Does it ever makes sense to take a step back in pay and benefits?

It depends what you think your growth prospects are at new company vs old company

If you can move up faster at new company it could be worth it

Do you think your growth potential is better at the new place? Would it make you happier?

1. I would never work for a company that large.
2. I would never work an hour away from my house. Doing that once was enough

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Does it ever makes sense to take a step back in pay and benefits?

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How are you going to a F50 and your benefits are going down?

The reason pay is going down is because this would be a senior role vs manager, but I'd be going from small company to F50. It's also an international tax role and that's not an area I've had a lot of experience in. They are manager heavy so going over as a manger isn't an option.

I work for a person right now that just doesn't know their stuff as much as she thinks she does. I have to walk her through why she's missing the issues and i usually deal with the external consultants (friends of mine) through the back channels to move things along. Frankly, I think it's not enough of a challenge for me.

The bigger issue for me with the F50 is the benefits. The pay is a wash. The commute I could even make peace with. But they are offering one week of vacation and 5 sick days in year one when I currently get 3 weeks of PTO plus sick days. The F50 vacation does jump to two weeks after year 1.

The F50 job will be more demanding, in sure. So I'd be accepting longer hours, longer commute for slightly less pay and less time off. It's tough to swallow that. I'm not in a huge market so the number of corporate tax jobs in the area are limited. This F50 department seems like a solid bunch in terms of brains, experience, and personalities (ie I think it would at least be a positive culture, environment).

I just think I'm giving up too much if I go and I worry I'll resent that once the polish is off the new, shiny job. I could live with losing title for experience. I could make peace with the commute because I like listening to my language CDs on drives so it's not wasted time. But when you throw in the less favorable vacation time for a role that could average 50-60 hours a week, I think that's a lot to give up. I'm justified in that right?

You obviously feel it's worth it for you professionally. We are in different but similar fields but in my field it's beneficial to work in a number of different vertical markets just for perspective and exposure.

If you don't have kids then I don't see any real reason you shouldn't give it a shot. You obviously want to do it and feel like it'll help you long term. Even if you're begging to come back to the old place in 2 years you won't have lost anything. You'll gain experience and knowledge from jumping in on that big role.

Don't do the same year 75 times and call it life. -Robin Sharma

Apparently it's not negotiable. Strict HR policy. It seems like it is one week of vacation that is holding me back but it's that on top of all the other things I give up. I Think it's just one thing too many.

I'm about 8 years into my career. Newly wed and no kids...yet. Wife is already hating the idea of an hour commute which is weighing on me too. She values the flexibility and hours at the current job and I get that, especially since we plan on trying for kids in the next year. She is the breadwinner and likely will be for the foreseeable future. I guess what is driven this is that I am not satisfied professionally even though from a personal perspective I'm in a fine place. We don't really need the extra income but I don't want to be bored with my career either.

are you happy at your current job? do you have a good relationship with your coworkers and superiors? do you sit and stare at the clock all day long waiting until its time to leave?

i agree that 90 to 85k is pretty much a wash. the much longer commute will suck. it's tough to put a price on happiness, so that should be a consideration.