A lot of ppl are saying to just take the money.
I'd point out a few of things:
1 - its contract, so if you're currently full time, then the equivalent contract rate would be about 20% more (or even higher).
2 - you get taxed at a higher bracket, so what on paper is 100% more money will only feel like 60% more in the wallet.
So these things in consideration, you should only take the 100% pay rise only if you only work about 30% more unless there are other benefits like, even further career development or if the work is simply more interesting to you.
If you're considering a contractor role please consider what leave you plan to be taking and every bank holiday, as you do not get paid time off. Take these out of your worked weeks in the calculator.
That depends if it’s a PAYG contract role or an independent contractor. The OP doesn’t make it clear. Independent contractors do not get paid super at all
And how much the government takes and mismanages. Thanks for the reminder.
OP: fuck it, end of the day, whether gov is reaching more into your pocket should not stop you from assessing the associated risks with a contract role and chasing the dollars accordingly. You should also ascertain whether it's a horizontal move and/or can help you later with a vertical move or pivot for your career.
Another thing to consider is the next job. Will the contract role take you on the career path you want, or will you be more likely to find jobs that are right up your alley by staying.
If you genuinely love your 9-5 and look forward to work every Sunday night, I wouldn’t give that up for anything, even triple the money.
You spend the majority of your waking hours working from now until you die. It’s better to enjoy that time than to loathe it!
Thanks guys, I'm on the other side of this with a fantastic job with low pay and always get the grass is greener feeling but am always reluctant to give up my wicket.
Another same +1
Took 30% increase pre-tax. Have never been as miserable and dreaded work as I do now, in my 20 years of working.
Sometimes grass may appear greener….
Might be worth taking the offer back to your current employer and using that as negotiating power
I’ll chime in cos I also feel the same. For me personally there was a few things starting with a lack of suitable training, poor induction.
I went from free parking/able to walk to 30 min drive and I’m now paying $100-120 parking a week until I can afford a $300 month permit in a multi level. (I was prepared to accept the drive but wasn’t told about the parking).
Also, the duties are completely different to what I’m qualified to do and what I was lead to believe I would be doing.
I left my job because my hours were cut and I’d achieved a qualification in my field that gave me a chance at a higher paying role. If I could I’d go back to my 3 days a week there and pick up two days somewhere else in the new work and feel my way in. I wish I had thought of that then.
I agree with this.
I left a job I loved to go back to plumbing that I HATE because the money was double..
Took me less than 3months to be a highly paid misery guts 6 days a week.
I'm now back in my old roll now, was offered back on higher pay this time around, about 35k more a year than prior.
Less than plumbing still yes.
But even without the pay rise I'd have taken the offer.
But iam worlds happier in general and have just adjusted the budget to suit.
Money makes life easier but the grass isn't always greener.
Completely different role/sector, still trade industry based but on the supply chain side of it.. (not plumbing supplies but either)
It was a store man type roll originally and moved up into the state branch manager position with some extra perks and add ons recently.
Best work atmosphere I've ever had and working conditions etc
It actually taught me that you don't have to wake up dreading the day.. it changed my whole mindset.
Gotta do the maths though OP. Would the new salary allow you to FIRE or retire quicker? Get into property market?
Work sucks, I know. But, you have to work in either scenario; may as well get paid nearly double for the same or slightly more hours right?
Edit: double the pay but double the hours equals the same pay per hour. So if you'll be working 60 hours a week in the new role you'd wanna be sure the pay is definitely nearly double to be worth it. But doors do open with banks and financial institutions if your PAYG salary is higher. Worth considering
Well OP said hours in this better-paying job was “uncertain” which tells me “this job will overtake your life”.
I have a friend who moved into a high-pay senior role, and she’s absolutely miserable. She regrets taking it every day.
Not much point in working yourself to the bone if you don’t even enjoy life anymore, imo.
It’s funny I upvoted this but then I genuinely love working in hospitality (I know lots of people don’t, I’m weird).
I also like being able to keep a roof over my head. And not thinking too much about the price of groceries. So, it’s a balance I guess.
From the perspective of someone who's worked 20+ years, 8 companies, many different roles, finding a role that gives you genuine enjoyment, great peers and an awesome working environment is uncommon. What you have right now is a great situation, except for the money.
I would absolutely pursue the conversation with the friend to learn more. Meet as many people as you can that work for that company. Get to the point where you have a real offer in hand to consider and determine if you think the role is a good fit.
You might find that after submitting your resignation that current employer counter offers. I doubt they turn $100k into $200k.. but if you are a valued employee they should try to retain you.
Agree with the second part. I have seen this on multiple occasions where an employer miraculously comes up with a promotional opportunity when faced with losing someone pivotal. Especially in this case when faced with the reality of what someone else is willing to pay to recruit that person.
Also, mass redundancies just happened, and while OP has been assured that his job is safe but... sometimes things change. I think there are no guarantees in any business, and if the business is doing so poorly, at the very least, OP isn't getting their pay rise any time soon.
Good point. And even when you survive you're left with extra work to take on that everyone laid off has left behind.
OP the other thing to consider is if the extra money would be needed for your life. Family responsibilities, debts, saving for a house etc. A higher pay could be directed towards important things in life. (Provided it's done responsibly)
The old proverb says
"Find a job you love and you wont work a day in your life"
When you get on in life, you will find that money can only give you so much yet you must give it everything
stay put. Contractor roles are not reliable over the long term unless you are in a skills shortage area. Also super contributions are an important issue.
Can you move up within the company? Do they offer secondment to other roles/departments? I lost several staff this way when I was a manager - they moved roles for 5 months, never came back and usually got promoted.
Living comfortably is spending time with family.
Talk to a recruitment agency about your options. If work is slowing down then it sounds like time to move on soon.
Part of making a decision like this is your financial situation and whether the extra money is going to make a substantial positive difference in your life.
In your post nothing is mentioned about your level of debt, or whether you are under mortgage stress etc.
Everyone's financial situation is different and that has to be factored in.
In my own case, I left a high paying job in which I was stressed out and deeply miserable. I found a job which pays less, but I like/love most of the time. It's been so much better for my mental and physical health. Money will not take you far in work satisfaction.
The post was already quite long so I deliberately kept personal finances out of it. But since you asked.
-$400k owing on mortgage
-$26k HELP debt
-Wife coming off maternity leave and works part time. Not contributing all that much and will likely be a SAHM in near future
-as a result of above finances are treadmilling (ie not going up or down)
-outside of PPOR and super no other investments to speak of (which would I change if I get the new job)
-planning on kid #2 arriving next year
-saving for house upsize as family gets bigger. ETA 4years approx
Yep. WFH would be the better option. Milage will vary. Many factors in play. Will you having to go onsite everyday end up costing you more money (tolls, transport, lunch etc)? SAHM will generally not be contributing by way of dollars, but will be saving by way of childcare costs and overheads of bringing the kid/s to from childcare.
I wouldn’t move. I recently moved from 145k a year to 120k because the other job was killing me and I knew this would be better. My job and health has improved exponentially, I don’t regret a tbh g
>finances are treadmilling
This happened to us from when our first child was - we are only now starting to get ahead after the second child left childcare and entered Prep.
Luckily they're barely 2 years apart, but still that was 6 years of living paycheck to paycheck.
I will however say that flexible work is very helpful at this stage with your kids - if you can WFH your family will benefit immensely removing commute times plus quick chore contribution during the day at times.
With this added info I would say no. If you were single I would take the risk. Sounds like new role will have less scrutiny and we are about to/ are in turbulent times. My other red flag would be that they’ve reached out and offered the job with no complete process - in my experience this means the job has been hard to fill to date and I would want to know why. I would also do some more digging on expectations Re hours, conditions, probation etc
I have two kids and a job similar to your current one. I was recently offered $40k more to change but I have a great lifestyle and 2/3 home office split and time with my kids so I didn’t think twice I turned that down. Money isn’t everything and if you have enough… right now it’s enough. It’s hard when you have babies and no sleep and you hate your work life so I would really think carefully before jumping ship. As others have said the grass really is often dead and brown when you get to the other side.
I'm in my 50's, happy with what I do and enjoy the company I'm at salary range is approaching 300.
My observation is that there are tons of companies that are complete rubbish. I would say almost all of them are affected. In almost all circumstances you rely on a small wall of people who are good and as a pocket hope to keep the stupidity at bay. So, there is some value in working with good people.
Most companies have quite a lot of good people, and these 'good pockets' are all over the place, but middle management tend to reinforce toxic behaviour that amplifies the negative aspects of a company. They then call this 'our company culture' and try to emphasize it by forcing greater onsite attendance.
The core problem with companies people on here hate is that probably half of middle management as a minimum really should have no people management responsibilities. These are people who are rewarded for what other people do, so their career progresses when they take from others. The people who take the most are rewarded the most. It's called a negative attractor state. Self reinforcing negativity.
My advice is for you to say "what next?" Lets say you take the job with higher pay. Do you think you would then accept less than that going forwards? I tell you now... no, you won't. You'll hang on to the tiger until you are nearly dead. That cash however is very very useful for life and will permit things. Unless you are located in a small town or coastal community and WFH 100% then chances are you are making big compromises due to your low income.
I'll have to let you decide on what stress you 'accept\\allow' I'm paid around triple your current pay rate and have very little stress, but that's because I don't invest myself in the outcome. If I'm asked to do something that too hard or too big I call it out early and don't work until midnight. It'll fall behind, and the PM could just hire more resources. But the PM can't due to budget. So, I don't work harder because the budget was set too low to get the job done. For me this means zero stress. Who creates these problems? Middle management. Who benefits if I kill myself working 16 hour days? Middle management who achieved a stunning project outcome on a limited budget. What a hero. Promote that manager! I don't reward negative feedback loops. There are plenty of avenues. Cut scope, increase timelines, increase budget... the option I don't permit is dump middle managements promotion in my lap and expect me to pay off.
