I'm considering looking for a different job but I'm worried I will lose the flexibility of my current job.

31 Comments

1. AnonymousFebruary 13,2025 at 6:40PM UTC

   Yes, there are companies out there that support their employees and offer a good life/work balance. Most people I know with kids, drop them off at school or daycare before work, then leave work and pick them up. Or make daycare arrangements if their school has some sort of transport to get them there. Or if not school age, then you will have a time to pick up your kids. If you want full flexibility you have more where you are. But if the company has peak production times, it may be you will need to make arrangements to work late. To answer your question, do some sleuthing of companies that are family oriented, support parents or provide a good work/life balance. Then apply to any positions open that fit your background. In the interview, when given the opportunity to ask questions, remember, they cannot ask you about how many kids you have, or your marital status for example, that sort of thing, but you can ask them to provide an example of how they support work/life balance for their employees. You may hear, oh we are very supportive and have a lot of parents that need to take off to get to their kid's t-ball game, etc. Listen for their replies. But if it were me and this was a big factor in seeking a new role, I'd do some research first on the companies that may promote this in their postings, or overall within their company's websites. I know PWC is a company known for their support of employees. But you have to dig around on your own and see for yourself what suits your lifestyle first.

2. AnonymousFebruary 13,2025 at 6:53PM UTC

   Not a pipe dream but you must consider your comp AND all the other aspects of the position. Meaning you have to consider flexibility as a perk you enjoy. That might require your shopping around for that unicorn position that will pay you that increase of $25K with flexibility you desire.

   It doesn't mean those positions don't exist, it's more rare. So comparing a more scheduled position that pays more with a very flexible position for less compensation will take some time and negotiating on your part.

3. AnonymousFebruary 13,2025 at 7:16PM UTC

   Before remote was common, I worked at a company I mostly hated for 10 years with a much lower salary because I was able to be 100% remote and home for my kids before and after school. As soon as they were older I left and increased my salary 50%. I don’t regret my choice at all. Money isn’t everything flexibility was at least for me.

4. AnonymousFebruary 13,2025 at 8:44PM UTC

   You must always prioritize quality of life first. That will mean different things at did times in your life.

5. AnonymousFebruary 13,2025 at 9:16PM UTC

   I dunno it's not that easy landing a good job in this high demand market but you have to start some were, so I figure when it's time for the boss to retire than your up.

6. AnonymousFebruary 13,2025 at 10:16PM UTC

   You cannot discount the quality of life. Only you can try to put a value on remote work.

   You mentioned you were in management. Often people manager for non-global teams are required to be on site.

   Are you looking for jobs that are remote? Most are listed that way. More and more companies are wanting folks to come back to the office so it will be harder to find something that is flexible.

   If not listed as remote, you can certainly ask what the culture is and mention that while you are happy to be in the office several days a week, you understand that on some days you may be more productive at home.

   For example on days I have 5-6 hours of meetings I have very little time to spend with others and by saving the commute, I’m able to be more productive.

   Spin it more as you are trying to understand flexibility and culture.

   You never know the job might be just what you are looking for. If you decide that it's not the culture for you and you get the offer you can always decline.

   Either way—at least your decision to stay is deliberate.

   You could also ask your current employer for a merit increase.

7. AnonymousFebruary 13,2025 at 11:09PM UTC

   As someone who went through this same dilemma, from my experience - I recommend treading carefully and thinking if the risk is worth it at this point in your life. If you decide to change, I recommend researching the company very thoroughly even if you think you’ve found “the one”. Even if everything seems on the up and up in the interviews, try to keep the option open of returning to your previous employer if things don’t work out, if possible. I was in a managerial position in a stable industry and organization but was making at least $25k than individual contributor roles in other industries with similar skill sets so I had a similar debate with myself. I partly changed industries due to a relocation for other reasons that limited my job options. Turns out my first employer over hired and I was laid off within a year of my first job change. It took me four months to find another role, in the same industry as the first “new job” and while everything seemed positive in the interview, within a few months of starting the role, my team went through a restructure including multiple leadership changes and the company announced a pending merger. This impacted the culture on my team (as well as the flexibility you mentioned) and created a lot of stress which ultimately took away from my quality of life so I decided to quit without having anything else lined up. Returning to my original employer was not an option due to my relocation but had it been, I would have definitely taken it. Personally, I have decided that $25-$30k is not worth the risk of ending up in a culture that doesn’t fit or risky industry. I know I am risk averse, but based on my experience the grass isn’t always greener. I hope that my experience can help you in weighing your options.

