Does the offer of more money really mean you should change job?

Find out other factors to consider than money when making a career move, from Director of Hays Ireland, Maureen Lynch. 

The opportunity to make more money is enticing for anyone, and when the role is very similar to the one you’re already doing, you may feel you’ve got nothing to lose. However, there are other factors you should think about when making a career move. If you don’t, you might miss out on something worth more than just money. 

Changing jobs for more money at a glance 

In this blog, we’ll help you consider other factors when changing jobs: 

• Where will this move take your career? 
• Do your passions match your new company’s values? 
• Can money really buy you happiness? 

You can discuss your recruitment needs by contacting your local consultant today. 

‘Do you really feel interested in what this new organisation does, or are you just tempted by the money?’ 

Where will this move take your career? 

Take a step back and review the opportunities to progress both your skills and your career, at your current organisation and at this potential new employer. While this new move may offer more money right now, this is counter-intuitive if a few years down the line you’re still going to be doing the same job, earning the same salary, with the exact same set of skills. 

That last point is important. The most in-demand skills are constantly changing with technology, and if you want to keep progressing your career, you need to be able to keep your skills fresh. Upskilling is essential in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and working in a company where lifelong learning is embedded in the culture and encouraged by senior management, will certainly help. This is more important than an initial pay rise. 

Think back to what you were able to find out, both when researching the organisation, and during your interview. Did you get the impression that you would have the opportunity to learn new skills, and that your boss would support you with this? What about when you researched the existing employees’ stories on LinkedIn and their company website – had they grown as professionals and taken their careers from strength to strength at this organisation? 

Weigh up which job is most likely to enhance your professional development. From there, you can decide which option is the better long-term investment for your career. 

Do your passions match your new company’s values? 

I think this is a very important consideration, and one a lot of people often overlook. A pay rise may be enough to lure you initially, but in order to feel engaged in the long term, you need to feel passionate about your employer’s vision and purpose, and how your role plays into that. 

Ask yourself honestly, do you really feel interested in what this new organisation does, or are you just tempted by the money? On the other hand, perhaps this new organisation really gets your blood pumping. You felt excited when you started researching them and since then, your interest has grown more and more. This, plus a nice pay packet, equals a pretty good reason to take the job. 

Can money really buy you happiness? 

And lastly, but most importantly – will you be happy? Of course, you can’t predict the future, and you won’t really know if you will be happy for sure without actually giving the job a go. But certain red flags or, on the contrary, green lights can give you a pretty good inkling. 

Maybe you were uncertain about your potential new boss during the interview, or perhaps you could sense a tense and miserable atmosphere when you walked into the office. Were you secretly hoping you wouldn’t get the job, but now you’ve been offered it, you feel you have to take it because the money seems too good to turn down? 

On the other hand, maybe you had a good feeling about this place before you even went to the interview. You researched the company thoroughly before and got the impression that the culture was welcoming and open, and this definitely seemed to be the case when you met with your potential colleagues and manager on the day of the interview. Overall, you enjoyed the interview and could really picture yourself working in this company and feeling happy. 

Just remember, you are going to be spending the majority of your time for the foreseeable future in this organisation, and if you are unhappy, this will have a huge impact on your career performance, and also your wellbeing in general. 

Whatever you decide, don’t just be tempted by the relatively short-term lure of more money. Take a step back and think about whether this role can offer you the progression opportunities, sense of purpose, and overall workplace wellbeing that you want and deserve. It won’t take long for the material perks of your new job to wear off. And when they do, you need to be sure that following the money was the best thing for your career. 

What you need to remember about changing jobs 

If you’re thinking about a career move, contact your local consultant today.  

Take a look at our career advice page for more useful tips for every stage of your working life from job seeking to succeeding in your career.