Podcast Summary: Jill on Money – Evaluating Job Options

Date: October 7, 2025
Host: Jill Schlesinger (CFP®, with Executive Producer Mark)
Episode Theme: Weighing a Job Offer – What’s Worth More: Time or Money?

Overview

In this episode of "Jill on Money," Jill Schlesinger takes a listener call from Elle in Georgia, who is carefully considering a new job offer. The discussion centers around the trade-offs between compensation, benefits, and work-life balance, especially in the context of family needs and financial security. Jill and Mark walk Elle through a thorough analysis, highlighting the often-overlooked value of paid time off (PTO), vesting in pension plans, and the importance of negotiating for your true worth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Elle’s Situation: Comparing Two Job Offers

[03:47–07:37]

• Elle, 39, currently has a job she likes with strong benefits, especially generous PTO and the ability to buy extra vacation days.
• She’s interviewing for a new position offering potentially higher compensation but with significantly less PTO (about 11 days less).
• Family time is Elle’s top priority: “Being able to have time off is really important to me.” (Elle, 03:47)
• The current role also offers a vested pension, 401(k) matching, and bonus potential.
• Her husband earns $115k (no bonus); they have a 10-year-old child.

2. Detailed Benefits & Financial Comparison

[05:44–12:35]

• Current compensation: $127k base + $15–20k typical bonus + long-term incentive stock grants.
• Current PTO: 20 vacation days, 10 sick, 11 holidays, 1 wellness, 3 volunteer days, option to purchase 10 more.
• New opportunity: Max $160k “total comp,” pension, and 5% 401(k) matching but only 20 days PTO (must be accrued) and only 5 wellness days, 9 holidays. No option to buy extra time.
• Elle and her husband are doing well with retirement savings (total over $400k in 401(k)/403(b), Roth IRAs, brokerage, and a 529 plan).
• Elle recently bought a home: $700k value, $688k mortgage.
• Both jobs offer pension plans, but Elle is already vested with five years in her current plan.

3. Non-Financial Considerations

[13:19–15:02]

• Uncertainty about travel required in the new job; “There was a discrepancy from the first round, saying, oh, it’s just once a year. And then what I’m hearing now, it may be more than once a year.” (Elle, 13:35)
• Jill’s advice: Loss of PTO plus more travel imposes a larger indirect cost, especially for someone prioritizing family.
• Security: Elle’s current company is a stable public firm; the new employer is private, “but what I have heard from friends… the last thing they will do is do layoffs.” (Elle, 14:27)
• Elle does not feel at risk of layoffs in her current role.

4. Negotiating and Knowing Your Value

[09:08, 15:02–17:29]

• Jill calls out a common self-limiting negotiation mistake: “You ding dong. …You just don’t set the bar high enough.” (Jill to Elle, 09:02)
• Elle wonders if she should ask for a higher figure, given the total compensation and PTO tradeoff.
• Jill and Mark agree that, to justify leaving, the compensation should start “with a two”: “The number that I would need … would be probably closer to, like, 225 because of everything that I’d have to give up.” (Jill, 16:29)
• Mark and Elle’s husband both side with staying put: “She’s already vested … So, I mean, if you’re asking me which way I’m leaning, I’m leaning where she is.” (Mark, 15:16)

5. Advice and Takeaways

[17:29–18:48]

• Jill recommends continuing the interview process to learn more and potentially sharpen negotiation skills: “You can always say, like, thank you so much. I don’t think I can do this. That’s fine.”
• It’s not only about higher pay: consider the hidden value in PTO, pensions, and job satisfaction.
• “You have to know the price at which you would jump. And I don’t think it’s 160, and I certainly don’t think it’s 180. It has to start…with a two.” (Jill, 16:50)
• Even if you are flattered by an offer, “change is exciting, but, you know, you’re doing…incredibly well.” (Jill, 17:12)

Notable Quotes

• “Being able to have time off is really important to me.”
  — Elle ([03:47])
• “Eleven less days of PTO? Oh, no. That’s a lot.”
  — Jill ([04:47])
• “You just don’t set the bar high enough…We all do this to ourselves.”
  — Jill ([09:08])
• “You have to know the price at which you would jump. And I don’t think it’s 160…it has to start…with a two.”
  — Jill ([16:50])
• “She’s already vested…So, if you’re asking me which way I’m leaning, I’m leaning where she is.”
  — Mark ([15:16])
• “My first sensing is maybe I should just pull out and withdraw. But [my husband is] saying to keep going.”
  — Elle ([17:39])
• “You can always say, like, thank you so much. I don’t think I can do this. That’s fine.”
  — Jill ([17:50])
• “Change is exciting, but…you’re doing incredibly well.”
  — Jill ([17:12])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:47 — Elle introduces her dilemma: less PTO with a new job
• 05:44 — Current financial/benefit breakdown
• 08:37 — Details of new job compensation
• 09:08 — Negotiation tips and self-advocacy
• 13:19 — Questions about travel and non-salary factors
• 15:16 — Discussion of vesting, stability, and weighing the options
• 16:29 — What is your “jump number”?
• 17:50 — Advice to keep interviewing, don’t rush

Final Takeaways

• Know all the numbers (salary, bonus, stock, pension, PTO, retirement contributions) before considering a move.
• Don’t undersell yourself when asked for salary history or expectations.
• Value non-monetary benefits (PTO, flexibility, already vested pensions) — they are hard to replace.
• Make sure the new role truly excites you or offers a significant financial step up before jumping.
• It’s always worth continuing the process for learning and possible negotiation practice—even if you don’t take the offer.

“You’re not leaving for the same money unless you’re miserable. This is your moment to take the big step up.”
— Jill ([18:20])

For listeners facing job offers: Carefully evaluate all aspects of total compensation and lifestyle impact. Reach out to Jill if you want your own situation analyzed live!