I am 42 years old and currently work at a job that I like and have had for almost seven years. I have more than 20 years experience. The problem is that it doesn’t pay very well. I would like to move on to a job that pays better, but I don’t want to sacrifice time with my children, ages four and eight, in order to achieve some financial goals. Should I wait until my children are older, and then focus more on my job/career? Or should I make the change now, and take the necessary chances? I’m at a crossroad, and need some advice.

You are definitely at a crossroad.

The first thing I notice is that you seem to truly enjoy your work, which makes you very fortunate. According to a recent Gallup poll, only 20% of North Americans really do enjoy their job. Your main challenge is finding the balance between economic and family and career challenges. Finding the right blend of these elements is what makes managing a career a complex issue. Achieving a balance between each of these is the holy grail of career success. Often, different roles within an organization offer different economic rewards for the same skill set. For example, I have seen clients in the support side of a charity move to the fundraising side and make 20-30% more for a similar skill set; often organizations value the revenue side more than the “overhead” side. Another option is to look outside the sector. The reality is that each sector has different economic margins. For example, the financial sector generally offers higher income than the healthcare sector. I have seen some people double their salaries by shifting sectors.

The more likely reality is that a better-paying position will, in fact, require more time and energy. If this is the case, during your job search you will need to continually weight the pros and cons. Perhaps the increase in pay is significant and the increase in hours or workload is minimal, or perhaps the opposite is true. This is a decision that only you can make when the times comes. Also, be very careful of what I call the income trap – where you are making a great income, but your job satisfaction is significantly lower. Often we set up our lifestyles around this, and it reduces our choices if we are not satisfied. Remember, in most studies income is ranked fourth or fifth when it comes to career satisfaction.

My suggestion would be to see what is out there. Give consideration to what would really make you happy in your career and begin to research what it would take for you to get there. Set some boundaries for yourself regarding how much you are willing to sacrifice. Then, each time an opportunity arises, you can make a decision on whether or not it is worth pursuing. This way, as you move forward, you can continually keep your career needs and your family’s needs at the forefront of your mind.

Alan Kearns is the Head Coach and the Brand Champion! of CareerJoy. He is one of Canada’s foremost experts on all things career. With more than 14 years of experience coaching people through successful career changes, he brings an intimate knowledge of the entire transition process to all of his clients. To contact Alan about paid professional services, e-mail alan@careerjoy.com or visit his web site www.careerjoy.com.

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