How do you prioritize Job offers by money and interest?

Question

I recently got into the 'problem' of having to decide between two job offers.* One pays significantly more (double~trippel leftover money after Tax/CoL), but the job is less interesting (java, spring-boot, transaction systems). * The other pays good/acceptable, but works with more interesting technologies (ML and embedded software)Note: Less interesting != boring, I don't apply for jobs I know I won't like for sure. Although I wonder if the java ecosystem and development approach is something I like long term.I usually follow my interests, but there was never this steep a difference in payment.Pondering this decision made me wonder, what various groups think about this - my friends don't have a clear opinion, I can guess what the FIRE crowd considers, so I wondered how HN prioritizes their offers.So, how do you prioritize?

asyncscrum · Accepted Answer

Usually I determine the money range required to live the lifestyle I want. Once competing offers hit that threshold, then I take money off the table as a evaluation criteria.Usually it comes down to a single question for me. How likely is it that this job ruins a family vacation? I've had that too many times, and I'm not doing that anymore. If I catch at least a hint of that likelihood, I'm out. Quality of life outside of work is the most important for me right now.

sircastor · Answer

I strongly favor interest over money.A few years back I was offered a job at a place that was nice, fine, but ultimately boring. I turned it down because in spite of the substantial pay increase, I just could not picture myself being interested in the work.Last year, I accepted a job that was a bit less than the aforementioned job (though a step up from where I was). I am super happy. I work with great people, doing interesting work, and get to dip my toes into a lot of cool stuff.If the first place had offered me a pile more money or something, I&rsquo;m still not sure I&rsquo;d have taken it. It was just not the right thing.Money can get you a lot, but it is not an indicator or substitute for fulfillment. Once you&rsquo;ve met your basic needs, optimize for personal fulfillment and happiness.

iancmceachern · Answer

I usually choose by choosing who I want to work for and with, the other factors are typically so close it doesn't matter. If one offer is 30% less, yeah don't take it, but if they're all within 10 or 20% of eachother, choose who you want to work with and for.

anotheryou · Answer

I'm in the safety of a job, but wanting to switch. With time on my side I mostly select binary, but shooting high and being picky.
must haves:
- no evil, no bullshit: biggest filter as that rules out: marketing/ads, surveillance, crypto/web3, e-commerce, gig-work economy (if not really evil, they are at least not interesting to me)
- interesting topic: one of these: AI, knowledge management, curation, science, audio, possibly engineering, interesting voting and recommendation systems
- career level same or above, but attempting to get something above
- decent work/life balance, preferably mostly remote (but willing to go to 5 instead of 4 work days)
- payment: same or above (unless I'm super super convinced with everything else)
Ideally
- remote beyond EU
This means I probably write just 1-3 applications a month and expect to do so for a while.

dcminter · Answer

I've worked on dull software with interesting people and interesting software with dull people. The people are easily the deciding factor for me.

pickitupsnake · Answer

This is very simple, take the money for the "less interest != boring" job. Save/invest the money for when you CoL is higher (kids, eldery parents, illness, ect.).

firstfewshells · Answer

I go with the one offering the best WLB, pay and cool coworkers. Most of the times, you can take up interesting initiatives at even seemingly boring places.

tsewlliw · Answer

Which boss / coworkers / company did you vibe with?

joshxyz · Answer

easy. take the first one then use the money to dabble on your favourite tehnologies on the side. you can also use that money to create additional cash flows.

dontbenebby · Answer

I've never had competing offers. It was my perception that some folks in or adjacent to law enforcement repeatedly abused their access to try to nudge me into some kind of "public service".
I've considered emigration, but every time I look into it, the rash of illegal behavior that follows usually takes six months to two years to recover from.
In fact, I'm putting off looking into getting into one email account at least another day because someone annoyed me so badly -- they keep making a show of setting me up with these "job interviews" that are basically free consulting sessions.
Now to be fair, I used to be kind of a narcicist, but I've learned to code, learned to hack, and gotten my health issues under control -- I lost about sixty pounds, but I keep having a string of folks either treat job interviews as free consulting sessions, or dates as chances to fish for information for... journalism or whatever?
It's a weird and frustrating pattern, so I sold some stock out of my IRA and am gonna just wander around in one of my favorite tshirts trying to brainstorm some way I could get a job.
(But until Halloween I guess I'll be... on vacation? I sometimes can't tell if people are being serious on this website, I'm having a surreal day.)