To give up my 100% WFH job?

[Benji92]

Hi there,

I joined my company just over a year and half ago and always had the ambition to become a Manager from day 1, letting my own line manager know.

My company is going through a redesign within my department. There have been talks for over a year now and no one knows what will come out of that. My manager says that he can't promise me if/when there'll be a Manager position will open up.

Recently a position opened up in another department, which would practically mean a promotion if I got the job.

Current job:
-Senior Associate
-100% WFH
-£33k
-Easy job

New job:
-Manager
-2 days in the office (I'll need to relocate but I wouldn't mind, in fact might be better for me as I'm considering moving there regardless)
-£40k
-Boring and demanding job

Of course there's a chance I might not get the job but the hiring manager thinks very highly of me and I'd be a very strong candidate. I just want to make my mind up fully before applying not to mess them about.

My friends think I'm being unreasonable for wanting to leave my 100% remote job for not much gain. Would you apply for the new position?

The responses on MN to threads like these are usually very concerning. Telling OP not to give up a lower paid job for the sake of two days in the office. It’s terrible advice.

The new job comes with a 25% pay rise. She has to go for her first pay rise to have a further jump in her career. Otherwise she’ll never move above the current salary. Also it’s two days in the office. Hardly a problem. Even if it were more days, it fits with her career ambitions. And then gem that people come out with about not wanting to earn more because you get taxed and won’t see any pay rise. It’s like these financially illiterate people don’t understand how tax works.

Somehow threads like these attract people you would never want career advice from. OP, go for the move that gets you a better career in the long term. Don’t listen to the terrible, financially illiterate advice on here.

It prolly depends upon whether you have ambitions to rise higher up the managerial tree. If you do then this is probably a necessary step.

If you want to move up the rungs specifically at this company, then take the job.

Personally £40k feels low for a job with management responsibilities, and you probably won’t really notice the pay rise. It’ll be about £300 a month. Depending on your commute, train fees or petrol could swallow most of it.

Maybe you could take this role, then within a year or so look for another management role at a different company which is better paid (or full WFH if that’s still your preference).

To be fair to the financially illiterate, it's not just the tax: two days a week commuting could easily be a grand or two by train. But I tend to agree with your general point. If a twenty five percent pay rise that doesn't take you into a higher tax band and moves you up the ladder isn't worth having then what is?

Nope neither the job or the money is tempting enough imo.

Relocation and commuting will cost far more than what's left of £7k after tax.

However if this is important for career development you might consider that worth doing.

I would do it if career progression was the goal and other companies in your industry have hybrid rather than wfh.

Because if your company or current role is the only one fully remote, you'll have to move anyway at some point to progress.

It's good to cut your teeth on management somewhere known as if you hate it, you have more potential to negotiate or transfer back. You're stuck for at least a year somewhere new.

If you want to move anyway, for personal reasons, then it's a good move too. Hybrid working will help you make friends in the office in a new place.

7k now can be used to negotiate future salaries on a higher baseline. So if you're on 40k and want to move externally you can start aspiring for the £50k+ banding which is harder from 33k.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

I mean when I was on a salary like £33k I'd have jumped at £40k. It's over a 20% payrise so it's not to be snubbed. I wouldn't want a job that you know before starting is boring though. The wfh and relocating wouldnt be the decider for me, with you saying you want to relocate there anyway.

Is your aspirational job of 'manager' a line manager job? Ie with a team reporting to you?

You mention that the manager job in a different department is boring and demanding - but is this also a line manager role? I'm wondering why you'd consider THIS role to be boring and demanding but presumably not a manager role in your current department?

Ime the role of line manager is broadly similar wherever you are. They're people managers dealing with referrals, appraisals, coaching and development, some HR duties like holidays, sick leave, referrals. IT tickets, taking over the most complex of work ococcasionally. Problem solver, fire fighter, calmer-downer. All the 'people problems' that come from having direct oversight of a large group of staff.

If you wouldn't enjoy it in one department then you probably wouldn't enjoy it in any ime.

The days in the office wouldn't stop me applying at all - I prefer to be in the office a fair chunk of the time anyway!

I wouldn't move to a boring and demanding job for an additional £7k unless it was a stepping stone to even more money for an exciting and enjoyable job. Unless I was struggling financially of course - eating/heating/roof over head would trump all!

I wouldn't take a job that i was bored by before I've even applied for it!

Relocate for a boring job, no thank you

Go for it, then please please please DM me the job advert for your old job as I think it would really match my skill set!

Wfh isn't for everyone - if you are happy to relocate and be in the office 2 days, then great. If this is your first managerial role then I would ssy it is pretty vital to spend some time in person learning how to do it.
Even if this next step up is not amazing in terms of pay, you aren't going to become a senior manager or director or whatever the next level beyond manager is, if you don't start climbing the ladder.

Some people are happy to stay at the level they are at and just potter away doing something they are familiar with.
Some people are happy to take on new challenges and rise up the ranks in their workplace.

It isn't that either party is unreasonable. They just value different things

I definitely wouldn't mind hybrid if it's only 2 office days required. However, still debating whether it's worth for 7k pay bump. It would most definitely put me on track with the career progression I have always had ambition for as the person who previously held this job is now on to an amazing opportunity within the company, but I wasn't keen when he told me about ins and outs of day to day responsibilities!

And you can tell this from the zero detail given? 🤣

Will the boring and demanding job ever lead to an exciting and easy one, with promotions down the line?

How do you know it's boring? Demanding can be a good thing - easy gets tedious over the years.Demanding you can grow into and it might open up another rung on the ladder.

I think you should apply and use the interview as a fact finding mission. You can always turn down the job if offered, but why not give it every chance? Also the interview practice would stand you in good stead and show your own managers that you mean business.

Title, wfh, easily done - yep. Pretty bang on! 😏

Oh you mean you're suitable just because you are good at working from home 🤣

How can people comment on moving and commuting costs when we have no detail. The OP could be a single person in a rented property moving to a cheaper area. She could be able to walk to the office. I would think about it if it wasn’t too much of an upheaval and a 7 grand pay rise is not to be sniffed at. ( £300 extra a month is a not insignificant amount if you’re on £33k). If I had kids in school/ childcare then it would probably be a no.

If you want to go up the career ladder then you'll have to take it. If you don't, stay where you are, the money isn't that great. But no one is going to give you a senior management position and 6 figure salary straight from your current role.

And again, personally... if there's any silver lining to lockdowns, its enabled so many women to further their careers like nothing before (except maybe WWII was the last instance)

Is this true? I have heard the opposite. That as women are more likely to be WFH to balance with children, they are less likely to be in the office, and as promotions are often based on personal relations, they are less likely to be building these, and less likely to get promoted.

It's the "boring" part of the job that would make me think twice. How long would you last if it's boring, would you remain motivated?
Or would the experience be a stepping stone to a better managerial job in the future?

7k is a huge pay jump! Its over 20% more than you are on now!

And if its a stepping stone to what you want, I would do it.

Unless promotion and progression opportunities are two a penny where you are, I would take this opportunity.