So you’ve made it through the final interview stages and have two solid offers – hell to the yes. Problem is, your first choice is offering about 20% less than the other. What do you do? Sometimes it’s better to take the lower paid job, and here are some reasons why:
Investing in your future
I’ve been told a thousand times that you should sacrifice a little bit of dollar on your paycheck if it means you’ll get good training. This isn’t a step backwards, but instead an investment for future roles. Yes, your lacking salary may mean you get major FOMO when you can’t casually go and spend £100 on tickets to see Drake like your more wealthy friends, but by the time you’re in a secure, high-end role because of what you’re learning now, you’ll have enough money to book a flight to to Canada and see him there. Slow and steady wins the race, so take this time to be humble with your lifestyle in order to reap the benefits later on.
Building Contacts
Network, network, network. Good grief, I cannot stress this enough. Throughout my entire career, I’ve used every opportunity I can as a way to meet people. Could I just be a social butterfly? Maybe. Is it working for me? More than you could ever imagine. Though some people find it easier to talk to new people than others do, a good connection can get you a very far way. I’m not talking about going for coffee every Tuesday morning for a weekly chinwag, but making a bit of effort when messaging/calling/meeting connections will not go unnoticed. For example, have you ever wanted a new role and seen someone who has taken the exact path you’d like to take? Connect with them on LinkedIn with a personalised message. The worst they can do is reject it, the best they could do is give you valuable insight to how they got to where they are today and how you can do the same – it really is that easy.
Developing new skills
Do you stick your nose up at a low paid jobs because your pals are making a good few extra grand in theirs? You may think you ‘deserve’ a higher pay because that’s now your so called norm, but old Frankie boy with the huge starting salary may still be stuck in that dead end role in 5 years time, whereas little Paddy with the less than desired salary to begin with is now set to become Director, with a six figure sum comfortably in his pocket. If you genuinely want to learn the hardcore way of what is required from a business, joining a startup should definitely be considered. The pay may be low and the risk high, but the growth and progression opportunities will be through the roof. Trust in your own ability to learn and build something from scratch that you can call your own, rather than becoming a cog in the works of a bigger operation.
The culture
Culture can be the difference between loving your job and dreading the thought of getting out of bed in the morning (although that feeling is inevitable at some point of everyone’s lives). If you find somewhere where you feel like part of a team rather than a necessary recruit, it could be worth losing out on a few extra quid every month. As our company name states, you spend 90,000 hours in your career, so don’t choose somewhere you dread to go to for the sake of being able to afford a few more gadgets now and then.
The package
You need to be clear on the package you’re getting – everything should be factored in. Does your role include travel and events? If so, not only will you get to visit places you’ve never seen before, you could attend conferences and exhibitions that will help your own growth just as much as it’ll help your company’s. Another potential perk is flexibility. Do you get to work from home 1 or 2 days a week? If you do, you’ll save money in the long road on both travel and food – an absolute win.
Final thought
So there are a few reasons as to why a lower paid job could be 100% worth it, but in no circumstance should you get taken for granted by your employer. Sometimes it may be worth taking less than the market average so that you don’t lose half of your salary in taxes – in all cases, negotiate.Your employer will expect it and everyone is open to making sure you’re happy with the contract before delving in. Low paid is sometimes OK, being taken for granted is not – negotiate until you’re both satisfied and get started with your career investment! For industry news and updates on new roles, follow our company LinkedIn page here.