cant decide whether to go for the 'big' job or keep phoning it in - WWYD and why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. I'm in a similar boat. Current job pays $200k and might go to $250 within 2 years, $300k within 5 to 10. I WFH 3-4 days a week, otherwise have flex hours (read: leave at 3pm if I want), I have unlimited vacation, and a 7.5% 401k match. I have a team of 8 reporting to me either directly or indirectly. I'm 34, and have about $1.2 to $1.3M in the bank (net). I work 40 to 50 hours a week.

Have another job that might bump me to $250 now, would include base, bonus and equity...$300k might be 2 years out....but I imagine long ass hours and no flexibility. Case in point: the recruiter called me Friday night at 7pm. Alarm bells were going off. 2nd round interviewer asked me "How many hors do you work?" (Another red flag). Asked to describe the culture he said "used to be family friendly, but is moving back to business basics". (Another flag I think). It also sounds like, despite the higher salary, I'd not have any directs. That might matter a lot at the next job - feels weird to say i make $300k with no directs. I suspect no work from home, or much more limited WFH. Plus the commute is out to near Dulles (from DC) so I guess that's at least an hour. And I currently work for a well known firm, this one is no-name. Plus, as an exec at the firm, there would be little opportunity for growth. On the flip side $250 vs $200 is a big leap - and on paper anyway, its a promotion.

All said, I'm leaning towards staying put. WWYD?

Stay put. No question. Your current job sounds like a dream! Willing to say where you work or what field?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. I'm in a similar boat. Current job pays $200k and might go to $250 within 2 years, $300k within 5 to 10. I WFH 3-4 days a week, otherwise have flex hours (read: leave at 3pm if I want), I have unlimited vacation, and a 7.5% 401k match. I have a team of 8 reporting to me either directly or indirectly. I'm 34, and have about $1.2 to $1.3M in the bank (net). I work 40 to 50 hours a week.

Have another job that might bump me to $250 now, would include base, bonus and equity...$300k might be 2 years out....but I imagine long ass hours and no flexibility. Case in point: the recruiter called me Friday night at 7pm. Alarm bells were going off. 2nd round interviewer asked me "How many hors do you work?" (Another red flag). Asked to describe the culture he said "used to be family friendly, but is moving back to business basics". (Another flag I think). It also sounds like, despite the higher salary, I'd not have any directs. That might matter a lot at the next job - feels weird to say i make $300k with no directs. I suspect no work from home, or much more limited WFH. Plus the commute is out to near Dulles (from DC) so I guess that's at least an hour. And I currently work for a well known firm, this one is no-name. Plus, as an exec at the firm, there would be little opportunity for growth. On the flip side $250 vs $200 is a big leap - and on paper anyway, its a promotion.

All said, I'm leaning towards staying put. WWYD?

Sounds like you should stay put. What kind of work is this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. I'm in a similar boat. Current job pays $200k and might go to $250 within 2 years, $300k within 5 to 10. I WFH 3-4 days a week, otherwise have flex hours (read: leave at 3pm if I want), I have unlimited vacation, and a 7.5% 401k match. I have a team of 8 reporting to me either directly or indirectly. I'm 34, and have about $1.2 to $1.3M in the bank (net). I work 40 to 50 hours a week.

Have another job that might bump me to $250 now, would include base, bonus and equity...$300k might be 2 years out....but I imagine long ass hours and no flexibility. Case in point: the recruiter called me Friday night at 7pm. Alarm bells were going off. 2nd round interviewer asked me "How many hors do you work?" (Another red flag). Asked to describe the culture he said "used to be family friendly, but is moving back to business basics". (Another flag I think). It also sounds like, despite the higher salary, I'd not have any directs. That might matter a lot at the next job - feels weird to say i make $300k with no directs. I suspect no work from home, or much more limited WFH. Plus the commute is out to near Dulles (from DC) so I guess that's at least an hour. And I currently work for a well known firm, this one is no-name. Plus, as an exec at the firm, there would be little opportunity for growth. On the flip side $250 vs $200 is a big leap - and on paper anyway, its a promotion.

All said, I'm leaning towards staying put. WWYD?

Sounds like you should stay put. What kind of work is this?

