Ramit Sethi answers whether it's worth taking a lower-paying job for a shorter commute and better life balance. He says it's reasonable if you can afford it, though it may make getting back to higher pay harder. Sethi turned down a high-paying Google job for startup work and flexibility.
Okay, I like this question from Helena who asks about taking a job with lower pay. She says, do you think it's crazy to accept a lower paying job if it means a closer commute and a better quality of life? I've been working for 14 years trying to build my career, but unfortunately it's taken me further from my home and family and caused a three hour a day commute. Would it be crazy to take a lesser paying job with a smaller organization? If you in order to have a better commute, by the way, for example, going from six figures to five figures, I know I can live off of less. But is it, as my husband calls it, career suicide? Because later, when my kids are grown, I'll have trouble getting back up to the salary and executive level I once had? I think this is a great question and it's something that a lot of people struggle with, particularly women. My answer to you is no, it's not crazy to do that. We all make choices about what we want to do based on the quality of life we want to have. If the commute is driving you crazy and you are financially able to live on less, who's to say that it is career suicide? Who's to say that five years from now you won't be able to get back to that level? Will it be more difficult? Of course. But who wants to make decisions only for money? That's not what this is about. I turned down a very, very well paying job at Google because instead of working there, I wanted to work at a startup. Alright. And I wanted to run my own thing and have flexibility. To me that was more important than being able to buy a nice pair of jeans. So what I would suggest to you is it sounds like you've already made your mind up and you're looking for a little bit of permission. I'm not the guy to give you permission, but I will simply tell you that it's not crazy to accept lower pay in exchange for a better quality of life if that's what you value more than money. Alright, so thanks for the question. Let me know what you decide. I'd be very curious. Thanks again. It.
