Author Topic: Need advice urgently  (Read 7852 times)

Bearded Man

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Need advice urgently
« on: March 09, 2015, 03:18:59 PM »
I've been going back and forth between a new job offer and my existing job. Background: currently an IT contractor 2+ years on the same client site. Well liked by client, and told not to worry about layoffs (I have little work). That said, I am still wary of being a contractor; client relationship could change over one comment, who knows. Also, I've been looking to get into management and had a management offer last year but turned it down out of fear and have regretted it ever since.

Now I'm faced with a situation where I have an opportunity to get a government (local not fed) job that has growth potential into management (they brought up putting people under me during the interview).

I accepted it, then pulled back, then reached out to them to see if it was still available and it was. We discussed the chances that the position would move up as very likely but no guarantees.

Online research shows that the place, even though a government agency (school district) has had budget cuts and furloughs in the past years due to state funding issues. 10 out of 30 revies online touch on this in one way or another.

My gf says I should just take it at this point, becuase I'm stuck in a rut (albeit comfortable and well paying rut) and there is something that keeps drawing me to it. Now, keep in mind that I WANT to, but I'm not sure if another good job will just come along in a few months. I do tend to get an offer every 2-3 months or so.

Would it be better for me to take what I have in front of me now or wait? GF says that even if I end up not liking the job, I can just quit and take a lower paying management gig to get my foot in the door somewhere else and move back up income wise.

What to do?


ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: Need advice urgently
« Reply #1 on: March 09, 2015, 03:23:46 PM »
Sounds like you already know what you think you should do.

Retired To Win

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Re: Need advice urgently
« Reply #2 on: March 09, 2015, 03:33:19 PM »
By definition, having a (short-term) contract job has got to be more unstable than being an employee.  As an employee, you at least can expect severance and unemployment comp if you get dumped.  Also, as an employee you are much more firmly positioned in the place's promotion ladder.  Short bottom line: contract workers are first-line expendable.

So... does that help any or make you even crazier?

Good luck.

Bearded Man

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Re: Need advice urgently
« Reply #3 on: March 09, 2015, 03:59:07 PM »
Sounds like you already know what you think you should do.

Part of me says take it. The other part says, keep looking.

Bearded Man

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Re: Need advice urgently
« Reply #4 on: March 09, 2015, 04:02:27 PM »
By definition, having a (short-term) contract job has got to be more unstable than being an employee.  As an employee, you at least can expect severance and unemployment comp if you get dumped.  Also, as an employee you are much more firmly positioned in the place's promotion ladder.  Short bottom line: contract workers are first-line expendable.

So... does that help any or make you even crazier?

Good luck.

Yes, however; I'm very well liked by the person who manages my contract and I've been told repeatedly not to worry about it, I'm fine. That could change at any minute though, and as a contractor it's just whether someone likes me or not that determines whether I stay. As an employee, from what I've seen with others, there is progressive discipline and eventual termination, but it can take a long time.

I guess one thing I forgot to mention in my OP, is that I am not deciding whether I should stay here or not for a long time; I am deciding whether I should take THIS job or wait for another one. Either way, I am on my way out of here within a year, if not sooner.

octavius

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Re: Need advice urgently
« Reply #5 on: March 09, 2015, 04:48:41 PM »

I'm not sure I understand what fear you have. Are you worried you might get laid off and then be unemployed for a long period of time?

I'd say take whichever one has the best balance of: you like it and it has good compensation & benefits. 

If you've already established a track record of being liked by employers, then I'd not worry too much about being unemployed for a long period of time in your field. 

I worked as a software developer for many years (not exactly the same as IT, but related), and often left gigs (contract and permanent) to take long breaks, and never had a problem finding new gigs when I was ready to start up again.  As long as you don't burn bridges, and leave on good terms with references you can use later, you should be fine.  Unlike other fields, software is somewhat unique -- in that most people don't care about job hopping, because they know good developers like to do interesting work, rather than stay at the same XYZ corp for 10 years.

