Life dilemma : Job related

[AVFCRoss]

OK, so, I'm stuck. It's a very good sort of stuck, as I'm in the position between being able to make a choice between job offers.

Just a quick bit of background. I left EE in September and was on about 15k, but after 2 years with no sign of progression whatsoever, I decided it was time to make a change and look at other options. Between then and now, I've rattled my CV off to many places in search of a new job with better prospects (hopefully).

I recently started at TSB (this week), moving into a job that is going to be around the similar sort of pay I was on before, but with much better career opportunities. I got an offer from someone else (very big insurance company) to work in an office dealing with customer queries, problems and general support...I don't imagine for one second it would be a particularly great job but here is where my dilemma comes in.

They're offering me 18k, which is going to be about 3k extra than what TSB are giving me. I'm essentially struggling to decide whether the increased income would be worth doing a job I know I most likely won't enjoy anywhere near as much, but know it's going to leave me with about £250 extra in pocket after tax every month.

I have tentatively accepted, but the reality is, I'm going to have to let one of them down, and I really don't know what to do. The question I'm essentially asking is, "How important is the balance between fulfilment and money when choosing a job?"

Has anyone actually ever been in this situation and had to make a choice? What was the outcome? I actually go into branch for the first time on Monday, so I'll at least get a taste of what it's like and whether I like it or not so I'm going to take it from there, but please share your opinions and stories.

Cheers.

[Late]

It sounds like a cliché, but it's better to be happy than to have the extra money.

I'm fairly bright, and could get qualifications in my profession (accountant), but I've actively avoided doing so - because I know those on a higher pay grade than me get a lot of stress and work a lot of weekends to keep on top of their work. Instead I have a lot less stress, and spend my free time with my family doing what I want and not working or worrying about work.i

I also have a pretty long commute and spend about £3500 a year on petrol. I could almost certainly get a job much closer to home on the same or better money, but I like my job and I like the people I work with so I put up with the financial encumbrance.

And I say this from a weak financial position. My salary is low, I'm in scary amounts of debt, and in my adult life the only holidays I've had are three weekend breaks in the UK. It's not like I'm sat here with loads of money saying money isn't everything. I'm sat here with no money and saying money isn't everything


Quality of life is important - perhaps the most important thing in your life. You need to decide which job will make you happiest. For a lot of people money and belongings make them happiest. Personally I'm happiest with a lack of stress,  a job I quite like*, and a lot of time with my family.






*Of course, if I win the lottery I'm quitting straight away, though

[harv]

If you can afford to live on 15K then go for that one I reckon. I think you may be entitled to Working Tax Credit on that sort of salary too.

[jman]

In some ways I really wouldn't worry about how much you will enjoy your job unless you expect to stay in it for a good few years.  I don't know exactly, is this other job working in a call centre...if so, I imagine they have a high turnover of people they employ because its one of those jobs where you either get on with it, or hate it so much you quit after a short period of time..... it does gives you some kind of basic customer facing experience, plus office work too which could help pave your way to something else.  My missus actually worked her way up to a managers level and was offered around 30k salary (I think) to stay on at southern electric (a pretty decent salary for someone at the age of 21).. she enjoyed the job but it wasn't what she wanted to do for the rest of her life... she'd saved up to go to uni so jacked the job in and 6 years later, she's a primary school deputy head, a job she absolutely loves doing and earning a lot more than 30k now for sure.  Her experience at southern electric didn't really help her in her future career, but the extra money did help pay for her to do something she wanted to do.


So just a different view on things, I mean personally, I'd agree with Late at this point in my career, but then I've already worked the career ladder and I've already got the experience working in different jobs and with different technology... I switched jobs practically every year after I started my first IT job.. each time with a progressive pay rise.. I've been in this job for a little over 5 years now.. and the problem with this job is I've become too comfortable, I've pretty much reached the highest I will go in the company and I can do my job blindfolded.. so I have a need to challenge myself again.  I've been looking on-and-off over the past 2 years now.. I've had two interviews in that time lol, am certainly not in any rush to change jobs so I have been extremely picky.  One company I didn't particularly get a good vibe from, so declined the second interview, the other was a job at McLaren working with the F1 telemetry systems, they offered me an interview after a really positive telephone interview..but then I found out they had filled the position before I had my interview, they basically offered the job on the spot to another guy, I was a bit pissed off with that.. I bet it was a shit job flying all over the world working with F1 cars anyway lol 

[Late]

lol - you keep telling yourself that

[AVFCRoss]

I dunno, I just feel like I should maybe be earning more at almost 26...I really enjoyed working for EE, but I can't stay at a job for that long without getting anywhere in terms of progression...Constant commission cuts to make you even more out of pocket makes it even harder to still love the job too..

I just don't want to get roped into the higher salary and end up regretting it and having nothing to fall back on as a consequence. It'll give me an extra £250 in pocket at the end of each month, which obviously mounts up, but I would kick myself if it cost me my sanity and made me hate everything about working. 

[jman]

lol - you keep telling yourself that

Lol, I was gutted I didn't get a real interview.. but from what I could gather, there was an expectation of overseas travel, being on-call, working overtime and plus it would of meant we would of have to relocate.. so honestly, I'm not sure if it was the right job for me, my current job is in a small company, its cushty and relaxed, so it would of been a major change.. but it did sound uber cool from what I'm currently doing.


I would say, if you don't plan on moving jobs again for another year or two.. take the job with the better career prospects. 

If you plan on trying to work your way between jobs, i.e. working in a dead-end job, but getting the necessary experience to move to a better paying one with better prospects... take the job that offers more money.