[Finance] What is the best or worst career decision you've ever made?

[scooter1]

Worst, not buying the flat next door when I was 20 and it was on the market for 18 grand. I could happily now own a property portfolio, if I’d known then what I know now
Best, keeping on good terms with all my previous employers. If the current job goes tits up, I know I can knock on a door and potentially not have to have an awkward conversation

 

[dazzer6666]

Best & worst were at the same time:

Leaving a horrible wanky American Corporation in 2008 and setting up my own Company (doing the same work without the corporate bullshit) shortly after.

Retiring shortly so that may be the best decision yet!

It will be

 

[Whoislloydy]

Straight out of college I landed a job for O2 Media in London, I was a Campaign Executive on the team that launched the Priority Moments app. I got the job through a family friend who was the MD of European sales.

Left after 18 months to go travelling, I still wonder where i could be now if i'd stuck it out.

On the flip side, i'm now a Project Manager in Commercial Construction. Recently handed my notice in to accept a job with our biggest competitor. It's a small pay cut, but a much better company structure where I won't work anywhere near the hours i do at the moment.

 

[Pevenseagull]

Worst decision, taking voluntary redundancy from a big firm and going self employed. Started OK but after a couple of months started to get lots of health issues which reached a head with a late diagnosis of cystic fibrosis. I had intended to take out permanent health insurance but didn't have a full years accounts to base the benefit on before I was revealed to be uninsurable. Now absolutely shot to pieces, unable to do any meaningful work as my health is too unpredictable. If I'd stayed with the firm there's every chance that I would be receiving a decent.percentage of my salary. Oh well.

Best decision ... none.

 

[Kneon Light]

Worst: Leaving a teaching job I liked for a higher paid post in another school. Hated every minute for 3 years.
Best: Leaving teaching and moving to Falklands to work in conservation. Literally look forward to work every day. (20k pay cut worth it for my sanity!)

 

[Weststander]

Worst: Leaving a teaching job I liked for a higher paid post in another school. Hated every minute for 3 years.
Best: Leaving teaching and moving to Falklands to work in conservation. Literally look forward to work every day. (20k pay cut worth it for my sanity!)

Wow, that’s amazing

Far from the madding crowd, the fresh air, you must be stress free.

 

[zefarelly]

Most of my difficult situations have been made by other people, ie redundancy. It happened 4 times in the 90's, quite often a step down to get back on the ladder.

Best decision I made was going back to work Nov '19 after 12 years running my own business. Also as Scooter1 Says, don't burn Bridges. I've been in my new ( brilliant) job just over 6 months. . . .one of my colleagues was at Sturtevant back in '88-94.

 

[Mexican Seagull]

Taking a big leap and moving to Mexico to start a greenfield reinsurance operation and then the peso crashed from 3 to 6 to the dollar (dec 1994), business plans in the bin and got here thinking what on earth will I do - 28 years later and after many challenges best decision I ever made - we all get opportunities along the way whether we take them or not we live by the consequences for good & bad.

 

[Eeyore]

My best was in 2000.

Offered a department by my company. I agreed, but asked for a clause in my contract that allowed me to return to my old job if I decided I didn't want to continue. Terms agreed.

It was announced that the company was splitting into two separate entities. The new company I was being moved to I thought wouldn't survive. I didn't like the new CEO or his attitude to business. He didn't like me. I knew he would make me redundant and put his own man in.

I went home, checked the clause, and had four days to exercise it. Went in the next day and the other group welcomed me back.

The company I would have worked for collapsed a few months later owing tens of thousands of pounds.

I stayed with my original company for 15 more years.

Worst:

I left a job more recent to take six months out and discover life. I warned myself it wasn't a good idea and my depression would come back. I was right. I ended up out of work for two years and it cost me thousands. It ended well though. My old organisation called me and asked if I fancied a three month contract to look after some work while someone was away. I'm still there 18 months later and now full time again.

 

[Gwylan]

Worst was taking voluntary redundancy and setting up on my own. It's been a long slog: I've worked stupid hours and, adding it up, earned less than the minimum wage.

I also regret the time I went into business with a partner, who siphoned off all the profits on high-class hookers - spent a fortune on lawyers and accountants, winding up the business.

