Need...ideas...not necessarily career "advice"

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montanaman

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Hey all,

You’ve all proven insightful beyond my hopes so many times before, so, I’m posting here again. 🙂

Short story: I have a job in public relations for the government. It pays very well (compared to what I’ve made in the past–I’m only 31). It’s been extremely rough, there’s been some abrasiveness between me and the bosses due to my sluggish learning curve, but things are generally alright now. They think I’m hilarious and have been making “contributions to the team.” Not stellar, but much better than it has been.

But, a few months back I put my resume out to a few places as a kind of potential escape hatch. A D.C. think-tank bit and offered me a job as a staff writer. The work wouldn’t be glamorous–it’s development work with potential to write more policy stuff. There’s also a lot of potential to take on leadership of many projects.

At my current job, I make a relatively large sum of money. The think-tank job pays about $15,000 less, but has lots of fringe benefits such as tuition assistance and access to some of the greatest conservative minds and policy-wonks in the country, not to mention famous names, etc. I could work on my Masters degree in (various things–I’m undecided right now) while doing some serious networking.

I don’t expect any advice or direction. After all, this is a huge decision–more money in a job with little security, or relatively mroe security for a huge pay cut but more benefits. I wouldn’t put the burden of “advice” on anyone. So, any insight would be extremely helpful. I have to decide by tomorrow afternoon.

Oh, I suppose it’d be helpful to say what I WANT to do. I WANT to work at the (well-known) Washington think tank as my bill-paying job, but my vocation, I feel, is as a Catholic fiction writer. (Not explicitly Catholic, but like Flannery O’Connor). Ideally, (or idealistically), I want to support myself and family, should I ever have one, by my writing.

Okay, so, ideas?

Thank you so much,
Christopher
 
Sounds like you need a change! I can totally understand that. The new job sounds good, but the $15,000 pay cut is steep. Perhaps you can wait a little longer for an opportunity that does not gauge you financially?
 
Can you live on the pay cut or would it put you in serious financial jeapardy? Will it be enough to pay the bills even if you have to tighten the belt a bit? Sometimes there are things more important than money. Future advancement, personal satisfaction, flexibility to work on other projects all have to be factored in. But not at the expense of going bankrupt or having creditors at your door. If you can afford it, I’d say go for it.

Arlene
 
No–the $15k cut still leaves me with much more than I was making at a previous job. Yes, I’ll have to adjust a bit, but I could live.

It’s morning now, and I still have no idea what to do. I’m not at all stressed, though. After all, there are worse problems to have.
 
I once took a job with a $15K pay cut - and when I turned in my notice at the higher paid place I was working, the offered me another $10k - guess what, I still took the lower paying job because it was what I wanted to do, and we could live without the big bucks. Loving what you do is a blessing.
 
You have to like what you are doning. I was offered a job which would be a $10K increase to my current salary. I turned it down.

ANOTHER THOUGHT:

There is a direct relationship between Money and Security.
The more money, the less security,
The less money, the more security.

Advice: Take the job you love … be a fish … go into the tank.
 
On a related theme, about 11 years ago, my husband was working on a Masters while working at a company where his job description was slowly being replaced by outsourcing. He had a long drive to get there, and he had to work with people who used his mind and treated him like dirt. The force was reduced, and he was one of the first to go after working for the company for almost 14 years.

He was so happy!!! It was around the time of post office workers “going postal” so they were afraid he was going to react badly. He couldn’t wait to pack up, shake hands and get out of there. His supervisor couldn’t understand it.

The same company paid him a large severance package, and later hired him back as a consultant.

Fast forward to this year. He’s been teaching “on the side” for 9+ years, in addition to his other job at the place he’s worked for five years. A couple mergers, a manager from another region who doesn’t like him, and he’s out on the street again.

He’s always wanted to teach as an adjunct, take colleges on as clients, do a speakers’ bureau, etc. He thought he couldn’t. I told him now was the time.

In five months, he’s set it up, and we have a regular income, though not as large because he was technically working 1 3/4 jobs, and we have to pay our own insurance. But it’s still a decent income. More importantly, he is SO happy!!! He loves what he’s doing.

