Do I apply for a lower-level position?

October 8, 2009 12:02 PM

Hate my boss, like my job. Local county notified me of two positions available I previously was interested in. Do I go? Complication: Child on the way.

Have been at this job for just over 5 months. Job title is 'Systems Administrator' but it is a hybrid as I am the only IT guy for 3 locations and 75% of the work force. Great experience, great job, but I hate my boss. I was notified that the county has two positions open that I previously applied for but did not follow through due to my current position. They are entry level (Possibly boring?) but the starting pay is more than I make now. Currently at $40k/Year, and the new positions start at $42k and $44k. I hate having to be the new guy, and I am afraid I am suffering from 'The grass is greener'. I would also be back on the bottom and have to work my way up which is a bummer. Current company has potential of great growth (We are hiring ~10 per month and no stopping in site) but my management is failing on promises of increased IT staffing, comp time, etc.

Complication: We are expecting our first child in December and I am paranoid something will happen and I will not be able to provide financially. My wife also works at the same company as I (Different job title and department) but is a newer employee so no paid maternity leave, and is hourly.

Do I try out for the County jobs? I used to do Search and Rescue and LOVED the interaction with local law enforcement/government. I would be more receptive to staying at my current place if I was offered more money, but that dosnt look like it would happen. I DO NOT want to get fired by trying to have them match salary.

posted by NotSoSimple to work & money (12 comments total)

Current company has potential of great growth (We are hiring ~10 per month and no stopping in site) but my management is failing on promises of increased IT staffing, comp time, etc.

The growth isn't a positive if it means you're going to be supporting more people without more resources. If you don't trust your boss to watch your back I wouldn't assume that they will promote you and give you appropriate raises.

I would apply solely on the basis that you and your wife work at the same company. Diversification of salaries is as important as diversification of assets for a couple.
posted by benzenedream at 12:23 PM on October 8

Why not apply for the other jobs? That doesn't mean you have to go for interview or take the jobs if offered, but it keeps your options open.

Could you just ask for more money at your current job (without mentioning the other jobs)? The worst they can do is say no.
posted by peanut butter milkshake at 12:24 PM on October 8 [1 favorite]

5 months in one position seems like too short of time for me... would benefits kick-in immediately in new positions? if not, stay put
posted by mrmarley at 12:25 PM on October 8

A bad boss can ruin a great job including giving you raises, promoting you, understanding when your child comes (our child wound up in the hospital for a week when he was 6 weeks old), etc.

I would say go for the other jobs. I'm not sure if you have the same policy as we do though--if you apply they alert your boss asap. Maybe ask for an informal, off the record inquiry first to see if you really want to go. But more money with a new kid on the way does help.

Bad bosses suck.
posted by stormpooper at 12:34 PM on October 8

I would apply for the County jobs. You can make a decision if they offer you a job, but if you don't submit your resume you can't even think about making a decision.
posted by KokuRyu at 12:35 PM on October 8

The only input I can give you is this: My wife and I were really worried about sudden costs with a new baby. They never really happened. Mind you, we were gifted a lot of things, and more than willing to buy used/garage sale stuff, but other than the car seat, there's not a lot of super huge expenses. They eat for super cheap in the beginning (especially if your wife breastfeeds) and the cost builds up very slowly, so you have time to budget accordingly.

Kids GET expensive, sure, but a lot of that depends on how you raise them (an old cardboard box is cooler than a new toy car).
posted by toekneebullard at 12:43 PM on October 8 [1 favorite]

The big question, with a kid on the way, is insurance coverage. I would check with the county people to see if a) Their insurance covers your family, and b) Whether the pregnancy would be covered. Sometimes there is a 6-month exclusion period for pre-existing conditions like that.

Or, does your wife have her own separate coverage at her current job?
posted by Thorzdad at 1:19 PM on October 8 [1 favorite]

I'm a county employee, but not knowing where you live makes it a little tough to say. Factors to consider:

• In general, government work will earn you a smaller paycheck than private sector work, but with a better pension and better health benefits. That is, of course a gross generalization, but it mostly bears out in my experience. Obviously, YMMV depending on your location, current company's health plans and pension options, etc.
• The work environment tends to be more stable in a state/county/city job. Mind you, that may be less true in this economy; these days even local governments are laying off staff.
• County jobs are not immune from bad bosses (indeed, they can be far harder to get rid of in states with strict civil service rules than at companies), so scope out the landscape well.
• Enjoy perks like bonuses, golf outings, etc., think twice. You will not get those things in a county job.
• Local government employees are guaranteed to read something nasty about their department, their bosses, their colleagues, etc. in the Opinion section of the local newspaper from time to time. Don't take it personally and you'll be fine.

