Author Topic: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?  (Read 6534 times)

nemesis

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turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« on: January 19, 2017, 05:34:23 PM »
Hi all, a huge fan of this site and the philosophy. 

As a decent IT developer, I make about $200k before bonuses, and can make up to $300k after bonuses.  This is a relatively stress free job and I have really good flexibility and freedom and am pretty happy with the job in general.  My job is pretty stable and I foresee nothing that would threaten my job / income in the near term.

I was recently offered a job by another business making about $300k before bonuses, and up to $400k after bonuses.  After some agonizing deliberations, I turned the job down.  So part of me is kicking myself for leaving $100k on the table and not taking it.

Here are the reasons I turned it down:  1) stability - the other company is not as stable and the job may not be as secure, 2) more stress - due to the higher pay I would have more stress to meet aggressive goals, 3) I really like who I work with today, and I don't know if I would like the folks I would be working with at the new place.

After turning it down, part of my mind won't let go of the fact that I potentially left $100k on the table.  Part of me kicks myself for not say yes, but part of me also says "you make enough and you're much better off where you're at"...

I guess I'm just using this opportunity to air this out so I stop feeling bad about my decision, and hope other MMMs can help me feel better as well.  I mean at the level of income I'm at, another $100k is pretty unnecessary, as I'm close to FIRE and can let go in the next few years any way. 

Here's hoping this feeling of regret will die and go away.

MisterTwoForty

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2017, 05:52:36 PM »
No amount of extra money is worth an excess amount of extra stress.  If you know what you have, enjoy what you do, and make enough money, stick with it.  Most people can jump ship for more money but the peripherals are hard to find. You made the same decision I would have.

Retire-Canada

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #2 on: January 19, 2017, 05:57:18 PM »
No amount of extra money is worth an excess amount of extra stress.  If you know what you have, enjoy what you do, and make enough money, stick with it.  Most people can jump ship for more money but the peripherals are hard to find. You made the same decision I would have.

Yup. Well said.

At $250K/yr you can live well and still save  ~$170K. That's a pretty fast run to FI and ER if you want to stop working.

nemesis

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2017, 05:59:04 PM »
No amount of extra money is worth an excess amount of extra stress.  If you know what you have, enjoy what you do, and make enough money, stick with it.  Most people can jump ship for more money but the peripherals are hard to find. You made the same decision I would have.
Thank you, this is what the sane part of my brain tells me.  The "good" angel, if you will, lol.  The stupid part of my brain is telling me how silly it was to turn it down. I need to smack that "bad" devil part of my brain.

Dave1442397

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2017, 06:10:11 PM »
No amount of extra money is worth an excess amount of extra stress.  If you know what you have, enjoy what you do, and make enough money, stick with it.  Most people can jump ship for more money but the peripherals are hard to find. You made the same decision I would have.
Thank you, this is what the sane part of my brain tells me.  The "good" angel, if you will, lol.  The stupid part of my brain is telling me how silly it was to turn it down. I need to smack that "bad" devil part of my brain.

You turned down an unknown to stay with a good situation. I would, and in fact am doing, the same thing. I won't even look for another job right now. I work on an interesting financial system with very little overtime, no production support, and work from home four days a week. You'd have to offer me a hell of a lot of money to leave that.

Fish Sweet

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2017, 06:18:19 PM »
Sounds like you made the right choice, since you're so happy with who you are and what you've got right now. 

Maybe it would help if you thought of it as gambling.  Right now, you're riding high on the Vegas Casino Slots of Life-- a guaranteed win of $300k.  Someone offers you an extra $100k for another pull at the machine, and sure, maybe you'll win BIG, but if you lose, you're not only out money, you also lose out on quality of life and quality of the company that you spend ~8 hours a day with.  Would you really take that chance?

nemesis

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2017, 06:22:45 PM »

You turned down an unknown to stay with a good situation. I would, and in fact am doing, the same thing. I won't even look for another job right now. I work on an interesting financial system with very little overtime, no production support, and work from home four days a week. You'd have to offer me a hell of a lot of money to leave that.
Thank you, that sums it up very nicely for me as well.  I agree with you 100%.

ltt

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2017, 06:23:43 PM »
This is called quality of life....do not second guess yourself.  You did the right thing.

nemesis

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #8 on: January 19, 2017, 06:24:47 PM »
Sounds like you made the right choice, since you're so happy with who you are and what you've got right now. 

