Changing jobs for better incentives

[Anonymous]

Would you look at changing your current very flexible, relatively well paying work from home job for something else for better incentives?

I currently work from home 90% of the time for a large public university. Make decent money ($150,000) and have a pension and great health insurance. Currently thinking about changing jobs for another work from home job but for a different university that offers tuition reimbursement program for faculty children. My current university does not offer such a perk. We currently have young kids and while we have been saving in a 529 we definitely don't have enough saved for college yet. We have been aggressively paying off our own student loans (almost done) while we have been also paying daycare, raising kids, and all the expenses that come with kids in this area.

I am hesitant to change jobs because I have been with my current employer for over a decade and its not a huge lift for me anymore. But the thought of getting a portion or all of my kids college tuition covered just as a perk from my job makes it look more inviting. What would you do?

[Anonymous]

I would be very hesitant to give up a super flexible WFH job for something unknown. Starting a new job can be time intensive and stressful so you want to make sure your life can absorb that.

What is your HHI?

[Anonymous]

Op - I made $150,000 and DH makes $500,000. But he just started making that much and we are aggressively paying down school loans. So while the HHI seems high it doesn't when we are paying down all our school debt.

[Anonymous]

How old are your kids? With your DH making that much, you can probably cash flow a lot of college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How old are your kids? With your DH making that much, you can probably cash flow a lot of college.

OP - we have 8 years until our oldest starts college.

[Anonymous]

What kind of school is it, and does it have recirpocal agreements with other universities?

what if in 8 years your kid wants something else? Any hints or leanings you can see now (that of course might change?).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What kind of school is it, and does it have recirpocal agreements with other universities?

what if in 8 years your kid wants something else? Any hints or leanings you can see now (that of course might change?).

OP here - the new job(s) I am looking at are at large universities (think Yale/Stanford/UCs) that are full time remote. They have tuition reimbursement programs with accredited colleges up to a certain portion per year. Some of the schools cover up to $30,000 per year for tuition. Then we could use 529s to cover the rest of the cost per year.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't leave a flexible WFH position with good salary and health insurance for an unknown. Free tuition understandably sounds incredible, but you have no way of knowing if it's even something your kids will want to take advantage of. They may have no interest in attending that school. Or you could hate the job and not even want to stay that long. I'd focus on building the college fund instead.

[Anonymous]

I feel like you're not aware of what's going on in the job market, to be honest. Don't you know a lot of people unemployed? Better incentives to me aren't a reason to change jobs right now.

But also - something I'm seeing a lot with people on this forum: I feel like you and others are asking questions that come up in late-stage interview time or when offer on the table. Just apply. They might not even call you for an interview. Your time is valuable, so I'd use it on applying and not considering if it's right when you might not even make it to first interview. third interview, get an offer.

[Anonymous]

If the new job seems really good, I think it’s worth considering BUT if it’s Yale level your kid still has to get accepted. Are they a superstar student? I’d feel better about a situation like that at a gwu or nyu or something - selective but where a good student is likely admitted in that scenario and free tuition is a big deal. But your kid also has to be willing to go to school close to home.

I don’t know that I’d do it for 30 k
A year in reciprocity - especially with a spouse making 500k.

There are a lot of OOS state schools and Slacs that will give you merit in the 30k range fir a solid and above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the new job seems really good, I think it’s worth considering BUT if it’s Yale level your kid still has to get accepted. Are they a superstar student? I’d feel better about a situation like that at a gwu or nyu or something - selective but where a good student is likely admitted in that scenario and free tuition is a big deal. But your kid also has to be willing to go to school close to home.

I don’t know that I’d do it for 30 k
A year in reciprocity - especially with a spouse making 500k.

There are a lot of OOS state schools and Slacs that will give you merit in the 30k range fir a solid and above.

OP - the tuition reimbursement incentive does not mean they have to go to that school. It means that they can go there (if they get in) OR they could go to any other accredited program and that school would pay up to a certain portion of their tuition as part of the perk of being a faculty/employee at that school.

[Anonymous]

OP - also new job would be about a $75,000 pay bump to current job. So making closer to $225,000 instead of $150,000.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like you're not aware of what's going on in the job market, to be honest. Don't you know a lot of people unemployed? Better incentives to me aren't a reason to change jobs right now.

But also - something I'm seeing a lot with people on this forum: I feel like you and others are asking questions that come up in late-stage interview time or when offer on the table. Just apply. They might not even call you for an interview. Your time is valuable, so I'd use it on applying and not considering if it's right when you might not even make it to first interview. third interview, get an offer.

This. I initially read your OP and assumed you were already into the process but it sounds like you are not? It is a big leap to assume you would even get an interview at one of these jobs. Apply and see what happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - also new job would be about a $75,000 pay bump to current job. So making closer to $225,000 instead of $150,000.

A $225k a year WFH job is going to be super competitive to get!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like you're not aware of what's going on in the job market, to be honest. Don't you know a lot of people unemployed? Better incentives to me aren't a reason to change jobs right now.

But also - something I'm seeing a lot with people on this forum: I feel like you and others are asking questions that come up in late-stage interview time or when offer on the table. Just apply. They might not even call you for an interview. Your time is valuable, so I'd use it on applying and not considering if it's right when you might not even make it to first interview. third interview, get an offer.

This. I initially read your OP and assumed you were already into the process but it sounds like you are not? It is a big leap to assume you would even get an interview at one of these jobs. Apply and see what happens.

OP - thanks! I am just going to apply and see what happens. I have been with my current job for A LONG time and have only applied and interviewed at one other place in the past decade. Probably worth it to just keep my interviewing skills up and see what happens. Worst/best case I could get offered something new and have to make a big decision. Thanks!