When a Career Step Back Is Actually a Step Forward

Would you take a pay cut for a job that looks worse on paper? Sometimes the move that feels like a step backwards is exactly what your career needs next. In this episode of Psychology, Actually, Dr Marianne Trent explores when a sideways or seemingly backwards career move, like dropping from a Band 5 to a Band 4 assistant psychologist role, could actually help you grow. Drawing on a real Reddit case study and her own career journey, including nearly two years spent away from psychology altogether, Marianne unpacks how to weigh pay, experience, wellbeing and life circumstances when deciding your next move. She shares a practical framework for working out what you're really optimising for, whether that's money, learning, time or relationships, plus reflective questions to help you decide with confidence.

#CareerAdvice #AssistantPsychologist #ClinicalPsychology

Highlights

00:00 Introduction - When a step back moves you forward 01:15 Why I made this episode - The Reddit post that inspired it 02:28 The Band 5 to Band 4 AP dilemma explained 04:05 Have you reached a plateau in your current role? 07:12 Energy, grief and life circumstances - when you can't do more 09:30 Money, cost of living crisis and travel expenses 11:55 My 2 years away from psychology - home care to office temping 15:40 Banding isn't everything - Band 4 vs Band 5 AP roles 18:42 What are you optimising for? Money, learning, time, wellbeing 21:10 How to manage your six career priorities 22:45 Breadth versus depth of experience for DClinPsy 24:50 Pay, overtime, shift allowances and pensions 26:30 6 Decision-making questions to ask yourself before you move 30:15 Final thoughts - Your life gets a vote too

🎧 Listen to the Pensions episode mentioned in this episode here: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/63990610-9942-4287-bcb6-cef9be814b2d/ Or Watch on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lv5QFsNVCQ

Links:

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