Would you take this job?

Long story short, thinking of switching jobs.  Current job is theater tech director.  New job would be College tech director.  Same thing, younger participants.

Benefits are a wash
Pay would go up about 10k
other benefits like freedom, fun, make my own schedule, having a beer fridge in my office, etc would mostly be replaced with requisition forms, 2.3 personal days, oversight, bureaocracy, etc

I was also offered to instead take a part time teaching position (one class, two days a week) teaching scenic design for $6k which would mean I could keep my old job which I both love and get frustrated with, but now I'm only making an extra $6k and adding more to my workload.
 

Part time teaching gig sounds like the best option to me because of this

other benefits like freedom, fun, make my own schedule, having a beer fridge in my office, etc would mostly be replaced with requisition forms, 2.3 personal days, oversight, bureaocracy, etc

If you then like it enough, and are ok with the structure, go full time at the school. If you hate it, stop doing it, no real damage

Is the school a state school? If so, are there additional "state employee" perks that have value? 

matthewmcl said:

Is the school a state school? If so, are there additional "state employee" perks that have value? 

This.

Also, don't forget that with all those downsides, employment stability is an upside for the new gig.

I don't suppose you could take both the new position and the part-time teaching gig?  Not the same school?

Whats the job security comparison looking like?  How important is that to you?

Promotion potential?  

Having done a switch like this and then getting summarily dumped 5 months later, don't do it. Do the PT extra if you want, but keep the current job. 

i've done the EV startup thing for about 6 years now.  they get you in the door with $alary but that's to compensate for the instability / uncertainty of having a job next year / month / week?

so, is the $10k annual bump sufficient to outweigh the potential negatives?  Only curtis73 can answer this.

Run away. 

That hassle is not worth $10k.

QuasiMofo (John Brown) said:

Run away. 

That hassle is not worth $10k.

That depends if it's a $30k to $40k bump or a $100k bump to $110k,  From what he has posted in the past, its closer to the first number. I'd still take the $6k though instead.

I can't speak for Pennsylvania, or if it alters county to county, but as an employee in NY your kids attend free.  Friend was laid off and took a job as a groundskeeper at RPI.  His daughter goes for free.   DIL is the head shrink at Westport CT schools, though they don't live in the district the kid can go there.  (when other high schoolers roll up in Mommy's old Lamboroghini, he would probably pull in with chopped  '53 Chevy).

Only knowing a bit about you from on here, you seem to be such a great fit at what you are doing. Despite the occasional frustration , it the theatre work seems to suit you. And the teaching, as well. 
it's also hard to be happy, when keeping a roof over your head gets unfordable!

I can't see the 4 grand difference being enough, but are you happy enough? 

All potential jobs should be evaluated vs your existing job not on a $ vs $ basis, but instead using a $/bullE36 M3 vs $/bullE36 M3 ratio.

$10k pay bump with twice the bullE36 M3? No go in my book.

I spent my working years employed by (1) the Postal Service, and then (2) a mid sized city. 

I have to say that I'm a huge fan of retirement and health insurance and all that comes with "working for the man".  There was plenty of time that I was under earning compared to people in the private sector, but in the end the benefits heavily outweighed everything else. 

The only way I would jump would be by comparing job security. If the new job is more secure than the old, it seems worth the hassle. Being a college, you also might get some holidays off and possibly between semesters. When I worked at the local college, we never had shows during winter and spring break.

I think you are leaving out a major component...
 

You work for a non-profit. Your boss is a board of community artsy folks. Your coworkers are volunteers who may or may not bring talent.  There are no raises in your future, or growth opportunities. 
 

As a college tech director you will be working for an educational institution. They value  education, and will reward you for expanding your own.  Your boss will be an educator who cares about expanding opportunities for the school and for the students. Your coworkers will be passionate young people driven to excel in the industry. You will continuously be making connections to help the students succeed (and yourself). You will be on a professional ladder, not the love slave of a few local do-gooders who love "the arts".

And you are a really good teacher.  At some point, you will begin getting those calls from former students saying "Thank you for all you poured into me".

Don't underestimate the positives.  

I started my career as a tech theater teacher. I should have stayed there.

Any chance you could take the educational position, and continue to do some work with the theatre on a contract basis?

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

Plus, you know damned well how much you would enjoy a pipe and a cardigan sweater!

I used to work at Duke University as an R&D engineer. There were some serious frustrations with the bureaucracy however in hind sight there were a lot of amazing things about the job. There is a lot of freedom in a university setting. 
 

Taking a job for only money in my experience isn't a recipe for success. I would look at all the takes and puts. 
 

I have several friends that are adjunct professors, I would say most of them feel meh about it at best. That doesn't mean it isn't worth giving it a shot. 

You lost me at oversight and bueracracy. HARD pass. 

Mndsm said:

You lost me at oversight and bueracracy. HARD pass. 

95% this, the other 5% is the beer fridge.

What are your goals in life? Which option gets you closer to meeting those goals?

If I remember correctly, you're in an admirable situation where you don't really have much expenses in your life and you don't have people that are financially dependent on you. If I didn't have a wife and kid, I would be a caddie in the summer and referee ice hockey the rest of the year, and I would go fishing a hell of a lot more than I do now.  To quote my bartender friend, "you can choose to go the responsible route, or you can choose to go Full Lebowski - I have no regrets going after the latter". 
 

If I'm you, I don't want to give up summering at the cottage in Canada. 

matthewmcl said:

Is the school a state school? If so, are there additional "state employee" perks that have value? 

City community college.

I've been on the phone all day learning about perks.  My first concern was that it would bump me from a 12% tax bracket to 22%, but if I choose to, I can just contribute more pre-tax income to my retirement... which they match (super cool).

Also learned that vacation goes to 20 days after a year of employment

Then I learned they have automotive courses, which hopefully means - hey... how about a brake job while I'm teaching?

Apexcarver said:

Whats the job security comparison looking like?  How important is that to you?

 

Promotion potential?  

Well, the college job is funded in part by the city, it's been around for 150 years, and hasn't ever been in the red.  The theater where I am is always one sponsor away from closing the doors.

Yes, promotion potential, but unlikely.  There is no real position above me as TD other than Dean, and the best I can hope for is picking up additional classes.  I could really only make Dean if I taught full time, and did so for a while.

914Driver said:

I can't speak for Pennsylvania, or if it alters county to county, but as an employee in NY your kids attend free.  Friend was laid off and took a job as a groundskeeper at RPI.  His daughter goes for free.   DIL is the head shrink at Westport CT schools, though they don't live in the district the kid can go there.  (when other high schoolers roll up in Mommy's old Lamboroghini, he would probably pull in with chopped  '53 Chevy).

That would be true at this college if I had kids.  They do offer me free courses on-campus, and 60% reimbursement from any other school I choose to attend.  The lady I'm replacing said that she just finished an art class at another college using that 60% trick.

Will the college let you bring your powder coating oven with you?

When I was at Duke I did have full access to a machine shop, sheet metal tools, and lab facilities.