‘Would you stay or take the leap?’: SG mum torn between stable job and higher-paying opportunity

SINGAPORE: When a new opportunity with higher pay, a better position and more learning opportunities comes knocking, it’s usually easy to take the leap given how much there is to gain. The story takes a turn when you have other things to consider.

A mom with a preschool child with special needs who had a similar opportunity come knocking was left torn between staying in her current job, which offers stability but little career progression, and going for a new opportunity.

Sharing her story on r/askSingapore, she wrote: “I’ve always been afraid to venture out because I have a preschool child with special needs, and stability is something I really value. I can go home on time, one day work from home (WFH) and I can bring my child to therapy and the job is less stressful. I haven’t actually been looking for a new job, but an opportunity came knocking, with higher pay, position, and more learning opportunities because the company does many projects as compared to my current one. No WFH.”

However, the new role would mean becoming busier and dealing with more stress.

Torn over whether to give up the stability she has, she asked others in similar situations: “Anyone else staying in a stable job despite having little career progression? If you were in my shoes, would you still stay in your comfort zone, or take the leap and go for it?”

Commenters, however, noted that her dilemma may be less about staying in her comfort zone and more about choosing a job that better fits her needs and responsibilities.

One commenter said, “From the sounds of it, your current job fits your needs better…Your other considerations and responsibilities in your life are very real.”

Another shared how he and his wife had decided to work backwards from the kind of life they wanted, choosing to stop chasing higher pay when it meant more stress, longer hours and less time with family and friends.

“Sometimes, when we compare ourselves to peers who earn much more, it does suck. But most people only share the highlights. A higher salary often comes with more stress and longer hours. We decided that where we are right now is good enough. It takes a lot of discipline to stop moving the goalposts, but we are happy where we are. There’s a saying along the lines of ‘Work to live, don’t live to work’ and that is our mantra,” the commenter added.

Meanwhile, a third commenter, who was also a mother, shared that she had faced the same dilemma after leaving a more flexible job for one that paid well, and regretted it. While adjusting during the first two years was difficult, she said she’s not willing to “leave and risk” her current job unless the new opportunity is “super amazing”. “I would value flexibility over money or title in this phase of my life,” she said. /TISG

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