Just thought I'd type out my thoughts here, since in general people here have similar values. I'm 28 by the way (less than a month to 29), working in technology (coding type stuff).
Current job:
Management position
80k (most likely will be added into the bonus structure next year)
Pretty likely to get decent raises in the future.
Commute: 2 hours each way (heavy traffic, doesn't matter what time I leave)
Decent benefits, 20 days vacation.
They won't let me work from home, except every once in awhile.
I'm an INTJ type, so all the socialization of management makes me tired. I enjoy the challenges, but I'm also pretty stressed by them. If a higher position opens up, I'm pretty likely to get it.. which is good for the money, most likely bad for the stress again.
Can't stand a couple co-workers. If I got a promotion someday, I would still most likely manage them, just would get more teams under me as well.
Some future promotion likely might require me moving to New York (live in the Chicago area now), which would mean selling the house, wife changing jobs, etc etc. Not exactly a great idea.
Possible job switch:
Development position
60k ish (exact offer not made yet)
Pretty likely to get cost of living raises (it's at a university, can't imagine big raises)
Commute: 30 minutes each way (no traffic, back roads)
Good benefits, 24 days vacation, 4/10 during the summer (fridays off, 10 hour days)
Free 8 credit hour tuition per term (limit of 2 classes)
Most likely would be more laid back, less over time required, less hard deadlines.
My new manager would be a previous manager I had years ago, great guy. Who knows what the other co-workers would be like. Supposedly I'd be the most experienced in the bunch, so theoretically if my boss quit, I'd get his job?
Options:
1. Stick with the current position, since it gives us the best chance of saving extra for FIRE. This causes me to want FIRE more, because I often can't stand the pressure / stress / co-workers. Then again, it might be making me age faster, and with 10 hour days, 4 hours of driving, 8 hours of sleeping, 2 hours of dressing.. I'm outta hours for fun.
2. Take the new job, since it's less stressful. I can maybe try to get my MBA on the free credit hours (oh, and maybe take a pottery class, always wanted to learn pottery). Then if I wanted to get into management, I could wait for my boss to quit (he'll be at retirement age within 15 years I'd guess, even if he stays here the entire time) or just get a new job with my new MBA.
3. Look for a new job somewhere else, ignore the low level job offer. The problem here is that I might just not be "cut out" for management. It's hard to tell, since I was promoted to management at this company, so I've never tried it somewhere else. I know I'm darn good at it, but that doesn't mean that it's something I should be doing with my life?
4. Take the job offer, go to my managers at my current company and tell them I'd like to work from home Mondays and Fridays (or some other combination of days). Potential problem: I could see them saying ok, but they'd be looking for a replacement. Then in 3 months I'd be out of a job, without an offer on the table.
As for finances, we could still pay all our bills on a 60k salary, the extra of my salary was just "extra savings", that I was tossing towards a car payment, and into stock accounts. Having no job would be a lot more serious, and we don't have a huge e-fund. I could sell stocks for short term gain / loss, but that would be a last resort.
Anyway, I've made up my mind multiple times now, but I've changed my mind multiple times as well. Any insightful thoughts? I most likely have a week or so before I get my interview / offer (though my understanding is that I'm "in" if I want the job, since I'm overqualified and will be under paid).
Current job:
Management position
80k (most likely will be added into the bonus structure next year)
Pretty likely to get decent raises in the future.
Commute: 2 hours each way (heavy traffic, doesn't matter what time I leave)
Decent benefits, 20 days vacation.
They won't let me work from home, except every once in awhile.
I'm an INTJ type, so all the socialization of management makes me tired. I enjoy the challenges, but I'm also pretty stressed by them. If a higher position opens up, I'm pretty likely to get it.. which is good for the money, most likely bad for the stress again.
Can't stand a couple co-workers. If I got a promotion someday, I would still most likely manage them, just would get more teams under me as well.
Some future promotion likely might require me moving to New York (live in the Chicago area now), which would mean selling the house, wife changing jobs, etc etc. Not exactly a great idea.
Possible job switch:
Development position
60k ish (exact offer not made yet)
Pretty likely to get cost of living raises (it's at a university, can't imagine big raises)
Commute: 30 minutes each way (no traffic, back roads)
Good benefits, 24 days vacation, 4/10 during the summer (fridays off, 10 hour days)
Free 8 credit hour tuition per term (limit of 2 classes)
Most likely would be more laid back, less over time required, less hard deadlines.
My new manager would be a previous manager I had years ago, great guy. Who knows what the other co-workers would be like. Supposedly I'd be the most experienced in the bunch, so theoretically if my boss quit, I'd get his job?
Options:
1. Stick with the current position, since it gives us the best chance of saving extra for FIRE. This causes me to want FIRE more, because I often can't stand the pressure / stress / co-workers. Then again, it might be making me age faster, and with 10 hour days, 4 hours of driving, 8 hours of sleeping, 2 hours of dressing.. I'm outta hours for fun.
2. Take the new job, since it's less stressful. I can maybe try to get my MBA on the free credit hours (oh, and maybe take a pottery class, always wanted to learn pottery). Then if I wanted to get into management, I could wait for my boss to quit (he'll be at retirement age within 15 years I'd guess, even if he stays here the entire time) or just get a new job with my new MBA.
3. Look for a new job somewhere else, ignore the low level job offer. The problem here is that I might just not be "cut out" for management. It's hard to tell, since I was promoted to management at this company, so I've never tried it somewhere else. I know I'm darn good at it, but that doesn't mean that it's something I should be doing with my life?
4. Take the job offer, go to my managers at my current company and tell them I'd like to work from home Mondays and Fridays (or some other combination of days). Potential problem: I could see them saying ok, but they'd be looking for a replacement. Then in 3 months I'd be out of a job, without an offer on the table.
As for finances, we could still pay all our bills on a 60k salary, the extra of my salary was just "extra savings", that I was tossing towards a car payment, and into stock accounts. Having no job would be a lot more serious, and we don't have a huge e-fund. I could sell stocks for short term gain / loss, but that would be a last resort.
Anyway, I've made up my mind multiple times now, but I've changed my mind multiple times as well. Any insightful thoughts? I most likely have a week or so before I get my interview / offer (though my understanding is that I'm "in" if I want the job, since I'm overqualified and will be under paid).
That alone would be a huge reason for me to seriously consider making the change.