Maybe it would help if you thought of it as gambling.  Right now, you're riding high on the Vegas Casino Slots of Life-- a guaranteed win of $300k.  Someone offers you an extra $100k for another pull at the machine, and sure, maybe you'll win BIG, but if you lose, you're not only out money, you also lose out on quality of life and quality of the company that you spend ~8 hours a day with.  Would you really take that chance?
Damn, you guys are awesome.  You're spot on with what you stated.  It is a big risk for me to take the job for more money, and that risk is why I declined the job.  I'm feeling a lot more positive about my decision already... I knew I came to the right place for some good perspective on this!!

nemesis

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2017, 06:26:45 PM »
This is called quality of life....do not second guess yourself.  You did the right thing.
Thank you!!  This is definitely what it comes down to.  They would need to pay me a lot more than $100k for me to sacrifice my (pretty much guaranteed) quality of life to move over and take the risk.  I make more than what I need now, so quality of life is much more important than extra money.  Love it!

Fi(re) on the Farm

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #10 on: January 19, 2017, 06:43:27 PM »
It comes down to a choice, your money or your life. If the job was one that would bring you above the brink of poverty then it's a no brainer. Beyond that point, you need to decide what's best for you. Working somewhere that diminishes your quality of life when you already are financial secure would be a choice I wouldn't make.

AJ41

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #11 on: January 19, 2017, 06:55:18 PM »
This was an easy decision. You already make great money. Why be greedy and try to get more? You made the right decision.


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Pigeon

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #12 on: January 19, 2017, 07:38:52 PM »
If I were you I'd make the same decision  in a heartbeat.

nemesis

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #13 on: January 19, 2017, 09:51:23 PM »
It comes down to a choice, your money or your life. If the job was one that would bring you above the brink of poverty then it's a no brainer. Beyond that point, you need to decide what's best for you. Working somewhere that diminishes your quality of life when you already are financial secure would be a choice I wouldn't make.
Thank you.  You guys are all awesome.  It really helps to re-frame my thinking about what's most important, instead of only focusing on the extra money.  These replies really are making me feel good about my decision.

This was an easy decision. You already make great money. Why be greedy and try to get more? You made the right decision.

Yup, right on the money! (pun not intended lol)

If I were you I'd make the same decision  in a heartbeat.
appreciate it!!

J Boogie

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #14 on: January 20, 2017, 09:59:38 AM »
At that income level, a significant amount of that extra 100k would be claimed by taxes anyways.

Better to maintain the "slow" & steady path you're on.

nemesis

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #15 on: January 20, 2017, 07:06:44 PM »
At that income level, a significant amount of that extra 100k would be claimed by taxes anyways.

Better to maintain the "slow" & steady path you're on.
Thanks, very true!  My taxes for last year is going to be the highest yet... I'm close at the threshold that every politicians decides that I'm rich and evil, and I make too much money. :(

njmoney

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #16 on: January 21, 2017, 06:28:18 AM »
As others have said, quality of life is most important.  I'm in a job now where the stress is increasing, hours are increasing, stability is decreasing.  How it negatively impacts my mood and time spent with family is becoming apparent.  Looking for other job options now even if it means a decrease in pay.  Family is just too important.  Do not regret your decision.  Even if it means working a few more years before retiring I'd take that over being miserable and stressed for the next x number of years.  Enjoy the positives of what you have!

MsPeacock

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #17 on: January 21, 2017, 11:26:51 AM »
No amount of extra money is worth an excess amount of extra stress.  If you know what you have, enjoy what you do, and make enough money, stick with it.  Most people can jump ship for more money but the peripherals are hard to find. You made the same decision I would have.

+1 to this. You wouldn't care at all about the extra 100k if you were a stressed out mess hating he new job. I think there is much value in having a happy work situation.

DirtDiva

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #18 on: January 21, 2017, 03:18:37 PM »
Another opinion piling on here- I would make the same choice (and in fact did make the same choice with fewer zeros many years ago, have never regretted it for one minute).

Davids

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #19 on: January 21, 2017, 06:47:56 PM »
You made the right call. If it was $100K to $200K I may think differently but $300K to $400K you made the right call.

webguy

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #20 on: January 21, 2017, 08:18:07 PM »
I agree with everyone before me. I actually was in a similar situation, but far less money. I worked for a small design company that I really enjoyed. It was flexible, I enjoyed the work, and my coworkers were great. I was offered a corporate gig for more money and took it. After the first day I immediately regretted my decision and already wanted to go back to my previous job. Within two months I was back at my old job and didn't regret the decision for a second. Quality of life and actually enjoying the time you're at work is huge. I was also able to use the extra time and energy I had to start my own business which I never would have done at the corporate job.

You made the right decision.

11ducks

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #21 on: January 23, 2017, 03:20:54 AM »
You cannot possibly know how this new job would've turned out. Perhaps it would have been brilliant, perhaps awful. Trust your gut, you've made the right decision.

Guesl982374

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Re: turned down a job offer, feeling a little regret?
« Reply #22 on: January 23, 2017, 06:41:51 AM »
As others have said, there are other aspects that are more important than money, especially >$250K/yr.