Bearded Man

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Re: Need advice urgently
« Reply #6 on: March 09, 2015, 06:39:43 PM »
I guess my fear is leaving behind a cushy job, first in years I've liked, though it was AWFUL when I first started. Slowly problem people have been leaving or getting terminated, problem projects get cancelled, etc.. I'm already FI with 500K in assets, etc. but I intend to keep working for a few more years to hit 1 million in assets.

The term IT is more referring to the industry. Software development is IT as in, Information Technology as opposed to say, Accounting. I do programming as well as systems administration. A cop is still a law enforcement officer whether he is a detective or a patrolman.

bacchi

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Re: Need advice urgently
« Reply #7 on: March 09, 2015, 06:54:23 PM »
Take a leap and take the job. You're already FI. What's the worst that can happen? You get laid off, get some sweet severance, and find another IT job.

Change can be good for you.

Davids

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Re: Need advice urgently
« Reply #8 on: March 09, 2015, 06:57:07 PM »
If you are already FI then go for it. It sounds like you want to.

Chrissy

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Re: Need advice urgently
« Reply #9 on: March 09, 2015, 11:50:22 PM »
My fiance was just in the same situation.  He took the job despite his worry that "the one" will come along any second.  If "the one" comes along in a month, he will simply change jobs again!  It's is not personal, it's BUSINESS.  You think Donald Trump ever says, "Oh, I already started this deal, therefore I can't do this BETTER deal???" No way, friend.

Bearded Man

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Re: Need advice urgently
« Reply #10 on: March 10, 2015, 03:35:28 PM »
And how is that working out? I wanted to avoid job changes in case it didn't work out, but after two weeks of not being sure and analyzing it to death I just decided to send an email I had put together weeks ago. At first it felt liberating. Then I felt like I made a mistake. Now I am not sure. :-(

If it wasn't for my current contract job getting better over the years, I would have made the decision easily, because it would have been the same headaches but with more money, a lot more PTO, and more job security.

But alas, if it doesn't work out, I will just have to find another job. At that point, depending on how bad it is, I might even take a pay cut to take an IT management gig somewhere (been getting offers making 30-45K less per year than I make now for MOST positions. It's unlikely my company will take me back, let alone at the same pay, because I've waffled on this and a couple other positions so many times, but at the end of the day, I'd just keep moving forward to the next gig.

So in short, I accepted the offer, withdrew my acceptance, then reached out to them again asking if it was still available, passed on the opportunity, and here I am two weeks later accepting it again. My only hope is they are tired of this nonsense (like I am) and don't accept it.

A big part of the reason I accepted it is because I was in a similar boat 5 months ago and followed the exact same pattern: accepted it, withdrew, reached out but it was already filled (didn't reach out until 4 months later) and ALL I have done since then is kick myself for not taking it, and looking back at it, I think I rationalized reasons to turn down the job. Looking back at it, I turned down a 135K a year job with A LOT of PTO, excellent benefits, and international travel opportunities to exotic destinations...because I was hesitant to leave a job where I am basically turning lazy. :-(

So the way I'm thinking about this government job is, I don't want to kick myself months down the road (as I am now), and in reality, if I don't like that job, I will just move on to another one. Yeah, this job I have now is gravy, and yes I am building wealth off it, but I didn't get to this level of income or skill by never taking risks. In fact, I was in a similar situation about 5 years ago, and almost didn't leave my job, even for a huge pay increase. I ended up leaving anyway, and yes, I hated my new job, worked there for 3 months, hated the next job, worked there for 3 months, BAM, found a place I liked for 2+ years until it turned to crap, then found this place which I've been working at for 2.5 years. I guess the moral of the story is, you might have to jump around if things don't work out, but you can keep jumping until you find a place you like.

