Gary Herrmann
10-07-2005, 8:41 PM
I've been a consultant most of my life. First job out of school. First perm job, I was an internal consultant. I think all but 2 years (at most) of my career, I've been a consultant of one kind or another.
I just quit a well paying, easy job with 4 weeks+ of vacation - after 4 months to go back to consulting. Why? Because I was bored. Not challenged. Not learning anything new and probably wouldn't for quite awhile. But I could leave whenever I wanted. Work at home. Nobody looking over my shoulder. I got kudos just for knowing how a project was going when asked.
I start at a consultancy on Oct 17. Supposedly no travel (I really hope so - I promised my wife). Not much difference in salary. Less vacation. And I'm looking forward to it. I had a tremendous feeling of relief when I accepted the offer.
There are so many people that just go to work every day, put their head down, do their job and go home. Why can't I do that? I'd say it was a midlife crisis - I turned 40 this summer, but I've been like this since I was 23.
I don't want to work 80 hours a week anymore. I don't want to work more than 50. I have a 5 yr old son that I want to spend time with, and I'd also like to get some shop time in once in awhile. Its hard to find a middle ground in consulting, but I'm going to try. And if I can't do it, I'll find another perm job and just put my head down. Even if I have to glue my forehead to my desk.
This isn't a judgement of people that have perm jobs. I think I'm just railing against my own nature. I worked for myself for a couple years, and I wound up working all the time, so I don't want to do that again. I want to get some balance in my life. I want to work to live, not live to work.
And I hope to be able to teach my son the joy of sawdust.
I just quit a well paying, easy job with 4 weeks+ of vacation - after 4 months to go back to consulting. Why? Because I was bored. Not challenged. Not learning anything new and probably wouldn't for quite awhile. But I could leave whenever I wanted. Work at home. Nobody looking over my shoulder. I got kudos just for knowing how a project was going when asked.
I start at a consultancy on Oct 17. Supposedly no travel (I really hope so - I promised my wife). Not much difference in salary. Less vacation. And I'm looking forward to it. I had a tremendous feeling of relief when I accepted the offer.
There are so many people that just go to work every day, put their head down, do their job and go home. Why can't I do that? I'd say it was a midlife crisis - I turned 40 this summer, but I've been like this since I was 23.
I don't want to work 80 hours a week anymore. I don't want to work more than 50. I have a 5 yr old son that I want to spend time with, and I'd also like to get some shop time in once in awhile. Its hard to find a middle ground in consulting, but I'm going to try. And if I can't do it, I'll find another perm job and just put my head down. Even if I have to glue my forehead to my desk.
This isn't a judgement of people that have perm jobs. I think I'm just railing against my own nature. I worked for myself for a couple years, and I wound up working all the time, so I don't want to do that again. I want to get some balance in my life. I want to work to live, not live to work.
And I hope to be able to teach my son the joy of sawdust.