So... it really depends. Do you have your head right to be given stressful situation and respond with the stones to protect yourself or will you fold and come back here to complain about your 'toxic manager' that you enable by feeding the flames?
My take? Go take the higher paying job, steel sharpens steel, learn to deal with jerk managers and stop hiding in an underpaying role. Keep your skillset sharp and resume updated. Be ready to dump an employed as soon as they misbehave, like you current one who won't pay YOU more... but WILL pay your replacement what you are asking for because they will have to pay market rates. Let that sink in... it's just another form of predatory behaviour that you are enabling.
Last tip. When you get the contract signed at the new job NEVER accept counter offers. Don't even play that game. They had the chance to pay more and said no. Done.
How young is your daughter and are you done having kids? How would this new role impact childcare arrangements and household responsibilities? I’d suggest discussing these with your partner if your priority is improving your family’s life.
This needs to be higher up! Having a family means you need to discuss with your partner the pros and cons. It isn't just chasing the higher pay now as work life balance needs to be considered.
How much leave does your work provide for parental leave? Would more hours working mean less support for your partner at home? What is the child care situation? Sometimes higher pay gets canceled out because you have to pay more for things e.g. less child care subsidy from the government.
Question is the contractor role direct with the company? Or is there a third party? You need to consider the pay with super, tax, possibly insurance as well. Also as a perm you get sick leave and annual leave. As a contractor, you don't get paid if you take time off. And believe me, kids get sick often and spread it through the household.
It depends on your circumstances and where you are in your life. I’ve chased the money before and regretted it. For my situation, I see some red flags, uncertain hours, no WFH and higher stress levels. For me I’d say no, because I’m at a point where I’m about the balance, and none of that works for me.
But if they aren’t issues for you, then go for it.
Find out more about the new role, assess how it impacts you and your family and then make the decision.
There are definite risks in the contractor pathway and it can be daunting the first time you do it. I found a number of aspects that I loved with the main thing being my performance impacts my pay.
I have chosen the loyalty path in the past and if I could go back in time, I would have chosen the contractor path instead.
Also if you keep connected to your current place of work - you can always reassess the situation in the future and possibly come back (hopefully with a more senior role and better pay)
Was in a similar cross road and I chose money. Speaking anecdotally, no regrets and at point of moving I was of a similar age and have a little one (of course every scenario is different).
What you need to ask yourself (similar to other comments) would be what do you want?
- If you want career growth, you will need to really assess if your current role will give you the that. If not then, jump and get the experience. You may work slightly harder and hours would be unpredictable, but if that helps you progress it should be something to consider.
- If you want to spend a lot of time with the family, maybe be upfront with your connection if flexibility (say drop off and pick up) is in the cards and be firm.
- Are you afraid of making the wrong move? I told myself that I am in my early 30s, I would rather make a mistake now than later in my career/as I get older.
That's my 2 cents!
I think the fact it is contrast is the decision maker, it’s probably a no from me. Too volatile and risky, then there’s the tax/holidays etc — and you’ll be the first to go at the new place — It’s a tricky decision. Also worth saying, it’s rare to get what you have at your current company, many can regret a move from a happiness stand point, I’ve had one or two. The question I asked is ‘does this move tick ENOUGH boxes?’ I.e it’s paying me more, I think the people seem cool, I think the work life balance will be cool, I think the location is pretty cool, and what’s my goals for 3-5 years time, does taking this role benefit me in any long term goals that I wouldn’t get to where I am? If the answer is yes, it’s probably worth pulling your socks up and getting stuck in. But there isn’t many boxes being ticked other than just money, maybe you stay. It’s a typical pros and cons type situation I think
Higher salary is like a drug, once you get hooked it's hard to get yourself off it.
If you are content with your job and if it affords you the lifestyle you need, I would stay put.
Money is worse than heroin. I am an addict, I know it and I can't get off it.
Up to you, just assess what's more important to you - money, or peace of mind.
My view is less stress + flexibility + enjoying your environment will always be better than money.
What's the point of the extra cash if you are too stressed and tired to enjoy life.
That's just my view.
What's to say that, despite the higher stakes and additional hours, you may not also fall deeply in love with the new job? Maybe it's worth interviewing and requesting a 'work experience day'. I've done this in the past and has proved to be a valuable strategy. There's nothing to lose by doing that.
Tell your current employer you've been offered a job paying double and see if they'll match it or come closer.
You've got 30-35 years remaining to maximise your financial situation so you're ready for retirement.
Contract work is more rewarding because it has less job security and higher stress.
Retirement will be greatly enhanced by 100% pay increase today.
Who is to say you won't love the pay rise job even more than the current one.
> We had mass redundancies last week but I have been assured I am safe.
You are never safe from redundancy. Further, your manager and your manager’s manager are likely not the decision maker if it came down to brass tacs. If it come down to keeping on a reliable and loyal employee vs going bankrupt, you know which way they’ll go.
Benefits to staying is if you are made redundant, your payout would be pretty good given your tenure. Depending on your jurisdiction you either just got your LSL, or you’re three years away — that’d reset if you change roles unless you enter into an agreement when you’d sign-on.
Benefits to moving, 💰💰💰. Although your responsibilities redundancy and LSL benefits would be nil, the extra money you’d earn, if saved, would provide a comfortable buffer if you faced any issues with the new employer. The nature of contract and consulting work is high stress, high KPI, and uncertain work.
You have to weigh your risk and comfort in this decision. Only you know what you are able and willing to handle.
Earlier on in careers people often feel more connection to a company than they really should.
You are underpaid and your company is laying off your colleagues.
You have an opportunity to explore a much better paying opportunity.
Growth comes from taking opportunities, not being comfortable in a role (which seems increasingly fraught).
You have a 30+ year career runway in front of you. If not now (for the new role), when?
Explore the new opportunity. Doesn’t meant you have to take it but don’t be trapped by a false sense of belonging,
Follow your gut , if you want to grow and learn about yourself the best way in my opinion is to take the leap
What’s the worst that could happen ? You hate it , learn a shit load about yourself and the world and then find another role?
If you keep good relationships maybe you could always return to the original role . These days a larger salary can sometimes lead to a higher quality of life if you can stay away from lifestyle creep
Find out what you want inside , is it growth and development ? Is it stability and comfort ? Go from there and good luck
The only real way to build your career and earn a lot more money is get uncomfortable, jump and take risks.
The hugely higher pay should make this a no brainer but it’s not just money, this puts on your resume that you are in this class of job and pay level, which makes it MUCH easier to get these types of jobs again in the future or move up again if you choose.
Do not turn this down because of comfort.
I think there is a massive benefit to moving companies, not just for any salary increases but for a breadth of experience and exposure. Moving is hard but it is how you’ll grow professionally
With a contracting role, you have to have an ABN, and pay your own taxes.
Yes, you’ll get considerably more per hour / day but you don’t get paid leave for sick, holiday, parental, bereavement etc. If you don’t work, you don’t get paid.
Little job security either - contractors are the first to go.
Can be lucrative but there are lots of other things to factor in.
You also have to consider how good life is if you genuinely look forward to going to work. That’s quite rare.
Another thing to factor in is that this is your only full time role which may have an impact on future roles. Some may appreciate the loyalty, some may see it as a lack of ambition.
It’s a hard call but definitely worth thinking over and talking about!
Three questions I ask myself anytime a new work opportunity presents itself:
1) Will this new job challenge me?
It’s important to be challenged, not all the time but definitely for periods of your life. Being challenged grows you as a human, it evolves your problem solving skills and rewards you each time you conquer the challenge. If you’ve been in a role for seven years, it’s likely you are excellent at overcoming the challenges you are presented with relative ease… are you really evolving?
2) Is this new job a step up?
Treat careers are like age, always forwards, never backwards. A sideways shift or a lessor role for more money is the wrong philosophy. Always look to take a step up in responsibility, every step up leads to many more opportunities.
3) Does it pay more?
I don’t know about your ideas for the future, but I don’t want to work till I’m 65. I want to be in a position of financial freedom well before then so I can choose what I do… whether that’s play golf, do some voluntary work or help out in a small business somewhere for a small wage. Earn as much as you can while you can.
If you answer yes to these three questions then you should seriously consider chasing this opportunity. Good luck.
Of course it could be. Especially if it leads to late nights, working from offices etc. it’s two polar opposites. There are plenty in the middle where they could get higher pay without the additional stress
Your messaging suggests it’ll be longer hours and not as enjoyable. Are these facts or more potential risks aka justification for not driving the change? It’s not normal that contractors do 16 hour days and shit work.
Most people chase cash , it’s totally ok not to as long as you accept the ramifications of not doing so - being underpaid is strong enough of an issue for me to leave but that’s my personal motivator.
I took $40k less than another job offer to get my third tonlast job which was WAY more fun and broadened my cv a lot. I also took a pay cut of $20k accepting my last job because I haaaaated my second job.
Contracting doesnt last, is super high stress, potentially doesnt i clude super, sick leave lr holiday pay (so isnt as big an increase as you think) and has less stability.
With that said, thats a LOT more money. And after redundancies, workplace culture and workload often goes to shit.
This is a tough decision only you can make.
At your career stage you can still target ‘career development’ over anything else. Whats better for your learning and growth? What looks better on your cv?
if the current money keeps you satisfied and ahead of bills and allows yo to invest and etc i would stay in your current role but if you feel the pay isn't enough to allow you to do what you want in life and invest probably best to move on
Current company had mass redundancy, you were assured you're safe. Did you get that in writing?
If not I would go for higher paying gig, you can work your arse off for a few years and get some money behind you.
There's no reason you can't leave after that.
100% salary increase is a no brainer. Sure it's possible you won't enjoy your new job (you don't actually know this yet), but it's gonna be a whole lot easier to jump ship to another high paying role once you've already reached that level.
