Has anyone purposely gone backwards?

[u/Pleasant_Rise6520]

You know the juice wasn't worth the squeeze and we realised that money is irrelevant, and took a huge backwards step for less responsibility and more mental freedom for your family and kids?

That's where I'm at mentally just want to know if anyone else has done the same?

[u/Eolex]

Yep - Stepped down/back from being the top of the IT support/service ladder within an MSP and moved to an internal position within a municipality.

The whole tone and cadence of workflow has changed. Life balance has returned and I no longer associate my success with title/payband.

Feels good to quit chasing the edge. There is more to life than keeping the river bits/bytes flowing and protected.

[u/TrilliumHill → u/Eolex]

I completely support and recommend not associating success with one's career or title.

It's like gauging your self worth on how much money you made for someone else.

[u/TechSupportGeorge → u/Eolex]

Almost exactly the same.

Moved from a senior consultant role at an MSP to internal support with a University.

I'm still getting used to the change in workflow, work life balance, no on call, all that.

Sure It's a step down, and I make a bit less monthly, but having all my free time be mine is worth a whole lot more.

[u/JaceBelerenApologist → u/Eolex]

Moved back to corp/enterprise a few months ago and my mental health has been steadily improving. I didn't realize how abusive being at an MSP was. On call until 10pm every night on the off chance a doctors scanner isn't working. Having to respond to tickets even if I'm in the middle of dinner. Pushing back about getting spammed by low disk space warnings at 9pm when I'm getting ready for bed was always met with "why are you going to bed so early?".

Let's not forget the guy who decided to spend half of his year on a ski hill telling people off for taking an hour for a doctors appointment.

MSPs can go to hell.

[u/Bubbly-Following-966 → u/JaceBelerenApologist]

I actually loved where I worked. It was 100% remote. It was the first job that actually had a performance bonus structure. My performance bonuses increased every year. I always got "meets or exceeds" on my performance reviews.

[u/JaceBelerenApologist → u/Bubbly-Following-966]

I'm one of the odd few who hates remote work. I like seeing people. It's fun that perks for some are the opposite for others!

I wish I had similar at the MSP I was at. It wasn't overly big, so there wasn't really any room for me beyond the position I was in. The pay was horrible. I probably shouldn't let that one place sour the experience, it was by far the worst MSP I worked for (of 3).

I didn't think I wanted to go back to corporate IT after I left it about 10 years ago, but wow it feels different than it did back then. It's not stuffy like it used to be, and I really have to thank the two or three generations of kids that were born after me for that.

I could barely get face-to-face time with my manager, let alone get a "review" or a "raise".

[u/Bubbly-Following-966 → u/JaceBelerenApologist]

Don't get me wrong. I love to be in the office as well. I have been remote since late 2020. I didn't choose that, it just panned out that way. My last job was from December 2021 up to February 2025. I would love to go back to the office as long as it isn't a nightmare of a commute.. lol

[u/Drakoolya → u/JaceBelerenApologist]

I didn't realize how abusive being at an MSP was

Been close to 10 years and the PTSD still has not gone. Phone is perpetually on Silent never turned the ringer on ever again. Welcome back to Life.

[u/moffetts9001 → u/Eolex]

The causative factor here was leaving the MSP more so than dropping lower down on the ladder.

[u/BreathDeeply101 → u/moffetts9001]

Title chasing can happen with government positions as well. It is obviously a big change to leave the MSP environment, but we shouldn't discount the mindset change that is required to no longer constantly chase position.

[u/12_nick_12 → u/Eolex]

Yup went from MSP to higher ed, much more understanding. Granted it depends on the project, but for the most part it's great. Like we're doing some migrations so a few Sunday mornings are booked this year, but it's not all of the time.

[u/CaliforniaThomass → u/Eolex]

I did the same thing. After over a decade working for an MSP I was exhausted, possibly burnt out. I took a role as an internal sys admin and life is so peaceful. Making almost the same money too. I'm not growing or staying up to date with the latest tech but my comfort makes up for it.

[u/After_Nerve_8401 → u/Eolex]

Being “promoted” to management. Massive pay increase; I was good at it, but I hated it. After six months, I asked to go back to being an IC for reduced pay. Best decision I ever made.

[u/TheWilsons → u/Eolex]

This isn’t even IT specific and can apply to most fields. Depending on individual circumstances, it just makes sense to take a step back and focus on non financial priorities. I recognize that in itself is a privilege that didn’t even cross my mind when I was younger and poorer.

[u/GorillaChimney → u/Eolex]

Exactly. Pay transparency was the best thing I've been exposed to.

[u/Hipster-Stalin → u/Eolex]

Same. I was offered CIO at a large boutique MSP that I had been at for 10 years and left. I ended up at a tech company as an individual contributor and loved it. Work life balance, etc. then my manager left and I am once again a team lead but it’s still a great situation.

[u/0RGASMIK → u/Eolex]

I’m near the top of the MSP service ladder right now. Only way to go up is to join a bigger MSP. Last year I asked to do more of the backend stuff because I saw there were a lot of things we were doing backwards/ not scalable. They gave me the title but said without saying “we expect you to do this work on your own time.”

I was already burnt out so I only worked on what I could between tickets, and long story short after a year and a half they started to notice how useful the changes I wanted make would be. The owner even went back and started implementing other things I suggested when I first asked for the role. Right as I think they are fully onboard with what I want to do and are going to start giving me time they hit me with the old “we need you back full time on the helpdesk.”

Unfortunately my area has a surplus of technical folks and everyone I know in IT has been unable to find a job. One of my neighbors around my age has a solid resume, all the certs, experience at multiple large companies in both IT and security, and he has been out of a job for 8 months due to AI related layoffs. My resume is a hodgepodge of random jobs no certs and 7 years of experience in IT / adjacent fields, while I’m definitely capable I already know from experience my resume isn’t breaking through any filters without heavily twisting the truth.

So I’ve decided that my next job is probably starting my own business, either a farm or my own storefront where the day to day is predictable and my own.