Would you change jobs for the $ only?

[twotrue]

Let's say you're with a company you like and the job is in your career field. You get paid okay but not great (make the numbers relative to you). The environment is family friendly with good flexibility around schedules.

Another company, in a completely different field (that you really have no interest in) offers you a job that would pay you more. For the sake of this pretend story, let's say it is 25% more.

Would you take the new job just for the money? I know there are a million factors that go into these decisions. I suppose the bigger question is, would you leave your current field to go into a new one just for the money? Because really I can't imagine the new one becoming a career, just a job.

[ct]

Yeah, i probably would if the other benefits were the same or better (health insurance, paid time off, work-life balance and flexibility, ect). But then again, i'm at my current job basically because of the money.

[2brides]

Probably not (much to the chagrin of my wife.) If I am going to be somewhere for 40+ hrs a week, I want to enjoy what I am doing.

[thiswillbe]

Well, if I liked where I was, I'd take that competing offer to my current management first.

That being said, I would probably take the new job for the money. Especially if it was something that I thought I might be able to get myself to be interested in once I learned more about the field.

It's great to have a job that's interesting and fulfilling, but it's also great to have a job that's "just a job" that you can walk away from at the end of the day and not think about until you get back to work the next morning.

[bluedaisyus]

Yes I would, but I second CT that the other benefits would need to be the same or better as well.

[cymru]

If I am going to spend 40 hours a week someplace I had better like what I am doing.

Money is not worth being unhappy. Being unhappy at work tends to carry over to home.

So I say no.

[ct]

but who says you will necessarily be unhappy with the new place? just because its different doesnt mean it will be bad.

[twotrue]

Yeah, I don't think I would be unhappy there. I just don't think it would be "interesting" as in long term love/career. I'm definitely someone who can separate job/career and just do it for the sake of doing it and not take it home. I'm okay with that, if that is the type of job I have (which I think the new job would be). And I think I am more likely to be okay with it at this point in time because I don't really know how much longer we will be living in this area. It might only be a 1-3 year thing.

[kershnic]

I'd be tempted but probably wouldn't do it. Before I started my first post-grad school job I got offered and turned down a job (in a relevant field, but less interesting) that paid 15% more than the job I took. I know very well that I could get paid significantly more if I changed fields, but I really just can't get excited about working for a company whose purpose is to make money. But for a few years, if you wouldn't hate it, and the flexibility and benefits were there? More money doesn't buy happiness, but it sure can buy a lot of things that might improve your quality of life....