Choose People over Salary

People matter more because the cost of working with jerks is too great.

“Do you want the highest salary or to work with those three people you respect and can teach you something?”

Then I said, “People matter more because the cost of working with jerks is too great.”

“Then you have your answer,” my mentor said.

That’s how it went down. It was a matter of trying to work out which career opportunity I was going to take. There were many options and the one that had the best people, paid 30% less — in my case, it was a lot more money than a measly $1000.

I have had opportunities to make more money in my career and ended up regretting them when it meant dealing with jerks who lacked emotional intelligence and made a professional sport of putting others down. It was debilitating to watch.

The people you work with are such an important part because there is a high chance that if you get on well together, then you will work together multiple times in your life and perhaps even start a business together.

Getting around the right people who think differently to you, have completely obscure experience, and will help build you up, will make you far more money in the long-term than the extra money you can get upfront by choosing a risky career opportunity and just hoping that you get to work for a good leader or with people who have emotional intelligence.

Salary is subjective

Even if you choose the higher salary, you are not guaranteed of anything. Most employment contracts have a six month probation period so you could still bet the farm, get more money and then be out of a job in six months.

Whatever money you accept, can be taken away from you. Your pay can be reduced, your company could downsize or you could be made redundant. The delusion is that accepting more money is the safe option but when you pull it apart, it’s not safe at all.

The safe option is to work with people you’ll get on with who can expand your horizons and make you feel like you’re working with family not employees trying to walk over each other to take home the biggest paycheque.

The money wears off really fast

I remember getting a promotion and overnight making 35% more money. It felt good for a few days and then within a week, I’d forgotten about it. My expenses rose straight away and my savings stayed the same.

The feeling you get when you get more money wears off really fast. Money is an idea, but it’s short-term. When I look back on my career, it’s the people I’ve worked with that is the best part. These same people were there when I needed them and also introduced me to many different career opportunities.

You’ll end up disappointed if you make a career decision solely on money and forget about the people part.

Good leaders vs. bad bosses

The good leaders in my career are on speed dial and they are something I’m grateful for. The bad bosses that micromanaged me into the ground and displayed their ugly ego for the world to see left a bad taste behind that is impossible to forget.

If I knew that the after taste of toxic bosses was this bad, I would never have chosen a salary over a good leader. The thing is often you have to learn this lesson the hard way.

Once you have worked for an incompetent boss who is all about themselves, you’ll never choose money over a leader again.

At least you will get one valuable insight: you’ll never be the bad boss they were because you’ve experienced what it’s like.

With the right people, you will earn more

You may start off earning less money if you choose people but what I do know is this: with the right people around you, you will make more money and succeed beyond what you thought you would.

Together we are strong with the right people. By ourselves, surrounded by toxic people, we are nothing and our mindset can be destroyed.

It’s the people around you that help you succeed and that leads to more money if that’s your goal.

Final thought

So next time you are exploring career opportunities, keep in mind what I have said. Don’t forget how much of a toll the wrong people in your career can take on you.

The wrong people will burn your dreams to pieces, sabotage your success and rob you of everything you have. The right people will build you up bigger than any salary ever could and help you look back on your career one day and be proud.

There is a real cost of working with jerks. Factor the cost into your salary expectations.

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