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Deciding between two job offers...

C

CalvinHobbes

Diamond Member
One will include management experience and the money is very good.
Second offer is less money (23K less) but something I think I would enjoy more long term.

Both would be good experiences and would increase my skills and marketability.

Should money be the deciding factor or should I go with the job I think I would like going to more?
 
Depends if that 23K less a year is a big difference or not.
Depending on how related the 2 positions are you could try to use the higher pay of the first one to leverage against the second one for increased pay there. 😛
 
CalvinHobbes said:
Should money be the deciding factor or should I go with the job I think I would like going to more?
Click to expand...

Nobody can answer that for you, it's entirely a matter of your personal priorities.

In my life, I went for the money decision ONLY because I planned to do that for a limited time and I knew exactly what my threshold was for quitting the career ladder and enjoying my life. Spent 8 years climbing and working my arse off and saving, and now I switched to a role where I work a lot less, still earn decently, won't progress up the career ladder but get to live where I want and in the way I want.

If you choose the higher paying job and defer your enjoyment in life, have a very concrete plan for when that period is going to end. Otherwise those extra earnings are meaningless.
 
It depends on the salaries. $23K is quite a bit to leave on the table, especially if one is $30K and the other is $53K, but perhaps not as painful if the lower one is $75K and the higher one is $98K. (still quite a bit of difference.
Does the management job require lots of "unpaid" hours? They often require much more than 40 hour weeks...What about the lower salary job? is it just 40 hours?
 
Offer #1 is 110K, offer #2 87K.

Both jobs are 40 hours/week plus a little extra during busy times which seems to be the norm in the IT industry.
 
It seems to me the real question is: How do you feel about the management aspect of the job?

Managing people is a whole different kettle of fish. If you see your career path as taking you up the corporate (i.e. management) ladder, then the opportunity to gain that experience shouldn't be passed up. If, on the other hand, you prefer to continue as an "individual contributor", then maybe you want to go the other way.

If you take the management job, realize that corporate/personnel responsibilities will take a huge chunck of your time (leaving much less time for the enjoyable stuff). I've never talked to a front-line supervisor who thought that their increase in pay ever really compensated them for all the extra time and effort they had to put into managing people. That said, some of us find satisfaction in accomplishing much more through leading a team than we ever could have as a single worker.

Good luck either way!
 
I've had a little bit of management experience and I actually like it a lot. I can see how it could become more than a full time job in some companies but I don't think that would be the case for this position.
 
Take the money and management experience. The hardest leap to make in your career is to become a (reliable/successful) manager of people. If you have the opportunity, take it.
 
Take the money and higher salary. If it really sucks, you can quit in 5 years and have more skill and a higher salary to bargain a better job.
 
CalvinHobbes said:
Offer #1 is 110K, offer #2 87K.

Both jobs are 40 hours/week plus a little extra during busy times which seems to be the norm in the IT industry.
Click to expand...

If both jobs are "exempt" salaried positions, then by all means, take the one with some management duties. That will serve you well over the long run and SHOULD offer good "growth" opportunities for your career.
You'll be surprised at how much that difference in salary will make to your comfort level. While it may only work out to $1200-$1500/month after taxes, that extra will be huge in month-to-month living.

hell, for many people, that's a month's rent...or more. Of course, you haven't mentioned the location of either job. Are they in the same city? Are they located someplace you WANT to live?
 
Location would be my first question too. I've given up $28k / yr to live where I wanted and it was more like a 50% increase in my case. But also I got to work out of home and its reallll laid back. It worked out to where I don't miss the money, and I live where I really want to.
 
if you wont have as much fun on the first job take the extra 23k and spend it on hookers and blow.

maybe a fast ass car ?
 
The higher paying place values you more. It is nice to go to a place that values you.

Second, you *think* you might like the other job more, but it could turn out that you hate it and would LOVE the higher paying one anyways...
 
When one job is double digits in salary more, you take the money. 23K more is a lot of money. In 4 years you are talking about 90K more. This is a no-brainer.
 
extra money = new Honda Accord.

since u are indecisive about making the obvious choice, you are well suited for the management role
 
5k I would pick the one I would have more fun with

10k and it would be a good debate

For 20k? I'll complain about my underlings in my new car.
 
take 1 and bank the 27k difference for retirement. then your long term plan becomes retire early and do what you want
 
AreaCode707 said:
Nobody can answer that for you, it's entirely a matter of your personal priorities.

In my life, I went for the money decision ONLY because I planned to do that for a limited time and I knew exactly what my threshold was for quitting the career ladder and enjoying my life. Spent 8 years climbing and working my arse off and saving, and now I switched to a role where I work a lot less, still earn decently, won't progress up the career ladder but get to live where I want and in the way I want.

If you choose the higher paying job and defer your enjoyment in life, have a very concrete plan for when that period is going to end. Otherwise those extra earnings are meaningless.
Click to expand...

This is great advice. I highly recommend you listen to it, OP.
 
OP, where do you live and what specifically would the $87K job be doing? I mean, what technologies? Personally, I'd take job #1 if I were you but I'd like to hear the answer to my question.

I was a manager at one time and would like to get back into it, but it is really, really hard as management positions in IT aren't very plentiful in my area.
 
If the cost of living is the same in both locations then go for the 110k hands down.
Don't underestimate how much you're going to need for retirement.
 
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