Closer job, but lower position? What would you do?

[purplish]

I know here its considered much better to work closer to home, so I have a feeling of what type of advice I will get.  But I'll ask anyway... So I currently work in the psychology field where I make $40,500, and am in a somewhat management position.  However its 22 miles away from where I live.  Jobs that are close to where I live, will be not management, and will be standard employee for $39,000/yr.  In a year and a half I will be licensed, which means I can formally be in a full management position, which will be higher paying (not sure how much). 

Question is, is it better to work close to home, and lose the would be management experience?  But maybe since I will be licensed in the future I can still use the past management experience to get a better job?  Or stay at the far away job and be able to more easily get into a higher management position, and make more money?

[Krnten]

Close to home!  There's such a small difference between those salaries, you'll make it up in commuting costs and time.  Nothing beats the quality of life of living close to work. 

[purplish]

How about applying negotiation and getting the second job with higher pay, a significant raise over your current job even? You can even phrase it as being that higher pay is required to make the demotion palatable. I won't suggest a specific number to counter with because it depends on the job, but don't be afraid to negotiate. There's no need to take a pay cut.

I tried that with the last job I was offered near me- I was told no :(  Another job I applied for close, they told the pay upfront and said its non-negotiable.  So unfortunately the positions I'm going for are pretty stuck at that amount.

Honestly I think what bothers me most is the idea that I thought once I had good experience, I'd be seen as a good "catch" to employers.  Yet here I am in a slightly management position, having to look at lower positions :/  Unfortunately even jobs equal to the position I'm at now, I would need to be licensed for (which will happen in a year and a half).

[purplish]

If you're being told the pay is non-negotiable, it probably means you committed an early strategic mistake, such as asking if the pay was negotiable.

Here's the first rule of salary negotiation. If you ask if the pay is negotiable, then it's not. Game over. Never ask that. Maybe you didn't ask that, but something else you asked conveyed that, and it had the same effect.

Either way, they are lying to you. The pay is negotiable. But now that they are playing hardball, it will be harder to negotiate it.

Let me share a personal data point. I have personally successfully negotiated with a company that sometimes tells people that their offers are non-negotiable (which is just a lie).

No, they just said this in the interview, without me asking anything about salary.  I'm assuming this is due to past people attempting to negotiate.

[soccerluvof4]

To me its a no brainer. closer to home.  The difference in pay is more than covered in travel alone not to mention you get home more.

[TheThirstyStag]

From a time perspective, taking the new job is the smart choice.  Value your time at an hourly rate, then consider how much time each day you get back to yourself by not engaging in the longer commute.  Consider how many hours that adds up to at the end of the year, and I'm sure you'll find that it's very much worth it for a $1500 pre-tax pay cut. 

[catccc]

Definitely take the position closer to home.   Are there other non-salary c ok.compensation pieces to consider?  I actually took a job further away from home recently, for a lower salary- but it is a shorter standard workweek, so I actually make a bit more hourly, plus th  company 401k contribution is 7% (old company was 2%), 2 more paid days off, and 2-3 more paid holidays.  But the biggest thing is that the work life balance and the working environment/culture is amazing.  So look beyond miles and money.  I wouldn't be too concerned about the level of the position if the pay is comparable.  I've always found myself in lower ranked positions, but with a salary on the high end of the range.  And that is how I like it.  I'd rather be a highly paid senior accountant than a have lower or mid range salary for an accounting manager.

[Goldielocks]

Are you planning to FIRE within 10 years, or building a career skill/ experience ladder ( where pay is only half the picture)

Do you like management or the rank and file work better?

Honestly, if you do not have hair on fire debts, the pay won't make a big difference.

Shorter commute will, for a FIRE goal, career skills and job title bonus can be a big deal if you have a higher position in mind in future and decades ahead.