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Anonymous

04/03/19 at 1:53PM UTC

Career

What's More Important- The Money or The Culture?

Hey FGB- I had a former classmate of mine reach out yesterday looking for some guidance on her current career path. The Concern: She has opted to take a significant pay cut to work for a company that has a stronger brand and with the impression she would rise up on a fast trajectory. Fast forward a year and not much has changed- the commute is significantly better, providing a better quality of life but she is feeling stagnant at the company. The question for you FGB'ers what would you do in this scenario and what is ultimately more important-the money or the quality of life?

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Anonymous

04/08/19 at 2:42PM UTC

Thank you all for your insight! I will keep you updated on her progress.

Lori Schmitz

234

Girl Friday and much more in SFO Area

04/04/19 at 8:32PM UTC

I have struggled with this same question for the past 6 - 8 years... 5 Years ago a left a very stressful job with over market pay and tons of travel. I wanted to get balance back into my life so I took a significant pay cut and went to work in a similar role with a smaller company. I was there for a year and ended up going back to my former role and company... I missed the pace, the constant challenges and even some of the travel. Fast Forward 4 years and my former boss retired; I took a role closer to the house with a pay cut but 15 minute commute, with a smaller company; recently voted in Fortune's Top 100 places to work; and left 6 weeks ago as the job didn't give me what a I needed... not enough challenge, responsibility or pay :) Now 6 weeks in; I am commuting 1.5 hours each way every day and I am super happy. Your friend needs to think about what gives her the most satisfaction at work and find or create that opportunity for herself. Having a Marque name on her resume will aid in her search should she decide to look for a more suitable situation. Good Luck!

Amanda Honigfort

185

Journalist, Entrepreneur & Media Professional

04/04/19 at 4:46PM UTC

Culture! (As long as you can pay your bills)

Lady Pele

3.96k

Retired Project Manager

04/03/19 at 4:52PM UTC

I don't know enough about your friend or her situation to offer any practical advice. You said the commute is less, which improves her quality of life. OK, how supportive are her manager and co-workers? Are there opportunities to gain new skills, expertise or certifications with that company? Is she challenged or bored? Has she had a performance evaluation and set goals for the coming year? If there are no goals or clearly defined expectations, that might be a red flag for the company. Even if the job isn’t ideal, are there options she can address with her existing manager before looking elsewhere? For example, working on more challenging or cross-functional projects with other teams? Are there company training programs she can use or even a stipend for external professional development opportunities? I wish her the best in deciding what will bring her the most satisfaction.

Maggie B

983

Business and Data Analysis Consultant

04/05/19 at 3:53PM UTC

Cosigned!

Anonymous

04/03/19 at 4:21PM UTC

100% culture! As long as the salary is live-able, I choose quality of life and being happier on a day-to-day basis over money every time

Anonymous

04/03/19 at 4:44PM UTC

Agreed! But, I'd say liveable as well as a number you're reasonably happy with. Otherwise, if the culture takes a turn for the worse, or something happens to affect your quality of life at that company, not making a decent salary will make you want to jump to something else.

Courtney Klein

688

Security Professional

04/03/19 at 3:24PM UTC

It seems like your classmate is getting shafted on both money and culture, even if her commute is pleasant. Typically, for someone early in their career, I'd say that a company's culture is more important. If you're happy somewhere, you're more likely to put forward effort and succeed, either sticking around for a while, or being able to gain new skills to translate to a new job. I've always been a big believer in that the people you work with matter almost as much as the work you actually do. You spend a big chunk of time with your colleagues and immersed in the culture of your company. Incompatibility here is just as dysfunctional as in any relationship, and will harm you just as much. Quality of life outside of work, however, is also important, and it sounds like your classmate's perceived stagnancy may be effecting her off the job. Feeling dissatisfied with your work has all kinds of ramifications, not the least of which may be feeling depressed and unable to enjoy your home life. If she feels inadequate, unhappy, or whatever, is the better commute worth it? Would she be willing to go a little further to feel happier? To make more money? Is it really worth it to not have to drive (or walk, or bike, or subway, or canoe, or whatever) as far if she's disillusioned after a year? I had a job that I loved right out of grad school. My team was great, my supervisor was a gem, I enjoyed the work, the other people in the company were (generally) kind and interesting, the pay was good, and I drove 4 hours round trip each day. It was worth it because I was happy with everything else... and I HATE driving with a passion (haven't been behind the wheel in 3 years - that's how much I hate it). A career is a balancing act, and it seems like your classmate may benefit from looking around for a more satisfying position, perhaps at the expense of her nice commute.