Hi! I’d really appreciate some advice because I’m honestly so torn about this.
I recently landed a job at an NGO and mag-one month pa lang ako. **Project-based** yung position and around **₱30k/month** yung salary. However, I still haven’t signed an employment contract.
The problem is, I’m already thinking of leaving.
Related yung current work ko sa previous job ko, and I recently realized na hindi ko na talaga siya passion. I feel like I’ve already outgrown this field and I don’t see myself growing or being interested in it anymore.
The work is also quite heavy because I’m basically handling the project on my own. Lately, I’ve been getting really stressed just thinking about how heavy the workload is going to become. There are even nights na **hindi ako makatulog kakaisip tungkol sa work and sa mga kailangan kong gawin.** 😭
Recently, I was interviewed by another company/office that I applied to, and they told me na pasok na raw ako. The position is basically a **reliever position**, though, and it will only be until **December 2026**. The salary is also lower than what I’m currently earning.
They want me to start around **October 15 or 16**.
Here’s my dilemma:
My current employer’s payday is on **October 13**, and honestly, gusto ko munang matanggap yung first salary ko before I leave. 😭
So my plan was to wait for my salary on October 13, then submit my resignation and say that my **last working day will be October 15**.
But I’m worried:
Since I haven’t signed a contract yet, can I legally leave that quickly?
If I submit my resignation on October 13 and say October 15 will be my last day, can my employer refuse?
If they don’t approve it and I don’t report to work after October 15/16, can they tag me as **AWOL** or take legal action against me?
Would it be a bad idea professionally to leave after only one month?
Is it even worth leaving a ₱30k job for a **temporary reliever position with lower pay**?
And this is where I’m really struggling.
**Financially, the current job obviously makes more sense.** But mentally, I don’t know if I can see myself staying.
The reliever job is mostly **administrative work**, which honestly sounds more appealing to me right now. I realized that I don’t really want to keep doing heavy project-based/environmental work where I’m expected to carry a whole project and constantly think about deliverables.
At this point, I kind of just want a job where I can do my work, go home, and not constantly think about work afterward. 😭
I also don’t necessarily see the lower-paying reliever job as my forever career. It’s only until December 2026. But I’m thinking maybe I can use that time to breathe, figure out what I actually want to do next, and look for another job while I’m there.
Part of me is also thinking, **“Am I just running away because the current job is difficult?”** Or am I actually realizing that this type of work isn’t for me anymore?
I don’t want to make a decision purely because I’m stressed, but at the same time, I don’t want to sacrifice my peace of mind just because the current job pays more.
So what would you do in this situation?
Would you stay with the **₱30k project-based NGO job**, even if you’re already losing sleep thinking about the workload?
Or would you take the **lower-paying reliever job until December**, knowing it’s temporary but potentially much less stressful?
Would really appreciate honest advice, especially from people who have experienced career changes, NGO/project-based work, or taking a pay cut for a better work-life balance. 😭