That Job Offer Might Not Be Worth It
Increase your income or not.
As much as you don’t want to admit, you think about money every day. Whether it’s to access more of it, how you will pay for something or not having enough of it. Money is relevant in everyone’s life, regardless.
These last couple of years have been life altering, for most, due to the pandemic and I’ve come to terms with what I want for my present and future. I want time. We can’t create more of it but why can’t we utilize the time we do have? Like many, I have a typical 8 to 5 job, Monday through Friday. In addition, I’m not paid well for being an assistant for a law firm and don’t like the work I do.
An Opportunity Presented Itself
It started with a recruiter, the job description pitch, and a short interview for an assistant/office manager position for a physician. The physician was starting a new practice and would need extensive help to ramp up the office. Heading the office would require learning their systems, rules and regulations, and time. I would be expected to implement the necessary procedues for a new office as well as assist the owner/physician. Therefore, the position offered more than my current salary. More than double.
Consideration
Heading an office and having the responsibility of management would be significantly increase in title compared to my current job. However, the more I thought about the new opportunity the more anxious I got. I didn’t doubt my capabilities to do the job but the position would take more time and add more stress to my life.
In addition, I assume, the new job would take away from my online journey of pursuing different passions or finding a source of income through skills I wanted to highlight. My goal to make money online while having the freedom in my day would soon dissipate, right?
The Cycle Continues
Saying yes would mean another job, another office, another learning curve I would have to endure. I was continuing the definition of insanity — repeating the same action expecting a different outcome. This would be my fourth assistant job for a high level executive. Because let’s be honest, I would still be an assistant.
I would be, once again, trading time for money.
Not again
I turned down the offer the very next day. For me, a bigger salary, doing a very similar role, wouldn’t solve my problem of wanting more time. I finally made a decision what my priorities were: I want flexibility with my time. Time to be with my kids and work on pursuing jobs that could potentially fulfill passions AND provide money.
Create Your Own Path
With the rising remote work and online side hustles, months before the offer, I decided I would start some and see where it would take me, both financially and personally. I even paid for an online course in hopes it would create those opportunities but it was a bust — but that’s for another post. Although I am at the beginning stages of working online, I am enjoying the process.
The offer gave me a confidence boost, I did have the experience and background people would seek but I needed to charter unfamiliar waters to see what I was capable of. I finally acknowledged the lack of believing myself in the past. I thought no one would want me due to my lack of skills but by creating my own path I didn’t have someone telling me I was doing it wrong. I could get out of it what I put into it.
Takeaway
Don’t be afraid to trust your instincts. My gut told me I would be making a mistake by taking the offer. I may not be where I want to be financially but with a little passion and pride, I may have just opened a whole new door for myself.
