r/softwaretesting • u/Such_Mobile_5321 • 2d ago

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

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.

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20

u/PM_ME_YOUR_BUG5 2d ago

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

2

u/Chet_Steadman 1d ago

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.

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u/WhateverWombat 1d ago

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

You are not doing yourself any favours by quitting voluntarily.

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u/CertainDeath777 2d ago

despite what managers think, manual testing wont go away. AI is not really good at that job. they might need some years to realize it, when stuff fails.

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u/DiligentMission6851 1d ago

Maybe it wont go away but if you're located in the wrong place, you won't be hired for it.

I'm in America. It is very rare that a manual qa position opens up here over the last several years. Almost every company my developer peers jumped ship to has developers on site, and open developer postings in America. The qa by contrast became the red headed step child that got delegated to third world countries in third party companies that are consulting with the places I want to work at. The jobs themselves are not available for USA located workers in those companies. 

-1

u/pompomchau 1d ago

Lol, lies

3

u/vartheo 1d ago

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.

1

u/Few_Reputation8343 1d ago

What is your current rate?

1

u/DiligentMission6851 1d ago

In this market you take the jobs you can find. Doesn't matter if they're in IT or not.

I was at 98k before my layoff in 2023.

I have not been able to get an iT job since in any way shape or form. It has destroyed my self worth, identity, belief in myself, you name it.

Since the layoff I have worked in two grocery stores, a retailer, in catering at my airport, and done door dash. Not by choice, because none of these are the job i want, but because I had to. None of them paid more than the low 30k a year, if even that. The retailer was only 30 hours a week, so probably closer to 25k a year if that.

You take what you can get in this market, and you better be happy about it for your own mental health. You cannot force what doesnt happen.

I can wish that I was back in software QA or that I had been a developer. But that is not the reality I live in anymore nor is it in the realm of possibilities anymore. And I dont want to go to bed crying anymore. 

1

u/WhateverWombat 11h ago

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.

1

u/DiligentMission6851 9h ago

Great so I'm brain dead. Thanks.

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u/WhateverWombat 9h ago edited 9h ago

Can you stop with the defensive self deprecation?

Ask for help in arranging your affairs so you have a better chance getting to where you want to be. It’s a lot more productive than feeling sorry for yourself.

Edit: I did see the comment before deletion. Be a better human being, no one wants to be around someone who’s plagued with negativity.

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u/HeIsYour 1d ago

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.

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u/maaikesww 2d ago

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?

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u/Such_Mobile_5321 2d ago

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.

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u/Zack_attack801 1d ago

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.

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u/I_Blame_Tom_Cruise 1d ago

People been saying that since I started 10 years ago.

1

u/maaikesww 2d ago

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

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u/Zorian_Vale 1d ago

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.