Voluntary Demotion?

[Musicvixen24]

Ok. So my current job called me about a position that I applied for. They tell me that it is 2 grades lower than what I am getting paid now, do I want to go forward with the application...

2 grades lower here is more than I'd be getting paid at any office outside the hospital for being a secretary (that I've seen so far) so I tell them yes I want to go ahead...

But I am questioning whether or not it's the right thing to do..I told them that I am looking for a change and in all honesty, I only plan to be working for another year and then go to grad school next fall...but I am a bit confused.who would voluntarily demote themselves?

Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated

[Depressed11]

It's pretty rare obviously, but a guy in my office applied for a demotion and seems happier. It was the right decision for him because he's 62, satisfied with his financial situation, and hated his boss.

You're not 62 but might as well be if you're leaving in a few months.

A) How important is $ for you in the short-term?
B) Do you hate your current boss? Would you be happier in the new job?

Honestly nobody but yourself can answer these questions.

[winneythepooh7]

I went for a voluntary demotion after I had my son and went back from maternity leave. It was only a $2K pay-cut and much better perks (i.e. being able to work from home). I was sick of "being the boss" and having to deal with all kinds of crap day in and day out. You couldn't pay me enough to take that job back.

[gemma-dahl]

in all honesty, I only plan to be working for another year and then go to grad school next fall...but I am a bit confused.who would voluntarily demote themselves?

Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated

Like winney, I voluntarily demoted myself at a technical writing job I had recently quit when I first joined the board. I was also supposed to be jr. management (but please don't think it was anything fancy...this was a small company, and I live in one of the smallest "major cities" in the country) at that job, and the headaches, and the insanity, and the fact that the very simple definition of "what the business DID" changed DAILY made the decision easy. Unlike winney, the demotion was for my personal mental health reasons, not because I had a child. Like you, however, I also knew I wasn't going to be there long enough for the demotion to ultimately affect my career as a whole. So it all worked out in the end.

I am inclined to take a demotion if this job isn't what I want to do, is a stepping stone, or, if it's like winney's case where the "demotion" is actually a benefit or offers me working conditions I would be unable to get in the "prestigious position". I am not comfortable saying "you should def. do this or that," but those are my thoughts.

[winneythepooh7]

Oh don't get me wrong, it was for mental health reasons as well Gemma! I was sick of being cursed at and belittled for things beyond my control, or being made responsible for the lack of common sense in people I was forced to supervise!

[gemma-dahl]

Oh don't get me wrong, it was for mental health reasons as well Gemma! I was sick of being cursed at and belittled for things beyond my control, or being made responsible for the lack of common sense in people I was forced to supervise!

Haha, yes, I know this too well. I was completely amazed at the stupid, silly crap that was perfectly acceptable for others, but not for me. I could go on and on...but no sense in that. ;):

[wordsmith]

While I haven't taken a demotion (or requested one), I definitely HAVE taken a pay cut to switch to a new field. There are valid reasons to do so. It all depends on what one can justify, financially, and what the tradeoff is as far as career experience, job description, preferences, etc. Also, too, I have declined to go for higher pay grade job opportunities that I'd likely have been awarded at my current workplace had I been interested...in those cases, I wasn't interested because the job duties were not my cup of tea. I'm the type of person that would rather do what I want and make less than do what I don't want to do for a higher paycheck. Some people are the total opposite.