A year ago I was working a dead end job as a machine operator getting payed 15.25 working 12 hrs a day, 5 days a week sweating my but off in the textile industry . I was unhappy since I barely spent any time with the wife or kid. I kept hearing on Reddit about how there were a lot of job openings and to not settle for a crappy job, so I decided to start applying at different places in order to get a better work/family balance and ended up finding a machine operator role in the printing industry. It was through a job agency and starting pay was 17$ but I managed to negotiate to 19$ due to my experience as a machine operator. I caught on quickly and exceeded expectations but the job was supposed to be temp to company after 3 months. After the 3 months they informed me that HQ had put a freeze on all new hires, which I didn’t mind at first but after 4 more months I decided it was too long and started searching for another company. Found one the same day I started searching it payed 19$ an hour , they called me the next day, I was hired 2 days later. I’ve been at my new job for 5 months now I work 40hrs a week in a temperature controlled building and since have been bumped up to 21$ an hour.
So my advice is don’t be afraid to make the jump.