[mettamage]

This is in part why I have a job I'm overqualified for at a slow-ish moving corporate. To be fair, I fell into it and the job suits me better than being a software engineer. Being a software engineer isn't bad. But being a data analyst while having the same pay at a marketing department is infinitely easier. I'm the only technical person, so anything I make has more impact, despite the fact that it's easier. Also, one knows how long it takes so I can set my own schedule. Finally, because of this I'm hard to replace. It helps that the IT department is barely functioning, which is why I'm able to fill this gap anyway. It also helps that being multidisciplinary is my biggest source of strength. I'm an okay programmer, I'm an okay psychologist (academically speaking - I've neve worked in the field but published a paper and finished a bachelor in it), and a few other disciplines like that. Here most of that comes together.

I don't work the amount of hours I should, but no one bats too much of an eye since I have already saved them +250K within the first 3 months of working there (not due to my talent, the IT department really isn't functioning there). It was a bit of a lucky homerun to be fair, but I make enough impact for a normal Dutch salary.

So while I am overqualified, it's in part because there are some natural advantages I have in the role of a data analyst as it is a really generalist role. And in the Netherlands, it pays about as well as a many SWE salaries (unless you work for Databricks or Optiver - to name 2 very different but both high paying companies).

[teiferer]

What would really make an impact would be to work towards making that IT dept. functional, efficient even. That's what a true leader would do, but you are clearly disincentivised from doing it since it would upend your cushy sitiation.

[mettamage]

That’s a political job. I would need buy-in from many stakeholders and go against the company strategy of centralizing all business units to the global organization. I would effectively be fighting against the C-suite and the global organization.

You do it, if you want to make an impact. You’re only 9 months behind me and they are multinational.

I would also be up for doing it together. You would probably take a pay cut though since this organization doesn’t pay much. But hey, at least you will make an impact.

My email is in my profile.