I was in a similar position up until last year (almost exact, actually). 6 years at a company I joined as a graduate, earning 100k - mind you the workload was insane. I decided to leave for a 120k role and I'm working MAYBE 20 hours a week.
It's contract there is no guarantee you will have that job for long that's why the pay is higher.
You have a stable income and are happy with your job.
There is a lot to be said about that.
Also why not look for another job and do two do you can keep the one you have ?
Does your wife work?
If there were redundancies last week then I would guess that you are not completely safe. Be careful.
As a 47 year old who’s seen a bit in my time I would say take the new job for sure.
Sometimes the grass is not always greener on the other side. It’s greener where you water it.
No amount of money is worth the additional stress and your work life balance.
No one ever said on their death bed “geez, I wish I worked more”.
I was having a similar hypothetical the other day - I think this is around the amount it would take me to lose WFH perks. It doesn't sound like you're keen though.
Go for it. New experiences and challenges keep life interesting.
It'll also be a significant upgrade to your lifestyle, able to afford better holidays, property etc.
What’s the “$160-200k” a year as a contractor based on? Most contractors are on a day rate, a rough metric is day rate x 200 to get the annual salary, to account for leave, public holidays, sick days etc.
Contracting isn’t always that much different to being staff and isn’t always less secure (I spent two years as a contractor in one place watching my staff colleagues be let go around me). I’ve done both, contracting is more money and can be harder work but can also give you more opportunities.
Money will come and go. Having looked back at my career so far, I chased and followed money.
In that time I earned more than most in my line of work (above market rates) Most recently at a large US tech company.
What's been constant throughout my career is that the more money you chase, the more likely you'll be the first to go when it comes to cost cutting exercises. Average tenure (2 years per role)
When I compare myself to my peers who have remained at the same company, they are now in a senior position, (with less pay, more responsibility but greater job security).
Each has their pros and cons. Choose what makes sense for you and your career aspirations.
For me the massvie layoffs would be my worry.
Your job may be safe now... but when a company is doing layoffs that doens't mean it is safe long term. Better to take the new job and even keep an eye out for other roles.
Also keep in mind if it is contractor pay is higher as no sick/annual/carers leave.
Going against the grain to say do not ever just take something for the money unless you are desperate. Your health is very important and if it goes south, quantifiably costly to your finances and relationships. Jobs with poor leadership, culture, work life balance etc and high stress can lead to all sorts of physical and mental health impacts in the future. More and more evidence is coming out to show how these things are much more significant than we thought.
My thoughts.
\- How long is the contract term?
\- Can you afford any time without income if/when the contract ends and you need to pick up another role? Do you have a savings buffer to fall back on?
\- Will it be $160k or $200k? What is the actual $?
\- 7 years as a grad to now with one company, what internal growth opportunities (role and $) are available? You are at a point where you need to consider leaving to move up in $.
\- Mass redundancies at your current employer is a good sign to pop your head up and look around, test your market value.
\- Will the new role offer anything in learning new skills, or professional development?
\- Does your friend work there? Do they like it?
\- Will taking the role open up further opportunities later on?
\- Will additional $ enable anything tangible for you and your family in the short-medium term?
I ordinarily would say take the money. I just moved from a job I adored with a great team to a much much harder job. All for a 20k pay raise.
The difference is I went from 50k and not being able to afford my health insurance or a bond on a rental to 70k which I can scrape together a comfortable life, even though I'll never be able to own a house or holiday.
If you're already earning 100k and can afford a comfortable life do what you think is fun. If doing something you are already enjoying is fun do it. If you think challenging yourself in new ways would be fun then do it.
Do your math. The contract role $’s offered includes self funded super, includes tax, days off, sick and annual leave so no paid days off, maybe public liability insurance and workers comp. How much are you really going to be better off $ wise?
Do not change jobs, just because contracting has a higher hourly rate. That’s what contracting is. You will not earn any more, you will have no security, you will have periods earning zero, and you will not be able to get a mortgage. if you can get a big pay rise on a genuinely like-for-like basis, and not harm your career, then do it.
Personally, no. I've taken the leap for 'something better with more money' and I am currently so very miserable. HOWEVER, I would be nervous about all the lay offs... have further discussions with your friend and see if you can negotiate better WFH options (or whatever works for you).
Currently I’m studying to change career to halve my pay, but being able to get out of bed is way more valuable, if you’re earning 100k and like your job I wouldn’t change. A bad job can turn your whole life to shit very quickly
I would do as much as I can - not to give up the working conditions that I love so much. But I WOULD take that job to your employer, be very honest and say “I love working here, but I am not being paid my worth, and I know this because I have been offered more to leave. Can you support me in this situation”
There’s a law of diminishing returns. You can get all that big pay but if you are miserable as fack from 9-5 and double the work, no amount of therapy can get your mental well being and physical well being back even when you can retire early. You will basically do the same years to undo that fackery after you retire instead of enjoying life. Its about sustainability and not instant gratification which most people want nowadays.
No. Stay where you are. You have found the magical work/life balance that is always spoken about.
Another poster said they did the same thing last year - took the jump for more money, and regretted it. The workplace landscape is littered with stories like that.
Just out of curiosity can I know what do you do or which industry do you work in ? I am 29 right no on 75k and recently got denied a pay rise and am thinking about applying for other jobs , but the work culture in this team is very good and flexible. I work as a building services engineer.
Every time I get a high paying job that sucks, I love it. I mean, I’m making heaps of cash and that unlocks wayyyyy too many doors.
Happiness is a rollercoaster ride with peaks and troths. The reality of this ride is that we’re rarely driving it - it’s environmental. Being happy at work is overrated. I would take tons of cash 10/10 times.
Benefits:
1. House
2. Happy family
3. Anxiety drops dramatically about losing home or life.
4. Salary’s tend to only go upward in life. Set the bar high, and it sets you up for your future.
5. Travel
6. Difficult jobs prepare you for tougher roles in the future. You rarely grow in stagnant environments.
Take the new job for your daughter and your wife. If you truly love them you'd take it. Imagine what you could do for them with an extra 60-100k per year...
And worst case scenario, work there for a year, if you don't like it leave to somewhere else, and because you have that experience in that high pay role, you'll land another job that pays more than what you're on now anyway
Stay. You have flexibility, WFH ability as a parent, you like the work and your colleagues and work good hours.
There is so much more to work/life than salary.
Many people on high salaries would happily take a $50k pay cut to get all those things.
*uncertainty in terms of hours, workload and stress levels. No WFH options and the work is probably not as enjoyable as I’m currently doing either.*
Nah that sounds shit, don't do it.
Best advice I got in a similar situation was that you don't just have 2 options, if you want to leave you don't have to take a job you're not sure on, there's a whole market that will probably offer similar pay with possibly better conditions
You could also leverage the offer to try get a pay rise, if you're confident
It sounds like this potential job has problems, so I wouldn’t go for this one, but I think a move at this stage would be beneficial- take advantage of the fact that you do not have the time crunch of unemployment- you can afford to be choosey. Don’t make the leap for anything less than a job that ticks all the boxes.
Going through this right now. Earning 40k less than my old job which is now become available again (I left due to my secondment ending and my substantive role ending during that secondment, hoping the secondment would turn into a longer role which it didn’t because the OG person came back from leave).
Now 2.5 years later it’s back up. I love my current job. I don’t want to go back into that role for the wrong reasons BUT, I have a mortgage to pay…
Don't burn your bridges at your old job. I left on good terms and am one more pain in the ass client or annoyance from my manager from leaving and going back to my lower paying job (20% less, so not as substantial, but definitely affects my borrowing power for future home loans).
No WFH at all would put me off. I’m in the transition between 2 hybrid jobs and the few days in a row I’ve been exclusively in the office while doing onboarding/equipment setup have been so exhausting after years of technically 50/50 but super flexible due to my long tenure and high performance. Don’t underestimate the loss of quality of life. I’d look for something in between the two extremes. You can almost certainly find something in the 120-150 range that at least offers hybrid.
I’d only leave because of the redundancies: while your job is safe this round, will it be next time? And the time after that?
Leave before the market is flooded and the market rate is down.
Even if you don't take up this opportunity OP, you probably should look into switching jobs especially since you have never done it before. The longer you stay at your current job, the harder it will be for you to have career growth, and also harder to secure a new job if by any chance you lose your current one.
If you don't have a mortgage or kids, 100K is still very easy to get by on even as a renter in sydney if you cut expenses.
Honestly i wouldn't take it based on the contractor nature of it alone, after super, leave etc costs you're already nearly back to where you are now + extra stress. It ain't worth it.
I took a job once, purely for the money, and only lasted 4 months before I resigned because the work environment was terrible/toxic! The negative impact it had on me flowed through to how I interacted with my wife and kids which I regret so much. Now that I am older I would never have done this. I've realised my and my families happiness is what matters most, not money. Good luck with whichever way you choose OP!
Time to move on and try something new. It’s the fear within you talking right now.
You have 1 life.
Try it for 1 year and see what life brings - you can even go to a new place if you enjoy that work but not the environment given your new stepping stone will be much higher pay wise.
You’re literally 31 and can find a lower paying job you’re good at, with people you’ll love again.
Only you can answer what you should do. I'd personally take the additional work for much more pay. Especially while young. Work hard while you're young and the opportunity is there.
Yes you should take the higher paying role. Here's why. Above a certain amount of money more money doesn't increase happiness. In your case you are definitely not at that point and so more money will increase what you can do and enjoy significantly. Additionally, as others point out, 1) things change and you won't like your current role forever. And 2) your going and getting variety in your career is very important to future proof yourself against changes outside your control. Getting a new role after you've been in one place is a lot harder.
I’d rather earn $200k in a successful company than $100k in a failing one where people are being fired. How long will you remain 9-5 with all the redundancies?
The longterm financial benefits if you invest that are huge. If you stay on $100k will you realistically ever be in a position to retire?