There's more that will come to me later. In general, I would recommend strongly considering a comparable county job over a job at a private company, especially if the government work pays as well or better. It's definitely a hedged bet; your income will be stable, but you will never have an opportunity to get rich on stock options, you'll never get a huge performance-based bonus, etc. But: you will rarely be expected to work much beyond 40 hours a week (and when you do, you'll most likely be compensated accordingly) or take your work home with you (though you're welcome to if you love it!); your vacation time will be decent and increase steadily the longer you work there; unless your state has undergone a major pension reform, you will have an excellent retirement plan (and nobody's stopping you from having an IRA along with it; you'll also very likely be grandfathered into the current pension plan if a substantial reform does come along); your medical plan is likely to be better than most companies provide (mine, for example, includes family coverage at no extra cost, among other perks).
For me, the benefits outweigh the costs. I'm fortunate in that I like (and usually see eye to eye with) my immediate supervisor and my department's director. I have had a bad boss or two in my day, and you couldn't pay me enough to leave my county job to work under one of them.
posted by willpie at 1:35 PM on October 8

Boss Trust: I do not trust my boss for raises, promotions, etc. He has said multiple times 'If you were a SysAdmin I could let you do that', even though that is what I applied for, what the job title is, what is on my business card, paystub, etc, etc. I was also told the salary I was hired @ is for 3 months probation and then would be re-evaluated if employment was to continue. It was, and my review was close to perfect, but was told we had a raise freeze.

Asking for more money: Not possible. Asked about the raise mentioned above and was told I have to be here a year. I fear since employees are a dime a dozen, they would find someone to replace me just for monetary reasons.

New position benefits: No idea, she will not talk to me unless I apply and get an interview. Typical for the county and not uncommon when I spoke with a friend who works for said county.

Kid Expenses: Luckily I have been able to pay for almost everything (Classes, car seat, furniture) not only for about 1/2 price but without anything from our normal paychecks. Freelance work is a pain but pays off. We have nothing to buy really, we are pretty set.

Insurance: Wife and I are on seperate insurances. We did this due to cost. It costs us $16/m for insurance (Roughly $8 each). When she was on mine, we were paying $975/m, and it would raise another $500 once our daughter came. So if I lost insurance it would only put me as noncovered.

I am going back and forth. I dont think it would be smart for me to be in a new environment with the added stress. Talked to my wife at lunch, and she wishes I could get the salary jump but she is afraid I will get bored; which I think is very likely with those positions.
posted by NotSoSimple at 1:41 PM on October 8

Doh! 4th bullet should start with "If you enjoy perks like..."
Also, it looks like you're in Oregon. Oregon's PERS has undergone reforms already; it's still pretty good, as pensions go. You'll be fending off further reforms and attempts to abolish PERS altogether for the rest of your career if you go for the county jobs; the Bill Sizemores of the world have a substantial presence in Oregon.
If these are Multnomah County jobs, I strongly recommend that you go for them. Wouldn't mind working there, myself.
posted by willpie at 1:44 PM on October 8

Also, in the event that you would consider asking your company to match salary to keep you, you would only do that after you have been offered another position. So even if they decide to fire you for gross cheekiness, you already have another job lined up.
posted by willpie at 1:52 PM on October 8

You're about to go through one big life change. I'd think carefully before adding another into the mix. That's not to say you shouldn't, and I don't know all the factors, but some things to think about:

Don't give yourself a longer commute right now.
Don't move into a stressful situation where you are having to prove yourself, or learn new things, late night reading isn't going to happen.
Make sure you have insurance by the time your kid starts daycare, 'cos you're going to get sick.
Make sure the place you're working understands you're going to be running late some days after the kid comes and not able to come in others.
posted by IanMorr at 2:05 PM on October 8