The golden handcuffs of an "easy" job.

amother

Tue, Jul 14 2020, 12:11 pm

I have a degree in accounting but I don't really use it. I work as a bookkeeper for a yeshiva.

I work 28 hours a week and make 50k. I am not on a school schedule. I don't get Chanukah winter summer vacation etc. I do though get Yov Tov, erev, and chol hamoed as paid vacation.

It is a great "mommy job." very nice people in the office, very relaxed enviroment, low pressure. I have my own office so if a kid is under the weather they can come to work with me. I don't have issues taking off work when I need to. My kids tuition comes off my check pretax so thats a huge benefit. We are on obamacare for health insurance and the fact that my kids tuition doesnt exsist on my income, makes my insurance payments less.

The con is that I have zero room for growth. I can kvetch and get like a 1 or 2k raise every other year or so. I don't get satisfaction from my job. I end up wasting a lot of time online (imamother) because I am not challenged and I don't feel fulfilled.

The real truth is that all my experience is in the frum non profit community. Even if I got a more corporate job that requires a degree it would entry level despite my 10 plus years of bookkeeping experience. I would maybe make 60k full time starting which the take home pay would be less than now because my insurance would go up and so would my taxes once the tuition would not be pretax.

Also I take no pride in saying im a bookkeeper for yeshiva x. I would feel much better saying I work in the accounting department of x company. Really I am crazy because I have it so easy where I am now and I am not even looking for a new job cuz it makes zero sense. Is anyone in the same position as me. Stuck at a job that is just too easy to leave yet not satisfied.

yiddishmom

Tue, Jul 14 2020, 12:24 pm

Yup! But I chose the job specifically because it's easy. I don't want to think about it out of the office.

I want to be able to take off whenever I want/need for vacation, take my baby to the doc, come late, leave early. All within reason, but I would not be able to do this in most other offices

Otherwise, I pretty much dislike everything about the job.

amother

Mint

Tue, Jul 14 2020, 12:29 pm

I can totally relate! I do sheitels and I bh have a natural talent. When I was young it was easy to have a big business... I had the look and kept up with all the new brands, trends etc. Right now im kinda at a standstill... I have a loyal customer base but they arent the young trendy crowd buying new wigs often etc.. I still bh make decent money and I do sell and offer all the up to date options like lace tops but I dont push it because I hate the controversy. Basically im at a place where if I wanted to expand and reach a new clientele it would mean a lot of work and investment and me taking on more hours and more stress which im not really intersted in.. I do feel kinda bad about going stale but also dont have the motivation to change. I totally hear you!

amother

Seafoam

Tue, Jul 14 2020, 12:36 pm

I work in a similar setting.
Some variables are different. My work goes everywhere with me. But I totally relate with having experience only in the frum non-profit sector.
I have a very unique hobby which I can pursue due to the fact that my job is flexible. I don't want to be specific but Its quite atypical for frum woman. I guess I get my fulfillment there...
In addition, many moms completely leave the work force during there child rearing years and then have a really hard time coming back. On the other hand, if you keep your job, you won't have a hole in your resume and you can move forward when you know its time.
I keep my license up to date, and sit for specialized courses and exams every so often and I make sure my bosses are aware.

amother

Tue, Jul 14 2020, 12:44 pm

amother [ Seafoam ] wrote:

There is no way I am going to be interested in starting at the bottom of the accounting ladder when I am 50. I will not want to work crazy hours and be bossed around by middle managers that can be my own kids - if I am even able to find a job. Even now in my mid thirties its a little late to start at the bottom if I was interested... and why do I want those pressures. man I should have done it at 23..but I was pregnant with my first when I finished college and life happens...BH

amother

Dodgerblue

Tue, Jul 14 2020, 12:54 pm

Different details but overall same situation...I relate. Making too much money too easily to switch directions and risk the stability that comes with decent pay and flexibility. BH it’s a pretty good problem to have, relatively. I’m still pretty young and I can do or study something else on the side and eventually leave, but it’s hard to work up the motivation with a FT job and kids.

amother

Cyan

Tue, Jul 14 2020, 12:55 pm

I have a degree in accounting I haven’t gotten use of.
I’m in my mid-forties now and just entered the job market after a long break.
I took an entry-level bookkeeping position in a small accounting firm.
My salary is not much higher than minimum wage, and I have a long commute.
Your hourly wage comes out to $34, which is a lot higher than an entry-level accounting job would pay.
I would keep the job if I were you.

2gether

Tue, Jul 14 2020, 2:44 pm

amother [ Mint ] wrote:

Oh, Mint! Please do invest in yourself and keep up to date, I see so many shetal machers who just become smaller and smaller with time...

amother

Coral

Tue, Jul 14 2020, 3:16 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

When you say that you earn 50K, you are actually earning substantially more because of the "perks" If you take in to account the value of the pre-tax dollars, the money you save being in lower tax bracket, and the money you save on the insurance the number is higher.

amother

Mustard

Tue, Jul 14 2020, 3:33 pm

As an accountant I can say that the grass ain’t greener I’m on the other side. We don’t have a lot of the perks you mention, it’s super high stress with deadlines, and no chol hamoed or yom tov off either. I make more money than you but sometimes I wish I can have a simple job and not always feel like my brain is going to explode. Btw if you are not stimulated and have extra time perhaps consider opening your own bookkeeping business and take a few clients in the side and do their bookkeeping

cbsp

Tue, Jul 14 2020, 4:21 pm

FWIW there are a few bookkeepers on LinkedIn that revel in their title and are super proud of their non-accountant status. Maybe present your position with confidence?

I went from being a senior member of an IT/MIS team at a large corporation to a playgroup assistant. I learned that my audience's reaction reflected how I packaged it - that this position worked for my lifestyle now and it was perfect for me because of abc.

amother

Cerulean

Tue, Jul 14 2020, 4:31 pm

You don't want to hear this, but I have a hard time sympathizing. You chose to go this route; nobody forced you. Most of the working moms I know have to work full time because there is no part time option, or because we can't afford to work part time, and we don't get yt, chol hamoed and erev YT off. Goes without saying we don't get the summer off, and we have to carefully hoard our annual leave for YT and all the days the kids are off from school for, uh, staff development day, chanuka vacay, intersession, spring vacay etc. etc. etc. We bust our kishkes trying to get home in time to turn on the stove erev YT and we work on chol hamoed. you're working only part time and making a very respectable sum--more per hour than many who work full time, especially when you factor in all the extra days you get paid for yt, erev YT and chol hamoed.

If the prestige of being an accountant rather than a bookkeeper is so important to you, take the pay cut. It's called 'paying your dues' when you're an entry-level hire. Assuming you're good at what you do, promotions should come fairly quickly and you may soon recoup what you lost. But understand that you probably won't have the mommy-track luxuries and flexibility that you have now. Only you can decide if the pluses outweigh the minuses.

Setting priorities and making tough decisions is what being an adult is all about.