AIBU to take the 'easier' job

[Birdie8989]

I've been offered two jobs. The pay (per hour) is the same, as is holiday, distance to office etc. But one will be much easier than the other....

Job 1 - 4 days pw, earlier finish to get home and make tea etc, day off to catch up on cleaning / gardening etc so our weekends run better. Job is professional but I have loads of experience with the software so training won't be too difficult and feel I can slot in easily. No work from home. No room for progression, industry isn't very interesting.

Job 2 - full time. The work I have done before but I don't have lots of experience, and it's not my favourite section of work I do so I can imagine will be stressful. Training will be lengthy and I'm not sure I'll enjoy the work, although the people seem fab. Great pension compared to the other. However, this will give me a lot more options in the future, and it will help with my professional qualification which is almost complete. I can also work from home for much of the week. Industry has a sense of greater good.

My parents and kids are heavily leaning towards the 4 day pw job. They don't like to see me stressed, and they know that my household will run much better as a result (kids are in secondary school). My husband is on the fence, as am I. I'm trying to put myself in a good place for when the kids don't need me at all so the full time job seems better, but I'm starting to question if it's the career I really want. I want a good pay (which both jobs are) but I'm not very confident to have lots of responsibility so I don't know if promotions are in my future anyway. We can definitely get by comfortably on the smaller wages. But am I unreasonable to not be reaching for more? To settle? Will I regret it?

IABU - push yourself to be the best you can, and make the most money you can. Get wider experience and look for promotions in the future, you have a long time until retirement to settle now. You can work from home so the kids won't feel neglected as you will be present alot.

IANBU - the part time job is adequate for what you need and sounds very low stress. You won't set the world on fire but you can look for something better when the kids are all grown up if needs be.

Remember everyone including your parents and dc have a vested interest so no one can give you proper advice on this better than you.

I would take where your gut tells you you will get the most satisfaction. For me, I enjoy pushing myself at work at that is what makes it feel worthwhile to me. But it's different for everyone. And may be different for you. But go with your heart and you will make it work if you are aligned to that

Personally, I would take the four-day a week role and you can look at something else in a few years time if you still want to.

I wanted to switch fields slightly at work, so I applied for a promotion (as everyone thought that job was earmarked for a current employee) as a way of showing interest in a move to that department - ended up getting the promotion ...

Felt I couldn't turn it down, but regretted it so much, suffered burnout after two years and still suffer the physical effects of that. I regret it so much - my previous role was so much less stress.

Having done something fairly similar, one thing I learned (the hard way) that an easier job does NOT equal less stress. You will make your own stress! (And sometimes being bored can also be stressful).

The key thing that stood out for me is the better pension. This, along with the greater flexibility (e.g. working from home) would make it the better bet for me.

Don't ask your family - they have a different sense of what's right for you.

Congratulations on being offered both jobs OP!

I was leaning towards Job 1 at first because the shorter working week would definitely make life easier

but...

better pension
more options in the future
help towards professional qualification
able to work from home

mean that if it were me I'd probably take Job 2.

Even if you decide in the end it's not working out for whatever reason you'll be in a better financial position as well as in a much stronger position to go for other roles and that could include PT ones. It's easier to drop a 'rung' than it is to climb.

I'm biased though because the only workplace regret I have was when I went for the "easier" option and didn't take up an opportunity. And as others have said, a supposedly easier job is not necessarily less stressful either.

Good luck - it'll all work out OK whichever way you decide to go.

Thank you all for the advice. I'm going to really think hard about it - I keep flip-flopping from one side to the other. Need to make a decision by end of play tomorrow so time is not on my hands. Hope I don't come to regret either decision

Congratulations OP!

I really have to agree with some previous posters that ‘easier’ doesn’t mean ‘less stress’. I am biased because my biggest regret from my career is going for a supposedly ‘easier’ job that was very much not easy. But it looked rubbish on my CV compared with the jobs I turned down - I really limited myself for a number of year afterwards.

You’re the only person who’s in a position to make a judgment but I think if it were me I’d go for Job 2 based on what you’ve said.

I don't know why you'd want to make your life more complicated or difficult but if job 2 is more important to you and you want to progress then take it. It shouldn't mean you compromising on your aspirations because everyone else wants you to.

I would choose job 1 for the earlier finish time and one day off a week.
Parenting teens is very draining. That day off would mean more to me than anything else.

I know many of my colleagues would choose 2, though. They want to work FT and progress. It really depends on where you are in your life and what your priorities are.

I would go for job 2. Don't underestimate how important your pension will be to you once you're heading towards retirement age and really do need to slow down a little. Your kids are in secondary school so are quickly becoming more independent. Outsource as much of the boring stuff, cleaning, grass cutting etc as possible so that your time at home is focussed on the fun stuff.

Shorter hours and easier job really doesn't necessarily mean less stress. A job can be stressful if it's not stimulating enough, or if you don't have future progression. You say the people at job 2 seem great and you'll have far better prospects.

Job 2 for opportunity & progression