General management. Basically, I own P&L for a (small) business line. I drive channel strategy, account acquisition, marketing, finance, contract negotiations, deal with legal issues, design pricing, incentives, promotions, etc. Best way to describe the job is to imagine it as a small business owner who happens to have a modestly successful company to manage. Relative to the company as a whole my business line is a moth fart, but its mine, and I enjoy the clear cut ownership that provides. My hours can sometimes suck (I do have my 60 hour weeks now and then) and sometimes can be stressful but on balance, its reasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

NP here. Why do you think there is a time limit on your opportunity for a "big job"? What is the reasoning behind this thinking? Just curious.

OP here. I'm a lawyer at a trade association for a highly regulated industry - a relatively specialized area of law, although a big industry. I've been practicing for 11 years. I'm in a sweet spot right now because I have the right amount expertise to go in somewhere 1-2 levels below the GC (or, for the 'big job' in question, 2 reports from the COO of a huge company), and those positions have lots of opportunities, either to move up to GC or move out to the business or policy side, if you'll be around long enough. I know I'm in the sweet spot because I've gotten a lot of invitations to apply for these jobs. If I stay another 5 years, because our structure is flat, I wont gain commensurate experience to go elsewhere at a higher level, and I wont have 15-20 years to offer. Also, because our structure is flat, I think I would be perceived as not that ambitious if I stayed in the same job for 12 years. I work with people who have been there for 15 years, and I dont think they really have many outside opportunities in the industry anymore - they have sort of stagnated.

[Anonymous]

You may find that your priorities will change once your kids are in elementary school and get involved in a ton of activities. My husband has a "BIG" job but I'm far more content with my non prestigious job then I ever thought I'd be. I have the flexibility to be at their school activities, baseball practices, recitals, field trips, etc. etc. etc. I love it that I know all their friends well and they know me.
When my kids were young (2 and 4 likes yours) I didn't realize how much I'd enjoy being an active part of their elementary school lives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You may find that your priorities will change once your kids are in elementary school and get involved in a ton of activities. My husband has a "BIG" job but I'm far more content with my non prestigious job then I ever thought I'd be. I have the flexibility to be at their school activities, baseball practices, recitals, field trips, etc. etc. etc. I love it that I know all their friends well and they know me.
When my kids were young (2 and 4 likes yours) I didn't realize how much I'd enjoy being an active part of their elementary school lives.

thanks, PP. how old are they now? Do you think you'll feel the same way when they're in middle or high school? That's sort of the dilemma - I could see being happy like this for another 2-4 years, and then being really sorry I passed up an opportunity.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I don't think anyone can really answer that question for you.

The only thing I might add, let's say you go for the big job, if you decide it isn't working, would you be able to go back to your dial-it-in job?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. I'm in a similar boat. Current job pays $200k and might go to $250 within 2 years, $300k within 5 to 10. I WFH 3-4 days a week, otherwise have flex hours (read: leave at 3pm if I want), I have unlimited vacation, and a 7.5% 401k match. I have a team of 8 reporting to me either directly or indirectly. I'm 34, and have about $1.2 to $1.3M in the bank (net). I work 40 to 50 hours a week.

Have another job that might bump me to $250 now, would include base, bonus and equity...$300k might be 2 years out....but I imagine long ass hours and no flexibility. Case in point: the recruiter called me Friday night at 7pm. Alarm bells were going off. 2nd round interviewer asked me "How many hors do you work?" (Another red flag). Asked to describe the culture he said "used to be family friendly, but is moving back to business basics". (Another flag I think). It also sounds like, despite the higher salary, I'd not have any directs. That might matter a lot at the next job - feels weird to say i make $300k with no directs. I suspect no work from home, or much more limited WFH. Plus the commute is out to near Dulles (from DC) so I guess that's at least an hour. And I currently work for a well known firm, this one is no-name. Plus, as an exec at the firm, there would be little opportunity for growth. On the flip side $250 vs $200 is a big leap - and on paper anyway, its a promotion.

All said, I'm leaning towards staying put. WWYD?

I would stay put if it works for you financially- the kind of flexibility you currently have is rare

[Anonymous]

OP, I am very similarly situated, career-wise and am struggling with the same question. I really do feel this is my window of opportunity if I want a "big" career, but I just can't decide whether I want to risk the good situation for my family for a "big" career.