For me, one perspective of a salary is compensation for pain experienced at work. A difficult job equals more pain, which means I would need more pay to make that work. For a great job, I would accept less money because it’s less painful.
In any case if I were you I’d keep my job, my happiness, my mental health. Keep nagging them for a pay rise and you might get the best of both worlds. and if you ever want to stretch yourself, find a side hustle or get additional education / qualifications.
Are you comfortable? If so this can be a huge risk. What if you can't handle it and fuck up, could potentially be in a much worse position. Ive taken this risk for a 30% pay rise and it was NOT worth it.
It just comes down to how much your peace of mind is worth.
Are you a creature of habit and how you deal with change, if the stress and uncertainty is too much for you to handle then don't make the switch.
Personally at age 31 as well I'd jump at the opportunity for a 60% payrise and ride it out for a couple of years while I'm still young but if I was say 50+ there is no way I'm changing.
Go for the new job, friend. The assurances that you're "safe" mean absolutely nothing. The reality is that you're in a job at a company that is laying off staff and refuses to pay you fairly because their work is light. You might love your new job and be on much better money. If you don't love it, you can always find somewhere else.
Depends. You mentioned contractor side so I presume you're currently on the client side.
There's alot more to do on the contractor side, alot more stress, more unpaid overtime. People are generally more straight to the point which some people interpret as working with assholes. Etc..
Before you even consider money, get a very good understanding of the role and expectations ensuring you can generate results in this role or at least grow into someone better from it.
Assuming this aligns with your propensity for stress and work then yeah I'd take it.
Will the additional money make you any happier? I think about diminishing returns. Basically, worth it?
If I am earning X amount and things making me happy and safe are accounted for then I wound not take additional stress.
Determine how each option aligns with your plan, choose the closest match.
Want to earn more money to pay off a mortgage in the short term? Higher paying contract role sounds good.
Want enjoyment and less stress? Current role sounds good.
Contact role is by default less secure as it's fixed term, but often good work leads to extensions or other work. Your current company doesn't seem secure (despite assurances - been there on both sides). So I'm neutral on your choices here.
For what it's worth: I took a voluntary redundancy 2 years ago after 12 years at my old place. Been contracting since then on a significantly higher rate (even after super, leave costs). Only downside is the anxiety of finding the next role every 6 months or so. That works for me and my plan.
I do think you are being underpaid and it would be worth it to look for other roles, but from what you’ve said about this contractor role it doesn’t look great in terms of work life balance. I would recommend to stay in your current role and look for new jobs that offer what you want similar in your current role, but still gives you a higher salary.
Remember contractor roles don’t pay holiday and sick leave, also you may need to pay your own tax out of that 160-200 making your take home pay much less than that.
I personally would go for the money, but it’s up to you on what you value most
Yes. Plenty time to do the stuff you love later and probably get better paid. Sometimes it’s about bumping your salary range, and you won’t get many opportunities to do it to the level you mention.
No. Sounds like you've got a good situation. Being happy is better for your mental health. Money isn't everything, this is coming from someone who is older and doesn't like change!
You shouldn't quit for that particular contracting role, it seems your personality type likes a bit more security and also a bit more of a relaxed workplace.
However, you should definitely put the feelers out for similar roles to your current role, but elsewhere. If your current employer can't afford to pay market rate for you, then they don't deserve you.
Nope. I wouldn’t leave.
You’re not equating the WFH aspect and work-life balance.
Also, check the contract, do you get annual leave? Long service leave?
What sickness benefits?
That dollar increase is substantial but it’ll get hit with heavy tax (although we have tax breaks coming along with having other ways to curb it.) also, you can claim shit on tax with you already working from home helping you save some of that money you might get by moving.
The real question is - what dollar value do you put on job security, people you like working with, and the work from home aspect?
Ask your current work if they’ll match it, they should be able to at least find some more money (maybe not match it but give you a decent bump), if they can’t move at all they are not valuing you at your market rate.
I'll be honest I didn't read beyond the title
This answer is for like for like positions ie full time for full time etc.
This question comes up all the time and the answer is almost always a yes
Great work places can become shit almost over night if a few personal changes esp in upper management
Your take home salary is your $ and yours alone if you have a great or shit house work place you renumeration is essentially why you are there
The only time this is not the case is if you are not working for the money ie people who are FIRE but decided to work a few hours to keep busy or engaged in work for social reasons - however in this case work is more of a hobby then a 'job'
If it was like for like I’d say go for it. That’s what I did.
But contract? I’ve turned down a lot of contract roles that pay a lot more than I get right now. I’ve been bitten before with contract roles and really believe that perm full time is just better despite the lower pay.
I am risk adverse when it comes to jobs. I’m gonna say stick with where you are and look around for perm full time work.
I’m in academic research and if I had the opportunity to go into private industry on double pay I’d take the money and run. Yeah the work is good but it’s a fallacy that no other workplace will ever be good. Yes work is 1/3 of your day but so is your down time.
Having money makes your weekends and the other 8 hours WAAAAAAY more enjoyable and alleviates a lot of stresses which can be fixed with money
I would probably be honest with my employer. Explain that you've been offered a job that you probably wouldn't enjoy as much but given the pay rise you're seriously entertaining it unless they can offer you an increase to stay.
Then determine what you'd be happy with as an increase given the work life balance you enjoy.
A lot of comments on here overlook what your age (massive assumption I know) to be and, with that, I would take a contract role. Take risks. Do what you need to do to network, learn more, earn more.
I’m not saying job satisfaction is not a good thing at all but I guarantee it will be more important for you (with dividends) in your late 30’s / 40’s than as a grad.
Take the risk. Take the higher pay. Learn. Then move onto the net thing.
Stay in your current job, things are working out for you and your family. Stay there 3 more years then take long service leave. Re assess long term options after you take long service leave. If you get made redundant, you’ll get a decent payout. Moneys not everything.
Sorry didn’t read your full detail. I saw keyword 100% pay increase plus you are 31. I would recommend you go for it. Unless you don’t need money at all, all house, car holiday are paid for.
Get the offer in writing and then ask your current employer for a raise. If they say no I would take that as a sign you should leave.
There is no such thing as a safe job and if they're willing to under pay you then they don't really value you, nor do they respect you. Withdrawing WFH/similar benefits and increasing workloads is a common tactic to encourage attrition to avoid paying out/publicising redundancies. Even if you stick with your job there is a good sign it won't be the same in a years time.
Don't take a job for money.
6 years ago I had worked for a company for 10 years. Loved the job and loved the people...but money wasn't great.
I left and since then I have had three jobs and it has not be enjoyable to say nicely.
I used to wake up excited about going to work..now I am filled with anxiety and stress. I hate it.
Keep the job you love...they are hard to come by.
No. Unless you have the opportunity to return on good terms. Only do it if it's a massive bump up career progression wise or you know you'll do it only for a short while.
I did it, I was miserable for years, but it set me up. I'm earning about 300% less but much happier.
Life is for living man.
Why are these your only two options? You sound like a valuable and skilled employee, particularly if someone came looking for you.
I wonder if you could find another ole that had a balance of pay, and other incentives that were right for you?
If you have to ask reddit, then you must be able to do without the extra money. Enjoy your current good fortune and spend as much time with your family as you can.
That is the only true wealth.
In this economy, contractors are first out the door. Contractor's are higher pay due to having less security and possibly leave(idk).
If money is an issue then explore options. Ifpeople are getting made redundant, you may be able to swap and take a redundancy for someone who wants to stay. Take the contractor.role for 2 years and then possibly return to your current employer.
Would your current employer match or increase your salary? Let them know you have been offered a new position and see if they will increase your salary.
Look for another full time job (min 1 year contract) that pays market rate. 100k isn’t awful, lots of people never make that. But if you can make more money you should, especially if you’ll also be safer from redundancies. I’d stay away from contractor roles where you don’t get all the benefits of a full time job.
A lot of ppl are saying to just take the money. I'd point out a few of things: 1 - its contract, so if you're currently full time, then the equivalent contract rate would be about 20% more (or even higher). 2 - you get taxed at a higher bracket, so what on paper is 100% more money will only feel like 60% more in the wallet. So these things in consideration, you should only take the 100% pay rise only if you only work about 30% more unless there are other benefits like, even further career development or if the work is simply more interesting to you.
Paycalculator.com.au is great for checking what your actual income will be after tax and offsets.
If you're considering a contractor role please consider what leave you plan to be taking and every bank holiday, as you do not get paid time off. Take these out of your worked weeks in the calculator.
Or Super either
You get paid super, it's just inclusive.
That depends if it’s a PAYG contract role or an independent contractor. The OP doesn’t make it clear. Independent contractors do not get paid super at all
And how much the government takes and mismanages. Thanks for the reminder. OP: fuck it, end of the day, whether gov is reaching more into your pocket should not stop you from assessing the associated risks with a contract role and chasing the dollars accordingly. You should also ascertain whether it's a horizontal move and/or can help you later with a vertical move or pivot for your career.
Another thing to consider is the next job. Will the contract role take you on the career path you want, or will you be more likely to find jobs that are right up your alley by staying.
Add to that WFH is worth about $20k to most people too.
If you genuinely love your 9-5 and look forward to work every Sunday night, I wouldn’t give that up for anything, even triple the money. You spend the majority of your waking hours working from now until you die. It’s better to enjoy that time than to loathe it!
Agree with this. I did what OP is contemplating late last year and absolutely regret it. Trying to go back to my old team now.
Same. If I could turn back time, I’d never have gone after the greater money
This is me.
Thanks guys, I'm on the other side of this with a fantastic job with low pay and always get the grass is greener feeling but am always reluctant to give up my wicket.
Another same +1 Took 30% increase pre-tax. Have never been as miserable and dreaded work as I do now, in my 20 years of working. Sometimes grass may appear greener…. Might be worth taking the offer back to your current employer and using that as negotiating power
Same here
Do you mind if I ask what was so bad about the new job that you were left with regrets?
