When we say that we want a better job, what exactly do we mean?
For many of us, the first thing that comes to mind is more money. And there are very good reasons for wanting more money. We may want to provide something for our family that we cannot currently afford, to free ourselves from a debt, or to acquire the means to do something we have wanted to do for years. The money represents something that we believe will make our lives better.
But if that is the purpose, then we need to examine the way that we intend to achieve it. The job that provides the additional income will also influence how we spend our days, what we have time for, the people we associate with and the abilities we develop. These things will become part of our lives just as surely as the money will. So when we compare two jobs, we need to understand what each of them would actually give us.
In Thursday’s essay, we examined what we actually want from money and work, and how we can become attached to a particular way of acquiring those things1. Today, we will put that understanding to use.
We will work through a comparison between two jobs, then use a worksheet to examine your own options. You can compare two offers, or your present role with a realistic alternative. The illustrated map brings the complete process together so that you can return to it when you need it.
