Hi all! FIRST POST, woo! I discovered MMM a few months ago and haven't stopped reading since. I've made a few changes but still have a long way to go. I'm facing a big career decision that will obviously affect my financial future, so was hoping to get some thoughts...
A little background first. I'm a millennial who graduated a few years ago. I have an English degree (also a double major with History). During college I worked part time editing theses, dissertations, and journal article submissions; usually they were in the science and medical fields. This yielded my first salaried job after school as a medical editor. I worked for a mid-size firm that does research and contract/consulting work for the huge pharmaceutical companies like Genentech, Johnson & Johnson, Bayer, Takeda, etc. That company kinda sucked so I moved on to a very similar job with a huge global corporate outfit doing the same things for the same clients. I'm pretty pleased that I've been able to use an English degree in the health field. Often a degree in humanities is worthless on its own, but if you add experience in a hot field (tech, health, oil + gas) you can demand a pretty respectable salary.
Now on to my dilemma. A few months ago a recruiter contacted me about a work from home position and I agreed to go through the whole interview process even though I like my current job. My thinking here: I always like to find out more information and see what's out there. I like learning about how different companies and professionals do their thing and how my skills are valued in terms of $. Even if I don't like the opportunity, I still like making new contacts and the whole networking thing. I actually did the same thing last year when a company offered me a job for 10 k more, but I turned it down because the commute/cost of living in the middle of Dallas (Uptown) would be stupid expensive.
They offered me the job. It's in the medical education field, but a role change to a project manager type of position. There is some editing involved, so that's why they look for editors, I suppose. I figure that project management experience is huge for my career and resume right now. The money is a little more and obviously the work from home aspect is huge, but I'm more interested in the role and the change in responsibility. I'm leaning towards taking it, but I'd like to hear some thoughts from you, especially those who work from home. Keep in mind this is a regular salary position, just remote; it is NOT freelancing or temporary or independent contractor or any other weird thing.
I've listed all of the factors below and grouped them between financial and career/other stuff. I also talked with someone who has the title I would have, so that's another source of info for the below list. What am I missing, am I forgetting anything important?
$$$
Current: 51,250 | New: 57,000 after negotiating
Commute: 2.5 bike/drive (weather) | 100% work from home (company pays for travel once a year to Montreal)
Insurance: 200/month (stupid expensive for single young healthy guy) | 0/month premiums
Bonus: 0 | 5% supposedly, though this is hearsay
Raise: 2.5% | ? guessing it's similar, idk
The new company pays for your internet! 40/month
TAXES: I guess I can deduct a home office? (10% of rent = $100) maybe a % of utilities also? electricity, water, gas, all that jazz
CAREER
I like my job now! Almost zero commute, reasonable work load, good people, and snacks/drinks, woo! Actually maybe I'd lose weight if I worked at home...
I'm not sure about how I'll be motivated to work from home. I'm good with deadlines, but maybe that changes when you're not wearing pants.
I'm scared of being viewed as a typical dumb millennial job hopper. Started first salary job 1/2015 and current/second 3/2016.
Growth opportunity looks good at both places but maybe better at the new one. Supposedly they've doubled in size in 3 years.
Any thoughts or advice/experience will be greatly appreciated! Thanks