I Turned Down a Ksh200K Job and It Was the Best Decision I Ever Made

In December 2024, I was offered a job that would have more than doubled my salary. I was earning Ksh80,000 a month as a media planner at an advertising agency, and the company wanted to promote me to an account lead position paying Ksh200,000.

For most people, this would have been an easy decision. I would be earning Ksh120,000 more every month, or Ksh1.44 million more annually before deductions. It was the kind of opportunity I had hoped for when I left the media industry.

But after thinking about what the position involved, I turned it down.

At the time, I wondered whether I was making a mistake. Today, I believe it was one of the most important career decisions I have made.

Also Read: I Quit My Ksh80K Job for Business, It Turned Into My Biggest Regret

How I Got Into Advertising

I had spent five years working in the media industry before deciding in 2022 that I needed a change. I had gained valuable experience in digital media, but I wanted to explore a different side of the industry.

In January 2023, I joined an advertising agency as a media planner, earning Ksh80,000 a month.

The transition was smoother than I expected. Having worked in digital media, I understood how audiences behaved, what attracted their attention and how content performed across different platforms. That knowledge helped me contribute to campaign planning and understand what clients wanted to achieve.

My bosses were impressed with my work, and I developed a good working relationship with the account leads whose campaigns I helped manage.

I was learning a lot, and I could see myself growing in the industry.

Then an opportunity came along that forced me to think carefully about what career growth really meant.

Towards the end of 2024, an account lead I had worked closely with left the company. The agency needed someone to replace them, but finding an external candidate had proved difficult.

The company had a reputation for being a high-pressure workplace. The account leads had to manage demanding clients, coordinate internal teams and ensure that campaign deliverables were met, often within tight deadlines.

Also Read: I Finally Landed a Ksh80K Job, I Quit After One Month and Went Back to Business

After struggling to recruit externally, management decided to consider people already working in the company.

My name came up, and I was offered the position.

The salary was Ksh200,000 a month, a significant jump from my Ksh80,000 pay. I was flattered that management considered me capable of handling the responsibility.

I knew I had performed well as a media planner, and the offer felt like recognition of my work. Part of me wanted to accept immediately. The extra income would have made it easier to save, invest and improve my lifestyle.

But I also knew what the job demanded.

An account lead was not simply a more senior media planner. The role involved managing client relationships, handling complaints, overseeing deliverables and taking responsibility when campaigns failed to meet expectations.

Some clients were already unhappy, and the company was struggling to keep certain accounts satisfied. Whoever took the position would inherit those problems alongside the usual responsibilities.

I asked myself whether I was ready to take on that pressure.

My concern was not that I lacked ambition. I wanted to grow, but I also understood that being good at my current job did not automatically mean I was prepared for every responsibility that came with the next position.

After weighing the offer, I declined.

A friend of mine was subsequently offered the position and accepted it.

At first, I wondered whether I had let a major opportunity slip through my fingers. He was earning Ksh200,000, while I remained on Ksh80,000. The difference was difficult to ignore.

However, within two months, the situation at the agency became more difficult. Several clients were considering pulling out, and the pressure to meet campaign deliverables increased.

The account lead had to manage these challenges while coordinating teams and responding to client expectations.

Three months after taking the position, my friend was dismissed.

Also Read: I Quit a 50K Job Because I Didn’t Want to Live in Ushago

Watching what happened made me reflect on my decision. I could not know with certainty whether I would have faced the same outcome, but I realised that accepting a higher salary would also have meant accepting responsibilities I did not feel ready to handle at the time.

The Ksh200,000 salary was attractive, but it did not tell the whole story.

Why I Don't Regret Saying No

I have learnt that career growth is not always about accepting the highest salary offered to you. Sometimes, it means recognising what you can handle now and what you still need to learn.

I still want to become an account lead and take on bigger responsibilities. Turning down that particular opportunity did not mean giving up on my ambitions. It meant acknowledging that I wanted to prepare myself better before making that move.

I also learnt to look beyond a job title and salary when evaluating an opportunity. The working environment, the condition of the accounts you inherit, the expectations of management and the support available to you all matter.

A Ksh200,000 salary would have improved my finances, but I had to consider the full cost of earning it.

For me, the decision was not about choosing comfort over ambition. It was about understanding that a promotion should move your career forward, not simply increase your salary.

I would rather take on a bigger role when I am better prepared to succeed than accept one simply because the money is tempting.

And when the next opportunity comes, I want to be ready for both the salary and the responsibility that comes with it.