Should I accept job offer?
December 19, 2016 1:43 PM Subscribe
I've been looking for a new job and have just received an offer that meets many of my criteria, including location and salary - in fact, by many measures, I'd be silly not to accept - but for some reason I'm leaning towards turning it down. More details inside.
To save a wall of text, some pros and cons:
Pros:
- meets my main criteria (not in centre of big nearby city)
- reasonable commute
- great salary
- I liked the people who interviewed me
- they're willing to have me for 4 days a week which I do currently and would love to continue
Cons:
- It's still in my current field and I'm concerned the root of my current boredom / frustration is with my field rather than the particular job.
- In both interviews I've had, I struggled to get clear answers to some of my questions, inc. out of hours arrangements (one of the things I really hate about my current role is out of hours) and what their highest priorities for the new role are. I guess both of these could be good things, however, since maybe it means they don't have enough out of hours work to justify a formal policy and the role would be mine to shape?
- I've only met my two superiors, and not the other people I'll be working with.
- It's a very small company / start-up (although difficult to justify that label when it's been running for many years already), I've not worked in such an environment before and I don't know lots about their financial position.
Basically - I don't know how to make this decision. I don't think I'll find a better offer if I stick in my current field, but something is nagging and making me reluctant to say yes.
I also feel some what awkward about the prospect of handing in my notice to my current employer. They were good to me in the past and have attempted to respond to my current frustrations by offering me some new projects, but they've made similar offers in the past that haven't materialised in to much. What's more, I don't think there's a realistic chance of moving away from out of hours work in my current company / role, where as the new position at least has a chance of having less out of hours work.
To save a wall of text, some pros and cons:
Pros:
- meets my main criteria (not in centre of big nearby city)
- reasonable commute
- great salary
- I liked the people who interviewed me
- they're willing to have me for 4 days a week which I do currently and would love to continue
Cons:
- It's still in my current field and I'm concerned the root of my current boredom / frustration is with my field rather than the particular job.
- In both interviews I've had, I struggled to get clear answers to some of my questions, inc. out of hours arrangements (one of the things I really hate about my current role is out of hours) and what their highest priorities for the new role are. I guess both of these could be good things, however, since maybe it means they don't have enough out of hours work to justify a formal policy and the role would be mine to shape?
- I've only met my two superiors, and not the other people I'll be working with.
- It's a very small company / start-up (although difficult to justify that label when it's been running for many years already), I've not worked in such an environment before and I don't know lots about their financial position.
Basically - I don't know how to make this decision. I don't think I'll find a better offer if I stick in my current field, but something is nagging and making me reluctant to say yes.
I also feel some what awkward about the prospect of handing in my notice to my current employer. They were good to me in the past and have attempted to respond to my current frustrations by offering me some new projects, but they've made similar offers in the past that haven't materialised in to much. What's more, I don't think there's a realistic chance of moving away from out of hours work in my current company / role, where as the new position at least has a chance of having less out of hours work.
It's still in my current field and I'm concerned the root of my current boredom / frustration is with my field rather than the particular job.
Well this is an issue with your career not this Job offer, refusing this offer would also result in staying in the career. You can always take this wonderful new job and still find a new career.
Regarding the hours? Ask. You'll never be in a better position to negotiate this stuff.
If nothing else it will be another valuable bullet point on your resume.
posted by French Fry at 1:52 PM on December 19, 2016 [9 favorites]
Well this is an issue with your career not this Job offer, refusing this offer would also result in staying in the career. You can always take this wonderful new job and still find a new career.
Regarding the hours? Ask. You'll never be in a better position to negotiate this stuff.
If nothing else it will be another valuable bullet point on your resume.
posted by French Fry at 1:52 PM on December 19, 2016 [9 favorites]
In your current job search, you've got some concept of how your ratios are running for months of looking, to awesome job ads you're excited about, to adequate jobs you apply for, to interviews you get - and from something about your wording I'm assuming this is the first job offer.
How many jobs have you seen outside your field that you would feel qualified for? What are really your chances of being offered a job so new and different that the status quo frustration is highly unlikely to be an issue? Is there anything you can do to grow away from your current field in your current job, and might there be any aspects of this new job that would be more flexible and help you grow those credentials?
posted by aimedwander at 2:08 PM on December 19, 2016
How many jobs have you seen outside your field that you would feel qualified for? What are really your chances of being offered a job so new and different that the status quo frustration is highly unlikely to be an issue? Is there anything you can do to grow away from your current field in your current job, and might there be any aspects of this new job that would be more flexible and help you grow those credentials?
posted by aimedwander at 2:08 PM on December 19, 2016
Feeling awkward about giving notice is normal. Please don't let that affect any decision you make.
posted by Bella Donna at 3:11 PM on December 19, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by Bella Donna at 3:11 PM on December 19, 2016 [7 favorites]
Agree that giving notice can be difficult if you are relatively happy in your current role, especially the aspect of no longer working with particular colleagues.
With a 'great salary', short commute and ability to telecommute many would be envious, frankly, of your situation and would find your hesitancy confusing. But having been in many environments it sounds like too many unknowns are giving you the discomfort.
Is there a way you can find people who used to work for the prospective employer? Via LinkedIn you can find 'former employees of X company' relatively easily, and that can give you invaluable insight into what you are going into.
Also a word of advice for leaving - don't burn any bridges. People's memories are much longer than many things, the lifespan of a given company (or company ownership) included. Your subordinate may become your future manager, and your current manager may become your future VP, whether it is by your choice or not!
posted by scooterdog at 1:55 AM on December 20, 2016
With a 'great salary', short commute and ability to telecommute many would be envious, frankly, of your situation and would find your hesitancy confusing. But having been in many environments it sounds like too many unknowns are giving you the discomfort.
Is there a way you can find people who used to work for the prospective employer? Via LinkedIn you can find 'former employees of X company' relatively easily, and that can give you invaluable insight into what you are going into.
Also a word of advice for leaving - don't burn any bridges. People's memories are much longer than many things, the lifespan of a given company (or company ownership) included. Your subordinate may become your future manager, and your current manager may become your future VP, whether it is by your choice or not!
posted by scooterdog at 1:55 AM on December 20, 2016
Again, this is the only time you will be able to seriously negotiate.
posted by xammerboy at 5:10 AM on December 20, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by xammerboy at 5:10 AM on December 20, 2016 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Then you wait. If they can't or won't answer your questions to your satisfaction you know what you need to know and move away.
posted by koahiatamadl at 1:50 PM on December 19, 2016 [19 favorites]