Job Title/responsibility or Job Salary

First of all, a "title" means nothing to me.

Some people are born to lead, some aren't. (Not that you have to be In a supervisory position to be a leader...)

I've had both types of jobs.
Having supervisory responsibility can be draining, tiresome, thankless....especially middle management positions where you get squeezed from both sides.

So...hard to say...BUT I'd take job satisfaction over boredom any day.

I would rather be the worker bee but wouldn't want to be bored. I don't care about the money as long as I like what I'm doing. I never want to be in charge of people.

The managerial position can work as a stepping stone to get a better paying job with satisfaction later down the road. That job will provide an opportunity with more responsibility and help learn new skills, which can be listed in a resume for a better paying job later. It's a means to an end. Employers are always looking for well rounded workers. So if I had to choose, I would choose the $30,000 job, but try to negotiate for a higher pay.

Let me just tell you as someone who has worked as a manager/supervisor multiple times... it's not all it's cracked up to be. On top of your numerous job duties you're expected to; work longer hours; deal with minor issues that take up a lot of time (ex. conflict resolution regarding simplistic, piddly issues); "babysit" those you're supervising aka adults act like preschoolers; rather than working hourly and having the ability to work overtime, you'll only be working your salary so if you work overtime you won't get paid for it; you'll be the one customers complain to, and even if an issue was caused by someone you supervise it will be "your" fault and your issue to resolve.

As a "worker bee" you'll have more freedom. Much more freedom.

In either job, you should have the opportunity for annual raises.

Which one has the most growth potential? Will the 30K job give you advancement potential within the next year or two? If there is a future and advancement there, I would take the lower paying job with the understanding that I would prove myself and get the higher salary.

Rhonda:

You have to love what you do. If you don't love what you do, it will show in your performance.

I will take job satisfaction over money. it's not about supervisory authority. It's about SATISFACTION - which makes me get up every morning and do my job well. Can I make a positive difference in my job? YES! I do!

I do NOT need a title. That's all it is - a TITLE - it means VERY little in the scheme of things. My boss could make my title President of the company but it wouldn't change what I do.

Authority? I don't need "authority" - we have a great team and everyone pitches in to get the job done.

The money? It's only $193 per paycheck (assuming it's 2080 hours and bi-weekly paychecks) and that's BEFORE taxes. So $5K would NOT be a deciding factor for me. Job satisfaction would be the deciding factor for me.

Less money to do more work? No thanks. Take the more money, and keep looking for something you'd enjoy more. In today's job market, don't take a job where your title makes it look like you're expensive, in case you should be laid off and looking again.
Good luck

I tend to always go with job satisfaction FIRST.... nothing worse (well, there probably is ) than a job you can't stand.. no matter how good it pays... If you feel rotten and miserable , then to me, it's just not worth it..

However, it's also good to look at all the moving parts.. Does the better paying job offer you the time off you desire and although you are bored, would more stress (despite more money) cause you to become ill... Then you have the lower paying job... Is there more room for growth and although you make less now, will the experience allow you to make more in he future...

Also the $5,000 difference after taxes isn't that great.. Therefore, I'd have to really focus on my future goal and decide which current job would take me to the place I want to be..

I think that if I could afford the pay cut and the hours were the same (or close) I would probably take the one that I would be happiest in.

I think you already answered your question when you commented about the job satisfaction.

In our lifetimes, we wil work more often than we will not, and on the days that we work, we spend more time working than anything else. Therefore, if you don't enjoy your job, it will be difficult to maintain a good work ethic & keep your job.

Money is not everything, and the pay difference is an immaterial amount. My husband is an engineer, in his field if he works for a smaller company he could be managing & making 60K or he could be a worker for a larger company making 80K.

I'm not sure if you are asking "which would you choose" because you are curious or you want the people responding to help you make a decision. But for what it matters, my personal choice would be the high satisfaction position. Money is always nice, & with the skills and reputation you can build in such a position, it will be natural to progress from there, either within the company or elsewhere, & more salary will come with those promotions.

I've been in the situation of job one, a few times. Most when I was younger & didn't have options, but my most recent position as well, surprisingly. I went from being a supervisor to a worker to avoid a layoff. I took advantage of the opportunity by going to school to get a degree. Once I got it, I moved within the company to that department, but over time I found the work that I did lacked value - I was no longer working individual accounts, feeling like I was making a difference. Instead I was analyzing the finances of what had already happened on those accounts, & reporting the information.

So yes, I was making a lot more money, but the job satisfaction was lacking (in this case, it wasn't due to title or responsibility, but the comparative is there). I took the time to really think about what I would have done if I could do it all over again, & I'm now in school pursuing a career I didn't know 20 years ago I would be interested in.

My suggestion to you is to take the job that interests you, that you will be most willing to do your best at, and then while you are in the job, evaluate what you like & dislike about it & where you see yourself in the next year, 5, 10 and so on. Then, make choices to get yourself there. Hopefully, you won't be faced with taking a job you don't like because one you are interseted in doesn't pay enough to support you.

Enjoy your job! T.

Sometimes being a supervisor can be a pain. Tons of responsibility thrown on your shoulders, picking up any slack from those under you etc.

I would look into side things too. Vacation, chance for advancement or raises, benefits.

I would take the issue of being bored seriously though. I hate being bored at work.

