobs since.

I am starting school this week (Nursing assistant) and hope that I find that I love nursing. I never felt I was suited at all for a desk 9-5 job. With that being said, I often kick myself knowing I quit my $35 an hour job to make a lot less. Sometimes I think I should have stuck it out but I know i'd still be hating it. It's a tough call but I do hope I find a passion/career instead of just a job I hate.

Good luck OP

 

[monkey68]

I don't think that I could unless I had a "sure thing" already lined up. Plenty of people love baking, but how many of them make money from it? It's nice to think that just because you have a passion for something, you'll be successful, but I don't know how true that is. My cousin has a passion for hockey, he loves it, breathes it, is at the rink every day always trying to get better. Will he ever make any money from it? Doubtful. He's 19, and no professional teams have shown any interest in him.

I think to be successful requires a lot more than a passion, you need some natural talent, and a whole lot of luck. Is there no reason you can't just be involved in baking on the side? And then, see where it takes you. But no way would I be able to give up a steady job for something unknown, especially in the situation you're in.

 

[Acklander]

I a heartbeat. this is you're only life, you spend half your life at work, you better be doing something you enjoy. There are no do overs.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

If I could afford to financially, absolutely I would take a pay cut to do something that I loved.

I a heartbeat. this is you're only life, you spend half your life at work, you better be doing something you enjoy. There are no do overs.

What they said.

As for your kids college... that's what student loans are for. Don't hate your job just to pay for your kids to possibly love theirs.

 

[eliza61]

Thanks everyone. some great tips that I'm going to work on, especially picking up some hobbies that I let drop when the kiddies were little.

A little more information
I have some experience in the restaurant business as my uncle owned a soul food restaurant in NYC when I was young. Every kid in my family spent summers and after school working in the restaurant. That's how the food bug first hit.

I'm not planning on quitting out right (it would take me 2 years to complete the course work part time) but the stress of the job is getting more and more and unfortunately I seem to be bringing it home.

I guess I'm a little envious of folks who say they love their job. I know every job has it's bad days, weeks and months but the thought of me spending the next 10 years being miserable every day leaves me in tears and I'm petrified that Ill wake up at 60 saying I wasted 10 years of my life.

thanks again for the encouraging words, they really do help.

 

[darlak]

I'm not sure I could at this point in your life, with one in college and 1 heading that way in a few years. How long will it take to get your degree in Culinary Arts? Maybe you could start school part time now, and that would bring a bit more joy into your life. It should also be easier to afford now with your higher salary.

By the time you get your degree, you should at least have one child out of college and could reassess your family's abilty to survive the pay cut. Unless you have a college fund already in place for both of them. Then I say go for it now.

I did leave a much higher paying position with the state to go to work for the county, but I stayed in my same field. The salary difference wasn't as much as you're considering though. I went into my field with youthful dreams of making a difference in children's lives and found that I rarely felt I was making anything better and sometimes was even part of the system that made it worse. So personally, I've never regretted making the change.

 

[Snowysmom]

It is really tough when you hate your job. But, with one child in college and another one going, it may be best to keep it until the youngest is mostly through college. I know what you are saying as I left a part time library job that I loved to take a full time higher paying job because both kids are in school, one in grad school and one in undergrad. I really don't like my job and want to go back to library work. I do know I am lucky to have a full time job. I have a count down to 3 years when I can leave my current job and go back to library work. DH supports me in this so on a really bad day, we count down together! It keeps me sane.

It looks like it will take you some time to finish your culinary course work so maybe when you are done, you can reassess your situation to see if it is a good time to make the leap. Best of luck whatever you decide.

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

If I were in your position, I would.