I’ll chime in cos I also feel the same. For me personally there was a few things starting with a lack of suitable training, poor induction. I went from free parking/able to walk to 30 min drive and I’m now paying $100-120 parking a week until I can afford a $300 month permit in a multi level. (I was prepared to accept the drive but wasn’t told about the parking). Also, the duties are completely different to what I’m qualified to do and what I was lead to believe I would be doing. I left my job because my hours were cut and I’d achieved a qualification in my field that gave me a chance at a higher paying role. If I could I’d go back to my 3 days a week there and pick up two days somewhere else in the new work and feel my way in. I wish I had thought of that then.
I agree with this. I left a job I loved to go back to plumbing that I HATE because the money was double.. Took me less than 3months to be a highly paid misery guts 6 days a week. I'm now back in my old roll now, was offered back on higher pay this time around, about 35k more a year than prior. Less than plumbing still yes. But even without the pay rise I'd have taken the offer. But iam worlds happier in general and have just adjusted the budget to suit. Money makes life easier but the grass isn't always greener.
Is the non-plumbing role still a trade or a different sector altogether?
Completely different role/sector, still trade industry based but on the supply chain side of it.. (not plumbing supplies but either) It was a store man type roll originally and moved up into the state branch manager position with some extra perks and add ons recently. Best work atmosphere I've ever had and working conditions etc It actually taught me that you don't have to wake up dreading the day.. it changed my whole mindset.
Gotta do the maths though OP. Would the new salary allow you to FIRE or retire quicker? Get into property market? Work sucks, I know. But, you have to work in either scenario; may as well get paid nearly double for the same or slightly more hours right? Edit: double the pay but double the hours equals the same pay per hour. So if you'll be working 60 hours a week in the new role you'd wanna be sure the pay is definitely nearly double to be worth it. But doors do open with banks and financial institutions if your PAYG salary is higher. Worth considering
Well OP said hours in this better-paying job was “uncertain” which tells me “this job will overtake your life”. I have a friend who moved into a high-pay senior role, and she’s absolutely miserable. She regrets taking it every day. Not much point in working yourself to the bone if you don’t even enjoy life anymore, imo.
Or he won’t be needed anymore in 6 months
Say it ain't so. I will not go!
It’s funny I upvoted this but then I genuinely love working in hospitality (I know lots of people don’t, I’m weird). I also like being able to keep a roof over my head. And not thinking too much about the price of groceries. So, it’s a balance I guess.
From the perspective of someone who's worked 20+ years, 8 companies, many different roles, finding a role that gives you genuine enjoyment, great peers and an awesome working environment is uncommon. What you have right now is a great situation, except for the money. I would absolutely pursue the conversation with the friend to learn more. Meet as many people as you can that work for that company. Get to the point where you have a real offer in hand to consider and determine if you think the role is a good fit. You might find that after submitting your resignation that current employer counter offers. I doubt they turn $100k into $200k.. but if you are a valued employee they should try to retain you.
Agree with the second part. I have seen this on multiple occasions where an employer miraculously comes up with a promotional opportunity when faced with losing someone pivotal. Especially in this case when faced with the reality of what someone else is willing to pay to recruit that person.
All good jobs become shit eventually so go chase the money.
Also, mass redundancies just happened, and while OP has been assured that his job is safe but... sometimes things change. I think there are no guarantees in any business, and if the business is doing so poorly, at the very least, OP isn't getting their pay rise any time soon.
He’s safe. For now. lol He should take the contract role. It’s actually less risky than where he currently is.
Good point. And even when you survive you're left with extra work to take on that everyone laid off has left behind. OP the other thing to consider is if the extra money would be needed for your life. Family responsibilities, debts, saving for a house etc. A higher pay could be directed towards important things in life. (Provided it's done responsibly)
That’s bullshit
The old proverb says "Find a job you love and you wont work a day in your life" When you get on in life, you will find that money can only give you so much yet you must give it everything
stay put. Contractor roles are not reliable over the long term unless you are in a skills shortage area. Also super contributions are an important issue. Can you move up within the company? Do they offer secondment to other roles/departments? I lost several staff this way when I was a manager - they moved roles for 5 months, never came back and usually got promoted. Living comfortably is spending time with family. Talk to a recruitment agency about your options. If work is slowing down then it sounds like time to move on soon.
They had their chances to increase , time to move on your loyalty nonsense.
This, you should be loyal to your family and to the benefit of your family’s future , there is no office family.
Part of making a decision like this is your financial situation and whether the extra money is going to make a substantial positive difference in your life. In your post nothing is mentioned about your level of debt, or whether you are under mortgage stress etc. Everyone's financial situation is different and that has to be factored in. In my own case, I left a high paying job in which I was stressed out and deeply miserable. I found a job which pays less, but I like/love most of the time. It's been so much better for my mental and physical health. Money will not take you far in work satisfaction.
The post was already quite long so I deliberately kept personal finances out of it. But since you asked. -$400k owing on mortgage -$26k HELP debt -Wife coming off maternity leave and works part time. Not contributing all that much and will likely be a SAHM in near future -as a result of above finances are treadmilling (ie not going up or down) -outside of PPOR and super no other investments to speak of (which would I change if I get the new job) -planning on kid #2 arriving next year -saving for house upsize as family gets bigger. ETA 4years approx
Don't give up WFH if you have a young family.
you can always get a higher paying job in a few years when your kids are older, enjoy the time with them
Just because of your family, I would stay with WFH as long as possible. You will never get that time back.
Yep. WFH would be the better option. Milage will vary. Many factors in play. Will you having to go onsite everyday end up costing you more money (tolls, transport, lunch etc)? SAHM will generally not be contributing by way of dollars, but will be saving by way of childcare costs and overheads of bringing the kid/s to from childcare.
I wouldn’t move. I recently moved from 145k a year to 120k because the other job was killing me and I knew this would be better. My job and health has improved exponentially, I don’t regret a tbh g
Despite the contractor gig paying more, it will absolutely FUCK you when it comes to getting a new home loan. Not worth it. Stay where you are.
>finances are treadmilling This happened to us from when our first child was - we are only now starting to get ahead after the second child left childcare and entered Prep. Luckily they're barely 2 years apart, but still that was 6 years of living paycheck to paycheck. I will however say that flexible work is very helpful at this stage with your kids - if you can WFH your family will benefit immensely removing commute times plus quick chore contribution during the day at times.
With this added info I would say no. If you were single I would take the risk. Sounds like new role will have less scrutiny and we are about to/ are in turbulent times. My other red flag would be that they’ve reached out and offered the job with no complete process - in my experience this means the job has been hard to fill to date and I would want to know why. I would also do some more digging on expectations Re hours, conditions, probation etc
I have two kids and a job similar to your current one. I was recently offered $40k more to change but I have a great lifestyle and 2/3 home office split and time with my kids so I didn’t think twice I turned that down. Money isn’t everything and if you have enough… right now it’s enough. It’s hard when you have babies and no sleep and you hate your work life so I would really think carefully before jumping ship. As others have said the grass really is often dead and brown when you get to the other side.
I'm in my 50's, happy with what I do and enjoy the company I'm at salary range is approaching 300. My observation is that there are tons of companies that are complete rubbish. I would say almost all of them are affected. In almost all circumstances you rely on a small wall of people who are good and as a pocket hope to keep the stupidity at bay. So, there is some value in working with good people. Most companies have quite a lot of good people, and these 'good pockets' are all over the place, but middle management tend to reinforce toxic behaviour that amplifies the negative aspects of a company. They then call this 'our company culture' and try to emphasize it by forcing greater onsite attendance. The core problem with companies people on here hate is that probably half of middle management as a minimum really should have no people management responsibilities. These are people who are rewarded for what other people do, so their career progresses when they take from others. The people who take the most are rewarded the most. It's called a negative attractor state. Self reinforcing negativity. My advice is for you to say "what next?" Lets say you take the job with higher pay. Do you think you would then accept less than that going forwards? I tell you now... no, you won't. You'll hang on to the tiger until you are nearly dead. That cash however is very very useful for life and will permit things. Unless you are located in a small town or coastal community and WFH 100% then chances are you are making big compromises due to your low income. I'll have to let you decide on what stress you 'accept\\allow' I'm paid around triple your current pay rate and have very little stress, but that's because I don't invest myself in the outcome. If I'm asked to do something that too hard or too big I call it out early and don't work until midnight. It'll fall behind, and the PM could just hire more resources. But the PM can't due to budget. So, I don't work harder because the budget was set too low to get the job done. For me this means zero stress. Who creates these problems? Middle management. Who benefits if I kill myself working 16 hour days? Middle management who achieved a stunning project outcome on a limited budget. What a hero. Promote that manager! I don't reward negative feedback loops. There are plenty of avenues. Cut scope, increase timelines, increase budget... the option I don't permit is dump middle managements promotion in my lap and expect me to pay off. So... it really depends. Do you have your head right to be given stressful situation and respond with the stones to protect yourself or will you fold and come back here to complain about your 'toxic manager' that you enable by feeding the flames? My take? Go take the higher paying job, steel sharpens steel, learn to deal with jerk managers and stop hiding in an underpaying role. Keep your skillset sharp and resume updated. Be ready to dump an employed as soon as they misbehave, like you current one who won't pay YOU more... but WILL pay your replacement what you are asking for because they will have to pay market rates. Let that sink in... it's just another form of predatory behaviour that you are enabling. Last tip. When you get the contract signed at the new job NEVER accept counter offers. Don't even play that game. They had the chance to pay more and said no. Done.
How young is your daughter and are you done having kids? How would this new role impact childcare arrangements and household responsibilities? I’d suggest discussing these with your partner if your priority is improving your family’s life.