After taxes that 5000.00 difference will give you under 300 bucks per month in extra pay.

I'd take more money and less responsibility.
Managing people is a pain - as are all the extra hours and extra paperwork that go along with it.
My 2 cents...

The latter. It will translate better into job advancement - either in the current job or at another company. A boring job would be awful.

IF, IF, IF the supervisory job can lead to a higher paying job and more benefits it would be worth it perhaps.

I have been at the job where I hated getting up each day just to go to another day of complete boredom. It's horrible. You resent having to go, resent the reasons you're working in the first place, etc.....it becomes the center of your universe and you start hating it.

So, IF IF IF that other job made me feel better about myself and gave me a good reason to get up in the morning and hurry to work because I was going to enjoy my day.....that's worth $5000 a year.

I would go with the money. I really don't expect to enjoy any job. If I do it is a bonus. If I am going to be away from my family 40+ hours a week it better be worth it financially!

That is underpaid for a Supervisory job.
And, being a Supervisor is not a peachy thing. But sure, you have the title. And maybe job satisfaction of being a Supervisor. But, for some, having the title/control/job satisfaction... is largely tied to, how much they make in salary and is it enough per the job responsibilities you have?
At some point, being a Supervisor for only $30K, is not enough. And then dissatisfaction sets in.

I'm a Mom and have a part-time job. I am a worker bee. Its fun. I don't expect to have control of everything/everyone. I don't want to. I don't want the stress. Being bored? No. I am not.
Any job, can be boring. Despite the title you have or not.
And, outside of the job, is also where you find other ways of being mentally active and stimulated. I don't look ONLY to my job, to do that. I look at all aspects of my life, and having the worker bee job I have, is only 1 slice, of the pie of my life.

Anyone can be a worker bee or not. Even if that is a CEO of some organization. Even they, get bored too. Even if they have control of a lot.
And the title.

I would tell the place that offered me $30,000 that I got an offer to make $35,000 and if they could match it I would love to work for them. Maybe you can have more money and the job you prefer.😀 Good luck!!!

Honestly, every time I'm bored at a job, I'm about to get laid off because there isn't enough work to go around. So I'd be considering if there were other factors to my boredom and whether or not the lower-paying job would be something I'd be in more long-term.

the latter, all other things being equal.
khairete
S.

Personally, I'd go for the better paying job, mainly because I HATE being in charge of adults. I really dislike delegation and management of adults(it's my personality type, too)... overall, I'd be a better asset to the organization being a worker bee-- and I've learned that even a worker bee can ask for interesting projects that no one else might want to work on. I actually enjoy those sorts of things and find it abates boredom for me. I also find mundane things like filing/organizing/doing repetitive work oddly soothing. Weird, I guess, but the idea of being a supervisor makes me want to run away, fast.:) Dealing with personalities and people over the age of 6-- ugh!

It all depends on what's going on with the rest of your life. If you have a lot going on at home (Kids, hobbies, etc). Them you may just want a paycheck that will allow you to leave the stress at your workplace. On the other hand, if you are upwardly mobile career wise and don't have other stressors in your life; you'd want to go with the 30K option.

If the difference in salary is small, go for the job that you like more, even if it pays less.

It's also important to remember that having more responsibility, being a supervisor, and having a better title will serve you much better when you're ready to look for a new job.

I don't need a title or authority. In fact, I don't want to be in charge of people. I have been before, and it was nothing but a big headache and stress. If that is what YOU want, then I would say go for it. In my opinion, (and I'm not wealthy, by any stretch) $5,000 is small potatoes. I could do VERY small things and insignificant things, to make up for losing $5,000.

Satisfaction, happiness, and pride in my work beats money. It beats money very single time, unless I can't take care of my family. $5,000 would not mean not being able to take care of my family.

What I would do, is ask myself if it would REALLY bring satisfaction. Working over people and being in charge, almost always equals more work. Dealing with personality conflicts. Dealing with someone not doing their job right. Problem solving. Work distribution. Time management of others. Complaints from others. Dealing with people, that take away from your actual job. I stayed late so much, when I had people under me. I was babysitting so much, that I had to stay late and do my work. I had to pick up the slack of other people, because what they didn't get done, reflected on ME. I didn't get paid for staying late. I heard more complaints then happiness from people. A title, often means more work and the same amount of recognition. More responsibility, but no more respect.

After being a supervisor of people that were not the greatest.. I went back to being the worker bee.

Now, it depeneds on the job, or what you plan on doing in life. What fits your career more right now? Either one could be worth something good.

I'd take the one w/ the least job stress. For 30K I wouldn't want be answering emails at night or worrying about the next day. That said, if it's fulfilling and enjoyable work, go for it!! If it has room for growth then definitely take the one w/ supervisory authority..

I would choose the one with more money. And if I were ambitious, I'd look for a higher paying, higher level job while I was doing it.

Find Option 3. A Position You Are Not Bored And Makes You Happy For Mor Money. IN The Interim Figure Out How To Shine So You Get Rave Reviews. Are You In The Field You Wanted To Be In? Have All Your Schooling You Wanted? Can You Survive If You Changed To A Supervisor Position And It Was Same Boredom For Less $$$ Is The Person Who Held That Position Around To Talk To About The Position? What Is The Next Step After Getting A Paycut? Years Of PrOving Yourself Or A Year Of Learning The Ropes For The NExt move.