A bit of a job dilemna.

[Steve]

If you could get a job earning about three times as much for the same hours, but it involved commuting 4 hours a day and was similar to what you're doing now but not really your chosen career path, would you do it?

As a hypothetical (this isn't me);

Job 1:
Computer Game Designer - actively involved in creating things, seeing your ideas come to fruition, a very rewarding but sometimes thankless job.
5 minute walk to work, home for lunch with wife.
£30,000 p.a.

Job 2:
Computer Game Programmer - In a broad sense, 80% similar to Job 1 but with very little creative input, it will become repetitive and has no future of significant change or advancement.
2 hour train journey to work, lunch at desk.
£90,000 p.a.

What would you do?

 

[drexel]

Depends on your money situatition. But i would always do a job i loved otherwise i would do it very poorly

 

[g40steve]

1. Stick travelling, time at home is important.

 

[Drew196]

Job 1 - there's more to life than money.

 

[Johnnytheboy]

Job 1.

By the time you take the cost of the train, the cost of eating at work and the amount of extra tax that Gordon Brown will take, the difference in salary will be a lot less than it first seems.

 

[oliie]

Whichever:

a) Offers career progressions (it is possible option 1 may give £90k in 3 years)
b) The wife has a preference for (she may support option 2)

Also it may be worth considering moving to be closer to job 2, working at it for 1-2 years then use current (higher) salary and company brand name to slot into another role elsewhere with similar pay but better role.

O.

 

[chiefbadger]

Let me just slip my recruitment hat on Steve. There we go.

I would suggest that even if the higher paid position is offering little in the way of progression, if the commute is bearable (not just imaginable) then it would be well worth the jump for a year or so. It would then place you in a very strong position should you want to jump ship. The extra experience and higher salary will mean that if you are willing to take a small drop from where you were, you will have an open pick in terms of employers closer to home.

My one concern is that if the jobs are similar on paper but paying a wildly different rate, there may be a nasty surprise (not just the lack of creativity) waiting for you. As a wild generalisation, Creative positions within most industries will pay better than middle/back office functions, as they are responsible for driving the business forwards.

Just my tuppence.

 

[Steve]

Thanks Guys, I'll tell him not to be a sell-out.

 

[fazedesign]

Like chiefbadger says - i'd go for 2 and use if as a point for future negotiation.

 

[Cue]

think career and quality of life balance....

option 2 would offer more career advancement - big leap from present. Keep the job for 18 months to 2 years then move.... you can take you pick then of what you want from a higher role than at present.

Besides although the current company won't match the salary I'd expect them to increase it when he hands his notice in.

 

[artdealer]

It always amazes me what can be earned across industries. You would have to be a successful Dealer Principal of a £100M turnover car dealership to earn that kind of money. There's plenty who are not on half that.

I suspect that your friend could find something mid-way between the two and earn more wth a bit less travel. A two hour journey is fine until it's 7pm and you've been there since 7am. I've been there.

Any industry that can afford to employ at that level of income looks ideal to be setting something freelance up in.

 

[Johnnytheboy]

You want sh1t wages? Try any kind of horticulture!

My job's pretty damn stressful & busy, and I manage ten people for a basic of <£20k.

Wait a minute.... :idea:


Note to self: get a new job.

 

[Steve]

It always amazes me what can be earned across industries. You would have to be a successful Dealer Principal of a £100M turnover car dealership to earn that kind of money. There's plenty who are not on half that.

I suspect that your friend could find something mid-way between the two and earn more wth a bit less travel. A two hour journey is fine until it's 7pm and you've been there since 7am. I've been there.

Any industry that can afford to employ at that level of income looks ideal to be setting something freelance up in.

It never amazes me what can be had for selling your soul, there's money to be made everywhere, you just have to do something no-one else wants to do or be better at doing something than most others. I've decided to stick with what I'm doing anyhow, my girlfriend's just got a new job out of the smoke and I value seeing her for more than five minutes each day and walking to work more than the extra income. Besides I want to go back to Uni and finish what I started, my present company will support me through that and taking a pay-cut of £50K a year will be a lot harder than none! On top of that, with this commuting shit I finsh at six if I'm lucky and can get home before nine if I run for the train, I was so tired last week I felt sick and needed the whole weekend just to recover. As you guys have said, there's a lot more to life than money!