Be happy with what you’re doing. Hop in the tank. 👍
 
I just took a 30% paycut for peace of mind. I sold my business and will stay on as an employee. More work less money = peace of mind for me in my case.
 
Christopher,

It seems to me that deep down you have already made up your mind. You just need a little justification to rationalize why you would take a pay cut to do a job that clearly you would be much happier doing. If you are a writer at heart, then take the other job that will allow you to pursue that dream. I believe that money is never reason enough for someone to stay at a job that they are not satisified with. Make the change now, while you don’t have the family financial obligations. Good luck
 
Thanks, all. The guy who offered me the job is on vacation, as I think I mentioned. We had a hard time connecting today, but somehow through e-mail we passed some notes. He said the decision doesn’t have to be made until Monday. He also said that the think tank will pay 3/4 to 100% of the tuition for job-related classes. Sweet.

I also have a buddy at our agency’s parent agency working to figure out what the outlook is like in our near future. Our department head unexpectedly resigned today, so it’s extremely “interesting” times right now.

Two more days to think and pray. By Monday, I’ll know exactly what to do. 😃
 
Some things you may want to consider:
  1. What is the real pay cut - you said that the job with the think-tank had better benefits and security. Try to factor those in (quantitatively if possible). You may find that the difference is a lot less than $15,000.
  2. It sounds like the money is the only thing keeping you where you are. It doesn’t sound like you get a lot of respect and satisfaction from your bosses and colleagues. You might want to put a dollar value on that too.
  3. Finally - the curse of Adam - you have a family to support. Is, all things considered, the extra money (if it exists at all after you work out #1 & #2) important to your family? They have to be considered and your wife has to be consulted (preferably without undue pressure from either of you if you disagree.)
Good luck and God bless. I hope this has been helpful.
 
Thanks, all, for the advice and/or prayers. I thought I should let you know that I accepted the job with the think tank today. I feel like I just jumped off of a cliff, but there were, in the end, several reasons that made it seem stupid NOT to take this job. One of the big reasons is something I didn’t mention before–Catholics. The organization is infested with good, faithful, orthodox Catholics. The guy who hired me, the senior writer who will be above me. At least one of the Ph.D’s who works there is an orthodox Catholic. There’s a Church about a block away that has 8:00 and noon Masses daily. The guy who hired me just told me, “Your office doesn’t have a window, but you can come over to mine and we’ll say a rosary or something.”

It’s just now occurring to me–right now, at this very second–that this could be the “sign” I was looking for. Maybe it’s just a lack of confidence in my ability to navigate the world without Catholic support, (it’s burned me before), but there could very well be a reason for me going to this think tank aside from certain political ends.

Anyway, thanks for the prayers, as I said. I’ll need them now that I’m embarking on this risky, and yet, already satisfying new adventure.

I’ll keep y’all posted. 😉
 
Sometimes something just feels right. good for you for taking the leap of faith.

Arlene
 
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montanaman:
Thanks, all, for the advice and/or prayers. I thought I should let you know that I accepted the job with the think tank today. I feel like I just jumped off of a cliff, but there were, in the end, several reasons that made it seem stupid NOT to take this job. One of the big reasons is something I didn’t mention before–Catholics. The organization is infested with good, faithful, orthodox Catholics. The guy who hired me, the senior writer who will be above me. At least one of the Ph.D’s who works there is an orthodox Catholic. There’s a Church about a block away that has 8:00 and noon Masses daily. The guy who hired me just told me, “Your office doesn’t have a window, but you can come over to mine and we’ll say a rosary or something.”

It’s just now occurring to me–right now, at this very second–that this could be the “sign” I was looking for. Maybe it’s just a lack of confidence in my ability to navigate the world without Catholic support, (it’s burned me before), but there could very well be a reason for me going to this think tank aside from certain political ends.

Anyway, thanks for the prayers, as I said. I’ll need them now that I’m embarking on this risky, and yet, already satisfying new adventure.

I’ll keep y’all posted. 😉
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God Bless, you man. I’m really happy for you.

“Infested with Catholics”, indeed!!! :clapping: :bowdown2:
 
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