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Is it worth promoting with a decrease in salary

March 11, 2025
281
General (524)
Automatic translation A seafarer's career is a progressive and often slow process. Given the current trends in the sea freight market, many seafarers prefer to keep their homes and, in the absence of deterioration in working conditions, stay in the same company. Nevertheless, in many shipping companies one can wait long enough for a promotion to ensure a raise in salary and further development prospects. Therefore, it is not uncommon for a seafarer to be offered to move to another company, to a higher position, but with a salary equal to or even less than his current position in his current company. Money or career? This dilemma is not as rare as it might seem at first glance. A seafarer can, while working, conditionally as a 2nd mechanic, during his work in one company, receive a diploma of a 1st mechanic and expect to be promoted. However, this position can be occupied by other specialists and there simply may not be vacancies in this company. Therefore, a seafarer may decide to consider options for moving to a higher position in other companies. Of course, a higher position should mean a higher salary, but, firstly, it depends on the type of vessel, and secondly, on the order adopted by the shipowner. The question is, which is more important - money or career? It is almost impossible to give an unambiguous answer here. But many seafarers agree on two points. The first opinion is that the main thing is to build a career, since these are great prospects in any case. One cannot but agree with this. Even if today you move to another company for a higher position, but with a lower salary, no one will forbid you after completing this contract to look for another job with a higher salary, but at the same time you will already have experience of working in a position with a promotion. And this means that prospects open up for you, to grow even further, which will lead to even more pay, and so on. Money in this case takes on a secondary meaning, because, in the end, you will achieve such a combination of experience-position that you simply will not be offered a contract for your specialty with a low salary. That is, sooner or later, Second opinion The second opinion, shared by seafarers of different ages, is that if everything suits you at the place of work where you are now, there is no point in trying to leave and it is easier to wait for a logical promotion in the company where you are comfortable. This approach also has a right to life, since more than once or not two seafarers were faced with the fact that, having moved to another company and, accordingly, to another crew, they were faced with inappropriate working conditions. Yes, the pay may be higher, but you simply cannot work comfortably at sea. Old school seafarers recommend continuing to work exactly where it is convenient for you and where you can fully reveal yourself. Some might say that this is a cowardly approach, since you cannot make up your mind to change. But let's not forget that, given the high competition, Thus, there is an important nuance in changing a job with a higher pay to a higher position with a lower pay - it all depends on your personal opinion and attitude to this situation. If you hate change, then it's best to be where you feel comfortable. If you are looking for progress and a place for the realization of ambitions, then it would be most logical to decide to change something.
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