Choosing Your Next Job: Good Work Vs. Good Money

Mahesh Chand

Career AdviceCareersJob satisfaction

6 Comments

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Abhishek Yadav11y ago
Ohhh Mahesh Chand.. This article is somewhat like a ray of light for me. Actually I'm switching my profile from one to different.. Current profile will give me more money, and almost all kind of satisfaction but I think I don't have my interest in that and my next profile will give me all above things but a li'll bit slowly but my next profile will give me that path on which I'm interested. And I think going with your interest and with your passion is always better than anything. So, between Good Work vs Good Money, my vote is with Good Work.
Vithal Wadje11y ago
outstanding articles,Thanks for sharing
K P Singh Chundawat11y ago
great,,,,,,
Sam Hobbs13y ago
Yes, there are unemployed homeless people everywhere, including the United States of America. Their situation is certainly different.
Mahesh Chand13y ago
Good point Sam. I think same is still true. Once you are married, have kids, life is totally different. This article was more focused on if you've to choose between good work vs. good money. Every one has a different situation. I am sure some guys are very poor and their first priority should be earning more money because Physiological needs come before anything else including happiness.
Sam Hobbs13y agoedited
About 35 years ago I read the book "Men's Liberation: A New Definition of Masculinity" by Jack Nichols. One of the issues he discusses is that wives often pressure their husbands to make a lot of money but they also complain that their husbands are seldom home. The issue of money is not as simple as "money is happiness". Many wives are not happy living a simple life, but even if they are, children need medical attention, safety and other things. Even without children, money can do many things to help the world. I wish I did not have to say this, but there are many ways to find happiness in life without doing it at work. Many people feel the need to remain in an unhappy position in order to seek happiness elsewhere. I am not describing my situation; I am attempting to explain why many other people stay with jobs they are unhappy with.

In my previous article, Choosing Your Next Company - Corporation, Medium, or Startup I talked about what to expect when you choose a startup vs. a small to medium vs. a corporation. Jean Paul has also written a good article on MVC vs. Small Company. Check them out.

In this article, I will cover good salary and benefits vs. good work.

When you think about joining a new company or changing your current job, you obviously have several questions on your mind.

What kind of company should I join?
Is it better to join a larger corporation or a small company?
Which company has better benefits and job security?
Retirement plan?
Health benefits?
Vacation?
Which company has more opportunities to grow?
And many more.

Sometimes you ask your friends, co-workers and sometimes you do your own research and determine information about a company using an online website such as GlassDoors.

So, what type of company should be your next home? What makes a company good for you? How can you be sure that the next company you're going to join will do justice to you and more over you will be happy in your next venture.

Let's think about work for a moment.

You spend more than one-third of your life at your work. So, the first thing you want to ensure is that you'll be happy at work. If you're not happy at work then you will end up spending one-third of your life being miserable. This is a very important factor. Now happiness is different for everyone. For some, money is happiness. For some, good work excites them. For some, work culture and people surrounding them are happiness. Of course you want all of them but chances are very slim. Some company will have good benefits but work may not be exciting and vice versa. So, you need to ask yourself this one question. What is your happiness?

"You must be happy at work"

First Job Situation

When you're starting your first job or just graduating college, you may not have very many choices. That's fine. One advice I will give you is, you do not want to wait too long. Take that very first offer that sounds decent. If you do not like that job then keep looking for the next one but do not sit home waiting for that perfect job. Whatever job you decide to take, just keep one thing in mind; get a good learning opportunity. Get work in which you work with the latest technology.

"Your first job should be about learning, not earning"

You should be spending much of your time at work, more than anybody else, reading, learning, asking questions and just getting dirty. Your first couple of years of your career are the foundation of your remaining career life. And you want to make sure that the foundation is very strong.

Job Satisfaction

When we look for a new job, we often ignore the importance of job satisfaction and focus on the financial aspects of it. A survey published by Deloitte's Shift Index survey shows that 80% of people are dissatisfied with their jobs. Not only are employees dissatisfied but 25% of the employees say work is their main source of stress and 40% say their job is "very or extremely stressful", sources: Quality of Working Life' report.

80% of people are dissatisfied with their jobs.

Now, you need to ask yourself. Do you want to be one of those guys?

Let's take a quick look at Moslow's needs theory.

As you can see from Moslow's needs diagram, a human not only has physiological and safety needs but also belonging, esteem, and self-actualization needs.

While most of the needs are very common and available, there are two things I want to focus on – Belonging and Esteem. You must feel like you belong to your workplace. Your work should also provide an environment where you can grow your confidence, earn achievements, respect others and get respect in return. You must also have opportunities to showcase your talents and creativity that will eventually boost your confidence and self-esteem.

Contentment

Once you have an experienced career, you need to look for contentment. Do you feel you have accomplished something at work? Do you feel satisfied with what you have done so far?

One Size Doesn't Fit All

Remember, a job is your personal choice. Just because I like Bananas that doesn't mean you should like Bananas. One size doesn't fit all. You need to measure your size and see what fits you the best.

Good luck and find happiness!