8. Reethu George | Career Clarity CoachFebruary 14,2025 at 7:53AM UTC

   I totally get why you’re feeling stuck. You’ve got a setup that works for you, but knowing you’re underpaid makes it hard to ignore what else is out there. I think it’s important to understand what trade-offs you’re willing (or not willing) to make for a higher paying job. It might help to know what the most important factors that you are looking in a job are and know what tops the list.

   Since flexibility is a big factor for you, maybe start by getting a sense of what’s out there without fully committing to a job hunt. Talking to people in similar roles at other companies could give you a better idea of what’s realistic in terms of salary and work-life balance.

   And if you do start applying, you can bring up flexibility without it being a red flag, something like, ‘How does the company support employees in balancing work and personal commitments?’ That way, you get a feel for their culture without making it sound like you don’t want to work.

   You’ve been at your company for over a decade, which says a lot about your experience and reliability. If you do decide to make a move, you’ve got a strong foundation to work from. No harm in simply exploring!

9. AnonymousFebruary 14,2025 at 9:48AM UTC

   There are some very good ideas below, and if you want to keep this job, you may want to reconsider your side-gig or come up with another side gig in addition ---something that would fill in the "gap" of pay you cite: perhaps you could work more consistently or find something that pays more. If you want to work from home and are good with administrative skills or finance, many small businesses may be willing to pay for a few hours per week on a consistent basis... just something to consider, Of course, there is always Uber or Lyft or jobs of that type where you can set your own hours.

10. AnonymousFebruary 14,2025 at 12:52PM UTC

    You need to be aligned in what they are hiring for and you may need to give up some flexibility.

11. Jean NaanFebruary 14,2025 at 2:53PM UTC

    For the sake of work/life balance I would stay put. Once the kids are older, you can pursue other opportunities. Take it from a now retired mother and grandmother, there is more to life than money. Keep looking to see what other companies are offering but it seems to me you are in the right spot for now.

12. GirlBossanova934974February 14,2025 at 3:16PM UTC

    You are making this decision far more complicated than it really is. Suffice it to say, you have not done a job search for some time? Right now, PURE remote jobs are hard to get depending on your field. Far easier to get are HYBRID jobs which require a day or two in the office and the rest is REMOTE. I would go for the HYBRID roles as the competition is usually much less. Since you already have a paycheck, you are not in any great hurry. BE SURE you are signing up with a FINANCIALLY stable company with a stable workforce aka STAY AWAY from anything even sounding like TECH or TECHNOLOGY. A nice mid sized company is a good idea in a stable industry aka no slash and burn executives trying to fill their pockets at your expense. Last, be sure and inquire about ANY existing outsourcing or offshoring arrangement the company has or is considering. More than often these days, those deals result in disaster for the companies that get into them. The quality of work is usually very low and the company's employees have to pay for it.

13. AnonymousFebruary 14,2025 at 4:43PM UTC

    First get over your fear of applying. Unless you apply and go through the process with other companies how will you know what their work life balance and flexible work options are? Take the time to truly research the places you consider using things like blind and linkedin and use those to view what others are saying about current experiences there. Find someone who is in a similar role and reach out directly to see how they feel about things. Then you can decide properly what to do about getting what you feel you deserve. If you can't do this well then stay where you are.

14. Amanda (Sloan) StrenzFebruary 14,2025 at 5:17PM UTC

    Put yourself out there, apply to other roles and see what opportunities come out of your effort. Don't sell yourself short.

15. AnonymousFebruary 14,2025 at 6:07PM UTC

    Move on… that remote job flex schedule doesn’t sounds like a job meeting career growth and living standards. Be careful of some companies ghosting on candidates, the one got hired is not you but headspin on payroll. You deserve to make decent wages and be a visible employee with valid I-9 verification and W-2 audit corporate integrity and pay transparency

16. Jennifer BakerFebruary 15,2025 at 1:21PM UTC

    It depends. If flexibility is paramount, make sure the next role you take has that. Make sure it’s in writing.

    for me, I am underpaid, but I have amazing benefits and flexibility that I wouldn’t have in another job. I’ve made my peace with it. I enjoy my work, my coworkers, and the vibe of my job. There’s more to work than pay.

