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Want Career Advice/Life Perspective: Focus on Career vs. Focusing on time w/family?

Discussion in 'Jobs & Careers' started by Bishop2Queens6, Dec 21, 2020.

  1. Dec 21, 2020 at 12:07 PM
    #1
    Bishop2Queens6

    Bishop2Queens6 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Hey All,

    I am very grateful for my wife and I to be employed when so many others are not. I'm posting looking for perspective and advice on the direction I want to take my career, which I recognize as a significant blessing. I'm currently at a crossroads and am not sure which way to go.

    Question: I'm not sure to stay at my current employer (which is decent, but not great) or to move on to greener pastures with higher pay, but higher hours, higher stress/responsibility, and less of a work/life balance?

    Background: I graduated earlier this year with my Masters in Material Science Engineering. I have two bachelor degrees in Environmental Engineering and Chemical Engineering. I have 6 years of process engineering and project engineering experience and about 12 years of R&D experience in engineering in the previous fields as well as the agricultural engineering. I also hold several certifications in various fields which make me marketable (OSHA 40 hr, PMP cert, FE/EIT,(No PE yet) etc,)

    Current Employer (Been here 6 yrs):

    Pros: Full-Time (salaried) 25 hrs/week. Unlimited vacation (I take about 2 months/year total off, but never longer than 3 weeks at a time). Allowed to flex my hours. Full health insurance, no premiums, reasonable co-pays. My student loans are paid by my current company (No obligation to stay from this). Gas allowance, vehicle maintence allowance, any work related expenditure for your direct use is reimbursed (laptop, electronics, office supplies, tools, equipment, etc). Other equipment for team use is, of course, provided. Low responsibility. Low stress. Big work area with all needed and sometimes, wanted, tools. Can even do personal projects using company equipment. Minimal oversight. Encouraged to take company time to do classes, get certifications, further knowledge, attend conferences, network, travel.

    Cons: Won't be able to get my PE. Low take home pay and a lack of future career/financial growth. No take retirement plan. Poor corporate structure, lack of a general plan everyday. Dependent on being a self-started/self-motivated. More like a family business. Current commute: 500 miles/week = 2 hrs/day.

    Other employers I've interviewed with (3 so far):

    Pros: Full-Time (salaried) 50-60+ hrs/week. High take home pay which comes to approx. double and sometimes triple of what I'm taking home now (I do take into account the cost of living in the area if I do have to move). Moving is covered. Profit sharing bonus at the end of each FQ and FY. 401k contributions. Massive career growth with huge companies/partnerships in my field and areas of research/experience. I can get my PE.

    Cons: Health insurance coverage (basic plan, but need to pay premiums for higher pay). Time off is only 3 weeks (but discouraged to take it). High work commitment, high work hours. I would most likely need to move near the project, which I don't really want to do. I did find a few jobs where I can stay in my current living area (SD County) where the commute to corporate HQ was short, but I would need to be at the project site which is a distance making the total commute similar to what I'm doing now.

    Thought process: When all my fringe benefits are taken into account with my current employer, what I'm taking home in additional to what I make now is an extra $1k-$3/month in liquid pay. Is it worth working double what I'm doing now and the lack of flexibility? Is the career growth worth it? For all those extra work hours and stress, is it worth the career growth versus having time with my wife, friends, hobbies, passions?

    Bills are paid, money is going into savings. Both cars are paid off. I have my own retirement plan (rothIRA's, MMA). We have all the necessities and even a few luxuries. My wife and I are recently married and are in the process for saving up for a house. The extra pay can help cut the saving time down by more than half (6 years to just over 2 years) for a down payment for a house, but I think I can pick up some part-time remote work to keep my schedule as flexible as it is which has been inconsistent, but I take home an additional $500-$1200/month from passion projects/consulting/part-time short-term contract work. My wife isn't full-time, but has several part-time jobs that are fairly flexible.

    Life goals: Be financially secure. Be able to retire in a reasonable time. Own a house with room for all of toys, hobbies, passions, kids. New car for her. Travel internationally for several weeks at a time.

    I often hear about people on their death beds wishing they travelled more, spent more time with the people they loved, etc. I don't hear about wishing they spent more time in the office and working more hours...

    What would you do if you were in my position?
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2020
  2. Jan 6, 2021 at 6:33 PM
    #2
    t0nyvalenzuela

    t0nyvalenzuela Well-Known Member

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    Do you like your current job?
     
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