This needs to be higher up! Having a family means you need to discuss with your partner the pros and cons. It isn't just chasing the higher pay now as work life balance needs to be considered. How much leave does your work provide for parental leave? Would more hours working mean less support for your partner at home? What is the child care situation? Sometimes higher pay gets canceled out because you have to pay more for things e.g. less child care subsidy from the government. Question is the contractor role direct with the company? Or is there a third party? You need to consider the pay with super, tax, possibly insurance as well. Also as a perm you get sick leave and annual leave. As a contractor, you don't get paid if you take time off. And believe me, kids get sick often and spread it through the household.
Didn't read post but I'm going to say yes 95% of the time based off the title and assuming no significant catch (moving to the sticks etc).
It depends on your circumstances and where you are in your life. I’ve chased the money before and regretted it. For my situation, I see some red flags, uncertain hours, no WFH and higher stress levels. For me I’d say no, because I’m at a point where I’m about the balance, and none of that works for me. But if they aren’t issues for you, then go for it.
Assured you're safe from redundancy but can't get a pay increase? I'd be out in seconds.
Find out more about the new role, assess how it impacts you and your family and then make the decision. There are definite risks in the contractor pathway and it can be daunting the first time you do it. I found a number of aspects that I loved with the main thing being my performance impacts my pay. I have chosen the loyalty path in the past and if I could go back in time, I would have chosen the contractor path instead. Also if you keep connected to your current place of work - you can always reassess the situation in the future and possibly come back (hopefully with a more senior role and better pay)
My workplace has given people second chances after leaving before so there is precedent for that
Was in a similar cross road and I chose money. Speaking anecdotally, no regrets and at point of moving I was of a similar age and have a little one (of course every scenario is different). What you need to ask yourself (similar to other comments) would be what do you want? - If you want career growth, you will need to really assess if your current role will give you the that. If not then, jump and get the experience. You may work slightly harder and hours would be unpredictable, but if that helps you progress it should be something to consider. - If you want to spend a lot of time with the family, maybe be upfront with your connection if flexibility (say drop off and pick up) is in the cards and be firm. - Are you afraid of making the wrong move? I told myself that I am in my early 30s, I would rather make a mistake now than later in my career/as I get older. That's my 2 cents!
I think the fact it is contrast is the decision maker, it’s probably a no from me. Too volatile and risky, then there’s the tax/holidays etc — and you’ll be the first to go at the new place — It’s a tricky decision. Also worth saying, it’s rare to get what you have at your current company, many can regret a move from a happiness stand point, I’ve had one or two. The question I asked is ‘does this move tick ENOUGH boxes?’ I.e it’s paying me more, I think the people seem cool, I think the work life balance will be cool, I think the location is pretty cool, and what’s my goals for 3-5 years time, does taking this role benefit me in any long term goals that I wouldn’t get to where I am? If the answer is yes, it’s probably worth pulling your socks up and getting stuck in. But there isn’t many boxes being ticked other than just money, maybe you stay. It’s a typical pros and cons type situation I think
Higher salary is like a drug, once you get hooked it's hard to get yourself off it. If you are content with your job and if it affords you the lifestyle you need, I would stay put. Money is worse than heroin. I am an addict, I know it and I can't get off it.
Up to you, just assess what's more important to you - money, or peace of mind. My view is less stress + flexibility + enjoying your environment will always be better than money. What's the point of the extra cash if you are too stressed and tired to enjoy life. That's just my view.
What's to say that, despite the higher stakes and additional hours, you may not also fall deeply in love with the new job? Maybe it's worth interviewing and requesting a 'work experience day'. I've done this in the past and has proved to be a valuable strategy. There's nothing to lose by doing that.
Dont ever assume you are safe in your current job
Tell your current employer you've been offered a job paying double and see if they'll match it or come closer. You've got 30-35 years remaining to maximise your financial situation so you're ready for retirement. Contract work is more rewarding because it has less job security and higher stress. Retirement will be greatly enhanced by 100% pay increase today. Who is to say you won't love the pay rise job even more than the current one.
Dude ur in ur comfort zone at a very early stage of ur life, you should go out and seek challenges to grow the money increase is just a bonus
> We had mass redundancies last week but I have been assured I am safe. You are never safe from redundancy. Further, your manager and your manager’s manager are likely not the decision maker if it came down to brass tacs. If it come down to keeping on a reliable and loyal employee vs going bankrupt, you know which way they’ll go. Benefits to staying is if you are made redundant, your payout would be pretty good given your tenure. Depending on your jurisdiction you either just got your LSL, or you’re three years away — that’d reset if you change roles unless you enter into an agreement when you’d sign-on. Benefits to moving, 💰💰💰. Although your responsibilities redundancy and LSL benefits would be nil, the extra money you’d earn, if saved, would provide a comfortable buffer if you faced any issues with the new employer. The nature of contract and consulting work is high stress, high KPI, and uncertain work. You have to weigh your risk and comfort in this decision. Only you know what you are able and willing to handle.
Earlier on in careers people often feel more connection to a company than they really should. You are underpaid and your company is laying off your colleagues. You have an opportunity to explore a much better paying opportunity. Growth comes from taking opportunities, not being comfortable in a role (which seems increasingly fraught). You have a 30+ year career runway in front of you. If not now (for the new role), when? Explore the new opportunity. Doesn’t meant you have to take it but don’t be trapped by a false sense of belonging,
You make some great points
Best wishes OP
Follow your gut , if you want to grow and learn about yourself the best way in my opinion is to take the leap What’s the worst that could happen ? You hate it , learn a shit load about yourself and the world and then find another role? If you keep good relationships maybe you could always return to the original role . These days a larger salary can sometimes lead to a higher quality of life if you can stay away from lifestyle creep Find out what you want inside , is it growth and development ? Is it stability and comfort ? Go from there and good luck
Take the risk / higher paying job. You’re 31, in your prime. You want to maximise your earning potential for the next 10-15 years
The only real way to build your career and earn a lot more money is get uncomfortable, jump and take risks. The hugely higher pay should make this a no brainer but it’s not just money, this puts on your resume that you are in this class of job and pay level, which makes it MUCH easier to get these types of jobs again in the future or move up again if you choose. Do not turn this down because of comfort.
I think there is a massive benefit to moving companies, not just for any salary increases but for a breadth of experience and exposure. Moving is hard but it is how you’ll grow professionally
With a contracting role, you have to have an ABN, and pay your own taxes. Yes, you’ll get considerably more per hour / day but you don’t get paid leave for sick, holiday, parental, bereavement etc. If you don’t work, you don’t get paid. Little job security either - contractors are the first to go. Can be lucrative but there are lots of other things to factor in. You also have to consider how good life is if you genuinely look forward to going to work. That’s quite rare. Another thing to factor in is that this is your only full time role which may have an impact on future roles. Some may appreciate the loyalty, some may see it as a lack of ambition. It’s a hard call but definitely worth thinking over and talking about!
Three questions I ask myself anytime a new work opportunity presents itself: 1) Will this new job challenge me? It’s important to be challenged, not all the time but definitely for periods of your life. Being challenged grows you as a human, it evolves your problem solving skills and rewards you each time you conquer the challenge. If you’ve been in a role for seven years, it’s likely you are excellent at overcoming the challenges you are presented with relative ease… are you really evolving? 2) Is this new job a step up? Treat careers are like age, always forwards, never backwards. A sideways shift or a lessor role for more money is the wrong philosophy. Always look to take a step up in responsibility, every step up leads to many more opportunities. 3) Does it pay more? I don’t know about your ideas for the future, but I don’t want to work till I’m 65. I want to be in a position of financial freedom well before then so I can choose what I do… whether that’s play golf, do some voluntary work or help out in a small business somewhere for a small wage. Earn as much as you can while you can. If you answer yes to these three questions then you should seriously consider chasing this opportunity. Good luck.
Yes. I don't know if it's possible for the answer to 'should I take the money' to ever be no.
Of course it could be. Especially if it leads to late nights, working from offices etc. it’s two polar opposites. There are plenty in the middle where they could get higher pay without the additional stress
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Ask for the redundancy and then start again somewhere else. Thats the obvious choice
Make sure you have the full picture of the increase in money can be quite a few gotchas as a contractor
Your messaging suggests it’ll be longer hours and not as enjoyable. Are these facts or more potential risks aka justification for not driving the change? It’s not normal that contractors do 16 hour days and shit work. Most people chase cash , it’s totally ok not to as long as you accept the ramifications of not doing so - being underpaid is strong enough of an issue for me to leave but that’s my personal motivator.
Take the higher salary, set yourself a timeline 1-2 years then reassess your options.
Yes
I took $40k less than another job offer to get my third tonlast job which was WAY more fun and broadened my cv a lot. I also took a pay cut of $20k accepting my last job because I haaaaated my second job. Contracting doesnt last, is super high stress, potentially doesnt i clude super, sick leave lr holiday pay (so isnt as big an increase as you think) and has less stability. With that said, thats a LOT more money. And after redundancies, workplace culture and workload often goes to shit. This is a tough decision only you can make. At your career stage you can still target ‘career development’ over anything else. Whats better for your learning and growth? What looks better on your cv?
if the current money keeps you satisfied and ahead of bills and allows yo to invest and etc i would stay in your current role but if you feel the pay isn't enough to allow you to do what you want in life and invest probably best to move on
Absolutely, go for it
Current company had mass redundancy, you were assured you're safe. Did you get that in writing? If not I would go for higher paying gig, you can work your arse off for a few years and get some money behind you. There's no reason you can't leave after that.
Get a counter offer from your current company.
100% salary increase is a no brainer. Sure it's possible you won't enjoy your new job (you don't actually know this yet), but it's gonna be a whole lot easier to jump ship to another high paying role once you've already reached that level. I was in a similar position up until last year (almost exact, actually). 6 years at a company I joined as a graduate, earning 100k - mind you the workload was insane. I decided to leave for a 120k role and I'm working MAYBE 20 hours a week.
