Hello everyone, I am looking for support (I think) as I transition to a new job in such scary political times.
I have been working in community based finance since 2022 at a nonprofit community development credit union, first as a loan officer for three years and then switching to the counseling department as a HUD housing counselor. For the first 3 years I had a very difficult work environment with the lending manager, and really grew to hate my workplace. Like, I mean crying over my job on the regular for 3 years. When I switched to counseling I got a much better boss, which was the main reason I took that role on, in addition to caring about the work and organization. It helped my mental health a lot, but my wages stayed the same.
In general my wages have stagnated, with rising healthcare costs, I haven’t actually seen a significant raise in my wage there since I joined the org in 2022. I am around $23/hr or $48k/yr and they cover just 55% of the healthcare costs, so I pay over $500/month for my plan, brining my take home pay to about $2300/month.
I recently got and accepted a job offer at a local fair housing org to run their housing mobility program to help folks on section 8 move their vouchers to well resourced areas, outside of the city. I have my own critiques about the program, and it is a grant funded role, but overall it seems like a positive option for folks and I really enjoy working with the staff at this org (I have been doing HUD counseling for them via my current position) and the grant seems very stable for the next 5 years. The pay is $9k/yr more at $57k and the healthcare is $300/month cheaper. Better sick time, better 401k, shorter work week, just much better benefits, that would amount to about $11/hr raise and a net increase of about $700/month for me in take home pay. Not to mention I’d be gaining program managing experience.
My current job offered to bump my pay up to $55k but the healthcare is what scares me still because that increases at my job year after year.
my old job told me how important I am, and they also said they can barely afford to give 3% raises this year and can’t cover a higher portion of the healthcare, but they also posted my current and previous position at higher wages than I am making now.
I took the better offer and new job but I don’t feel happy. This is fairly normal for me as I hate change but I am so worried about making this switch in such an uncertain time for the economy - being new at a new job in a grant funded position, leaving something familiar to me, etc. This new fair housing org seems to be doing a lot of hiring and expanding right now, so they must have healthy funding but so am still scared.
My old workplace I had so much baggage with and many bad feelings toward but I also care deeply about my coworkers and members and am sad to leave. I also feel like I would never be let go from the old job. My role in the counseling department is very chill and flexible and a better environment, the issue is just the pay at that workplace. I have coworkers who have been there 20 years who make the same as me ($23/hr) and I feel for them.
I wonder if I should’ve taken the raise at the old job to stay where I was safe and secure, and worry I’ll hate the new role and new environment. But I also feel stressed about money and want to feel less stagnated at work.
I told myself if it doesn’t work out, I can likely make the same wage at a restaurant or get the old job back because they always have something open.
Or maybe even this will open new doors.
I cannot separate feelings of guilt and sadness for leaving, I don’t know if I’m responding to this being very risky or if I just can’t let myself be happy because I have anxiety.
Am I making a huge mistake and taking a big risk, or should I feel excited for this opportunity?