lower paying job - update nov

[emaren]

I know most of the advice here is to increase your income, but I am totally burned out on my job and need to make a change.  I work in science and I make $50k a year and that only happened last year because I had another job offer and the lab was going to fail without me.  The head boss also made some other promises at that time and the most important one has yet to be fulfilled (this is the one that would cure my burnout) and has been cut out of the budget completely according to my direct boss, although I'm still being told it's going to happen by the head boss.

There are some gov jobs that will keep my salary about the same, but although I'm qualified, I am also going to be competing against current fed employees, veterans and disabled people that get the leg up so I'm not counting on being able to get one of those.  There have been some other jobs that have popped up, but they will definitely pay less than I make now.

I feel like it's going to be worth it to just get a new job where I will be happy to go to work.  Is this crazy, should I reconsider?  Should I just wait until something that matches my pay pops up?

I've just found the website and am working to get in alignment, but this is throwing a wrench in it.

[GreenGuava]

I feel like it's going to be worth it to just get a new job where I will be happy to go to work.  Is this crazy, should I reconsider?  Should I just wait until something that matches my pay pops up?

You've already learned that your current employer will react to a job offer elsewhere.  Go ahead and apply for a job you'd prefer.  When you get it, if your current employer wants to keep you, you have two choices.  You can leave, citing that they didn't keep their promises last time.  Or you can stay, but get those unfulfilled promises again (and add one or two more that you want) in writing, with a financial penalty for them if they aren't done by some reasonable (to you) deadline.

Or, if you think even that won't get them to make it what you want, and you think the new workplace will be, go for that.  I just left a higher-paying job for a slightly lower paying one that I believe will be much more satisfying.

[DoubleDown]

If you can keep it up, I also suggest staying in your current job while you search for a new, better one. It's always best to be looking for a job from a position of strength, and should help in salary negotiations at a new place (vs. negotiating while employed at a place where you are earning less). Good luck!

[worms]

I'd want to make sure that the head boss knows that since you've not got what you were promised you have started job hunting.  That gives them incentive to try harder to fulfil the promise.

"Science" is a fairly wide term, how transferable are your skills? Are there any spin-offs to use to start your own business?

I left research to work in Government and still miss the lab, the field work and academia, so I would be wary of advising anyone to make that jump unless they were pretty sure that they had reached the end of the road.

[MissStache]

How much less are we talking about?  $5,000?  $10,000?  More?  Could your income take a hit like that and still allow you to live/save like you are currently or would it put you in a bind.

I'm all about taking a lower paying job if it leads to a happier daily life, but not if it is going to put you in a financial bind.  I also believe you should ABSOLUTELY keep your current job until you have a job offer from someone else.   

[FuckRx]

interesting, because i actually thought the mustachian way is to not keeping searching for the higher paying job...instead for the job that benefits you as a person and your family the most....depending on where you live 50k can be tough if you are still building your wealth and getting out of financial obligations etc but if not you can live on even less...

[Spork]

Twice I have (or we have... as in "the wife and I") taken a 40% pay cut to the family income.  Both times were to trade a happier environment for a less happy one.

Both cases worked out swimmingly.  In fact, the first one I often refer to as "the 40% cut that was the biggest raise we ever got."   In making the leap, we totally had a shift in how we lived and how we did everything.  We ended up way ahead even with less income.

[snshijuptr]

What is the purpose of money to you? Time for hobbies? Time with people you love? Basically, I am trying to get you to really consider what you are "buying" with the extra money from your current unhappy job. On the other hand, you can think of a paycut as you "buying" current happiness.

On another note, there are lots of ways you can get "paid" by a company. Maybe salaries are lower elsewhere, but what about the benefits? Many universities and labs offer education reimbursement or further certification/training. In addition, I'm going to assume at your pay level that you probably are looking at 10-15 years to retirement. This is a long enough time frame where education and career advancement are meaningful. Find a company with a clear advancement track. 

[Kriegsspiel]

interesting, because i actually thought the mustachian way is to not keeping searching for the higher paying job...instead for the job that benefits you as a person and your family the most....depending on where you live 50k can be tough if you are still building your wealth and getting out of financial obligations etc but if not you can live on even less...

