Money vs Job Satisfaction

I have been asked to interview for a company that is right up my alley…. It’s a not for profit organization who deal with (challenging perceptions of) mental illness in the community.

This is the field I want to work in, I eventually want to become a qualified accountant working in the not for profit sector. It’s a great opportunity and I would be mentored by someone who has built their career in much the way I see mine going.

However, the practical side of me side of me is not so sure….

It’s paying about $10,000 less than other roles currently on the cards, usually this wouldn’t be an issue but being a single parent $10,000 a year is a lot of money. (Day care costs me approx. $9,500 per year) edit: I guess day care isn't forever too.. that cost will disappear in two years

I guess I could always move out of the cushy inner city suburb I have set myself up in and pay less rent to make up the difference. I just feel working for a multinational corporate is not really for me….

Anyone else been in the position of choosing their dream job vs the cash?

is it a full time role?

I work for a non profit org and our accountant does part time for us and another similar org and then has a part time well paid gig for the mullah - balancing all, which is something youse money folk seem obsessed with

food for thought

it is a full time role.. It's not like I'd be broke ass and struggling if I took it, just means things would still be really tight!

however two part time gigs could be rad - if I can somehow avoid secondary tax!

Right now i would say money is more important for you than job satisfaction, but if you can afford to live of the salary they are offering, then go for it.

If you can't, right now while your young one is still in daycare... then wait until the time is right.

really tight with job satisfaction and movement towards your goal with mentoring to boot sounds like a good result - consider the mentors value at 10K per year and you're winning

Yeah I have. I took a job that paid about half or less of what I earn now.. .. because I wanted to work in the movie industry I don't regret a day of that because I got to do what I loved .. it was awesome and I stuck it out for a long time too.

The experience and the enjoyment make up for the money side.. Just budget really really well and you'll be fine.

Do ittt !!!!!!!!!!!!

Really tight is ok, as long as you can still afford everything you need and have money to save!

Much room for moving up/pay rise?

I worked in the music industry for many years and earned fuck all so I know all about choosing love over money. I had the time of my life but gradually my priorities changed and then I decided to change. There is no "right" choice to living your life, you just gotta go with what feels right at the time.

I'd go for it.

Edit: It does depend on that $10k being the difference between say, 30 and 40, or 60 and 70. - The former - well that's a much tougher decision to make...the latter? Well a pile of people manage raising children on far less than that so it doesn't really matter.

I was the other way round ... Got the regional role I thought I wanted in retail and then eventually became really miserable doing it: everything was all about money money money, and while i earnt a decent salary, I hated what I did.

Threw in the towel and went back to uni and couldn't be happier.

But I don't have a child to support, so while I'm inclined to say do what makes you happy, obviously you have to factor that in. Good luck with your decision

awesome advice all round thanks kids I think i'm going to go for it (provided I'm the successful applicant). I can't imagine working anywhere else! I actually want a job I'm going to be happy to go to!

As Bob D said I'd definitely ask for some options when considering taking less money.

Not for profits are all too aware that they are offering (usually) less than market rate so can be accommodating of such things as days working at home (bliss), flexible hours (late starts) or just flat out reduced hours (say max 35pw), provided of course that you manage your workload effectively.



gc.

Agree, this is the exact situation Im in and I really enjoy it, and I get to go for a surf on my lunch break!!

can be accommodating of those things and often really good at training/upskilling the staff they have - all of which is dependant on the organisation and its supporters (ie if govt funded there will be govt expectations to meet re training et al)

I say go for it, not because its a NFP but because it sounds like it can be a good long term career move.

Choose your dream job; you will be happy every day of your working life and you will have "enough"money

I'm getting paid just over $35k cause I love the work. Been offered a job paying $5k more which is Mon-Fri business hours ... but turned it down as I really enjoy my current job even though it's 25km from home and I have to work one day every weekend.

I'm earning about the same as 10 years ago ... fortunately it's all good as I don't have super big financial constraints and I'm not really caught up in the illusion that I need to own stuff or that my sucess is determined by what I own.

Exactly .... I think someone said (maybe Oprah?) that your dream job is one you'd do even if you weren't getting paid for it.

I kinda prefer to love the job you do AND get paid well for it..

Totally. Given high wages Vs job satisfaction though I'm all about the latter ... and unfortunatly the industry I'm working in will never be about high paid wages

God, i couldn't imagine getting paid just over 35k. What is it you do again Itchy?

That's about the median NZ salary no?

It's more than enough if you're single and childless btw...

