Which job? Relaxed £50k pa job or more demanding £70k pa job?

[windygallows]

I am in a luxurious position of having a well paid and relatively easy and flexible job with a relaxed manager, interesting work and colleagues. £50k pa. I do have to do a lot of extra work at night and weekends from home but it's not excessive. However I have been there a long time (7 yrs) and want to move my career on and there is little opportunity for progress.

I've been offered a job in a SME that pays much more and sounds fascinating but would be much more demanding, as befits the salary, and much more extra working and responsibility. Wouldn't be relaxed, would be expected to really drive the business forward but would be challenging and help to further my career. It pays £70k pa and would net about £800 more/month.

WWYD? I'm a single parent with two little ones so worried the higher paid option might be too much for me to take on but equally worried if I don't take it then I won't get the chance again. Everyone (family, friends) thinks I'm crazy to take the new job when I've 'got it so good' in existing role.

@windygallows I can completely relate to your post about how sad it can be giving your career a back seat.

I was in the same position as you a few years ago, lone parent with a 6 and 2 year old. I gave up my flexible, family friendly, well paid job for a high responsibility, very well paid job in an SME 1.5hr drive away.

I loved every minute of the job to be honest, it was exciting, fast paced, the sense of achievement was great and I could take on a whole new persona and start fresh without the years of history I had in the old place. But within a year I found it increasingly difficult to juggle everything else in my life and two years later regretfully handed in my notice. I was just about managing the day to day slog of cooking and cleaning but things like getting school shoes, haircuts, making sure they were in bed at a reasonable time for their 6am start. It just all got a bit too much! My weekends would be filled by just catching up on life and I struggled to switch off from it and relax.

That said though, I'd do it again. It was two years of slog but it looks amazing on my CV and I managed to get back into my old company, with flexible working, a great work life balance and on more money than the SME paid. So I definitely landed on my feet however it has been a real struggle to give up all the responsibility and fast paced way of working that you just don't get in a huge multinational.

If I was you I would keep looking, and remember a job isn't for life! These days it is perfectly acceptable to go somewhere, stick it out for a year or two and if it doesn't work move elsewhere. Best of luck to you.

@HundredMileStare Thanks for your message and great to see the success you've had by taking a risk. Well done!

I like the sound of your drive and ambition

I think you’ll regret not taking the opportunity, go for it. Do it for yourself, after you’ve paid tax on the extra 20k, it’s not as great as you’d think on the take home, so don’t do it just for money. Do it to feed your ambition

FWIW I think you made the right decision. You were wavering anyway and I would just look at it as "it wasn't meant to be"

How does the current opportunity fit in with the OP's long term plans/ambitions? What is "the plan" for when the OP's kids are at secondary school or uni or when they leave home? Would the OP be happy to be still in their current job in 10-15 years' time or would it be restrictive/limiting/boring/underpaid, etc?

I took the plunge to take a highly demanding, highly paid job with a long commute. Yes, it was a very hard few years, but I regarded it as an investment in myself. It enabled me to escape from the "comfortable but boring" jobs I had near home which had no future - I'd have been doing the same 20 years later - no thanks!

Due to the experience/contacts in my high pressure job, it enabled me to move into a slightly different section of my profession at one of my employers' clients - a job I'd have never even got an interview for if I hadn't already got a foot in the door by working there one day per month for my employer. Again, it was a demanding but highly paid job and I only lasted 2 years.

BUT, again, the skills, experience, contacts, I made during those 2 years meant that I could start my own business. Again, hard work and long hours, but once it was established, I now earn a very good living working flexible part time hours. All on the back of taking the plunge, using each job as a leap-pad, and using the experience/contacts I made along the way. If I hadn't done it, I know I'd have still been working in a local crap firm, comfortable but boring, but with less income and still working longer hours!

To the OP, I'd ask how do you think you'll feel in 10 years time if no other opportunities come along and you're still doing what you're doing now. If that fills you with dread, take the plunge. If it sounds good, then stay where you are. There's no guarantee of a similar opportunity coming along again!

@Kazzyhoward - thanks for your advice. I've already turned down the job just because I didn't think I could juggle a high level job with moving house, moving schools and being a single parent!

I'd stick with the 50k job! That's more than my fiance and I earned last year put together both working ft! Ateotd I think you've made the right decision because time with your kids is more important than money if you can get by comfortably as you are ☺