Hi everyone,
I am a young professional currently facing a career dilemma, and I wonder if anyone with more life experiences could give me some helpful advice.
Situation:
I’m a master’s graduate in her mid/ late 20s in an extremely competitive field (international organisations, e.g. UN). Long story short, I used to be a junior staff member at a big, reputable international organisation. However, I became unemployed unexpectedly (didn’t get fired though) and have been looking for a new job for almost half a year now.
I now have a job opportunity in front of me, but it 1) pays much lower than what I used to earn, and 2) is at a lower level (admin. assistant position), which does not actually even require a university degree. I have my emergency fund saved up, so money isn’t exactly a problem. I also started getting unemployment benefits for one month now, but of course, this job would pay more than unemployment benefits.
My question is: Should I take it or leave it?
From a purely financial point of view, I guess it would make sense to take it so that I can keep having some income, even if it’s way lower than what I used to have. But at the same time, I’m worried that taking such a position would hurt my career on the long-run (both professionally and financially). If I leave it, I could take a much longer time (e.g. one year or more) to get another offer/ position. (tested and proven by my friends who are also in this field)
What would you do if you were in my shoes (taking into account all the life experiences you now have)?
Thanks for dropping by!