Update: Would you take a 20% paycut for job security and short commute?

[Linflas]

I will do this cliff notes style

Current job:
Hour to hour and 15 minute commute each way
2 weeks vacation
Decent salary
Federal contract good for at least 1 more year

Job offer with county school system:
Commute 30 minutes at most
After 6 months job security until I quit or retire
Good advancement potential
Required to get CNA within 6 months of training end date.
3 weeks vacation to start
Roughly 20% paycut at outset.
State retirement benefits.

Before being laid off last April I would never have considered this but with the IT industry in flux a job with security suddenly seems just as important as pay. I am in my late 40's and really don't relish another job search but contract ends are part and parcel of government contracting. I am leaning towards accepting the offer and have to inform them of my decision tomorrow.

Update - Thanks for all the input. After lots of spreadsheet work and discussions with my wife I accepted the offer. Now all that is left for me to do is let my friend know I am going to be leaving. I'm hoping he understands my reasons and I did let him know up front back when I took this job that I had applications in with the County government and that this was a possibility.

 

[Anubis]

20% of how much?

 

[isekii]

1 hour - 1 1/4 hour commute doesn't seem that bad.

20% of how much ?

why not put that 20% into something you enjoy instead of switching jobs ?

 

[Wuffsunie]

Unless the 20% will cause serious problems for ya, and prospects for a raise are slim to none in the near future, I'd likely go for it. Then again, I abhor traffic and job searches.

 

[FoBoT]

no

 

[notfred]

If it's a 20% paycut from 200k to 160k, it might be worth it. If it's from 30k to 24k, you might not be able to live on it.

I have no idea what situation you're in.

 

[pulse8]

How long will you have to work this other job in order to make that 20% back?

 

[PunDogg]

depending on how much u make to begin with, but federal retirement, i would def take that, plus with the market and everything job security is awesome, but u can always leave and get a better job.

Dogg

 

[Ameesh]

i would talk to them and say you are very interested but a 20% cut isn't going to work , have them match your slary now and hopefully you can get the best of both worlds.

 

[Shockwave]

No. A 20% pay cut would, literally, sink me. I couldnt afford to do it.
Now, if my finances would permit it, IN A HEARTBEAT. I hate commuting and I hate worrying about layoffs when they come around.

 

[Linflas]

Don't really want to post my salary but it is not 6 figures lol. I suspect I would probably make the 20% back in 2-3 years given the potential to move up once inside the system. The real thing that makes it tempting is the job security factor. Plus I know a lot of people in the school system and I think I would really enjoy working at a school which is what the position entails.

 

[Zontor]

IMHO, I'd go w/the school system if your finances can afford the pay cut.

I commute 1-1.5 hours each way too. The shorter commute means more time for you, less wear and tear on the car, less gas, etc. That will save a bit of $$.

If you can get tenure after 6 months, that is a huge plus.

 

[BatmanNate]

I'd go for it.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

How old are you? Do you have a family?

Maybe you should just take the risk

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: Shockwave
No. A 20% pay cut would, literally, sink me. I couldnt afford to do it.
Now, if my finances would permit it, IN A HEARTBEAT. I hate commuting and I hate worrying about layoffs when they come around.

That is pretty much what my thinking is as well. When I was laid off at the end of April I received severance until mid June however we started living like we did not know when I would start getting a paycheck again. It was an eye opening experience when we figured out how much money we just wasted in any one month period. Needless to say I stayed far away from the Hot Deals forum and if I take this job will continue to do so.

 

[Beau]

If it was 20% of what i was making pre 9/11, hell yeah.

But now? Not a chance.

 

[athithi]

Just did that myself - except it was a 10% cut that was offset by benefits including less a 3rd of the premium I'm paying now + vacation, sick leave and holidays and a 12 month contract. I agonized over it for a quite a bit though. I hope I am making the right decision. Good luck to you! Oh btw, same commute

 

[Kilgor]

If I could live with the money at the new job I would take it. In fact I'm looking to do the same thing next year. The contract I am on now is good for 4 more years but I'm just getting tired of the commute and the Government workers. If I could find a state or county job in the county I'd take a damn near a 50% cut in pay.

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: AgaBooga
How old are you? Do you have a family?

Maybe you should just take the risk

Forum geezer in my late 40's. The job searches will not get any easier at my age.

 

[Beau]

Originally posted by: Linflas

Originally posted by: AgaBooga
How old are you? Do you have a family?

Maybe you should just take the risk

Forum geezer in my late 40's. The job searches will not get any easier at my age.

Start your own company.

 

[zCypher]

I live less than 2km from where I work. It's much much better like this. My gf also works within the same distance. It's not even a 15 minute walk, or a 2 minute drive. Everything I need is within close distance. Gas station, grocery stores, mall, work, parents place, bro's place, major highway, downtown easily accessible.

The only downside to my location is it's an overpriced friggin ghetto. The other day, there was some guy shooting up just outside an apartment building a block down from mine! WTF is that?!

New car + 20 year old's insurance + rent + not much more than minimum wage =


so the answer is HELL NO i wouldn't take a 20% cut! The only reason i'm staying at this job is cause it's CLOSE and convenient for me. otherwise i'd have switched jobs to something higher paying.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: isekii
1 hour - 1 1/4 hour commute doesn't seem that bad.

Each way?? :Q

Sorry, my commute is only 15 minutes each way and I like it that way.


Linflas, I think the new job, while a 20% pay cut at first, offers more long term potential.

 

[Shortcut]

Although the offer isn't for a teaching position, would you still qualify for summer vacations? If so, that's a big plus...because you could always take a 2nd job during the summertime to partially offset the 20% drop in salary.

Even if you had to go to work during the summer, wouldn't the workload drop off considerably during that time?

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: Beau

Originally posted by: Linflas

Originally posted by: AgaBooga
How old are you? Do you have a family?

Maybe you should just take the risk

Forum geezer in my late 40's. The job searches will not get any easier at my age.

Start your own company.

All I know is computers and I don't think now is such a great time to be starting a new company in that field. Funny but my current position is with a friend of mine who has 15 people employed in his little company he started because he had an opportunity to sub contract on another contract.

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: Shortcut
Although the offer isn't for a teaching position, would you still qualify for summer vacations? If so, that's a big plus...because you could always take a 2nd job during the summertime to partially offset the 20% drop in salary.

Even if you had to go to work during the summer, wouldn't the workload drop off considerably during that time?

No it is a new state mandate that each school have a tech support specialist assigned to each school. It is what is called a 250 day position which means I get standard full time employee benefits, 3 weeks vacation to start etc. 7.5 hour workday +.5 for lunch. With my current job I leave the house at 6:15 AM and arrive home somewhere between 5:15-5:45 PM.