I recently made the decision to leave a $100K job for a lower-paying role, and it was a tough choice. I was laid off about five months ago, and after that, a recruiter reached out to me about a tech position that I was clearly overqualified for. They were specifically looking for overqualified candidates for a tier 1 helpdesk job, and I ended up taking it. I've been in this role for about six weeks now, and while the job is great and comes with benefits and stock options, it’s incredibly busy. However, I just accepted a direct hire position with a fully remote company that pays $70K, with the promise of a salary increase in three months. This new role aligns much better with my background in networking, which is a significant factor for me. Leaving a $100K position might seem unwise, but I’m focused on my long-term career growth. The new role has a salary ceiling that is 1.5 to 2 times higher than my current position in my area. I’m only three years into my IT career and had just reached the $100K mark, although it was in an entry-level role. My goal was to hit that milestone in five years, and now I’m aiming to surpass it within the next two years. Ultimately, I have a long-term goal of reaching a salary between $120K and $150K in the next five years. On a side note, I've had to become more frugal and ramen has become a staple in my diet since being unemployed.