Trede

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Re: Need advice urgently
« Reply #11 on: March 10, 2015, 03:49:53 PM »
This is just a bit of friendly advice, coming from someone who has done a lot of hiring, including in various IT fields.  If they are dangling management advancement in front of you, you are not helping your future case by showing indecisiveness in the accept, withdraw, accept cycle, which you say you've done before.  Be mindful of the qualities you are demonstrating if management is your goal.  It's okay to be indecisive or over-analyze internally, and if they have only seen one flip-flop and you explained it adequately it's not a big deal one time, just don't demonstrate a pattern if and when you take the job.

Chrissy

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Re: Need advice urgently
« Reply #12 on: March 10, 2015, 07:55:19 PM »
And how is that working out?

It's working out great!  This is his third week.  He's in software development.  This company provides a product that people need, whereas the previous employer provided a business service... and he came to believe they were really just a scam.  It's a 25% raise, yet they only expect him to work ~40 hours (not true of his previous employer).  The employees at the new gig have already demonstrated more competency than the ones at the old gig.  And, the commute is easier.

Because they just moved these tasks in-house, it's a little like the Wild West, but he has the opportunity to create the position, which is what he wanted.

There are a few minor irritants, but he says this is the first time in 2 years he hasn't dreaded getting up in the morning.

Chuck

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Re: Need advice urgently
« Reply #13 on: March 10, 2015, 08:18:18 PM »
I'm an IT Contractor as well. Hell, subcontractor actually. I'm suuuuper expendable.

But that is the nature of our field of work. In exchange for instability we tend to receive higher base pay with fewer qualifications, and finding new work (as your post illustrates) isn't as difficult.

I understand that some people need to have stability in their work life. If that describes you, this is a poor line of work.

tmoney

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Need advice urgently
« Reply #14 on: March 12, 2015, 12:17:03 AM »
If an employer keeps telling you that you are "safe" do not believe them. In my experience when they start telling you this it is because they need you for just a while longer and plan on eliminating you. They tell you that to comfort you hoping you are not spooked by other layoffs. This has happened to me 2x's. Both times there were lay offs and I was specifically told I was safe and no to worry and I was the last one they would ever think about letting go. All untrue and I was let go a few months later.

samburger

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Re: Need advice urgently
« Reply #15 on: March 12, 2015, 09:16:01 AM »
If an employer keeps telling you that you are "safe" do not believe them. In my experience when they start telling you this it is because they need you for just a while longer and plan on eliminating you. They tell you that to comfort you hoping you are not spooked by other layoffs. This has happened to me 2x's. Both times there were lay offs and I was specifically told I was safe and no to worry and I was the last one they would ever think about letting go. All untrue and I was let go a few months later.

This. "You're safe" doesn't mean anything, unless you have a super close personal relationship with your manager and trust that they'd tell you you're on the chopping block.

Sibley

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Re: Need advice urgently
« Reply #16 on: March 12, 2015, 09:53:26 AM »
OP - You don't deserve that government job, and you do deserve to get fired from your current contract job. You're being wishy-washy. Make up your damn mind and stick to it.

If someone did that sort of crap to me, I'd really dislike them and want to avoid working with them again.

Yes, I know I'm being harsh. IMO the OP needed a facepunch, so I administered it. Hopefully it'll stick.

MsSindy

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Re: Need advice urgently
« Reply #17 on: March 12, 2015, 10:54:21 AM »
OP - You don't deserve that government job, and you do deserve to get fired from your current contract job. You're being wishy-washy. Make up your damn mind and stick to it.

If someone did that sort of crap to me, I'd really dislike them and want to avoid working with them again.

Yes, I know I'm being harsh. IMO the OP needed a facepunch, so I administered it. Hopefully it'll stick.

I have to agree here.  All this indecisiveness does not make you a good candidate for Management material - I would loathe working for a Manager who could not articulate a decision/direction and then execute it.  Do all your decisions cause you this much angst?  If yes, start making smaller decisions and stick to them without regrets - you need to break this behaviour.

 

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