I am hoping to tap the insights of those of you with a little bit more life experience. Some info about me: 28M, single and working in tech in the US
I like the place and people I work with. I have a stellar reputation that I’ve built around the workplace and I interface with people in the highest levels at the company since my role is customer service oriented. I’ve worked here for nearly 5 years which is unheard of in technology but again, this is the best gig I’ve had to date and it’s suited my work/life balance goals well. However, I’ve stagnated professionally in my role. The job is no longer very stimulating and while this **may** change, I’m not working with the newest tech out there and there are no solid guarantees to a promotion or even an opportunity to a lateral role that has opportunities for more growth. I get the impression that I’ve done the job so well that I’m pigeonholed into doing this. Nothing about the job in particular excites me. I don’t hate it and it puts food on the table and leaves extra money for my passions but that’s about it. Given that this is an employee market right now, I recently followed up with a reputable contract company that reached out to me. They have a contract with a regional employer who is looking to leverage some new tech for training that I happen to have hobbyist experience with. Additionally, nearly all of my current skillset is transferable and though I’ve yet to have an interview (slated for next week), I am getting a good feeling about the role being extended to me.
A week or two ago, I told my mom I’d take this role without hesitation. However, I thought this lead fizzled out and as recently as last night, I peacefully resigned myself to staying at my current workplace since I am fairly paid and the above reasons. Practically speaking, next year I will get an additional week of PTO. I have health benefits that are dirt cheap and comprehensive. I have a 401k that continues to balloon.
On the other hand, there’s the new role that pays more (not the point but a nice “pro”), offers hybrid WFH, and I can work with new tech that I believe will facilitate training in **every** industry in the future. At the same time though, I’d be a contractor which means I would have little to no PTO. Health insurance is sparse and expensive which is especially worrying as I engage in relatively risky activities like riding motorcycles at the race track and bicycles off road. I’ve been dreaming for years of regularly hitting my favorite tracks around the country. I never thought I’d have a truck but I have one paid in full. I purchased a trailer that I never thought I’d have. Last but not least, I have a humble camping setup to camp trackside when I do travel. All of the stars finally aligned for that dream and I get to execute on that this summer. Then there’s the real possibility that a semi-serious injury or ER visit from said activities would likely be the financial ruin of me.
I know the general advice to anyone my age is to “take risks” and that you don’t want to look back and regret not having taken an opporunity that presented itself. I’m kind of stuck here. After typing this out, I realize that I appear to have two options: work a predictable, albeit mildly boring job that pays the bills and enables me cushion to enjoy my hobbies to the full or take a leap of faith into a new job with new tech that excites me but my favorite hobbies weigh in the balance (temporarily I assume since it’s a contract role).
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Am I catasrophizing? Are these unreasonable concerns? I’m kind of stuck. Can you guys weigh in?
I’m hoping you guys took the time to read this but here’s a TLDR;
>!Continue in predictable role that comfortably pays the bills and enables me to enjoy my hobbies which mean a lot to me or take the risk of taking on a new job that I am passionate about and may not be able to sustain my hobbies for the long haul.!<