Career Dilemma - Money or Status
Discussion
Very much a first world problem but I'm really stuck as to what to do and it's playing on my mind.
In essence, I have been offered a role with a former employer that sounds like a lesser position (from the job title) but they are willing to pay me more than my current role to join them and get the job done.
I would be leaving a "Global Head of" role for a "European Leader" role. I'm currently on a fairly large six figure salary and the new role would be about 12% more.
It feels very sad to be worried about this but some of the other region leaders are considerably more junior than me and so from an optics perspective it might look like a step down. From the potential employer point of view, they've had a few previous people who weren't really up to the task and so they are now willing to invest in the "right" person to come in. Without going into detail, I'm that right person and have a proven track record with this company.
I'm pretty bored in my current role and feel like I've gone about as far as I can with this company and so a new challenge (and a little pay bump) would be nice. There's also more opportunity to progress in the new role (they've been quite open and said that the position up from this is going to become available in the next few years).
Am I that sad and insecure to worry about the lesser title or is it a legitimate concern. What have others done in this situation?
ETA: oh and I'm very early 40s so have a depressingly long amount of work life left!
In essence, I have been offered a role with a former employer that sounds like a lesser position (from the job title) but they are willing to pay me more than my current role to join them and get the job done.
I would be leaving a "Global Head of" role for a "European Leader" role. I'm currently on a fairly large six figure salary and the new role would be about 12% more.
It feels very sad to be worried about this but some of the other region leaders are considerably more junior than me and so from an optics perspective it might look like a step down. From the potential employer point of view, they've had a few previous people who weren't really up to the task and so they are now willing to invest in the "right" person to come in. Without going into detail, I'm that right person and have a proven track record with this company.
I'm pretty bored in my current role and feel like I've gone about as far as I can with this company and so a new challenge (and a little pay bump) would be nice. There's also more opportunity to progress in the new role (they've been quite open and said that the position up from this is going to become available in the next few years).
Am I that sad and insecure to worry about the lesser title or is it a legitimate concern. What have others done in this situation?
ETA: oh and I'm very early 40s so have a depressingly long amount of work life left!
Edited by LennyM1984 on Saturday 31st January 13:02
I’m currently doing a moderately less senior role by job title although in a much larger corporate structure where everyone is kind of a step below other organisations.
It’s more enjoyable, more rewarding and less stressful with better progression opportunities.
Do you really care what LinkedIn thinks?
It’s more enjoyable, more rewarding and less stressful with better progression opportunities.
Do you really care what LinkedIn thinks?
Peter911 said:
Best i am a global leader post on PH
In fairness, these Global Leader roles do always remind me of that Little Prince storybook where he meets the king of a planet with no other people on it (and that is indeed how I feel sometimes!)Thanks for the thoughts so far - I think I needed to be told that I was being ridiculous 😂
You can do so much more with money than you can with a title. Also, titles need context. You could be
Global head of X in a small company with 100 staff and your role manages 2 of those and has a budget of 1m
Or
European leaser of X in a company where that is a division of 1000 and budget of 100m
You also need to take into account other things important to you such as work life balance etc.
Global head of X in a small company with 100 staff and your role manages 2 of those and has a budget of 1m
Or
European leaser of X in a company where that is a division of 1000 and budget of 100m
You also need to take into account other things important to you such as work life balance etc.
LennyM1984 said:
In fairness, these Global Leader roles do always remind me of that Little Prince storybook where he meets the king of a planet with no other people on it (and that is indeed how I feel sometimes!)
Just my twopenceworth - the people who know you won't care what your Job Title is. For those that don't know you - 50% will cringe at the title, the other 50% won't care. in other words very few people (IMHO) care about job titles - £££ wins every time.butchstewie said:
I don't get this.
If you're "Global Head of" for an IT company who employ 100 people in Reading is being "European Leader" at Amazon a step up or a step down?
I was going to make exactly this point. The titles don’t really mean much without some context about the two businesses. If you're "Global Head of" for an IT company who employ 100 people in Reading is being "European Leader" at Amazon a step up or a step down?
Who gives a f
k about a title
Go to work for money while balancing a nice work life balance and with the least stress possible
Which company is better to work for? Cares about its staff more? which has more holiday? Better sickness benefits?
You won’t be on your death bed thinking about a job title
k about a titleGo to work for money while balancing a nice work life balance and with the least stress possible
Which company is better to work for? Cares about its staff more? which has more holiday? Better sickness benefits?
You won’t be on your death bed thinking about a job title
BlackTails said:
I was going to make exactly this point. The titles don t really mean much without some context about the two businesses.
They're both similar in prestige but the new one is the larger corporation (current has ~14k employees globally, new one has around 25k).I think the point has been made though... Follow the money and love happily ever after
Beyond money there is the issue of influence and a path forward. Does the potential new position offer you a better chance of promotion? Early forties is young in career terms so taking. slightly longer view makes sense. Am I correct that there is a limited way forward where you are?.
I have had multiple careers, from a major CA firm to a large railroad to a large telco and then to board positions later in life. The money part was just one consideration. I learned that being too far from where the big decisions were made meant I was just a cog in the wheel, so I went for the top where I could see the whole picture. I wanted to be able to make the changes and not be the recipient from some far away edicts from HQ.
Short version is that just looking at the money might not provide the best long term answer.
I have had multiple careers, from a major CA firm to a large railroad to a large telco and then to board positions later in life. The money part was just one consideration. I learned that being too far from where the big decisions were made meant I was just a cog in the wheel, so I went for the top where I could see the whole picture. I wanted to be able to make the changes and not be the recipient from some far away edicts from HQ.
Short version is that just looking at the money might not provide the best long term answer.
BlackTails said:
butchstewie said:
I don't get this.
If you're "Global Head of" for an IT company who employ 100 people in Reading is being "European Leader" at Amazon a step up or a step down?
I was going to make exactly this point. The titles don t really mean much without some context about the two businesses. If you're "Global Head of" for an IT company who employ 100 people in Reading is being "European Leader" at Amazon a step up or a step down?
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