Employee Making $100K/Year Is Offered a 200% Salary Increase To Go Fully In-Person, Considers Turning It Down

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A stressed man sits at a desk and talks on the phone

My gut tells me I should turn down a job that offers a 200% salary increase. Am I crazy?

I currently make about $100k a year. This salary has allowed me to live very comfortably in terms of cost of living in my city. I have no debt, and my current job is also pretty comfortable. It lets me work from home 2 days a week, my commute is short, and I only rarely need to work over time beyond the 40hrs. Overall it's been ideal for my slower lifestyle.
This new job opportunity is my salary in the tech industry, a promotion, and would require me to move to CA, Bay Area.
It requires 5 days a week in office, and I know that the expectations for this salary must also require a high amount of overtime and being available 24/7. Having worked for startups before- I've already experienced this when I was younger. I was often burnt out, and I'm not sure I could handle that stress and workload anymore.
I also dread moving away from my family and friends and having this job become my entire life in order to justify the salary. My gut says I should say no, to have a better work life balance, and fear of loneliness separating from my family.
But my head says that at 3x my current salary I have no other option but to say yes. Is it crazy to say no?
gajillionaire You have the grail: good salary, no debt, close to your support system, work/life balance. Bay Area startups HAVE to give huge salaries to lure in talented people. Stay in your current situation.
PossibilityNervous35 Even if offered 10X what I make now, you couldn't convince me to move to SF or even back to Denver where I am from. There is peace in my life now and that is worth so much more than money.
A stressed man at work sits at a desk and talks on the phone
tbutylator Sounds like you would be bringing in 300k plus if you took this job. I think it really depends on where you are in life, what your current goals are and what your future goals are.
I would say - if you are young and have a future goal to retire early/have lots of money, then you should take the job. Taking a 300k job now for a couple years (especially if it has RSUs and other perks) will set you up long run. People say SF is super expensive but if you rent and don't have tons of
expenses you will make out very well. It's also not binding - if you don't like it after a couple of years you can always come back! But no matter the age or goals, if you know you would be unhappy then it's okay to say no.
tropicalsadness Not crazy at all but have you asked the interviewer some of these questions? If you're already prepared to turn it down, might as well ask them about their expectation regarding OT, etc.
TenaciousVillain I went off the deep in with my first reply. Reading this again, I feel like you're leaving out some very important context. Many of these details were known before you applied.
Location, startup, tech, high pay, in-office, leaving family and friends... but you still applied. And not just applied, went through the interview process and secured an offer.
But you have neglected to share with the audience why you gave this employer your energy to begin with and now you want ours-but friend, you are not giving us internet strangers the whole story. SOMETHING attracted you to this role. What was it?
sephiroth3650 OK. The salary is 3x. But when you factor in cost of living, how much more are you really making?
redditor_040123 Listen to it. I ignored and entered the most toxic situation of my life. Learned a lot but wow it was bad.
Firm Worth_2519 If you have to ask, you already know the answer. Trust your gut. All money isn't good money, especially for the major trade offs you mentioned.
pwhales1011 Counter: lower salary and remote. The hours might be worse but you'll be close to your network. If they like you, they might make it work

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