 

[Kneon Light]

Wow, that’s amazing

Far from the madding crowd, the fresh air, you must be stress free.

I have absolutely zero stress at all. Teaching in the UK I was stressed all the time and always snappy.
Here my boss has called me the most laid back person she's ever seen. I feel like a different person!

 

[anygivensunday]

Similar along the teaching lines. Moved from Medway to Singapore to work in an International school for 20 hours a week at triple the salary I was on in the UK. Weather/lifestyle/pay just doesn't compare.
I understand it is difficult for many people but I would urge anyone who is teaching to strongly consider moving abroad for your own sanity. A sad indictment of the UK education system to be honest.

 

[clapham_gull]

Not taking redundancy offered at a ridiculous amount after the company offered it voluntarily in a downturn after numerous acquisitions who had varying contract terms.

They decided to offer it to everyone in the "most generous" scenario which had no upper limit.

Too many people took it and I saw numerous people take the money and return on better freelance terms soon after.

I ended up going back to University in the evenings to do a Masters and soon after got a new job.

Basically, I should have taken the cash and studied without needing to work during the day.

If I'd got a part time job for a couple of years, even stacking shelves i'd have been better off and far less tired.

 

[Robinjakarta]

Similar along the teaching lines. Moved from Medway to Singapore to work in an International school for 20 hours a week at triple the salary I was on in the UK. Weather/lifestyle/pay just doesn't compare.
I understand it is difficult for many people but I would urge anyone who is teaching to strongly consider moving abroad for your own sanity. A sad indictment of the UK education system to be honest.

Also similar. Got out of a dead end job in Thatcher's DHSS in 1987 and into teaching English in Turkey. Worked up to freelance teacher trainer via Bangkok to Jakarta and never looked back with work I love doing and travel opportunities that have included Singapore, Japan, Vietnam, South Africa, Ireland and many more.

 

[pasty]

Left a company for a direct competitor for £10K a year more and a shorter commute.

Sadly new company were completely shite and I was pretty much lied to during the interview about the role.

Stuck it out for a year before crawling back to original company with my tail between my legs. Fortunately I’d not burnt any bridges and they took me back with open arms.

Grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

 

[DJ NOBO]

Best - choosing a career path based on what i would find fun rather than salary.
Worst - choosing a career path based on what i would find fun rather than salary.

 

[zefarelly]

Worst was taking voluntary redundancy and setting up on my own. It's been a long slog: I've worked stupid hours and, adding it up, earned less than the minimum wage.

I also regret the time I went into business with a partner, who siphoned off all the profits on high-class hookers - spent a fortune on lawyers and accountants, winding up the business.

Not just me then . . . I worked like a trojan for f*** all. If people can take the piss they will. Far too easy to be too nice being self employed.

 

[Lenny Rider]

Best, going out on my own in 2004, the caveat to that however, is self employment is a completely different ball game, lots of pressure, which has had created its own issues, that said 19 years later, got a well respected company, with 15 full time staff and my son working with me as the future of the company.

Worst, let a relationship break up influence my thinking re a job I had in the City of London in my late teens, nothing lasts forever and everything happens for a reason, but I took a wrong turn for about 18 months in 1985.

Saw the ‘lady’ in question years later at Worthing Hospital, we all age obviously, but clearly she wasn’t worth all the upheaval.

 

[zefarelly]

Left a company for a direct competitor for £10K a year more and a shorter commute.

Sadly new company were completely shite and I was pretty much lied to during the interview about the role.

Stuck it out for a year before crawling back to original company with my tail between my legs. Fortunately I’d not burnt any bridges and they took me back with open arms.

Grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

That sounds familiar, I was lied to at interview once, went round my boss eventually to get the money I was promised, he never liked me after that.

The icing on my cake was a bigger pay rise than originally 'promised'.

Lesson . . .get it in writing.

 

[Frutos]

In 2017 I left my job and moved to the other end of the country to move in with my partner, while jobhunting in my new area.

I ended up with a temporary role in a sector I'd never have imagined myself working in, but found that I loved it. The temporary role was made permanent, I've since been promoted twice and am in the midst of applying for a third.

I still love the work, and have a career path which should see me through the rest of my working life, as well as being better paid and less stressed than my previous jobs.

Oh, and my partner and I are now happily married, so it all worked ou!