The mustachian way, being the way the MMM recommends, is to keep aiming for the highest paying jobs you can get, try to enjoy them as you can, then quit once you've stashed enough.

[emaren]

Lots of good points to consider, some that I hadn't even thought of since I haven't been on the job market since college.  Here is more on my situation.

My bills:
mortgage: $900/month total $126k, 3.5% interest
student loan: $220/month, total $50k, 1.125% interest
credit card: just finally paid off
other costs are utilities, groceries, gas (haven't been able to sell my house yet to lessen commute), car insurance, horses (also currently trying to sell), these are currently kind of high, but in the works of getting cut to more manageable levels 

monthly take home pay is $2600

Potentially right now since I've paid off the credit card, I'll have $800 a month that I can save if my fiance buys most of the groceries.

One of my job options is $41k, which basically eats up my $800/month and increases my commute.  In November, my fiance and I will get married and can start sharing housing expenses (can't live together right now because bible beating ex won't let his kid visit if we're living in sin), which could bring my savings level up to about $400 again. 

Another option is to join the national guard as part of a medical technician training program.  I'm scared of boot camp, but it's a good option to take care of some of my student loans and get more career options.

My current job is giving me serious anxiety where on Sunday my heart is beating really fast and I feel nauseous for no reason.  I am really in the camp of being happier is more important at this point, but I am finally at the point where I can actually have some savings to put away, making it a harder decision.

[MissStache]

My current job is giving me serious anxiety where on Sunday my heart is beating really fast and I feel nauseous for no reason.  I am really in the camp of being happier is more important at this point, but I am finally at the point where I can actually have some savings to put away, making it a harder decision.

I had a job like that once.  It was literally the worst thing in the world and it poisoned every other aspect of my life.  Every single day I felt like I could never come back the next morning.   But I did, and I sucked it up until I got a promotion.  Luckily that meant more money, but I would have left for another job for equal money. 

I wouldn't have left for less, but that was before MMM and I was living paycheck to paycheck.  I didn't think I could afford to make less. 

I think that is your big question:  Can you afford to live with a 9K paycut? 

Wait, another big question:  Have you actually been offered the job @41K or talked to a National Guard recruiter? 

[emaren]

No, I am looking at options and deciding if I should even apply for stuff that pays so much lower.  I only mentioned those jobs because they are things that I would likely be able to get.  The jobs that I have already applied for are the government jobs with equivalent pay.  It has only been about a week since the first one closed, but I don't know how long it will be before I know and want to keep looking at options.  The bad news is that there aren't too many, which is why I'm considering things that I wouldn't have before.

[Kriegsspiel]

If you haven't already done so, you'll want to check to see if you are even able to join the Guard. Average Joe doesn't just walk in off the street and join the Army, I think the % of Americans who meet the standard is fairly slim.

[emaren]

Well, I went ahead and joined the guard. I start drills in dec and leave for basic in march. Unfortunately they have discontinued all med tech positions, but I was able to find something that will build my skillset that I will enjoy.

Excited and nervous, hope I make it through basic without too much trouble.

[Kriegsspiel]

Well, I went ahead and joined the guard. I start drills in dec and leave for basic in march. Unfortunately they have discontinued all med tech positions, but I was able to find something that will build my skillset that I will enjoy.

Excited and nervous, hope I make it through basic without too much trouble.

Congratulations to you dude. Where is your basic?

[expatartist]

Wow, you just went with your gut! Your fiance is ok with this -- will it have much impact on your relationship?

Wishing you the best.

[emaren]

Actually he's my husband as of this past weekend. Will be in training for most of next year, basic is in San Antonio. Due to husbands situation with his daughter we will always be limited on where we can move if he wants his mom to do childcare when he has visitation. So I have to have career skills that are more marketable whether we stay here or move closer to daughter in the future so he's okay with my making this life change. I'll keep my other job as there is a chance when I get back major restructuring will have occurred. I know it's in the works now but I will have to see it to believe it type situation.