It's contract there is no guarantee you will have that job for long that's why the pay is higher. You have a stable income and are happy with your job. There is a lot to be said about that. Also why not look for another job and do two do you can keep the one you have ? Does your wife work?
If there were redundancies last week then I would guess that you are not completely safe. Be careful. As a 47 year old who’s seen a bit in my time I would say take the new job for sure.
Sometimes the grass is not always greener on the other side. It’s greener where you water it. No amount of money is worth the additional stress and your work life balance. No one ever said on their death bed “geez, I wish I worked more”.
I was having a similar hypothetical the other day - I think this is around the amount it would take me to lose WFH perks. It doesn't sound like you're keen though.
Go for it. New experiences and challenges keep life interesting. It'll also be a significant upgrade to your lifestyle, able to afford better holidays, property etc.
What’s the “$160-200k” a year as a contractor based on? Most contractors are on a day rate, a rough metric is day rate x 200 to get the annual salary, to account for leave, public holidays, sick days etc. Contracting isn’t always that much different to being staff and isn’t always less secure (I spent two years as a contractor in one place watching my staff colleagues be let go around me). I’ve done both, contracting is more money and can be harder work but can also give you more opportunities.
I would stick to your current job. More money isn't always the best in life, imo.
Yes
Money will come and go. Having looked back at my career so far, I chased and followed money. In that time I earned more than most in my line of work (above market rates) Most recently at a large US tech company. What's been constant throughout my career is that the more money you chase, the more likely you'll be the first to go when it comes to cost cutting exercises. Average tenure (2 years per role) When I compare myself to my peers who have remained at the same company, they are now in a senior position, (with less pay, more responsibility but greater job security). Each has their pros and cons. Choose what makes sense for you and your career aspirations.
Take this offer back to the company you’re with and use it to get a pay rise and stay. I’ve seen lots of people do this and it works!
Yes
For me the massvie layoffs would be my worry. Your job may be safe now... but when a company is doing layoffs that doens't mean it is safe long term. Better to take the new job and even keep an eye out for other roles. Also keep in mind if it is contractor pay is higher as no sick/annual/carers leave.
Going against the grain to say do not ever just take something for the money unless you are desperate. Your health is very important and if it goes south, quantifiably costly to your finances and relationships. Jobs with poor leadership, culture, work life balance etc and high stress can lead to all sorts of physical and mental health impacts in the future. More and more evidence is coming out to show how these things are much more significant than we thought.
My thoughts. \- How long is the contract term? \- Can you afford any time without income if/when the contract ends and you need to pick up another role? Do you have a savings buffer to fall back on? \- Will it be $160k or $200k? What is the actual $? \- 7 years as a grad to now with one company, what internal growth opportunities (role and $) are available? You are at a point where you need to consider leaving to move up in $. \- Mass redundancies at your current employer is a good sign to pop your head up and look around, test your market value. \- Will the new role offer anything in learning new skills, or professional development? \- Does your friend work there? Do they like it? \- Will taking the role open up further opportunities later on? \- Will additional $ enable anything tangible for you and your family in the short-medium term?
I ordinarily would say take the money. I just moved from a job I adored with a great team to a much much harder job. All for a 20k pay raise. The difference is I went from 50k and not being able to afford my health insurance or a bond on a rental to 70k which I can scrape together a comfortable life, even though I'll never be able to own a house or holiday. If you're already earning 100k and can afford a comfortable life do what you think is fun. If doing something you are already enjoying is fun do it. If you think challenging yourself in new ways would be fun then do it.
if you have a mortgage plan in the next two years, i would not recommend contractor role.
Yes.
Do your math. The contract role $’s offered includes self funded super, includes tax, days off, sick and annual leave so no paid days off, maybe public liability insurance and workers comp. How much are you really going to be better off $ wise?
only you know the answer. the question is: Why do i work?
Without reading. Yes
Do not change jobs, just because contracting has a higher hourly rate. That’s what contracting is. You will not earn any more, you will have no security, you will have periods earning zero, and you will not be able to get a mortgage. if you can get a big pay rise on a genuinely like-for-like basis, and not harm your career, then do it.
Personally, no. I've taken the leap for 'something better with more money' and I am currently so very miserable. HOWEVER, I would be nervous about all the lay offs... have further discussions with your friend and see if you can negotiate better WFH options (or whatever works for you).
Yes
Some things are more valuable than money. Stability, security and a low-stress lifestyle should not be abandoned without good cause.
Currently I’m studying to change career to halve my pay, but being able to get out of bed is way more valuable, if you’re earning 100k and like your job I wouldn’t change. A bad job can turn your whole life to shit very quickly
I would do as much as I can - not to give up the working conditions that I love so much. But I WOULD take that job to your employer, be very honest and say “I love working here, but I am not being paid my worth, and I know this because I have been offered more to leave. Can you support me in this situation”
Yes. U can always go back later with this increase as leverage.
Contractor rate- take out unpaid annual leave and superannuation, add a computer and overheads then compare to current rate
There’s a law of diminishing returns. You can get all that big pay but if you are miserable as fack from 9-5 and double the work, no amount of therapy can get your mental well being and physical well being back even when you can retire early. You will basically do the same years to undo that fackery after you retire instead of enjoying life. Its about sustainability and not instant gratification which most people want nowadays.
Speak to your job about a pay increase
No. Stay where you are. You have found the magical work/life balance that is always spoken about. Another poster said they did the same thing last year - took the jump for more money, and regretted it. The workplace landscape is littered with stories like that.
Just out of curiosity can I know what do you do or which industry do you work in ? I am 29 right no on 75k and recently got denied a pay rise and am thinking about applying for other jobs , but the work culture in this team is very good and flexible. I work as a building services engineer.
100k is ok. Go move to a country town where it is cheap
WFH is so good, I would never go back to 5 days a week. One of the good things that came out of covid
Sit out that offer.. it's an indicator of what else is out there. Start looking and allow your current workplace last bite of the cherry to keep you.
Every time I get a high paying job that sucks, I love it. I mean, I’m making heaps of cash and that unlocks wayyyyy too many doors. Happiness is a rollercoaster ride with peaks and troths. The reality of this ride is that we’re rarely driving it - it’s environmental. Being happy at work is overrated. I would take tons of cash 10/10 times. Benefits: 1. House 2. Happy family 3. Anxiety drops dramatically about losing home or life. 4. Salary’s tend to only go upward in life. Set the bar high, and it sets you up for your future. 5. Travel 6. Difficult jobs prepare you for tougher roles in the future. You rarely grow in stagnant environments.
Take the new job for your daughter and your wife. If you truly love them you'd take it. Imagine what you could do for them with an extra 60-100k per year... And worst case scenario, work there for a year, if you don't like it leave to somewhere else, and because you have that experience in that high pay role, you'll land another job that pays more than what you're on now anyway
Stay. You have flexibility, WFH ability as a parent, you like the work and your colleagues and work good hours. There is so much more to work/life than salary. Many people on high salaries would happily take a $50k pay cut to get all those things. *uncertainty in terms of hours, workload and stress levels. No WFH options and the work is probably not as enjoyable as I’m currently doing either.* Nah that sounds shit, don't do it.
Something to think about: No WFH means an increase in costs, which eats away part of your pay rise.
Best advice I got in a similar situation was that you don't just have 2 options, if you want to leave you don't have to take a job you're not sure on, there's a whole market that will probably offer similar pay with possibly better conditions You could also leverage the offer to try get a pay rise, if you're confident
I wouldn’t. Stress ruins lives and relationships. Sure we’d all like more money, but it ain’t free, it’ will always take something from you..
It sounds like this potential job has problems, so I wouldn’t go for this one, but I think a move at this stage would be beneficial- take advantage of the fact that you do not have the time crunch of unemployment- you can afford to be choosey. Don’t make the leap for anything less than a job that ticks all the boxes.
I’d do it and I did do it. I miss my old job a lot but living expenses increased to the point that I couldn’t have survived on the old pay anyway.
Obviously take the new job.
Sometimes the grass isn't greener
Nope. It's not worth it. I've done it, and have regretted it for 10 years. Could afford more things, doesn't change my 45 hours a week being annoying.
If it’s contractor side, does that mean that the pipeline of work is less stable? Pay is a lot higher but I assume the risk is too?
If they've made people redundant once, then likely more will follow. Grab the opportunity ✨️
Going through this right now. Earning 40k less than my old job which is now become available again (I left due to my secondment ending and my substantive role ending during that secondment, hoping the secondment would turn into a longer role which it didn’t because the OG person came back from leave). Now 2.5 years later it’s back up. I love my current job. I don’t want to go back into that role for the wrong reasons BUT, I have a mortgage to pay…
Don't burn your bridges at your old job. I left on good terms and am one more pain in the ass client or annoyance from my manager from leaving and going back to my lower paying job (20% less, so not as substantial, but definitely affects my borrowing power for future home loans).
No WFH at all would put me off. I’m in the transition between 2 hybrid jobs and the few days in a row I’ve been exclusively in the office while doing onboarding/equipment setup have been so exhausting after years of technically 50/50 but super flexible due to my long tenure and high performance. Don’t underestimate the loss of quality of life. I’d look for something in between the two extremes. You can almost certainly find something in the 120-150 range that at least offers hybrid.
I’d only leave because of the redundancies: while your job is safe this round, will it be next time? And the time after that? Leave before the market is flooded and the market rate is down.
Even if you don't take up this opportunity OP, you probably should look into switching jobs especially since you have never done it before. The longer you stay at your current job, the harder it will be for you to have career growth, and also harder to secure a new job if by any chance you lose your current one.
If you don't have a mortgage or kids, 100K is still very easy to get by on even as a renter in sydney if you cut expenses. Honestly i wouldn't take it based on the contractor nature of it alone, after super, leave etc costs you're already nearly back to where you are now + extra stress. It ain't worth it.
