A little help
I'm really not happy in my new job. I've just found a job at the college next door for a senior academic librarian. Now regardless of my rantings I loved being a librarian and I do miss it. But it's less money. So the jobs stack up as follows:

CURRENT JOB: Exams Coordinator at Canterbury College.

WAGE: 18,350 a year, 37 hours a week

PROS: Good money, cosy office.

CONS: Boring work, office is full of arseholes.

LIBRARY JOB: Art College next door

WAGE: 17,550 a year, 33 hours a week

PROS: Fewer hours, back doing something I enjoy

CONS: Less money, probably won't reflect well if I'm trying to get out of my current job after 2 months.

Ok b3tans, I need you to be careers advisors.
(GONEism, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 14:49, 26 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Well, here's my thought
I think that job satisfaction is a good substitute for money.

Yes, it's less money, but not that much less, and gives you an extra four hours a week to write that novel you've always been meaning to write. Or spend more time wanking. Whatever it is that you really want to do.
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 14:51, Reply)

.
Try not to look too short term, if you have a career path in mind, which of the jobs (or indeed what other job or step) will progress you along that path toward your goal(s)?

Pardon the cliche interview question, but do you know what sort of work or at what sort of seniority level you want to be at in 5 years ?
(b3tamax Mate, you're fat and I'll throw you in the river, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 14:59, Reply)

It's not that much less money
I agree with Empress Bob...

Job satisfaction is worth taking a pay cut, and this isn't much of one.

In fact if my mental arithmetic is correct the second job actually pays more an hour!
(Son of Sam-i-am We're all as mad as hatters here, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 15:01, Reply)

Clamps hands on ears and squeals......


"Goals" =(
( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 15:01, Reply)

Very true
I always wanted a career in libraries (yes, I know it's dull, but blah). Problem is public libraries have no money, where academic libraries theoretically are much safer and stronger. And how on earth did you know I was writing a novel!?
(GONEism, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 15:04, Reply)

In my opinion.
If you can manage on slightly less money than I think being happy in your job is paramount. As long as there is room for climbing up the library ladder to a better position then go for it.
( girlinthehole, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 15:05, Reply)

For the sake of £800 a year
No contest!

At 208 less hours per year - that's less than £4 an hour for the job you hate.
(oneinthepink is at your cervix m'lady, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 15:09, Reply)

Most people
have at least one novel that they want to write.
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 15:13, Reply)

I'm about
12,000 words into mine. It's set 10 years from now in London, and you're only allowed into London if you're skinny, tanned and blonde. Ugly folk have to live in villages outside of the main cities. I do plan on there being some kind of uprising, and one character will have their anal cavity filled with tarantulas. Not sure who yet.
(GONEism, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 15:16, Reply)

I'd move, were I you.
The pay cut isn't that much; how does that compare after changes in travel expenses and so forth?

Job satisfaction is worth about a grand at that level, in my opinion, and time is the one thing you won't be able to claw back some other way.

Nuts to the two month period. I don't know about your contract; most UK jobs have a three month trial period. It's generally assumed that there will be no problems (my transition to full employee status wasn't even mentioned), but it is there for a reason. Six to eighteen months is the time period where the problems kick in; that's too long a time to make a decision.

I don't imagine any potential employer would begrudge a short-lived career move; I can't think of anyone I know who hasn't had to take a job they didn't really want for money. If an opportunity to move back into a desired area arises, I'd recommend taking it.
(ThomsonsPier consumes, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 15:17, Reply)

I've got a few ideas for ones that I want to write.
One involves all the reality TV stars of the world being forced to live in Milton Keynes (which has been turned into a giant prison) and forced to kill each other off one by one, while it's broadcast on E4. Kind of Battle Royale-meets-Big Brother.
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 15:19, Reply)

That idea
Sounds like the wet dream of every human with an IQ above 110 :-)
(GONEism, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 15:21, Reply)

I would not turn down an application
from someone considering a paycut/downshift for a job if he/she gave the reasons you have here.
Best thing is to briefly acknowledge it in your application and explain your reasons concisely.
( thealternativefact, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 15:26, Reply)

I'd advise going for the new job
It's not that big a financial difference, and job satisfaction is rare enough these days.

Empress Bob, I love that idea. Just one teeny, weeny, change? Can it be set in Glasgow instead?
(TheWeeWitch hasn't been here much recently .., Tue 4 Nov 2008, 15:30, Reply)

@WeeWitch and Empressbob
Oooh yes, Glasgow. While I agree that Milton Keynes needs something to liven it up, a piece of double gloucester glued to the welcome to Milton Keynes sign would triple it's excitement value. But in Glasgow, we could pipe in ramblings from Rab C Nesbitt 24/7 at 400 decibles and see who is the first to crack.
(GONEism, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 15:35, Reply)

My brother lives in Glasgow
I quite like it there. And since I'm from down south, Milton Keynes is my personal idea of hell.
(The Empress it seems you CAN polish a turd!, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 16:05, Reply)

I'm from the Southiest of the South.
Milton Keynes is kind of the Nissan Sunny of Britain. It's not especially bad, it's just that it's blandness is actually depressing. Dover on the other hand is like Jim Davidson raping Margaret Thatcher with Bernard Manning cheering him on. It's disgusting, right wing and rapey.
(GONEism, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 16:10, Reply)

Change
It's only going to be £50 less a month.

Will it make you £50 a month happier?
( Mrs Entity is in hiding., Tue 4 Nov 2008, 16:30, Reply)

Very much so
Especially since they all went off to a managers meeting, yet I wasn't invited. I'm not all that bothered - I hate meetings with all my little black heart. But still, it'd be nice to be not invisible.
(GONEism, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 16:40, Reply)

Knowing both institutions...
I'd go next door - the senior librarian has been there for a long time and she's very good at her job.
At one point I wanted to get a job there in the FA department but as they've just amalgamated and become a new institution I'll wait until they've sorted themselves out...However, the library has always had a really good reputation and all of the staff are really nice and very helpful.

The bar also puts on some good bands.
( chickenlady b3ta's very own Elizabeth Taylor, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 16:47, Reply)

I was a librarian
Best job I ever had. Librarians are nice people, and you sit around the books. I used to nick the money from the photocopiers, that made up for the money. Money's not as important as happiness.
(sirolimus, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 17:02, Reply)

go back young man
it is your calling book boy, speaking as one who has also stridden the stacks there is no job like it.

plus I like calling you the Librarian.
(Halfy By light alone, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 18:00, Reply)

I actually always wanted to be a librarian.
I thought it was a hotbed of repressed lust and sexual deviancy.


Am I right?
( girlinthehole, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 20:14, Reply)

Well...
I did kinda do the nasty with my former boss in one of the offices downstairs (and that's NOT a euphemism). Does that count?
(GONEism, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 20:29, Reply)

I can vouch that job satisfaction beats money.
I went from one job @ £13,500 with good hours, doing something I enjoyed with good people to a job paying £18,500 a year (I was 19, of course I jumped at the chance without a second thought!!) but it was the most boring, soul destroying work in a office rife with internal politics and it was the most miserable 6 months of my life.

So I quit and went to Univeristy.... and at this moment in time, I'm close to saying that I am even more miserable :(

Go for the job you love!
(The_Mighty_Spleen, Tue 4 Nov 2008, 22:32, Reply)

percent
approx 4% less money for 10% less work - its a pay rise!
Carpe diem!
(Rich T has a clever and witty sig, Wed 5 Nov 2008, 0:10, Reply)