It sounds nice but from my own experiences of doing what I love as a job, I began to view what I love as "work" and it really took away the shine and eventually I started hating it after a while. As soon as I stopped and started doing something else and had the differentiation between "work" and what I love, then I began to remember why I loved doing what I do again.

Sometimes it is better to keep the two separate.

yeah right.

Not if you like coke and hookers.. AMIRITE!?!?

$40K is the average I think, not sure what the median is.

Of course it is

You aren't *poor* on that salary...

NOT ENOUGH FOR COKE AND HOOKERS.

*high five*

Work in the human services industry

is that like prostitution?

I think it means he's a butler. Or a shoe shine boy.

I pay all food and household bills and live with my gf and her son ... she takes care of the mortgage on her place ... I always seem to have money in the bank and don't even really consdier things to be that tight. To be fair I have about $15k a year coming in off a rental so that makes a huge difference.

some people have no idea.

and by some people I mean Davil.

for $35 K a year (and weekends) someones definitely getting fucked

Nah ... I talk enough rubbish on here that I doubt I'd ever disclose what i actually do.

So you earn more like just over 50k?

Yup, don't disagree. But, I genuinely enjoy the work so much it doesn't bother me enough to leave.

Yep, i have no idea what it's like to earn 35k.

Wait.. where's the insult?

Yeah, pretty much I guess ... which is why I guess I can sit on a shit paying job and be happy about it.

Still no coke and hookers though

Do it Minxy. There is no replacement for loving of what you do on the daily basis. You get some money out of it, as well as being in work force (which by the way counts in Aus when looking for work). You can then take your time, enjoy it and keep an eye out for openings within the organisation which may pay more.

I'm very very lucky to be doing what I love while getting paid a lot for it (let's not take in consideration the fact that I don't have time for anything else in my life, but for some reason I enjoy that aspect of my job. Keeps me out of trouble, I think, and I will not be doing this particular role for the rest of my life).

That *is* the insult :>

not to me it's not

As soon as you start weighing the job you do against money there is the substantive risk of bullshitting yourself you love something. We're all meant to be "passionate" about what we do these days. It seems to me sometimes like half the successful middle class population are trying to talk themselves into loving something they don't.

See to me the fact I knew I was getting bent over regarding pay would be enough to lose all enjoyment of what I was doing.

I used to be all about job satisfaction over pay. Took me years to work out that the two really are quite intertwined. For me anyway. If I'm not getting paid what I feel I'm worth I get pretty over it quick.

Will you get tax breaks for working for a NFP MM? Some girls were telling me about it on the weekend, My friend works for a charity?

He's saying you're out of touch, or he's out of time.

Either way, he's out of his head when you're not around.

woohooo So had my interview, and am certain this is the job for me... Should find out in the next few days whether it's mine or not. I lack training in a particular program they require (they need someone to "hit the ground running" ) so I've enrolled in a course to do it next Monday... pretty damn excited. NO idea about tax breaks etc. Did some potential budgets last night and can afford to live on the wage they're offering.

They have also said if I'm not successful for this role then there is something else coming up at the company in another two or so months he said would *pretty much* be mine. He really wants me to work for this company tis' just down to technical thinggys.

I figure the fact I'm paying outta my own pocket to do this course shows I should get this bloody job.. *sigh*

cross all available appendages peeps.

Nice work, good luck!

Please refer above and cross all available appendages ya big hussy!

crossed all my shit.

Good luck Miss_Minx!

oh lordy. second interview!

really stoked, apparently I don't have the same experience as other applicants, but the interviewer felt my passion/commitment to "the cause" was greater than anyone elses. Plus the fact I'm putting myself through a training course (to get up to speed on their chosen computer system) and paying for it myself has got to work in my favour.

I figure you can't teach a team to fit together (company culture blah blah blah) but you can teach someone new skills.

*sigh*

one can only hope.

Whats their chosen system? MYOB?

GL!

yup.

LOL given I've used SAP for a few years and pick up systems pretty quickly it should'nt be too much issue.

Christ, MYOB is still a thing? :/

Could be worse.. could be Peoplesoft,

Christ

Looks like it uses Java. A lot of Java.

My dad instals JD Edwards Systems.

yeah I'm currently using a keyboard based system which has an old school black screen with green text... feels so 1993.

A Terminal

Christ I have no idea why terminal based systems were ever a thing. So unintuitive.

Oh and I currently use Peoplesoft. It's a bitch.

SO apparently I'm the successful applicant for this job - just waiting for the CEO to sign off on the paperwork and apparently I should have a contract this afternoon.

Woot!!!

congratulations

Nice one, result

God hoping so - until the CEO signs off it's technically not official... but I'm fricken hoping it is.

Awesome! Congrats