Should I take the job?

[Whatinthedoopla]

I recently went to an interview and got the job! However, not sure if to accept it...

My pay is currently 48k, but the job is 34k.

The job is one step higher than what I'm doing at the moment, but it's much closer to home, and so I'll save about 6 hours of journey time a week.

I'm thinking of asking for an increase in pay, but seeing how low the wage is, I don't think they can match mine, or go much higher than what is offered.

For context, I thought the job was the same as what I'm doing at the moment, but I do like it. But is it worth going down in pay for more responsibilities? If i can save time on journey?

Absolutely not

I forgot to mention, travel into my current role is costing me at least 7k a year, Vs 500 a year with the new job

I would definitely push back and perhaps make them aware of what you are currently earning and explain that as much as you like the role and the company, you just can't justify accepting that much of a paycut. Maybe they are willing to offer more.

If they don't, I would personally not want to do the same job for that much less. Even if you deduct the travel cost, you are still 7k short.
If it's because you currently work in London and the new job isn't, then I would calculate what I should be earning for the same job without the London allowance and probably be ok to settle for that, to eliminate my commute, and because it might just be really well paid because of the location, not because of the type of role.

I would personally prefer to hold out for another opportunity in the area, that pays better. However, if 34k is plenty for you to get by on, it's not unreasonably low for the type of job, and you would be happy with that and value gaining 6 hours of free time, then it might be worth it for you?

I took a similar pay cut to work for a charity that I really believe in.

After two years it’s really beginning to bite financially. It’s hard to save on that amount. My standard of living has really gone down and I now have to budget much more carefully than I have had to for many years.

I will have to start looking for something better paid in the new year. But I don’t regret the new skills/knowledge I’ve gained and I’m more likely to be able to get a better paid charity job now I’ve worked for one.

Sounds nuts to take a job for such a massive drop in salary compared to your current role and with more responsibilities?

I appreciate you will be saving lots of time & money on your current commute, but your pension & other benefits is also very likely to impacted significantly.

Additionally you then have a £34k role (average pay) £48 (above average pay) on your CV, indicating that you were better than average then were demoted. I guess not all recruiters ask your salary, but many do.

Can they at least offer 40k

Maybe say you’d loved to have accepted the role but it’s a substantial drop in salery for more responsibility. You’re presently on 48k in x role

see if they come back with a better offer

I think they need to match your salary at least - don’t take the drop unless it’s way less hours!

Utter madness.

You be better off going part time on your current salary.

4 days at your current job is £38 K

I agree with the PP who said only accept if they match your current salary. Why would they pay so much less for a more senior role? Seems dodgy

That is a 30% pay drop which the 6,500 savings in travel costs will bring down to 15.5%.

That is going to be painful unless they can promote you soon or you must leave within 2 years to a better job.

How could they pay you so little? Do they know what you were previously earning? If I was interviewing, I would not offer to a person who was taking such a steep pay cut unless they could convince me there was a reason they wanted the job despite the pay cut because on paper the candidate is a flight risk. I would expect the candidate would take the experience and then leave soon, which is what I am advising you to do.

Once you start earning 34K, you set a lower benchmark for your next job. You will take longer to climb out of this dip.

They are paying £14K less for a more senior job - you'd be bonkers to take that. It's not about how much travel costs or journey time. Consider how little they value their staff to pay lower salaries and how much less they are likely to invest in your development and pension contributions.

@Whatinthedoopla ask the new company for the difference between salary for your current role less the cost of commuting and see if they can meet that? Or somewhere close?

Is this gross or net?

Gross