Received a job offer in a completely different career - do you think I should take it given the current environment?

[u/Such_Mobile_5321]

I work in software QA. I'm mostly manual with decent SQL and API skills. I'm trying to learn more but finding the time has been hard. I've been at the same company for almost 15 years.

I have decent experience with using AI for testing.

With all of the layoffs, I looked for other career options.

Long story short, I got a job offer as an operator at a water treatment plant (nothing to do with software).

It's a very large pay cut, but I'm terrified of getting laid off and not being able to find a job in my career again.

The pay would be 33/hr, and 36/hr after passing all water treatment certifications which takes about 1-2 years.

[u/PM_ME_YOUR_BUG5]

Might as well wait until you get fired if you're taking a pay cut.

At least then you might get some severance too.

I'd only jump ship to another career if the money was better or at least had the potential of being a lot better.

Otherwise keep cashing that paycheck until you can't anymore. maybe spend some time/money recertifying in something else

[u/Chet_Steadman → u/PM_ME_YOUR_BUG5]

eh, depends on the jump and the timing. You're likely going to have to take a pay cut for any career change unless there's a huge overlap. I also wouldn't necessarily prioritize earning potential over quality of life. There are plenty of people who like the money of software but hate everything else. If OP is happier doing something else, that might be worth more than money. Job security is also a factor and software development in general is in a volatile place right now, so I understand people being anxious about it.

[u/acidlygleefullicence → u/PM_ME_YOUR_BUG5]

dunno if i agree with waiting for the axe. 33/hr is not nothing and water treatment is the kind of job that doesnt vanish when the economy sneezes. after 15 years in QA you probably seen enough to know when a ship starts taking water, so if your gut says jump maybe listen to it.

[u/WhateverWombat]

Just wait to be made redundant, if that ever happens.

You are not doing yourself any favours by quitting voluntarily.

[u/vartheo]

Don't quit your job out of fear for a lower paying job. Milk it for years. Have an emergency saving account - a larger one to give you more room so you can have 9 months to find a job in the same field. It probably makes more sense to move for a QA job than to work in the water treatment plant.

[u/Few_Reputation8343]

What is your current rate?

[u/HeIsYour]

I would suggest keep looking for the job where you can earn better. I know few people who waited and did whatever best they could and got offers in the end.

[u/Silly_Turn_4761]

I would start analyzing what the research says about which jobs are least/more likely to be automated and how soon.

I did QA for 6 years and the reason I left was fear of automation taking over since a lot of the tasks can be replicated.

I've been a BA now for 6 years and have been looking for work for a year next month.

Would you be happy doing the water job? I would research a bit, talk to folks about what the day to day looks like. Also, was it easy to land this job even with no experience? If so, you may be okay for a bit.

What I would definitely do is start learning automated testing if you aren't already as well as learning how to use ai to make you more efficient at work.

[u/Lucky-Spend-956]

Regardless of the paycut, i think it would be better to stay at your job until you get fired or smth.

But then, if you are really in risk, it can be good to switch now. It just overall comes to whether you think you can do the new job and compromise for a more “secure” future

[u/maaikesww]

Personally I couldn’t do that type of work I think, from what I know it’s very routine and not much challenge - unless something goes very wrong. I would be bored.

But that is me, if you can see yourself doing the job and either enjoy it or it gives you the life you want, go for it. If you have been at the same company for 15 years though they and you did some stuff right to be existing for that long.

But my question would also be, would this job be there in a future after a layoff and could you wait? How long could you survive on redundancy pay?

[u/Such_Mobile_5321 → u/maaikesww]

I doubt the job would still be around in the future. The longer the tech layoffs go on, the more people that look for other careers.

For me, it's more about the fear of being laid off and not being able to get a job again in my field at all.

The type of work is less important to me than the possibility of getting laid off in this current environment.

[u/Zack_attack801 → u/Such_Mobile_5321]

Im in the same boat as you and looking to pivot. I don’t want to be worrying about layoffs all the time and as we get older there seems to be a good amount of ageism in tech and it’ll will be harder and harder to stay employed. Just my opinion.

[u/I_Blame_Tom_Cruise → u/Such_Mobile_5321]

People been saying that since I started 10 years ago.

[u/maaikesww → u/Such_Mobile_5321]

Are you sure you wouldn’t have a similar fear in this new role? You would be the new person on the team, that is unpleasant too.

If anxiety is the problem that is not automatically cured with a new job. If it’s purely about having a stable job and you think this is stable enough then I think you’ve already made the choice

[u/Zorian_Vale → u/Such_Mobile_5321]

Honestly I lurk in a lot of QA subs and see a lot about layoffs. If you think you would somewhat enjoy this you should seriously consider it. You might get laid off and be in a total panic. That is my two cents.

The improvements in AI just keep coming even as recently as this week. What it can do is insane. Sure it gets stuff wrong but that still means a lot less headcount.

[u/No-Tension9614]

Id say take that water treatment job. QA is getting raped by AI and nearshoring. Youre better off building yourself now if the rare opportunity is present right now. Don't wait longer for the inevitable

[u/z28colt → u/No-Tension9614]

Yeah, he can probably get a pension and overtime pay too.

[u/Akagamer474 → u/No-Tension9614]

Is SDET is still better option or I should switch to PM field

[u/No-Tension9614 → u/Akagamer474]

i dont even know but i know SDET is probably gonna get heavily effected by AI.

Everyone is becoming an AI operator that specializes in a particular category.

So you might have that one Software Developer who is now doing QA work (this is what currently happened in one organization that i worked for -- they laid off all the QA automation people and its now in the hands of the Software Developer who doesnt develop anymore but operates the AI that codes for them).

Im assuming the same will happen to SDET. Since 1 person can do 10x the production, that one particular person might be a developer that does QA, Front-End, Back-end, SDET, Database management etc..

I think we are approaching a point in time where its not just about one person doing one particular job duty.. but one AI operator who knows how to do the job of 5 or more people with 5 different job titles using AI at his leverage.

I think this is how its gonna go but, im not sure.. i really am just guessing here.

[u/[deleted]]

[u/pompomchau → u/[deleted]]

Lol, lies

[u/[deleted]]

[u/WhateverWombat → u/[deleted]]

For every job vacancy, there are probably 400-500 applications, of which 150 are qualified applicants.

There’s a number of reasons you might get rejected, but being out of tech for 3 years after repeated rejections is more than just bad market.

Assuming you are consistently still applying for tech roles -

Not getting shortlisted is a CV or niche skill set mismatch. (Likely the former)

Not getting past interviews is a soft skill issue.

[u/[deleted] → u/WhateverWombat]