I made a change and my world is better for it!

All,

This post is purely my attempt at highlighting the options open to employees accross many industries through these challenging times. It is in no way me attempting to gloat or sing my own praises. Let me explain.

I had 4 years experience working for Accenture. I knoew almost immediately that this wasn;t the company for me as the culture and values didn't fit with me personally. To ensure an unbiased view, although the fit wasn;t for me with Acn I know that I benefit in many ways from my time there. I learnt a great deal of how projects are managed and structured, I also developed my softer skills in communication, presentation etc. All in all, although leaving was absolutely the right choice for me, I wouldn't slag off the firm, I would simply say that it is not for everyone.

Anyway, back to the point. I left via a VR round and although I had nothing lined up, I saw it as an opportunity to go and experience another industry/culture/role that might fit me better. I had accepted that I would have to take a pay cut and adjust my targets for the next few years (financially) but still felt I needed out. I have been unemployed for just over a month and was feeling pretty low about the job prospects as seemed to be getting a lot of rejections from positions which I felt were "punching below my weight". Perhaps this was arrogance but it was a strain. I used my network as best I could and leveraged an interview with a firm in the energy sector. I secured a position wit the new firm today and have to say to my surprise, the package is slightly higher than it was with Acn. I have left consulting so this surprised me. It appears that the salary increases over the next 5 years will be lower than they would have been with Accenture though, but this isn't really a significant factor for me.

I will now start a position in an industry where I will get home by 5:30 every day, with a salary that is perfectly acceptable and get to experience a new sector. If it doesn;t work out I will take it as an extra string to my bow and move on.

The point of this waffle is to try and shed some positivity on a work economy that seems to be surrounded by negative news. we can't watch the news or read a paper without doom and gloom at the moment, so I hoped to give a real example of what I hope is a success story.

I think I will be happier, I know my salary in 10 years will be lower than it would have been but I also know I will almost never work more than a 40 hour week which for me (family time) is a huge priority.

So, point of message - it's not all doom and gloom, keep your head down and if you are unhappy in your position, there are options out there. Although it is harder it is still possible to make a change and redundancy is not the end of the world. For your reference I think I applied for 80 positions with various agents etc and only secured 2 interviews, one of which was successful.

It's hard but doable! Good luck to you all and specifically to the Restell family in this challenging time for them!

Good for you - congrats on the new job and thanks for sharing your story with us.

If others in a similar situation were less attracted by the salaries, and more interested in enjoying their time to spend it (as well as keeping their integrity), I suspect the MC industry would look very different to where it is nowadays....

wait till you have a couple of kids and have to pay private school fees (unless you want to take a chance of them becoming chavs).

It's all about money and where you earn it the most in the long run, yet sustaining your short term goals.

Look at the bigger picture.

Yawn - that's only your view. I agree with the guy above, if you want decent money (perhaps not amazing money but still decent) as well as a good work life balance then you've made the right choice. As for schools, that's exceptionally naive to think you can't send kids to private school on an industry wage, unless your thread was a joke it sounds as though you're a bit deluded and probably very arrogant.

Wow how insecure are you? So your kids will turn into chavs just because the go to a state school?

Wasn't going to comment but feel compelled to!

Yawn - Your post is ridiculous. Surely you accept that education (specifically secondary school) is as much about personal development for our children as it is about academic development.

I would personally much rather my children develop into well rounded, decent individuals who have virtues such as acceptance of other cultures, of people from a different "social" class, and of other peoples views. A child is much more likely to experience the "real" world and be street smart from attending a state school.

Oh and for the record, I was privately educated and regardless of my financial position in the future, will always send my children to a good state school. I accept this is just my view but wanted to hopefully point out the inaccuracy of your statement about - becoming a chav if not at private school!

Ummm...Bravo!!!

I agree with middle cat. At many private schools (especially the expensive ones) pupils are extremely arrogant; have an unrealistic sense of entitlement; and have a very narrow world view. I don't value these attitudes and would not want my children to grow up with them.

If there is one thing I hate more than chavs it is people who look down on chavs.

They are also drilled to have high expectations and ambitions. Whilst this is not always a bad thing it means they are never happy.

last two posts have restored my faith in humanity. well done chaps. To the (probably) well messed up 'chav hater' I suggest he reads the two following books :-

Affluenza by Oliver James &

Status Anxiety by Alain de Botton

I live in quite a nice area with lots of professional parents at my kids primary School. A minority of these are, in my mind, little more than child abusers. They are desperate for their kids to succeed academically. They push them way to hard. The most important thing a child, or an adult can possess is Emotional Intelligence. Everything else is a luxury.

Agree completely, what great insights into what it's all in aid of

Sorry to take the p cos I know exactly what you mean and agree entirely. But I laughed out loud at the unintentional double meaning.

"Lots of professional parents at my child's primary school". Must be a fantastic school, can just imagine them all sitting there with their Blackberries, trying to colour in :-)

Yawn, you say "It's all about money...". Is that not the ultimate Chav mantra? If that is an example of the values you teach at home then even if you send your kids to Eton, Harrow et al they will turn out to be Chavs anyway. Admittedly they may be well spoken, expensively educated, academically qualified and so on, but Chavs nonetheless in the sense of being morally, emotionally and culturally desolate members of society.

well not exactly I thought "chav" meant council housed and violent

Plenty of millionaire chavs around - it's a frame of mind.

I think Selfridge's is the ultimate chav store.

Exactly my point Cakewalk, I think Alasdair must be a junior process mapper at PA to have missed the point so entirely.