Put it to a vote…

[katiep]

What is more important?

A job that pays well, great benefits, full time and over time with mental/emotional abuse and very little reward?

or

A job that pays poorly but has the option of commission, no benefits, part time with hours being cut depending on traffic that is very enjoyable and rewarding? (pay cut of about $500 a paycheck)

I am having a hard time deciding between these two positions.  I am going through a pretty rough time emotionally.  I hate my job, I’m tired of having no money, I’m upset that my buns don’t get the time out they deserve while my puppy misbehaves and gets so much attention…. I’m really thinking about seeing a dr. about my issues but for right now I need to figure out in which direction I want to go in professionally. 

[LizzieKnittyBun]

Katie, I’ve had both kinds of jobs… go with the second one. Money is worthless if you hate your life.

I also see a Dr. about my issues. The well-paying job both paid for it and also provided part of the need for it. It’s a funny ole’ world…

[cactuspancake]

I would pick the higher paying job… life will still be stressful if you’re having trouble paying for the rent and always worrying about money. Obviously don’t go for it if you don’t want it! But if the pay difference is high enough… and 500/paycheck doesn’t sound like much. I’m in college and my rent is 1800/month… I would starve lol.

[Michelle&Lolli]

I would see a doctor and maybe start counseling. The counseling alone will help you to decide what to do at the very least.

You’ll need to look at the whole picture. Will you be able to live on the lower pay? Pay all your bills? And what about if you get sick or injured? Will you be able to afford medical bills without insurance?

If you are able to do all this, then go for the lower paying job.

[bunnymum16]

thats a tough one.

i say go for the second one.if you do something that you dont like,its gonna manifest in your performance & people will tell that youre unhappy.that might be a reason for you to be fired or laid off.the second job might lose you some money but at least yoire not stressing out every time.

[Monkeybun]

Its a hard one for sure. Havign a less stressful job is good, but only if having it over the other won’t cause you stress in itself. Will not having benefits cause you problems if there is an emergency? Is the 500 per paycheck less going to cause problems? Its a tough call, personally I’d go with the higher paying one for now. In this economy, you never know how long a job will last, and is better to have extra funds to stash away just in case.

[LizzieKnittyBun]

I think people are making a lot of really good points here, especially bunbuns1. If you can, estimate how you’ll do financially if you take the more rewarding job. Will you have enough money for rent and bills and pet expenses? Do you foresee any health issues in your future?

Also keep in mind that sometimes accidents or disasters happen. For instance, I was in a horrible car accident in January that I couldn’t possibly have foreseen. Thankfully, my insurance paid for most of my hospital bill. Even after that, I still have to pay a horrible sum, even though it was a fraction of what it would have cost had I not had insurance.

Can you afford independent insurance? What about COBRA through your current job?

Like bunbuns1 said… try and chart all of this out beforehand and see if you can afford to take the rewarding job.

I hope this helps!

[Karla]

I’ve so far only had the first one – and I ended up quiting my job and saying goodbye to a high salary and be unemployed instead. I did stick with it for 3 years though. I miss the money terribly, but life is short and it is not worth being miserable Sunday evening because you have to go to work again next morning. I was tired and in a miserable mood all the time. I started being rude to my superior and it was just time to quit and move on and be happy again.

Now I only look for the second type of job. I don’t care if I have to be unemployed for a long time. I am finally really happy now – although poor

It’s a tough call. No one here can really tell you what to do, since we are all so different.

[jerseygirl]

I want to throw in a 3rd scenario. A job that pays well, great benefits, full time and over time WITHOUT mental/emotional abuse and very little reward.

When you’ve been in a position where the abuse has been ongoing for a while, it’s hard to envision the possibility of having your job without it. Doesn’t mean it’s impossible though. Just means the environment has taken it’s toll on your health. So what would it take to have your current job without the ugliness? Is there one person behind it or is it a workplace culture?

I think seeing a counsellor and or dr is wise. Someone objective and not attached to the company you work for. You could sound it out with them. They might be able to help you cope better with the current situation. They may also help you see a way forward where you don’t have to forfeit the positive benefits of your job.

It might sound idealistic but it’s a step you could take in the interim if you haven’t already. I have left fulltime work due to a frustrating situation where I the seemed to be no possible resolution. My tolerance and coping skills that were so stressed and I couldn’t see any way forward but to leave. So I did without having another job lined up. At the time I knew I had to for my health and happiness. I wish I’d sought counselling to help me deal with it better whilst still in the job.

[Lintini]

I can’t help much since I just go to school full time and still feel like I’m a child even though I’m 24 but I still am treated like I am 12 from my parents…

but I just wish you the best and hope everything works out. My part time job is tough for me too even though it seems like an easy job but…nothing is easy. *hugs* I hope your heart can guide you to what is best for you.

[jerseygirl]

Erm….I think I misunderstood your question Katie. I sort of assumed you were in the first one (full time but stressful) so my post above was in regards to that.

But are these 2 positions you have the option of taking but you are currently in neither?   If that’s the case then I’d answer differently.

 

What is more important?

Happiness trumps money. What’s the point in earning good money and benefits that’s meant to support life outside of work, when you get so burnt out you can’t enjoy that life anyhow?

So if you have option of taking job 1 or 2, then I vote 2 (lol). If you end up happier, you may find you have the energy for supplementing that income with another part time job also.

 

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I have to vote for the poor paying one. That’s the route I went. I had a job that paid 8$ an hour more then my poor paying job, however poor paying job treated me well and everyone was nice, and well paying job -well everyone was losers. I took that pay cut and struggled (I suck at money management though lol!!!) and you know what? I got raises and raises and although I work for the non-profit sector I now make more then my well paying job that sucked paid.

And even if I didn’t-that’s the choice I made-and I stand by it. There is nothing better then a healthy work environment. Nothing. I was miserable in the bad job even though I could afford what I wanted. And in the end the poor paying but good job paid off. But even if it hadn’t-I would do it again and again. It matters where you work and who you work with. So go with the job that leaves you mentally happy

[Lintini]

^ What Kokanee said!

After thinking abit more; she couldn’t be more right. I wouldn’t want to hate my life day-to-day. We should love our life day-to-day. I’m going to school because I love music, and I want to teach that love to others and give the gift of music back to children. I would hope that whatever your love is, that is what you are doing and you love what you are doing as well.

[RabbitPam]

There are more options than just the either/or. I would suggest taking the second one and as has already been suggested, look for another part-time job that you like or are comfortable in at least and do those two, adding up to a full time job. If you hate the full time, you hate your life. But if you really like one, it will show in your work performance, in the connections you make, and you will be stepping onto a path that leads in the direction that fulfills you. That can lead to a new, full time job that is similar or a step up, with some experience learned on the better part time job you can take now. You can keep job hunting, especially with a part time job, until you get a full time third option that is more closely related to what you like to do with your life on a daily basis.

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