Would I be making a mistake by not accepting this $130K role after months of no interviews?

UPDATE: Thank you all for your comments. While finances were a big factor, there were other considerations that made the decision more complex. (this is the career advice reddit right?) I’m especially grateful to those who highlighted additional pros, reframed the opportunity, and validated that focusing on financial stability is a smart move.

Despite what some commenters assumed, I come from a rural uneducated community and lost my parents at a young age, I’ve had to navigate these life-changing decisions alone. It can feel overwhelming and terrifying but your perspectives made a huge difference. It’s a privilege to balance career goals with finances, and I feel fortunate to be in this position.

I’m excited to share that I accepted the position today and feel optimistic about this new opportunity. Thank you all!

P.S. I received an invitation to interview for a 'dream role' with an offer maxed at $100,000 an hour after I accepted this CSM position. I said no thank you to another month of interviews and less salary, and felt confident in that decision. Thank you guys again. ❤️

Original Post -----

Hi everyone, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. No one has been able to give me a perspective that makes this decision any easier—not even ChatGPT!

Background:
My dream career title is Chief Sustainability Officer and I have been working toward that for years now. I have a BS in Environmental Sustainability and recently earned a Master's in Environmental Analytics (focused on ESG, CSR, and climate data analysis). I've always been passionate about sustainability, conservation, and risk management projects, and I've been actively pursuing roles like ESG analyst, sustainability PM, or strategy consultant.

Currently, I work at a nonprofit as a Program Manager, focusing on data analysis and program strategy. I took this job while pursuing my master’s for flexibility, but it pays $80K with minimal benefits.

Before this, I worked as a Customer Success Manager (CSM) at a cybersecurity company. It wasn’t what I expected for my career path, but I enjoyed the technical aspects, risk-related work, and client management.

The Situation:
Recently, I reached out to my former manager (who I loved working with) to ask if she’d be a reference for my job applications. It turns out she’s now at a new cybersecurity company, building a CSM team, and she asked me to apply. After a few interviews, I was offered the position at $130,000 with 100% paid health insurance, stock and unlimited PTO.

Now I’m torn.

The Pros:

  • Huge salary increase: It’s nearly double my current pay, which would help me save, pay off student loans, and live comfortably in a new city. (Relocating to NY)
  • Great manager: She’s truly one of the best managers I’ve had and cares about my growth and success.
  • Competence: I know I’m good at CSM work, and I find cybersecurity and AI interesting, especially as someone without a strong tech background. These industries seem to be growing and have cool potential.
  • It’s an opportunity: I’ve been applying for sustainability-focused roles for months without a single interview, so it feels like a win to have an offer in hand.

The Cons:

  • Not aligned with my career goals: This isn’t the role I envisioned after earning my master’s. I want to work in sustainability, risk management, and reporting.
  • Postponed goals: Taking this job means delaying my transition into a sustainability-focused role for at least a year.
  • Potential for job hoping: I always envisioned my next move as a permanent position, ideally 5 years or more. When I think about doing this role for 5 years, I'm not jazzed.
  • Limited advancement: CSM roles don’t offer many growth opportunities unless I go into VP-level customer success, which doesn’t align with my interests.
  • Commitment concerns: I’d feel guilty leaving this role (and my manager) if my dream sustainability job came along soon. I don’t want to burn bridges.

I’m struggling with what to prioritize: the immediate financial and professional benefits of this offer, or staying committed to my long-term sustainability career goals and hoping my ideal role will pop up in the next 2-4 months?

What would you do in my position? Would love to hear any advice, perspectives, or experiences that could help me make this decision.