To take a lower paid job for more hours

[Workcrossroads]

I work four days in a profession that I'm fairly senior in now and I'm looking at moving. I have two full time job offers. One is very similar to my role now but a step up and the salary will be £80-90K. The other is something new, related to my experience, and the salary is around £50K. The only thing drawing me to the first job is honestly the money. I've worked hard in this profession and I could earn good money doing it but I don't enjoy it any more and I'm so stressed it's affecting my home life. The second job appeals to me because I really believe I will enjoy it and I will benefit from the reduction in stress. I really want to take the second job but what is putting me off is that the full salary is slightly less than I earn now working 4 days.

Has anyone done this and did you regret it or were you glad you did it?

In case I am asked, I can afford to take the pay cut. I have a husband and we can comfortably pay the bills even with this salary cut but it will mean I can save less.

The second job could be less flexible as the hours are more fixed but there is ability to work from home. Even if I'm working 5 days I still expect the workload to be more manageable than my workload is now doing 4 days, but of course I won't really know what it's like until I start.

No one?

If you change your mind, how easy will it be to go back to the higher paying role?

If you don’t need the money, I think doing something new because it interests you sounds like a good idea.

Couod you go back to a job like the first job in the event the second job doesn't work out? Would you lose credibility or anything?

How long is your current commute per week both ways? You have to factor that in and compare how much time you spend commuting + 4 days a week job a, V less commute longer working week job b.

This is almost me! I've done this, but just with the change in pay (4 days in both roles). Similar salary drop too.

I was much more senior in my old role but I felt i had exhausted it and was a little burnt out tbh. The new, lower paid role is a professional dream and I love it despite a slightly longer commute and the lower pay of course. Lots of opportunities to do different kinds of work.

However my husband has just lost his job and we actually can't live on my salary. Ironically our rule had always been to be able to survive on one person's salary (we always earned similar), but I broke it for this job. However our mortgage is paid off and we have plenty of savings so I'm not worried.

@MidnightPatrol I think it would be fine to go back in a year or two. It might get harder after years away but jobs in my existing profession are not as hard to come by whether the role I am thinking of taking are more difficult to come by

It doesn't feel right to make a decision purely based on money

@RentalWoesNotFun Yes I think I could go back and I don't think it would look too problematic that I went for a change but I cannot predict what will happen for certain.

The role is in the same city centre as my current role so the commute is similar but I expect I would likely have to go in 3 or 4 days a week out of 5 whereas now I go in 2 days out of four so there would be a commute and there would be the travel costs which I am factoring in, especially as the money is lower.

I fully relate to what you are saying. I was very stressed and almost burnt out. I think I need a change or some significant time out rather than simply want it. I wonder if it's similar to my move.

It's a shame about your husband's job. Will he struggle to get a new role? The thing is it still sounds like you made the right decision if you love this job provided you can afford to keep up with your outgoings.

I don't regret my choice. DH is picky about new roles as he thinks a lot of himself career-wise but he is looking. We do still have kids at home (with one planning on uni) so I think a feeling of responsibility will kick in at some point soon.

Yes perhaps if it takes him longer than he's expecting to get a job then he may change his mindset. I hope he finds something soon as it's stressful for him not have that peace of mind.

Surely stress is a choice that you or others place on you?

DH gets stressed, but he can choose not to.

If you take the higher paid job, in 12 months you could do 3 days a week and earn the same as the lower paid job. You never know the management might be better at the new company - the other could be worse.

I’d do the higher paid one for a few years and save/invest to be in a stronger position. I’d start the new role with clear boundaries around what my mandate was, which extra work I’d be game for, etc. as a pp says I’d then look to reduce to 3/4 days a week.
Id take 2-3 weeks out in between the jobs.

you could take the 50k and be as stressed for more hours and less money. They might mandate a return to office too.

How would you feel if the 2nd job was still stressful and affecting you?

I only ask as I honeslty have found 100k jobs less than 50k ones and I dont think you can necessarily tell beforehand ... people lie, things change etc.

I think you need to look at all the scenarios. Personally unless i was convinced id HATE the highe paying role....I'd be inclined to take the higher paying one.
on the basis If its not working start looking at the 6-9 month mark at the field you liked.

8yrs ago I'd have said follow you bliss but the economy is tanking so money is useful these days....

I don't think it would work that way. The job I'm doing now is not the sort of job you can do in 3 days. I now work 4 days and I think I'm more stressed than I would be if I worked 5 days as it's the kind of job tbh doesn't stop when you're not there and there aren't always people to cover.

It's not the kind of job you can do in 3 days so not as simple as that unfortunately

The thing is they are different roles and the higher paid one is very similar to what I'm doing now but more senior so I know it will be demanding and stressful. I believe the lower paid one will be less stressful but I'm not sure. If it's not I'd go back to a role like the 90k one

there are also more of the £90k type roles available to me whereas the other one is a bit more of a one off that may not come around again

If you are in a position where you don’t need the money then just take the salary out the equation. You’re judging these based on the quality of life they’ll afford you so draw up the pros and cons on that basis and decide from there. Why even consider salary as a factor if it doesn’t matter, just complicates it

Is there the opportunity for career progression in the lower paying role?

Yes there is. I don't know what the salary looks like but the ceiling on pay is certainly higher in my current role as I'd be looking at £100-150k if I get where I want to be (but no guarantee that I will). My current salary is around £80k and it's not unrealistic that I may make that in the lower paid role a few years down the line, maybe, but I don't know.

I've decided to take the new role as I expect I will enjoy it more and will have a better quality of life.