Money, money, money

Last week, a friend offered me a job. Actually, she told me about two jobs at her company to which she wanted me to apply. Two jobs that pay considerably more than my measly little nonprofit job. Not only do they offer more, but they require less of me. For them, I need to know how to run an office and answer phones. For my job, I have to have a master's degree......

That's enough to make a girl think. And boy, have I been thinking! I thought a lot about the money. I like money. Heck, I have TWO JOBS, just so I can do stuff with all that money. But then I decided not to apply.

"Sharon, you are nuts!" you say. I know. I can also hear my dad's advice playing in my head over and over, as it's never quite drowned out. He says, "Ultimately, you work to make money. The end." So true. And yet, not ONLY to make money. There are louder voices.

Why I'm not going to apply:

1) My job hired me with the desire/intent to have me stay for about 2 yrs. Maybe I won't give them a full two years, but I've only given them 11 months so far. And they've had a lot of staff leave lately. I'd really be screwing them over if I left. So, I don't think I'd leave even if I applied and they offered me the position.

2) I'm actually using my degree at my job, and it gives me great experience. That could be very valuable for a future doing what I WANT to do and getting paid more later, rather than taking a no brainer job that could lead me to more no brainer jobs in a career that pays but has no appeal to me. If money was the only priority, would I have studied nonprofit management?

3) If money was the only priority, would I have studied nonprofit management? (I thought that point was worth reviewing... why DID I study nonprofit management????:))

4) I think I can convince my boss to give me a raise at my year mark. And that's only a month away.

5) If I don't get a raise, I can at least give back to the org. for the great experience they've given me. And I am optomistic that after that point, there will be more opportunities to make more money. It's not like that's the only job on the planet that will ever come my way.

6) Ahh, but HR's look at my previous salary, and just having a higher salary might get me better pay doing what I like to do in the future... I thought about that. But I don't think that applies the same way to the nonprofit field. They don't have the flexibility with their salary budgets that for-profit companies do.

7) Why be faithful to an empoloyer? Employers aren't that faithful to employees. Do what's best for you... a sound, good argument. I've been burned before and am leary of employers. But my job is pretty secure where I am. And they've treated me well. And it is a cause I am passionate about. And I have projects I want to see through to the end.

8) One could always make more money. But do I really need more money? Right now? Nah...

9) I really am a little crazy.