17. AnonymousFebruary 15,2025 at 2:01PM UTC

    For ANY employee, I advise to NEVER.STOP.INTERVIEWING! Even when u r happy with ur job it's great practice. The fact that you are employed allows you the freedom/confidence to get comfortable negotiating.

    Sometimes j make OUTRAGEOUS requests just to see what I can get away with - I already have a job after all, right?

    Yea, make this a thing and see what happens. . .

18. AnonymousFebruary 15,2025 at 3:18PM UTC

    All of this is hypothetical. Applying for jobs doesn’t hurt anything. Don’t tell anyone at your current work and it won’t matter. You might apply to 50 jobs before you get a response at all in this job market. So update your resume and just start applying and see what happens. You don’t have to worry until someone actually wants to interview you and offers you a job. I will say 98% of hybrid roles are only one day at home and the rest in office. I have come across very few that allow two days at home. Fully remote is near impossible unless your entire industry is traditionally remote. I got lucky and my employer is based in another state and let be fully remote, but after months of job searching last year- that is a rare thing. So just apply - you won’t know any of these answers until you put yourself out there and get some interviews.

19. AnonymousFebruary 16,2025 at 1:22PM UTC

    You might consider consulting in your field, either working for a consulting firm or establishing your own. The pay is usually a lot better than working directly in your field, and most consulting jobs allow for flexibility as long as you get the work done. I speak from experience---12 years consulting and counting. I work remotely unless I'm on site with a client.

20. Bosslady121653February 16,2025 at 1:35PM UTC

    I think you bring up great questions. Do you of any recruiters that might guide you through your process of looking for something similar in your field? Would you be willing to start a consulting firm in this field or starting your own company? It sounds like you might have an entrepreneurial skill sets to get something like that off the ground.

21. AnonymousFebruary 16,2025 at 2:17PM UTC

    My suggestion is that you put your fears aside and start sending applications. There is a lot out there that you don’t know, and you won’t know if you don’t venture out. Horn in on your interview techniques, so you are ready to ask your own questions, like work life balance. You got this.

22. AnonymousFebruary 16,2025 at 3:13PM UTC

    I was in a similar situation. I wasn’t remote but my job was extremely flexible and great for my life. I enjoyed it as well but did feel I could grow more. I saw a similar job open up that paid more and had better benefits, decided to apply, and took it. I liked the job but my life became much more stressful. There seemed to be a weight hanging over me constantly of how to get the kids where they needed to be, fix dinner, miss out on their activities, etc. my husband stepped up big time but it was still hard. I liked having more money though, and feeling like I was growing. Such a hard decision, I feel you.

    For me what ended up happening was literally a dream come true. My old company realized what they were missing (despite my flexibility I was extremely productive and I’m good at what I do). They came back at me with an unbelievable offer and increase in salary if I would come back. I live in a small area which is likely why this happened. Now I have my flexibility back and more money because I took the risk to go somewhere else. But I’m not sure that happens very often. Good luck to you!

23. Kimani IsaacFebruary 16,2025 at 3:42PM UTC

    Babe, you already know that you're severely underpaid and have hit the ceiling on your current role. You have been there long enough that looking for something else makes a lot of sense, and the beauty of your current life is that you don't have to change it unless you get an offer somewhere new. You should definitely apply to roles! Always apply. At least give yourself the option to improve your circumstances rather than wondering "What if?"

24. AnonymousFebruary 17,2025 at 1:28PM UTC

    You really have to decide what's most important to you. Its typical for employees who have been at a company for many years to be paid below market value. In order to find a job that pays better and makes better use of your skills, you will have to look elsewhere. However, there is something to be said about the flexibility to work remotely, set your own hours and work around your kids' schedule. Other companies may be more rigid and not allow this. Also, assess your financial situation. If you're pretty comfortable on what you make now with few sacrifices or tradeoffs, you may lean towards staying. However, if you're just scraping by and barely paying the bills, a $25k or so bump in pay may help a lot. Best of luck in your decision.

