88 GQ.COM.AU FEBRUARY 2017
I.
STRESS
A STUDY USING MRI TO REVEAL IF PATIENTS COULD RECALL ANGRY PHOTOS SHOWN TO THEM THE NIGHT BEFORE CONCLUDEDGOING TO BED MAD LEADS TO RESENTMENT.Can you go part
time for the same
money? Can you
drop$5kinreturn
foracompany
cartohelpwith
alongcommute?
What about losing
$10k and receiving
another week’s
leave? Think outside
the obvious,
even if it means
phoning a friend.At what point
will you be willing
to walk away?
Know your non-
negotiables.What do you and
the company you’re
negotiating with
want in common?
A win-win is the
ultimate result.List every possible
trouble spot,
downside and
potential objection
you’re likely
to encounter.Knowing the work-
around in each
case will put you
on the smartest,
most effective
path towards
your end target.A
workinglifeusedto
besosimple–get
the degree, do the
training then graft
untilyou’resent
offintothesunset
withagoldwatch.Notanymore.
Career changes, redundancies,
toggling between the private and
publicsectorsorsimplepressureto
progressmaketheprospectofapay
cutmorelikelythaneverbefore.
Not, we’d hope, anything on par
withthe$1ayearPresidentTrump
hasvolunteeredtotakeforhisWhite
House gig which, to be honest,
seemsaboutrightforsomeonewith
hislevelofcivicexperience.But
withemployeestendingtospendless
timeinroles,droppingupto$10k
in salary is no longer unusual.
The trick is to view it as a
smart,gutsyplayinalonggame.
“Showingyou’rewillingtotake
a speculative opportunity despite
ashort-termsacrificeisattractive
toemployers,”explainsMarcus
Crow,frombusiness training agency
10000hours.com.
Michelle Gibbings, a leadership
expert at Change Meridian, agrees
that career progression trumps pay.
“Employers will consider whether
your roles are getting bigger, more
responsible and more influential,”
shesays.“Oftensalarydoesn’teven
come into the first conversation.”
Constantupgradingofyourskill
setiswhat’skey,addscareercoach
BenjaminJHarveyfromAuthentic
Education, named one of BRW’s‘Fast 100’ companies in 2015.
“Ifyoutellarecruiter‘Itook
a $20,0000 pay cut to do more
meaningfulworkandbetterposition
myself for future opportunities’
thenyou’resomeonewho’sgotthe
couragetogoagainstthenorm and
be different,” says Harvey.
There are some circumstances
wheretakingaprettysizeableback
pockethitisalmostguaranteed,such
asmovingfromcorporatetopublic
sector;makingamajorindustry
change that requires starting out
onalowerrung;enteringthe
start-upspace;optingforself-
employment;orevenjusttrying
to recalibrate the supposed work/
life balance. Occasionally, it can
alsooccurwhentryingto survive
apurgeatacompany.
“Be really clear on your reasons,”
saysGibbings.“Isthissomething
you’redoingbecauseyouseegreater
opportunity? Or because there’s
achancetobecomeastakeholder
ifit’sastart-up?Orisjusttoenter
a different working culture?”
Knowing your reasoning not
onlyhelpssellthemovetofuture
employers, but helps you justifyto yourself the pain of that first
remittance slip.
“Reminding yourself of your
reasoningwillallowyoutohandle
theshort-termadversity,”saysCrow.
Don’tforgettodothemath.Can
youaffordit?Andifthenumbers
mean concrete lifestyle changes
–tradingtheCayenneforaKia –
can your ego take the hit?
In the same way, think through
the question of title.
“Peopleareoftenmuchmore
connected than they think to their
position,” says Gibbings. “Like it or
not,weliveinafairlyhierarchical
societyandthereisstatusconnected
to title, so if you’re also taking
adowngrade,you’llneedto
be comfortable with that.”
Ifitalladdsup,holdyournose
and jump. “The narrative, inwardly
andoutwardly,reallyshould
beoneofcourage,”addsCrow.
“You’resomeonewiththecapacity
to face certain losses for uncertain
gains.Butyoudoitbecauseyou
believe the future benefits will
outweigh the financial loss, and
because, over time, you know
you’ll make up the shortfall.”TIME FOR
APAYCUT
WTF,YOU MAY HUFF, BUT
TAKINGABACK-POCKET
HITISASADANDGROWING
REALITY FOR MANY
PEOPLE (EVEN THE NEW
POTUS). HERE, HOW TO
MAKE IT WORK AND FIND
A POSITIVE OUTCOME.MONEYWORDS: MEG MASON. PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES.