I do interesting, rewarding work at a tiny specialised consultancy. I like the hours and the people, but the pay is measly. I've been told I can rewrite my job description, although it wouldn't mean much more money. Instead, I could go for a bog-standard analyst position with a bank, with longer hours, but increase my salary by at least 50 per cent. What should I do?

Consultant, male, 26

If I were you I'd stay put. The trouble is that I'm not you, but even taking that into account I'd urge you to stay put anyway.



There are two snags for you in analysing whether to move. You don't know how important job satisfaction is to you until you try living without it, and neither do you know how good or bad a new job might be. To move is to take a risk and for it to be wise, the odds must be compelling.



At about your age I did the same thing in reverse. I was earning a lot of money in the City, hated the job and spent much of my time crying in the loo. I swapped this for an uncertain job on a magazine on less than half the salary. Because my starting-point was so dismal, I reasoned the new position would be better. It was: much.



If you are so poor that you can't afford to eat and pay the rent, or if the absence of skiing holidays has become unbearable, you need to move. But if you are in a greyer area, wishing you had more money but prepared to struggle on, moving looks too risky. Think how lovely your current job is. You have nice colleagues, good hours, interesting work - you can even write your own job description. At a guess, I'd put you in the top 0.1 per cent of the population in terms of job satisfaction. By contrast, I know a few happy City analysts and quite a lot of miserable ones. To run the risk of being in the latter group for only 50 per cent more money doesn't seem like a good deal at all.



Of course, the ideal position is to have money and satisfaction. You are only 26; you have many years in which to achieve both. In time, can you earn more where you are? Can you supplement your income with something else? Even if you can't, you should move only when your need for more money has become intolerable. That point could come if or when you have a pram in the hall - although if you have managed to marry someone with a handsome income, that will solve all problems at one happy stroke.

DON'T SELL OUT

The moment you sell out, you will never again get the opportunity to do unique, original work. That's the kind of work that defines you - and your future value. Carry on rising through your boutique consultancy for as long as you can possibly afford. The longer you work there, the more you'll get when you go to a big, bad bank.



Director, male, 37

GO IT ALONE

Start your own consultancy. Only a business owner can be paid what he or she is worth. You need to look on this opportunity as an education and do whatever it takes to get the right business experience to position yourself as a plausible independent consultant.



Consultant, male, 40

BUY-SIDE IS BETTER

You should be able to have both money and satisfaction. Have a look at buy-side investment firms as well - they can offer as much as (if not more) job satisfaction and pay with better hours than at an investment bank. At your age, though, the hours should not be a priority.



Analyst, female, 30

ANALYST'S HEAVEN

You have no idea if the well-paid job in a bank is as boring as you imagine. Plenty of mainstream banks offer a surprisingly stimulating work environment and the choice of jobs on offer - once you get past the initial credibility hurdle - is much larger than that found in a small and specialised consultancy. This could be a win-win situation for you.



Banker, male, 35

ANALYST'S HELL

I recently decided to leave a promising career in an investment bank. The salary was lavish but the working hours were inhuman, social or family life was non-existent and the level of stress was intolerable. I've given it up for a job with a measly salary but one that's interesting and personally satisfying and - guess what - I've never been happier in my life.



Ex-banker, male, 27

A HEADHUNTER WRITES

Using maximum discretion, line up job interviews with as many of the top banks as you can. When you get a job offer, tell your employers the truth about why you would consider leaving. If they offer you enough money to stay, problem solved. If not, take the best rival offer and go.



Headhunter, male, 43

我在一家小型专业咨询公司，干着一份有趣也有价值的工作。我喜欢这里的工作时间和同事，但薪水非常微薄。有人告诉我，我可以修改我的工作描述，但这并不会意味着大幅涨工资。相反，我可以在银行找一份初级分析师的工作，工作时间可能会加长，但薪水至少能提高50%。我该怎么做？

咨询顾问，男性，26岁

如果我是你，我会按兵不动。问题是我不是你，但即便如此，我也希望你无论如何要按兵不动。

在分析你是否该换工作时，有两方面的障碍。在你没有试过失去工作满足感的情况下，你不知道它对你有多重要，你也不知道新工作对你是好还是坏。换工作就是要承担风险，如果想明智地换工作的话，成功的概率必须很大。

大约在你这个年纪时，我也做过同样的事，不过方向恰恰相反。当时我在伦敦金融城拿着高薪，但我憎恨这份工作，大多数时间都是在洗手间里哭鼻子。后来我在一家杂志换了一份不确定的工作，薪水少了一大半。由于我的出发点非常消沉，因此认为新工作可能会更好。事实上的情况是：要好得多。

如果你非常穷，掏不起饭钱和房租，或者如果没有假期去滑雪令你无法忍受，那么你需要跳槽。但如果你处于一个更为贫困的地带，希望自己能有更多的钱，但又准备继续熬下去，那么换工作的风险似乎太大。不妨想想你目前的工作是多么地有趣。你的同事不错，工作时间合适，工作也很有趣——你甚至可以撰写自己的工作描述。我猜，在工作满意度方面，你可以算在前0.1%的人里面。相比而言，在我认识的金融城分析师中，开心的很少，不如意的相当多。为了多挣区区50%的薪水，就冒着成为后一类人的风险，似乎不太像是一笔划算的买卖。

当然，理想的情况是高薪与满足感兼得。你只有26岁；有很多年的时间来实现这两个目标。到时候，你能挣得更多吗？你能做其它什么事来增加自己的收入吗？即使你不能，只有当你难以按捺自己对挣更多钱的需求时，你才应该换工作。如果或是当你有了孩子时，这一天可能会到来——不过如果你想办法娶了一个收入可观的妻子，那么所有问题都将迎刃而解。

不要轻言离职

一旦你离开现在的工作，你将再也得不到从事一份独特而富有独创性工作的机会。这种工作可以确定你目前和未来的价值。只要你能够呆得住，那就继续做你这份不错的咨询工作吧。你在那里工作的时间越长，当你跳槽到一家不合意的大型银行工作时，你得到的薪水也会更高。

主管，男性，37岁

单干创业

创建你自己的咨询公司吧。只有老板才能得到与自己价值相当的薪水。你必须把它当成一次学习的机会，尽量地掌握正确的商界经验，使自己成为一个看似独立的咨询师。

咨询顾问，男性，40岁

买方投资公司是更好的选择

你应该能够做到高薪与满足感兼得。不妨也考虑一下处于买方的投资公司吧——它们能够提供与投资银行同样多（如果说不是更多的话）的满足感和薪水，工作时间也更为合理。不过，就你的年纪来说，工作时间不应该是优先考虑的问题。

分析师，女性，30岁

分析师的天堂

你不清楚一个收入不错的银行工作是否像你想象得那么无聊。许多主流银行提供非常激动人心的工作环境，而且一旦你跨越了最初的可信性障碍，可供选择的职位将远多于一家小型专业咨询公司。对你来说，这或许是一种双赢的局面。

银行家，男性，35岁

分析师的地狱

我最近决定离开一家投资银行，放弃一份前途光明的工作。工资很高，但工作时间长得不人道，根本没有社交或家庭生活，压力达到了令人无法忍受的程度。我放弃了，为了另一份收入微薄的工作，但新工作很有趣，我个人对此很满意，你猜怎么着？我从未比现在更快乐过。

前银行家，男性，27岁

一位猎头写道

运用最大限度的判断力，排队参加尽可能多的顶级银行面试。当你得到聘用通知时，告诉你的老板，你之所以考虑离开的真实原因。如果他们提供足够的钱来留你，那么问题就解决了。如果不行，接受最好企业的聘用通知，然后跳槽离开。

猎头，男性，43岁

译者/何黎