25. AnonymousFebruary 17,2025 at 1:44PM UTC

    Maybe a pipe dream, maybe not? But a couple things to consider:

    1. Are you making enough that you're feeling financially ok or are you scraping by?

    2. Could you discuss some sort of at least modest pay bump at your current job?

    And you have a job. You're at least happy there. Nothing says you can't apply to other roles and see if you can get the pay AND the flexibility you want. You don't have to take a new job. You can hold out for something that is truly what you want. Maybe it takes a year or two to find it. But there's no harm in looking.

26. AnonymousFebruary 17,2025 at 2:50PM UTC

    If you get an offer sometimes that can induce your current employer to give you a pay bump to get you to stay,

27. AnonymousFebruary 17,2025 at 3:45PM UTC

    Can you talk to your manager/boss about keeping pay and cutting back on hours? With your free time find more options for your side opportunities. I have been I. This situation before. A 20k increase but it was less flexibile and hybrid instead of remote, I did the math and by the time I was done driving to and from the location , (time and money for gas 40-60 min depending on traffic), assessing the environment and likely extra unpaid hours I was going to be putting in- it was not worth it. Sure at years end I would have more money but also less time - my estimated hourly rate wouldn’t have gone up. But I really value my time. - If you want to change for skills progression that is an entirely different topic.

28. Cheryl KoseFebruary 17,2025 at 3:58PM UTC

    I don't exactly have advice for you, just posting to say I am in the exact same situation. I have decided to apply for other jobs for a few reasons. 1. As already mentioned by someone else, if you get an offer with higher pay, maybe you can use it as leverage for a pay bump in your current job. I think there is no more money available in my current job, but I really don't know for sure. If they want to keep me, maybe they suddenly find the money for a raise. 2. Applying to jobs keeps my resume current and job seeking skills sharp. I get so rusty with this when I'm at a job more than 5 years. 3. If I were to get a new job offer, maybe hybrid flexibility can be part of the package. Even if it doesn't come until after a trial period (90 days). You don't even know if you will get the job, so it doesn't hurt to try! After my last job search, it took MUCH longer than I expected to get interviews (I swear my applications went off into cyber space!) let alone the job offer. Might as well try and worry about the actual schedule/conditions after you get an offer!

29. InterestingFebruary 17,2025 at 5:55PM UTC

    You can't put a dollar amount on flexibility. While you shouldn't work in an abusive or hostile environment, flexibility especially when you have children to tend to - is priceless. Only you can decide if the cost would be effective to perhaps lose the ability to drop children at school, pick them up if sick, leave for a school event - in many cases that flexibility (if the pay is comparable) can't be replaced - at least until the children are older and can take some responsibilities. My co-worker stayed here despite being only "fairly" paid, but she is highly motivated and intelligent - but she chose the flexibility vs the minimal increase, loss of tenure and moving to unknown for her children. She is a single mom and has raised two fabulous young men - I'd say she made the right choice - money isn't everything as long as you are being compensated enough you are comfortable. You only have your children in your lives a short time - ask for a small raise - all they can do is say not at this time. Only you can decide what works for your family, your budget and your future. I wish you great luck in whatever you do!

30. AnonymousFebruary 17,2025 at 8:22PM UTC

    The amount of flexibility you are describing (plus working remotely) is clearly worth at least 25k/year. You might explore whether all of that flexibility and remote work is actually available in other positions. Feel free to apply, get an interview, get an offer and then ASK. These are not good questions for actual interviews---but if you are working with a recruiter, you can sometimes feel that out. And then, with an offer in hand, negotiate with your current employer if you'd like to stay (or jump to the new company).

31. Carrie Johnson SorensenFebruary 21,2025 at 7:06PM UTC

    I haven't read the responses, but I think it's worth keeping in mind that there are different jobs for different stages of your life. I had the same job for 13 years because it offered me the days off and flexibility (not as much as you had, but some) that I needed when my kids were little. With them in high school and beyond, I took a new job 2 years ago that came with a very nice pay raise. I also gave up a ton of time off (plus, it's harder to ask for flexibility when you're new in your role). It's the right job for our family now but wouldn't have worked for us before. Best of luck to you!