I currently work 3 days a week in a very secure job with a big organisation. It’s an hours commute each way, but we’re planning on moving to a more family-friendly area soon which is potentially going to make my commute even longer. My take home pay is about 900 a month, but I also have tax-free childcare so most of DC’s nursery fees have already come out of this. The job is fairly interesting, and in an industry that can be hard to get into, but I’m finding myself slightly disillusioned there, and when I look at the senior management I don’t aspire to be in their position in the future.
A job opportunity had just come up that has caught my eye. It’s a really interesting and fulfilling role that I think I could do really well in. It would be minimal commute and is something I am really passionate about. The problem is, it’s only 10 hours a week so I would be earning less than half of what I am now. I would save on childcare, petrol and parking, but it still doesn’t even out.
The (slightly more important) issues are: We have just put our house on the market and have our mortgage in principal, so changing jobs could affect all of this (although DH earns a lot more than I do, so I think the mortgage offer is based more on him than me), the job is also only a year’s maternity cover so I wouldn’t have a secure future there. The role is also on a self-employed basis so there would be no pension or maternity pay, and we’re planning to try for another baby this year so I’m taking away a lot of financial security.
Has anyone been in a similar position?! Do you chose quality of life over financial security? It’s not like I’m in a terrible position now - I still have a good work-life balance and a fairly interesting job, I can just really see myself in this other role and imagine that it could really add to our quality of life.
AIBU for considering applying?!