High paying job with low security or stable low income? Techie's work experience offers a simple answer to this career dilemma
Many professionals face the dilemma of choosing between a high-paying job with low security and a stable, lower-paying role. An IT professional shared his experience of switching to higher-paying positions despite uncertain job stability, noting b...
By ET Online |
Choosing between a high paying job with low security and a stable, low paying job is a dilemma many professionals face, especially in the IT sector. The decision isn’t easy and can depend a lot on personal circumstances, lifestyle, and financial planning. A post shared on Reddit highlighted this common career question: Should one stick with a seemingly stable job that pays less but feels secure, or move to a high paying job where benefits are better but the risk of layoffs is higher?
The original poster, an IT professional, described his experience. He started in a service company and during the Covid exodus, moved to a product company that offered almost double the pay. Over five years, he changed jobs again and now earns more than twice what he would have made had he stayed in his original role. However, he noted that job security has been “quite low” at both companies, though work-life balance has been good.
He also mentioned how different the situation feels compared to his old colleagues, many of whom are stuck in lower-paying service jobs with high stress and poor work-life balance. Meanwhile, his current peers worry about job loss, even though they are financially better off.
Reddit users weighed in with practical advice. One commenter said, “IT services employees don’t have job security,” pointing out that stability in some sectors is largely an illusion.
Another suggested a way to manage the risk: “The fear of being axed goes down massively once you have 12 months of expenses saved up. High pay + low security makes more sense when you treat that gap as your own personal employment insurance. The real risk is when people lifestyle-inflate immediately after switching and have no buffer.”
Yet another comment offered a simple approach: “Make quick money. When you lose a high paying job, join a low paying job and adjust the expenditure accordingly,” highlighting flexibility and adaptability as key strategies.
The original poster, an IT professional, described his experience. He started in a service company and during the Covid exodus, moved to a product company that offered almost double the pay. Over five years, he changed jobs again and now earns more than twice what he would have made had he stayed in his original role. However, he noted that job security has been “quite low” at both companies, though work-life balance has been good.
He also mentioned how different the situation feels compared to his old colleagues, many of whom are stuck in lower-paying service jobs with high stress and poor work-life balance. Meanwhile, his current peers worry about job loss, even though they are financially better off.
Reddit users weighed in with practical advice. One commenter said, “IT services employees don’t have job security,” pointing out that stability in some sectors is largely an illusion.
Another suggested a way to manage the risk: “The fear of being axed goes down massively once you have 12 months of expenses saved up. High pay + low security makes more sense when you treat that gap as your own personal employment insurance. The real risk is when people lifestyle-inflate immediately after switching and have no buffer.”
Yet another comment offered a simple approach: “Make quick money. When you lose a high paying job, join a low paying job and adjust the expenditure accordingly,” highlighting flexibility and adaptability as key strategies.
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