Good Pay vs Good Job

[susan silva]

If you had two job offers, one was for the perfect job and the other wasn't the perfect job but the pay was great which one would you take?

[Cathy S]

That's a no brainer for me = perfect job.

Given the time I spend working, it's far more important for me to have my self esteem in tact than to be well paid but miserable.

Cathy

[gee4]

The perfect job would have to come with the right salary otherwise what's the point?  It wouldn't be perfect then.

Money doesn't bring happiness but it sure helps along the way.  No point being in a perfect job if you aren't going to be paid the correct salary for it.

[rose.winter1980]

I have faced this dilemma - and took the perfect job.  I tend to take posts with the long-term in view: not just pay and conditions, but what the prospects are within the company, networking possibilities, what the job might lead to, and so on. 

To take my current post, I initially took a small (but significant) pay cut.  It was a bit painful, but my job has enabled me to access further education and training which I can use in my work.  My salary has risen considerably as a result. 

This is not always possible, and everyone has to make their own decisions according to their lifestyle and aspirations.  Some people live to work and others work to live. 

It all depends on individual circumstances.  Someone who lives alone has only one income to rely on, but many of the expenses that a married couple might have.  My salary not only contributes to our general expenses, but also funds our children's education, which we think is absolutely crucial, and pays my own tuition fees as well.   

[Katie G]

I tend to agree with Gee.  The perfect job would require a decent salary to go with it.  Looking around in my area, I see jobs that sound fun and interesting.....and pay barely above the poverty level.  At that rate one had better enjoy one's job, because sitting home freezing because you're afraid to turn up the thermostat and huddled over a bowl of ramen noodles for the third night in a row because you can't afford to go food shopping until the next paycheck hits is, well, not my idea of a good time.   

[peaches2160]

There is no "perfect job".  That is why they call it work:)  Kidding aside, I agree with Gee.  If the pay is not satisfactory then it is not the perfect job.  What I mean by satisfactory is enough to pay the bills, with some to set aside and a little extra to spend. 

[officewiz]

I'd take the "perfect" job.  Your being happy and inspired about your work lays the foundation for more prosperity to come.  (If you choose a job that provides the money but not the inspiration, problems could arise in the future.  (After a while you don't "feel" the money, and being less than happy can take its toll--on the work and home fronts.)

I can say that my responsibilities and compensation have grown--to my satisfaction--over the years.  I feel very fortunate to have the "perfect" job for me.

[officepa]

officewiz - thought provoking - thanks 

You have made an excellent point about being happy and inspired laying the foundation for your future, etc. 

Obviously the salary offered comes into your final decision (maybe take a little less than you would ideally like - as long as bills are covered with perhaps a little over) but the salary side of things should not always be the main decision in whether you take a job or not.

Of course everyone has different circumstances and sometimes you have to take a job at a certain time for the money but if you are ever in the position of being able to choose, think carefully.

[Katie G]

Indeed.  I actually turned down a job offer that would have been a significant increase in pay (about $6K/yr) because I knew in my deepest gut that it would NOT be a good fit.  My job would have been playing the middleman between two warring factions.  (The politics were....legendary.)   No amount of money was worth that kind of stress.