Career advice (starting a new job?)

Usually there's a step in between...Finance Manager.

It's rare anyone would go from accountant to controller.

To be a finance manager skills you would need to demonstrate are capability to manage staff, organisation skills, delegation, leadership and mentoring.

Why don't you go on onlyfans?

Everyone blags it, don't they? First 6-12 months are spent blagging it, next 12-18 months knowing what you're doing, next year a bit bored, wanting a new challenge.

Gl3n

What are you specifically getting imposter syndrome over?

Ha. I'm moving more into software too, albeit I'm one below managerial level I guess, which similarly scares me for some of the reasons you outline. Perhaps you can go first and report back in 2-3 years when I need to make the same leap

I think I've come to learn that mix of queasiness and some excitement at starting a new role is the right feeling. Pushing out of your comfort zone is so rewarding.

I remember starting my last job and thinking I was so much less capable than most of the department. They seemed like geniuses and I thought they employed me out of desperation at lack of candidates in my field. Fast forward to a few weeks ago and the look on my boss's face when I said I'm off will haunt me, and the reaction of lots of colleagues has told me I ended up quite a key member of the group.

Hoping the butterflies go away in the next few months of my new job and I learn a whole load of new cool stuff. Sure you will smash it too.

That sounds ideal. I'm a Senior Director of SW for a company that is small but significant in its sector, and you describe me and I've climbed the ladder by having loads of people to lead who really know their shit - I don't.

Show then respect and use your naivieity to ask interesting questions to help them solutionise, makes for a happy team with you doing a lot of shit they don't want to as well (HR, admin etc.)

I'm sure you will love it.

Don't worry, manager dudes, we software devs are going to hate you anyway, no matter how exactly your inept attempts at pretending you are useful actually turn out.

I’d love to do that but my team is currently one person who is a waste of space, a grad and a new starter without a lot of experience. At the moment all our projects need a huge amount of knowledge of what we already do and I’m 250% loaded because I’m the only one that can do it all with no time to train anyone or give them smaller projects to learn on.

We have no succession plans in place as we can’t recruit additional people, the new starter is was only because someone with 35 years experience retired.

I need career advice. This seems like a good place.

I’ve been in my current job 18 years (I’m 36). Became part owner, and two years ago it was sold to an investment group. On the whole I did very well out of it, the sale proceeds got us the deposit on a house, and the rest is in investment accounts so we’re well set for retirement.

Problem 1 is I don’t like what it’s turned into. We’ve gone from a small team to a small branch of a big group where everything is a branching network of bollocks, nobody has any idea what’s going on. I asked for a contract amendment before Christmas, was told it would be fine, have asked every week since and just been told it’ll get sorted. It’s been 9 months. I also don’t like the product at all (never have). Even though I made most of it, I’ve had almost no creative input. Our old MD who likes to control everything “retired” a few months ago and I thought that would improve things, but he’s now back as a contractor doing the same job with no sign of going away.

Problem 2 is my contract. I have a six month notice period and I’m not some kind of big exec where that might be common, so getting a job offer before handing in my notice would be very hard. Also there are loads of clauses about not having additional incomes so I can’t start my own thing on the side to see how I get on. I do want to start my own thing but I have the social skills of a disturbed badger so am worried about selling myself. Also I work in a super niche field, job opportunities are rare.

On the one hand, it’s a well paid job and I am thinking maybe it’s a case of better the devil you know. On the other, I’ve been at this job literally half my life and feel totally unfulfilled. We can’t get by easily without me having an income (could manage a year but would mean taking out of retirement investments which would rather not do), but getting a job with my notice period will be hard and I feel a bit trapped.

I’m aware I haven’t actually asked a question. Just looking for some advice if anyone’s been in a similar situation?

Tldr: I don’t like my job and can’t afford to risk leaving it because of contract obligations. What should I do?

Zomoniac, cast out feelers to businesses you might be interested in that aren't in competition with your current gig. If you have 18 years experience in a business that you've literally grown from zero chances are some subset of your skills are in demand. You sign a tentative contract with the new company, hand in your resignation, coast along for six months and move to your new gig.

The six month notice period isn’t enforceable as far as I know, no matter what the contract says.

Six months is also ridiculous.

How on earth are they going to prove whether you have a side business that earns. Especially if it's in a different sector and you keep things very separate, no LinkedIn promotion etc.

Yeah this is great, thanks!

Its a program management role basically, I'm not supposed to be technical, I'm supposed to lead others and herd cats.

Its settled in a bit more over the last 24 hours. Really excited to get going.

I’d want to do it as a limited company for protection so would come up on Companies House.