Work life balance vs comp?
You're making a competitive income with excellent work-life balance. Do you leave a comfortable job for a ~15% raise and a promotion, knowing it will be more responsibility and less time off? Or do you stay where you're already on a slightly slower track for the same role and feel valued? I love my job. It's super convenient and relatively easy. They care about my career growth, although after several years, the 10% (total) salary increase has fallen a bit behind what I could make elsewhere on the market. Do I stay and enjoy it? Leave and stress while hoping to prove myself? Stay and ask for more? I know I'm capable of more than I'm doing today, but I've gotten a bit complacent, and frankly, it's comfortable. My free time has allowed me to learn and keep my skills sharp, so I'm not worried about that in the short term, but a 2-3% annual bump is less than I would make if I jumped. Specifically: Current role: Low-130s (pretty competitive for the area), 7 weeks PTO, ~35 hours in the office per week, time to learn what you want, can more or less coast on deliverables Alternative: High-140s / Low 150s (top of market), 3-4 weeks PTO, likely 45+ hours of work per week, need to prove yourself, regularly deliver results In a large city, but not in the super expensive Cali / NYC / Seattle / DC areas.
7 weeks of PTO is pretty awesome! I probably wouldn't change if I were in your position, would probably take vacation every quarter for a couple of weeks to travel. IMHO, 10-20k per year doesn't fundamentally alter the financial position (after taxes) we are talking about a few hundred difference per pay check. If the difference were 40k or more, then it would probably make sense to consider other options.
Thanks. The PTO really is an awesome deal, and I love having it. It's also nice knowing that I generally can't screw up too bad, and I'm not going to get fired or laid off unless something goes really south at the company. I have a higher chance of getting promoted a level or two first. It's the type of place I could see myself staying over the long term. At the same time, I'm not generally a fan of getting complacent, and I prefer to be slightly over market rather than slightly under. I guess it's the type of place I'd love to be long term, but I worry about not maximizing my short term, if that makes sense.
Makes sense. I completely understand your conundrum and I believe a lot of Engineers feel that at some point, especially if they are good performers who have established themselves at a company. As long as you are self-aware and you keep yourself busy with side projects, I think it is okay to continue in the same company. The day you feel you are not learning anymore, that's when it's time to leave.
Work life balance over all. The most important thing you have is time. Money will come and its not like you would be doubling pay.
Agreed. I guess the question is what else to do then? I'd rather work harder now to work less later... I think... maybe I should just enjoy having it relatively good doing work I enjoy and plan to work till standard retirement age?
I would learn to live with less and save more so you can do what you want. Don't sacrifice a sure thing now for the idea of living well on the future especially when considering switching jobs. What if you hate the other one was it worth the extra 15k most likely not.
I am in the same boat and I want to progress slowly. I would rather live a life where I learn comfortablen and enjoy what I do, rather than luxurious where I don't get time. Also, it is important to make use of that time. Don't use it all on Netflix
Depends on whether you have kids and a working spouse. If you do, time is of an extreme premium.
This is really a personal decision. Though there are studies that suggest that doing meaningful, rewarding work is more important than money for most people, assuming that you are earning “enough” which it sounds like you are.
Thanks. It really is a difficult decision for me. I'm not sure I would call my day to day work rewarding, but I love the type of work I do, and I do think the company is solving a worthy cause. I earn enough to live a comfortable life but enough to want more at the same time.