Career Advice

Is it worth taking a pay cut to join a higher-profile company?

by Ravi Kumar·March 2, 2026

I'm in a weird spot. My current company pays well (RM7,500) and I'm comfortable, but the brand is not very well known outside the industry.

Got an offer from a much more recognisable tech company (think top 5 most-known Malaysian tech firms) — but the offer is RM6,800. That's a RM700/month cut.

On the other hand, I think the brand name and network would open more doors down the road. My current company doesn't have a clear upward path for me.

Would you take the cut for the name?

#pay-cut#brand#career-move#salary

Comments (3)

Ethan Lim88

Take the cut. RM700/month is RM8,400 a year. The brand name difference will recover that through faster career progression and better future offers within 2 years. I did this exact calculation and never regretted it.

Farina Zulkifli71

I'd try to negotiate first before accepting the cut. If they want you, they likely have some room. You might not need to take the full RM700 difference.

Victor Ong62

Key question: what is the growth ceiling at your current company? If you're already near the top of what's possible, the brand+network move is almost definitely right.