Would you stay in a job you strongly dislike for the money?

regulus said:
She's in a government job
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Civil Service?
If so, forget it. Her soul is already forsaken. Buy her some M&S jumpers and tell her to just enjoy having thrice the annual leave of any normal human being, as well as the Queen's Birthday off!! :D

Unless she can get herself into an MoD role, which is usually awesome fun!!
 
All depends on the extremes for me, i.e. How strong is the dislike and how good is the money?

In general the answer is yes, I would do it if it paid well enough. The financial rewards would eventually reach a point at which I would be able to retire in the near future so say a few months of a horrible job and then feet up for the next 30 years rather than having to work on until my late 60s or whatever. Certainly any traditional office based job I'd do if the pay was good enough. However a truly horrific job (perhaps based overseas performing abhorrent acts that would be illegal in the UK, or that carried high personal risk of injury/death) I might refuse.

Looking at my current job, trying to put rough percentages on it I'd say I enjoy 10% of it, dislike 20% of it and am relatively indifferent to the remaining 70%. I'd like to do something a bit more vocational where I would be genuinely excited at what the day would bring but unfortunately the type of roles that interest me are not that easily attainable - I could live with the pay cut but getting the foot in the door would involve too much work.
 
It depends on a number of factors for me:

- How much do I need that extra money?
- How easy is it for me to find a better job?
- Will working this contract give me the skills/experience/CV I need to find a better job in future?
 
I think the post from Freefaller with the IoD quote is very accurate.

Sometimes in life it's worth suffering an unhappy situation to get you to where you will be happy. It really depends on where you are in life. In my earlier years I'd be prepared to put up with more so I could build a good future. Nowadays I'm looking for more happiness than money and would move to a nicer job quite easily.

EDIT: Do the pair of you have plans for children? If you do then this may factor into choices. For example you may want to earn as much as possible now to build up a pot of savings before she goes on future maternity leave. Alternatively another company may offer a more parent and flexible working environment.
 
The money will have to be very good for me to stay in a job I disliked. I normally adopt the short term pain, long term gain approach.

Having said that, the older I get the balance towards job satisfaction will be the priority.
 
Yes, in fact I've been doing exactly this for the last 3 years after a re-org reunited moved the team I'm in back under an utterly inept and scheming management chain.

Alas, due to being a relatively well paid fish in a very small pond, there's nowhere else I could get the same money at the moment.
 
Slack off at the job enough to be give the time to go and find a new one, don't quit before something else is lined up. But don't stay there either.
 
I took a paycut of around £5000 to move from a job I hated. The minute the job started having a negative impact on my health I knew it was time to leave.

At the time the move seemed a backwards career step, but now 5 years later things have never been so good.
 
ChrisUK1983 said:
I took a paycut of around £5000 to move from a job I hated. The minute the job started having a negative impact on my health I knew it was time to leave.
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That's the problem, too many will stay in a high paid job, ignore the heath issues and all the stress the job can bring. You did well to get out.

Stress will lead to depression, depression will lead to an early grave. No point being the richest person in the graveyard.
 
malachi said:
That's the problem, too many will stay in a high paid job, ignore the heath issues and all the stress the job can bring. You did well to get out.

Stress will lead to depression, depression will lead to an early grave. No point being the richest person in the graveyard.
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Thats exactly what gave me the kick to get out. Id never really realised how badly mental illness could effect people until that point, took a very long time to get over. Still feel the effects of it today.
 
ChrisUK1983 said:
I took a paycut of around £5000 to move from a job I hated. The minute the job started having a negative impact on my health I knew it was time to leave.

At the time the move seemed a backwards career step, but now 5 years later things have never been so good.
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I did the same. Large FTSE100 company, to a public sector environment. pay cut, but increased benefits, but more importantly better work/life balance.

I've now gone back to a bigger private sector company, but that's because I'm recharged and ready for a bit of slogging for some decent money.
 
Kinda depends on your viewpoint of what high paying/damn good money is.

Surely its all relative as well? (I know there are anomalies but generally, the higher pay the job, the more stress it will come with meaning more reasons to hate it)

I wouldn't say I hate my current job but with all the politics happening and the constant pressure, it does seem to suck the love I had for the profession.

In terms of salary, I am comfortable at around £44k pa so at the moment I would be slap bang in the middle of the OP statement. Don't strongly dislike but don't love it no more, money is not amazing but not poor. If I was earning less than what I do then I would reconsider so I suppose money does go some way to making it bearable.

Depends on how much of a toll you are willing for it to take on your mind/body/health/relationships etc
 
You're right it is relative. I wouldn't do my current job for half the salary, as it requires a lot more pressure, time, effort, and stress.

however, it is rewarding and the pay justifies the effort.
 
So many elements that make a job good...

Working hours
Having responsibility / feeling that you're of worth
Stress
Intellectual challenge (harder or easier, depending on preferences)
Pay
Colleagues

I'd say if you have at least 4 of these in your favour your job is, on the balance, 'good'.
 
Nitefly said:
So many elements that make a job good...

Working hours
Having responsibility / feeling that you're of worth
Stress
Intellectual challenge (harder or easier, depending on preferences)
Pay
Colleagues

I'd say if you have at least 4 of these in your favour your job is, on the balance, 'good'.
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I've got 1 from that list, maybe another 'half' 1. :(
 
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