When is the Job More Important Than the Money?

This may come as a shock. You may need to sit down? Are you sitting down? Sure you are. We’ll wait…

…

…

Okay, now that you’re sitting down, we’ll tell you a secret about life: Sometimes money is not that important.

If you need a few minutes to catch your breath from that surprising blow to everything you have ever learned in life, you can minimize the browser for a few minutes. Maybe listen to some Pandora. Come back when you are done though.

Are you back? Okay, it’s time to discuss what we mean.

Why Money May Not Be The Primary Decision Making Factor

You just went through a long job interview. You learned a lot about the company. They offer you a job, but they offer you much less than you were hoping to make. Maybe not so much less that you cannot afford to live, but enough of a cut that you cannot live as richly as you had hoped. Even though the salary may be beneath your expectations, there are reasons that you may want to take the job anyway.

Reasons to Take a Lower Paying Job

• Growth Potential

Some jobs have a low starting pay, but a considerable amount of growth potential within the company. If you are a hard working employee that is confident in your abilities, then you have the potential to move up quickly, and if you move up quickly, you will get more money. Your initial pay may be low, but your future pay five or ten years down the road may be higher than you would have gotten if you had taken a different job.

• Happiness

Before you laugh – sometimes it is worth taking a lower paying job if you will be happy with what you are doing. We know, it’s a hilarious thought, but some jobs are simply rewarding. You like the coworkers, you like the services or the product, you don’t feel a lot of stress; you are happy. Happiness is underrated. What is the point of being rich if you’re unhappy 40+ hours a week?

• You Are Really Good

Imagine if you are offered a job where you know you can not only succeed, but you can thrive. All of the tasks represent your greatest skills. You will ace this job, and you know for a fact you will literally be the best thing to happen to this company once you take on the role. Sometimes that’s a good place to be. You can start working for lower pay, and when you reach evaluation time in one or two years, ask for a raise. If the company has the means to pay you and sees how valuable you are, they will offer you a raise. If not, you can always try to find another job in the future.

• Good Experience for Future Work

Sometimes in a tough economy it is worth the time you have to invest in a role to improve your resume and make you more attractive to other employers. If you were struggling to get a job because you didn’t have enough experience, and then you are offered a job that will supply you with that experience, spend two years working for less pay and then seek better paying work elsewhere.

Money is Not Everything

It’s great to pick up a large paycheck, but it is also important to remember that paychecks are not everything. There will be times where it is more advantageous for either your career or your happiness to take less money when you get hired. It may be hard to justify, but money isn’t everything, so learn what you can about the job and, if they offer you less than you want, weigh the pros and cons.

Take Away Interview Tips

• There are times where less money is still worth your time.

Related posts:

1. Common Interview Question: What Are the Three Things Most Important to You in a Job?