Take a harder job for more pay?

[FG Lurker]

I'm considering applying for another job... Of course this doesn't mean I will actually get the job, but I have a bit of an "in" at the company and have been told that the chances of success are good. It's a large worldwide firm that is well established in its business and is expanding.

If I am offered the job it would mean a substantial amount more money. In pretax terms it would work out to roughly 50% more than I make now -- and I'm doing pretty well now.

The downside is that I would be a helluva lot busier than I am now. As anyone can see from my FG posting habbits, I have a lot of freedom at my current workplace. Busy days are busy (sometimes crazily so), but there are a lot of quieter days where I have things to do, but can hardly be considered "busy".

So, if you could make a lot more money, but also have to do quite a lot more work, what would you do?

[dimwit]

My present job allows me to partake more fully in my favorite recreational activities.

[emperor]

if you could make a lot more money, but also have to do quite a lot more work, what would you do?

In Ireland, between e5,000 & e25,000 is taxed at 20%
and above that is 42% - so if it was here i might be inclined to say no... unless i had lots of stuff to write off as non-taxables


http://www2.gol.com/users/jpc/Japan/taxes.htm

but, Japan dosent seem to penalise earners in higher tax brackets.

[ichigo partygirl]

guess it depends why you are considering it. Are you not satisfied at your current job?? need a bigger challenge?? If you are getting restless at your current job then by all means go for the change. Once that seed has been planted in your mind it will be hard to remove it.

However you said you dont need the money and have a bit of free time. I guess it you value you your free time more than a greater challenge and pay packet stay.

Goodluck, let us know how you go

[FG Lurker]

if you could make a lot more money, but also have to do quite a lot more work, what would you do?

In Ireland, between e5,000 & e25,000 is taxed at 20%
and above that is 42% - so if it was here i might be inclined to say no... unless i had lots of stuff to write off as non-taxables


http://www2.gol.com/users/jpc/Japan/taxes.htm

but, Japan dosent seem to penalise earners in higher tax brackets.

Definitely as income goes up, taxes here get a lot worse. I already get screwed out of 30% for income tax alone on the top portion of my income. That hurts. Plus you start losing deductions as you start to earn more. It doesn't pay to be an employee that really can not take much in the way of deductions.

But man, you guys in Ireland get royally screwed! 42% of anything over 25,000 Euros?? Ouch!

[FG Lurker]

guess it depends why you are considering it. Are you not satisfied at your current job?? need a bigger challenge?? If you are getting restless at your current job then by all means go for the change. Once that seed has been planted in your mind it will be hard to remove it.

Well, there are a variety of reasons. I am not yet unhappy with my current position, but there won't be any major challenges coming up in the immediate future, either. (I've already finshed off the main challenge that lead me to take this job in the first place.)

The money is attractive, for sure... Plus the company is far larger, and there is likely to be more opportunity.

What I would be leaving behind is a near-perfect work situation. I report to the president of the Japanese subsiduary, but he basically lets me run the IT department as I see fit. As long as everything does what it should when it should there is basically no oversight.

The new company would be far different. I would overall have more responsibility, but I would also have a much more controlled environment with a lot more stress. Not to mention the ugly face of company politicis, something I basically do not have at all right now.

It's unlike me to be unsure like this really, so perhaps that is a sign in itself. I'll think about it some more I guess.

Goodluck, let us know how you go

Thanks Ichigo.

[amdg]

[fatslug]

depends what your priorities are......
Ive taken a 300 000 YEN pay cut a month so I can study Japanese fulltime !!
Never made a better decision !!!!!!!!!!!

[Mulboyne]

[emperor]

man, you guys in Ireland get royally screwed! 42% of anything over 25,000 Euros?? Ouch!

damn straight, here one needs an awfully creative accountant these days - and even so recently they went after alot of people who had been doing their best to avoid taxes for years - they had to pay back double what they owed - if they fessed up before a certain deadline - the people that didnt had some serious reparations on their hands

then the government go and piss all that hard earned money into the wind:
its always blown on inefficient and poorly planned infrastructural projects carried out by some politicians relative who happens to be in contruction...
or they spend millions on examining projects that never see the light of day - something like 16 million euro was spent on a new computer system for the health services that turned out to be unsuitable - all gone to waste - same thing happened when they ordered millions of euros worth of voting machines that dont have any immediate plans to be used and theyre paying several million (not an exagerated figure!!) a year to store them in a warehouse somewhere down the country!?!