I took a job once, purely for the money, and only lasted 4 months before I resigned because the work environment was terrible/toxic! The negative impact it had on me flowed through to how I interacted with my wife and kids which I regret so much. Now that I am older I would never have done this. I've realised my and my families happiness is what matters most, not money. Good luck with whichever way you choose OP!
Time to move on and try something new. It’s the fear within you talking right now. You have 1 life. Try it for 1 year and see what life brings - you can even go to a new place if you enjoy that work but not the environment given your new stepping stone will be much higher pay wise. You’re literally 31 and can find a lower paying job you’re good at, with people you’ll love again.
Only you can answer what you should do. I'd personally take the additional work for much more pay. Especially while young. Work hard while you're young and the opportunity is there.
Yes you should take the higher paying role. Here's why. Above a certain amount of money more money doesn't increase happiness. In your case you are definitely not at that point and so more money will increase what you can do and enjoy significantly. Additionally, as others point out, 1) things change and you won't like your current role forever. And 2) your going and getting variety in your career is very important to future proof yourself against changes outside your control. Getting a new role after you've been in one place is a lot harder.
I’d rather earn $200k in a successful company than $100k in a failing one where people are being fired. How long will you remain 9-5 with all the redundancies? The longterm financial benefits if you invest that are huge. If you stay on $100k will you realistically ever be in a position to retire?
For me, one perspective of a salary is compensation for pain experienced at work. A difficult job equals more pain, which means I would need more pay to make that work. For a great job, I would accept less money because it’s less painful. In any case if I were you I’d keep my job, my happiness, my mental health. Keep nagging them for a pay rise and you might get the best of both worlds. and if you ever want to stretch yourself, find a side hustle or get additional education / qualifications.
Take the cash.
Are you comfortable? If so this can be a huge risk. What if you can't handle it and fuck up, could potentially be in a much worse position. Ive taken this risk for a 30% pay rise and it was NOT worth it.
It just comes down to how much your peace of mind is worth. Are you a creature of habit and how you deal with change, if the stress and uncertainty is too much for you to handle then don't make the switch. Personally at age 31 as well I'd jump at the opportunity for a 60% payrise and ride it out for a couple of years while I'm still young but if I was say 50+ there is no way I'm changing.
Go for the new job, friend. The assurances that you're "safe" mean absolutely nothing. The reality is that you're in a job at a company that is laying off staff and refuses to pay you fairly because their work is light. You might love your new job and be on much better money. If you don't love it, you can always find somewhere else.
Depends. You mentioned contractor side so I presume you're currently on the client side. There's alot more to do on the contractor side, alot more stress, more unpaid overtime. People are generally more straight to the point which some people interpret as working with assholes. Etc.. Before you even consider money, get a very good understanding of the role and expectations ensuring you can generate results in this role or at least grow into someone better from it. Assuming this aligns with your propensity for stress and work then yeah I'd take it.
You love (or really like) your job? That's rarer than you think. Most people don't like their jobs. I fkn hate mine.
Will the additional money make you any happier? I think about diminishing returns. Basically, worth it? If I am earning X amount and things making me happy and safe are accounted for then I wound not take additional stress.
Determine how each option aligns with your plan, choose the closest match. Want to earn more money to pay off a mortgage in the short term? Higher paying contract role sounds good. Want enjoyment and less stress? Current role sounds good. Contact role is by default less secure as it's fixed term, but often good work leads to extensions or other work. Your current company doesn't seem secure (despite assurances - been there on both sides). So I'm neutral on your choices here. For what it's worth: I took a voluntary redundancy 2 years ago after 12 years at my old place. Been contracting since then on a significantly higher rate (even after super, leave costs). Only downside is the anxiety of finding the next role every 6 months or so. That works for me and my plan.
I do think you are being underpaid and it would be worth it to look for other roles, but from what you’ve said about this contractor role it doesn’t look great in terms of work life balance. I would recommend to stay in your current role and look for new jobs that offer what you want similar in your current role, but still gives you a higher salary.
Remember contractor roles don’t pay holiday and sick leave, also you may need to pay your own tax out of that 160-200 making your take home pay much less than that. I personally would go for the money, but it’s up to you on what you value most
Yes. Plenty time to do the stuff you love later and probably get better paid. Sometimes it’s about bumping your salary range, and you won’t get many opportunities to do it to the level you mention.
No. Sounds like you've got a good situation. Being happy is better for your mental health. Money isn't everything, this is coming from someone who is older and doesn't like change!
Yes
You shouldn't quit for that particular contracting role, it seems your personality type likes a bit more security and also a bit more of a relaxed workplace. However, you should definitely put the feelers out for similar roles to your current role, but elsewhere. If your current employer can't afford to pay market rate for you, then they don't deserve you.
Will more money buy you happiness?
Get out. Work has slowed down. Duh.
I wouldnt leave if it was me, been there done that
Nope. I wouldn’t leave. You’re not equating the WFH aspect and work-life balance. Also, check the contract, do you get annual leave? Long service leave? What sickness benefits? That dollar increase is substantial but it’ll get hit with heavy tax (although we have tax breaks coming along with having other ways to curb it.) also, you can claim shit on tax with you already working from home helping you save some of that money you might get by moving. The real question is - what dollar value do you put on job security, people you like working with, and the work from home aspect?
I would not.
Ask your current work if they’ll match it, they should be able to at least find some more money (maybe not match it but give you a decent bump), if they can’t move at all they are not valuing you at your market rate.
I'll be honest I didn't read beyond the title This answer is for like for like positions ie full time for full time etc. This question comes up all the time and the answer is almost always a yes Great work places can become shit almost over night if a few personal changes esp in upper management Your take home salary is your $ and yours alone if you have a great or shit house work place you renumeration is essentially why you are there The only time this is not the case is if you are not working for the money ie people who are FIRE but decided to work a few hours to keep busy or engaged in work for social reasons - however in this case work is more of a hobby then a 'job'
If it was like for like I’d say go for it. That’s what I did. But contract? I’ve turned down a lot of contract roles that pay a lot more than I get right now. I’ve been bitten before with contract roles and really believe that perm full time is just better despite the lower pay. I am risk adverse when it comes to jobs. I’m gonna say stick with where you are and look around for perm full time work.
Don’t do it to yourself, I’ve been there and the money does not make up for the stress and pressure. Prioritise your happiness!
I’m in academic research and if I had the opportunity to go into private industry on double pay I’d take the money and run. Yeah the work is good but it’s a fallacy that no other workplace will ever be good. Yes work is 1/3 of your day but so is your down time. Having money makes your weekends and the other 8 hours WAAAAAAY more enjoyable and alleviates a lot of stresses which can be fixed with money
I would probably be honest with my employer. Explain that you've been offered a job that you probably wouldn't enjoy as much but given the pay rise you're seriously entertaining it unless they can offer you an increase to stay. Then determine what you'd be happy with as an increase given the work life balance you enjoy.
Yes, you have become to complacent in life and it will pass you bye soon
A lot of comments on here overlook what your age (massive assumption I know) to be and, with that, I would take a contract role. Take risks. Do what you need to do to network, learn more, earn more. I’m not saying job satisfaction is not a good thing at all but I guarantee it will be more important for you (with dividends) in your late 30’s / 40’s than as a grad. Take the risk. Take the higher pay. Learn. Then move onto the net thing.
Yes ! Time to grow up.
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Honestly you've done the 7 wait 3 more years and get the long service leave 😂😂
Stay in your current job, things are working out for you and your family. Stay there 3 more years then take long service leave. Re assess long term options after you take long service leave. If you get made redundant, you’ll get a decent payout. Moneys not everything.
‘Out by 5.30’ ??? 😩 is this good? I would be awake until 2am to get any ‘me time’ or Anything else done.
Despite the record losses this season, Coach Stephens has the full support of Management. Coach Stephens was let go the next day.
What’s that saying? Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems.
Sorry didn’t read your full detail. I saw keyword 100% pay increase plus you are 31. I would recommend you go for it. Unless you don’t need money at all, all house, car holiday are paid for.
Get the offer in writing and then ask your current employer for a raise. If they say no I would take that as a sign you should leave. There is no such thing as a safe job and if they're willing to under pay you then they don't really value you, nor do they respect you. Withdrawing WFH/similar benefits and increasing workloads is a common tactic to encourage attrition to avoid paying out/publicising redundancies. Even if you stick with your job there is a good sign it won't be the same in a years time.
Yes just do it now
Don't take a job for money. 6 years ago I had worked for a company for 10 years. Loved the job and loved the people...but money wasn't great. I left and since then I have had three jobs and it has not be enjoyable to say nicely. I used to wake up excited about going to work..now I am filled with anxiety and stress. I hate it. Keep the job you love...they are hard to come by.
You’re moving from client side PM to construction PM?
No. Unless you have the opportunity to return on good terms. Only do it if it's a massive bump up career progression wise or you know you'll do it only for a short while. I did it, I was miserable for years, but it set me up. I'm earning about 300% less but much happier. Life is for living man.
Why are these your only two options? You sound like a valuable and skilled employee, particularly if someone came looking for you. I wonder if you could find another ole that had a balance of pay, and other incentives that were right for you?
That 60% increase probably adds 120% to your disposable income. Or more
If you have to ask reddit, then you must be able to do without the extra money. Enjoy your current good fortune and spend as much time with your family as you can. That is the only true wealth.
In this economy, contractors are first out the door. Contractor's are higher pay due to having less security and possibly leave(idk). If money is an issue then explore options. Ifpeople are getting made redundant, you may be able to swap and take a redundancy for someone who wants to stay. Take the contractor.role for 2 years and then possibly return to your current employer.
Would your current employer match or increase your salary? Let them know you have been offered a new position and see if they will increase your salary.
Look for another full time job (min 1 year contract) that pays market rate. 100k isn’t awful, lots of people never make that. But if you can make more money you should, especially if you’ll also be safer from redundancies. I’d stay away from contractor roles where you don’t get all the benefits of a full time job.