Which Job Would You Choose?

[DeletedUser397]

I know you would rather not have a job, because it's "slowlane" mentality. But not everything in life is black and white, and I'm not just going to quit working a day job until I can afford to live comfortably without a job.

Right now I have a good problem. I have 2 attractive job offers, but it's difficult to choose between them. I wanted to get your opinions to see what job you would choose, from a fastlane standpoint. I'm primarily looking for a job that allows me more freedom. Following are my choices:

Job A

Pros:
- Excellent benefits and advancement opportunities
- Very relaxed work environment, rarely more than 40hrs/week
- Good, safe suburb location, no traffic, good place to 'settle down'

Cons:
- No name company
- Only 2 weeks of vacation per year (including federal holidays)

Thoughts:
- I would likely have a lot of time to devote to my personal business projects. Though if I wanted to switch jobs, it may be a challenge. I'd probably have to move to another city to find another job. I'd have to take this job for the long haul. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that yet.


Job B

Pros:
- Remote job, with ability to work-at-home or anywhere
- Very well-known company, great resume-builder

Cons:
- Pay is 5k less, benefits are more expensive, not as good (after tax about a total of $10k less)
- Work hours are longer, about 40-60hrs per week

Thoughts:
- If I take this job, my plan is to visit a bunch of different cities, attend conferences, go to concerts, and basically go to all the places I've always wanted to go. My worry is that I may not have time to work on much side business projects, but the ability to travel/work anywhere could be a rare opportunity.

------------------


Both jobs involve the same exact type of work, and I'll learn the same skills.


Just curious what fastlaners would choose, given these options?


Thanks for any opinions.

 

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[Coriolis]

If you have to take one of these 2 jobs, I think Job A is best. As you said, job B will not give you time to work on side business project.

In my opinion, if you really want to go fastlane, having a slowlane job is only interesting to
- sustain your lifestyle or your family (that's my case, and I think this is yours ?)
- learn something (skills or market)
- making connections (if you think you need)

Benefits or name company is not relevant here. You need time.

 

[oddball]

I know you would rather not have a job, because it's "slowlane" mentality. But not everything in life is black and white, and I'm not just going to quit working a day job until I can afford to live comfortably without a job.

Right now I have a good problem. I have 2 attractive job offers, but it's difficult to choose between them. I wanted to get your opinions to see what job you would choose, from a fastlane standpoint. I'm primarily looking for a job that allows me more freedom. Following are my choices:

Job A
Pros:
- Excellent benefits and advancement opportunities
- Very relaxed work environment, rarely more than 40hrs/week
- Good, safe suburb location, no traffic, good place to 'settle down'

Cons:
- No name company
- Only 2 weeks of vacation per year (including federal holidays)

Thoughts:
- I would likely have a lot of time to devote to my personal business projects. Though if I wanted to switch jobs, it may be a challenge. I'd probably have to move to another city to find another job. I'd have to take this job for the long haul. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that yet.


Job B

Pros:
- Remote job, with ability to work-at-home or anywhere
- Very well-known company, great resume-builder

Cons:
- Pay is 5k less, benefits are more expensive, not as good (after tax about a total of $10k less)
- Work hours are longer, about 40-60hrs per week

Thoughts:
- If I take this job, my plan is to visit a bunch of different cities, attend conferences, go to concerts, and basically go to all the places I've always wanted to go. My worry is that I may not have time to work on much side business projects, but the ability to travel/work anywhere could be a rare opportunity.

------------------


Both jobs involve the same exact type of work, and I'll learn the same skills.


Just curious what fastlaners would choose, given these options?


Thanks for any opinions.

But why not? You mentioned your side business, why not just focus on those? Make those work and grow them, sure you might have to sacrifice a little up front but it would be worth it in the long run. Even pick up a night and weekend job if you have to for a bit to pay bills until you can afford to pull some money out of the business.

https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/my-1000th-post-lose-the-job-now.45141/

 

[jpa0827]

But why not? You mentioned your side business, why not just focus on those? Make those work and grow them, sure you might have to sacrifice a little up front but it would be worth it in the long run. Even pick up a night and weekend job if you have to for a bit to pay bills until you can afford to pull some money out of the business.

https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/my-1000th-post-lose-the-job-now.45141/

More and more I am agreeing with this burn the boats mentality. Sometimes you just have to make a choice and focus.

 

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[rocksolid]

If you take job B it sounds like you are going to be moving around a lot, will that take time away from getting on the fastlane? I like that B is a well know name company so at least there is better security than working for a no name company that could go out of business. A is appealing because it will give you more freedom to focus on the fastlane. Maybe you try to negotiate more money from B and not focus so much on traveling all over the place and divide that time between travel and fastlane.

 

[oddball]

Would you rather travel for work now or travel for yourself down the road?

 

[mayana]

I would definitely go for the "A" job, although there was one thing that I didn't understand about the job. What do you mean that you would have to take it for the "long haul"? Does this mean that if your fastlane business took off that you couldn't quit this job for some personal reason?

I like Job A for a few reasons:

1. More time to work on your Fastlane business
2. I don't care about the name of the company - if you want to be an entrepreneur, your resume shouldn't be of primary concern
3. Less stress - with the other job, you'll be extra tired and stressed, so even if you have a little time, you probably won't use it.
4. More money - even if it's just a little.

To me, it seems like an obvious choice. Of course, we don't know what these jobs are. If you are going to learn some amazing skill or make really great business connections in Job B, then that might be a reason to choose that job.