..at least in Japan theres better chance the money will be well spent!

[Taro Toporific]

I would be leaving behind is a near-perfect work situation.

Nooooooooooo!

A good work situation in Japan (or anywhere for that matter) is a rarity and precious beyond gold. The more-money-more-grief foreign company would be a good exit strategy but you like the Land-of-Concrete(tm).

[AssKissinger]

at least in Japan theres better chance the money will be well spent!

Wow, I never thought I'd ever hear anyone say that about Japanese government expenditures!

Lurks, if your job doesn't have you on the verge of suicide and you can pay the rent for God's sake don't change.

[cstaylor]

I agree with Taro. As for "going stale", start a Linux initiative at your work. Has your company deployed VoIP yet? Start learning Asterisk on the job.

I'd stay put and spend the time learning new skills.

[oyajikun]

Value your free time. If you are doing fine now then don't move.

[kamome]

One measure of a good job for me is whether I am learning something new every day or not. On a past job I had in Japan, once I realized I wasn't learning anything I knew I had to get out.

Professional development and growth, in my opinion, is a huge factor in determining whether a job is worthwhile or not. Yes, money is important, but you have to know that you are developing or else you'll just be an unhappy guy collecting a bigger paycheck. So, do you think you are going to make any further progress in the job that you have now? Do you think that the potential job offers a better chance for growth? Will the new job get you to where you want to be in your field?

Also, do you think you could sustain a harder work schedule over the long term? Again, the longer hours have to count for something beyond just a paycheck. It has to mean that you will move into a position of greater responsibility or challenge you in ways you haven't been challenged before.

The last factor I look at is the personalities of the people I work with. If you could choose who you wanted to work with, do those personalities exist at the new office? Because, regardless of the size or reputation of the company, you will be unhappy if you have to deal with a bunch of insufferable a-holes day in and day out.

[FG Lurker]

Thank you to everyone who posted thoughts and ideas.

I've decided that I am going to apply for the job and go through the interview process. I'm not totally sure if I will accept the job if it is offered, but the guy I know there has told me he would be cool with that. I am leaning towards taking the job though (again, if they offer), unless some bizarre stuff comes up during interviews and negotiations.

[cstaylor]

Did you ask the wife for her input?

[FG Lurker]

Did you ask the wife for her input?

Yep, we have talked it over, and she's not too fussed about it one way or another. Encourages me to move forward, but doesn't want me to kill myself doing it.

Know the Japanese expressions "ageman" and "sageman"? My wife is most definitely "ageman".

[Greji]

Did you ask the wife for her input?

J-wives imputs are usually the same. If there is more money in it, go for it!

[IkemenTommy]

The worst job title around is the semen storage tank refurbisher.

[Greji]

The worst job title around is the semen storage tank refurbisher.

Refurbisher, or replenisher? If it is the latter, is the job still open?

[Skankster]

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I would JUMP at a chance to grow!!

[SushiBoy]

As a single male who has only been in Japan for a year, I would balk at the idea of talking on the extra workload. I'm in Japan for one main reason, that is to explore and experience the "qualities" of living in a different country. Unless the increase in salary would put you in a entirely different category which allows to live the lifestyle many would envy at, it is not worth the stress and bs that are sure to accompany the responsibilities. In my mind, if I really wanted to make a whooping career advancement the opprotunites are much greater and perhaps more valuable in States. As Gaijins our chances of doing extremely well in a large corporate environemnt are probably slim to none. Stick with what you have now as it sounds like you have it pretty good. Again, this is all coming from the perspective of a single male enjoying what Japan has to offer... so I can be totally of the mark.

[maninjapan]

it's a toughie - am in the same boat, got an interview for a kindergarten and also a business english company that would be more money and more responsibility but also longer hours. Yet it would look much better on the CV than an eikaiwa placement for when I go back to the Uk to teach.