To 13:15 - I have switched jobs and gone from $250k to $200K. It's not a big difference once taxes are factored in. No way would I switch jobs in your position, unless the new job has more opportunity for career growth. But for the money alone, no.

[Anonymous]

Just another perspective to consider - as some one who works with people mostly just "dialing it in" - I think you owe it to yourself and your employer to find something you're passionate about. Even if you're only willing to put in 40 hours a week, those should be serious, hard working hours. If you're just passively going along and not willing to take up extra tasks as needed, then some one else is doing that for you and more could get done if you were somewhere you were excited to be and they were staffed by enthusiastic people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just another perspective to consider - as some one who works with people mostly just "dialing it in" - I think you owe it to yourself and your employer to find something you're passionate about. Even if you're only willing to put in 40 hours a week, those should be serious, hard working hours. If you're just passively going along and not willing to take up extra tasks as needed, then some one else is doing that for you and more could get done if you were somewhere you were excited to be and they were staffed by enthusiastic people.

I'm one of the pp's - I'd love to find something I'm passionate about that fits into a 40 hour week AND that pays what I need it to pay. Depends on your circumstances, but that is easier said than done.

[Anonymous]

OP, this opportunity does not sound like the one. While you are at the age and stage where opportunities come once, but not again, I do not think this is the one. You are giving up flexibility and name for long commute/ long hours smaller company. You generally might regret a big opportunity, but this does not sound quite like "the one" BTW, I am mid 50s and the age of opportunities is in the 40s. But you have just started your 40s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am in a very similar position, except I just had a baby. I was pretty content to phone it in, and that always drove my husband crazy - said I wasn't doing enough with my talent, blah, blah, blah. Now that I am paying for childcare to be away from my precious baby all day, I REALLY want to make the shift to a big job. I feel like it's not worth it to be away from my kid all day unless I am doing something great.

+1 I am in this position now. 36 with one child, hope to have another soon. Took a lateral move for various personal reasons, but it's time now to jump or get stuck in mid-level mediocrity forever. We can't afford for me not to work, and I honestly kind of hate being bored, so it's now or never. It makes me nervous, and I worry about the effect on my stress and losing some nice perks I have right now, but in the long run both financially and professionally it's the right move. Good luck with whatever you decide, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Same dilemma over here. DH keeps telling me I'll be stressed and miserable if I take another job (and he's right). But I'm also somewhat miserable being bored to tears at work and feeling like I'm not living up to my potential. The only thing that makes my current job bearable is the hours and flexibility. The trade-off is totally worth it now, but I'm afraid when the kids get older I'll regret having a mediocre career.

+1 to this, too. I don't think I can live with the regret, or that my DH can live with a frustrated, miserable wife when I am still bored at work in 5-10 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting. I'm in a similar boat. Current job pays $200k and might go to $250 within 2 years, $300k within 5 to 10. I WFH 3-4 days a week, otherwise have flex hours (read: leave at 3pm if I want), I have unlimited vacation, and a 7.5% 401k match. I have a team of 8 reporting to me either directly or indirectly. I'm 34, and have about $1.2 to $1.3M in the bank (net). I work 40 to 50 hours a week.

Have another job that might bump me to $250 now, would include base, bonus and equity...$300k might be 2 years out....but I imagine long ass hours and no flexibility. Case in point: the recruiter called me Friday night at 7pm. Alarm bells were going off. 2nd round interviewer asked me "How many hors do you work?" (Another red flag). Asked to describe the culture he said "used to be family friendly, but is moving back to business basics". (Another flag I think). It also sounds like, despite the higher salary, I'd not have any directs. That might matter a lot at the next job - feels weird to say i make $300k with no directs. I suspect no work from home, or much more limited WFH. Plus the commute is out to near Dulles (from DC) so I guess that's at least an hour. And I currently work for a well known firm, this one is no-name. Plus, as an exec at the firm, there would be little opportunity for growth. On the flip side $250 vs $200 is a big leap - and on paper anyway, its a promotion.

All said, I'm leaning towards staying put. WWYD?

OP, I was answering this one, sorry!