I am a recently divorced single mom (1 child, toddler age, 50/50 custody). I currently make around $140k, have tons of flexibility, 15 min commute, can work remote 1-2 days a week (very flexible), good benefits, like my boss/coworkers.
I have been offered a management role (same industry) with a salary of $195k + bonuses, commute would be ~45 min, 5 days a week in office, no option for remote work, very little flexibility, also great benefits.
I am having a really tough time making a decision. We currently live in a VHCOL (CA) area. I want to buy a (modest) home in the next 6-8 months and this new job would help immensely. But my current job allows me to have so much quality time with my child.
Do I bite the bullet and just make the sacrifice now to better our future? Or stay at my current job?
Posted by tindaswinton
8 Comments
Keep current job. Hold out for either
1) job around current offer with flexibility
2) job MUCH higher salary and no flexibility
As a working mom with a young kid, I would stay where you are because the flexibility is amazing for balancing work and life.
I’m not sure what industry you are in, i’m in Finance. I kicked the tires on making a move for more money, but the flexibility offered to new employees seems to have dried up! Now i’m hoping to be able to advance my role with my current company to earn more money.
Best of luck!
Would taking the new job mean increasing childcare costs? (I’m guessing yes?) I’d calculate what that would cost alongside your potential pay bump.
Keep your job. I’m a single mom of a 4YO, also in CA (VHCOL), and the flexibility to WFH is invaluable. Not to mention already having the trust of your current coworkers for when things inevitably come up with kiddo that you have to deal with solo.
I would never compromise family work/life balance to potentially miss key moments in my kids life or time spent. You just don’t get that back and may have regrets as a slave to the corporate machine. Just my two cents if I had a current career like OP that checks off all the boxes of stability and comfort? Why risk all that?
Absolutely stay at your current job- the other factors will take a toll in the long run and contribute to burn out. You won’t regret it bc you have to savor the time you have while your toddler is still young. Once they are older, I would suggest that you seek the opportunity!
How did you come across this job offer? Were you actively looking for a new job?
Money isn’t the only thing to consider when comparing jobs. In fact, it really should be the last thing.
It seems like your current job (that you like) offers the better work-life balance. That has its own value/price.
I would stay where you are because there is no telling what the longer commute job would be like. It is very possible that you’ll hate it and regret switching jobs.