As far as a vacations go, don't worry about that. Get your business off the ground and then you can take vacations whenever you want. Get out of the employee mindset and into the entrepreneur perspective, and things will look a little more clear, I think.

Good luck with your choice

 

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[Vagabond 007]

For Job A: Who cares about the 2 weeks vacation and no name company. If you REALLY plan to figure out a fastlane business, than those 2 things are totally irrelevant.

For Job B: Longer hours means less time to work on your own thing. Who cares about the well known name and resume builder. Again, if you REALLY plan to figure out a fastlane business, they are totally irrelevant.

I think your real problem is your mindset. You have conflicting thoughts. You talk about having a side business which I'll assume you would like to grow so someday you can have a fastlane business. Yet in the same post you talk about building your resume and working for a known company.

You also talk about a perk being able to travel. If your side business becomes fastlane, you will be able to travel where you want, when you want, and with whom you want.

I think you need some clarity before moving forward.

 

[jon.a]

Time and money
You know your answer
If in fact you will be working on your own project, trade the least time for the most money.

 

[Get Right]

Woah woah woah. I see you joined in 2011 but yet are asking a "newbie" question. What gives?

If I were you I would back up and complete these:

1. Re-read the book
2. Join the INSIDERS
3. Attend a meetup
4. Start asking yourself the really tough questions that you are avoiding.

The family here will be glad to help along the way, now let's get to it!

 

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[DeletedUser397]

Thanks all for your feedback, opinions, and suggestions, I really appreciate it.

I think the fact that you all mentioned how I should be valuing my time made the difference in my decision. After talking with the hiring managers for both a few more times, I realized that Job B is actually more flexible and less time-consuming because I set my own hours. With Job A, I would have had to be in an office 9-5 regardless of whether I had actual work/deadlines. I would also have to commute and probably waste more time around going to work, preparing to go, etc. With Job B, I just need to meet the deadlines in the comfort of my home, so if I work 50hrs one week, the next I can work 30hrs, and so on.

As far as travel, I'll be scoping out places to live, attending tech conferences, and growing my side business - not exactly vacationing for leisure.

Maybe I need to re-read the book, but I'm also a bit surprised at the response to just quit my job. I didn't write the salaries for these jobs, but if I had stated that they were roughly around $150k+ per year, I wonder if the response to quit would have been any different.

Unfortunately, I think I can do decently in the slowlane - the slowlane is easier and not so bad considering I really enjoy my line of work. My plan is to only quit my day job when my side business income completely exceeds my job income in a consistent period of 6 months. I've only been able to have it exceed for 1 month so far, and I'm really not willing to take the leap of faith yet.

 

[Get Right]

Ok, just remember:

1. Your time is very valuable.
2. It will be darn near impossible to get there at 150k a year (trust me, my slowlane was north of that).

 

[Simon Ashari]

Unfortunately, I think I can do decently in the slowlane - the slowlane is easier and not so bad considering I really enjoy my line of work. My plan is to only quit my day job when my side business income completely exceeds my job income in a consistent period of 6 months. I've only been able to have it exceed for 1 month so far, and I'm really not willing to take the leap of faith yet.

If you are happy the way things are going, that's more than okay. In fact I'm happy for you.

But having the side income exceed your job is not something I would count on. The mind plays a lot of tricks. It's amazing how we can be 'too tired this week' to hustle on a business. This can go on week after week forever.

The 'burning your bridges' mentality does have some merit to it.

 

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[Brentnal]

I got a question to, i am 18 years old right now and the only thing i know is that i want to be in finance (i find it really intresting the whole economic/ finance) and that i naturaly am a analyzing person.
And more of a independant person, i like to do things myself the way i want it.

I like politics, psycology,finance,All sorts of investing. I am not much of a people's person but i am working on it.

I don't know which financial job i should choose.

I made a list to make it easier for you guys to help me, so here are one of the three choices i want to choose from.
Eventualy i want to make money on my own but first i want to have a job where i can learn really much.

So to sum it up: political,psycological,investing, much to learn.
When you choose also think about the future and is it highly competitive (competitive is a bad thing) can you niche in it? Is there a possibility to thrive in it?

• Financial analyst
• Financial advisor
• Business analyst

Many thanks,
Kind regards Roy

(Sorry for the bad English)

 

[Nur]

Woah woah woah. I see you joined in 2011 but yet are asking a "newbie" question. What gives?

If I were you I would back up and complete these:

1. Re-read the book
2. Join the INSIDERS
3. Attend a meetup
4. Start asking yourself the really tough questions that you are avoiding.

The family here will be glad to help along the way, now let's get to it!

what meetup? Oh u mean only in US?

 

[Deleted17784]

Definitely take whichever will give you enough time to work on your own projects. Also, in regards to world travel. (My passion)

I get very little done while traveling. When you arrive in a new exciting city the last thing you want to do is crack open your lap top and sit alone in your hotel room.

My advice is travel when you have free time and really enjoy it. Good luck and I wish you much success.

 

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[FLYmk]

Many great responses above but I'll throw in my 2 cents.

First off, as asked by another 'laner, why does vacation matter if your goal is to get in to the Fastlane sooner than later? To get in to that Fastlane, vacation shouldn't even be part of your thought process (unless you're thinking "Oh man, I'll be able to go on some great 'vacations' when this is humming!").

Job A sounds more appropriate to fit the flexibility you'll need. While the remote options of Job B are appealing, Job A has the box mentality; work the 40 hours and nothing else.

...I think the answer is pretty clear.