Crazy Job Situation: What Would You Do?

[firstdown]

Some have said to ask for time to think about your decision. You better hope they don't interview someone they like better while your thinking because they will pull the offer off the table.

[skinsfaninok]

Yeah in today's job market it's hard to say "let me think "

[FRPLG]

What first said. Nothing wrong with making a u-turn in a couple weeks if a better opportunity comes up.

[Dirtbag59]

I would take both. All you have to do with the IT job is outsource it to China.

Man reportedly outsources his own job to China, watches cat videos - latimes.com

[BigHairedAristocrat]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag59

I would take both. All you have to do with the IT job is outsource it to China.

Man reportedly outsources his own job to China, watches cat videos - latimes.com

I think this guy should have gotten a promotion for his ingenuity.

[CRedskinsRule]

My opinion, and it's just personal feeling nothing more, is that if the new job doesn't provide a clear advancement path then the other parts don't make up for the pay cut. If it were a foot in the door type opportunity I could understand taking a flyer and going for it but it doesn't sound like it has strong potential that way. Gas and commute sound like a wash to me, and for me the free courses would be a thing that given two otherwise equal situations it would tip the balance, but they wouldn't make up for a major difference like less pay.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by CRedskinsRule

My opinion, and it's just personal feeling nothing more, is that if the new job doesn't provide a clear advancement path then the other parts don't make up for the pay cut. If it were a foot in the door type opportunity I could understand taking a flyer and going for it but it doesn't sound like it has strong potential that way. Gas and commute sound like a wash to me, and for me the free courses would be a thing that given two otherwise equal situations it would tip the balance, but they wouldn't make up for a major difference like less pay.

That right there is exactly how I'm feeling right now. Problem is, my wife is so eager for me to work closer to home, that I don't think she's considering all the financial details. She just wants me closer to home so that I'm not having to drive so much, which I understand. I do have nights where I come home tired and not wanting to do much. However, she also knows that I worry enough about money that taking a pay cut would probably have me tied in knots.

[BDBohnzie]

skinsguy - Try to negotiate the parking into your salary (60*12, $720; see if they'll go up $1000 on your starting salary). That can help make up for the loss in salary, knowing that you've made up for having to pay to park. And even without the career advancement, on-the-job experience plus any IT classes you can take will help make the jump elsewhere if you can't advance at the college.

However, I would really sit down and figure out the salary difference between your current job/commute and your new job/commute before making a final decision. Especially since you said money is tight.

[The Goat]

Lots of good advice here already.

I've hired a lot of people over the years and never "judged" somebody for taking every great opportunity that passed their way, as long as it was ethical and legal. Two me, that's a two week notice unless you're managing a dept, region, division, etc or strictly in sales. Then you get to walk the eff out

[skinsguy]

Thanks guys, I appreciate all the good advice you have given me. After talking it over with my wife, I realized that I need to just call the college up and ask for more information before I decide either way. There are a lot of pros and a lot of cons to this decision, but some of the cons are things that I think directly effect me and my wife's financial health.

Having worked in the I.T. field for almost eight years now, and just a couple years away from hitting the big 4-0, I feel that at this point in my life, my career needs to be moving forward, not restarting back to square one. At times, you do take a step back to move two steps forward, especially if it's with a company that is offering you the job you have always wanted, but maybe it starts you out at a much lower pay scale, with a promise that you can move up quickly. In the case of this college position, my responsibilities would actually be reduced from what they are now, and so would be the pay. After doing a little more digging, it seems like this job might be more geared toward being a data entry type of job, with a few minor responsibilities above that, but nothing like the responsibilities that I have at my present job.

Having said that, I'm not sure if this situation falls under the category of taking a step back to move steps forward, or if it's just plainly taking a step back, merely to have a closer drive. I am thinking about all the great things that the college can offer that is indirect of "benefits", such as a place to workout, play tennis, college atmosphere, discounts on events hosted by the college, the free classes, etc.... I don't know if those things are enough to sway me. I DO think if they offered me equal pay as I'm making now, then the thought of the free classes would probably be enough to make it work.

But anyways, I think I just need to call them back and ask some more detailed questions. If it was just me, and I was a few years younger, then it would probably be an opportunity worth taking the risk. But, I'm getting close to 40, I'm now married, will start a family soon, and I feel this point in my life and career, I need to look for opportunities that give me ways of growing in my career.

[firstdown]

If the school has a better IT job that just opened up why don't you ask to interview for that job or am I missing something.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by firstdown

If the school has a better IT job that just opened up why don't you ask to interview for that job or am I missing something.

I did inquire about that. On their website, it was supposedly re-posted, but the lady told me it had been filled. I did express interest in that position, which would have been more of what I'm used to, and would have paid a lot more than this position.

[Daseal]

Skinsguy -- any update?

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by Daseal

Skinsguy -- any update?

Yes! Sorry, I've been a bit busy today. Well, after calling the college again and getting some more details, I decided to turn down the offer. They didn't mention to me from the beginning that this was an hourly paid position, not salaried. That's a big deal breaker for me, but there were other issues that I couldn't get past either. No raises, except for cost of living, and the last one they had was a couple years ago and it was a 1% cost of living increase. The insurance didn't cover as much as my current insurance, and even though parking wasn't as much as what I thought earlier, I still couldn't get past the idea of having to pay to park on a monthly basis.

So, I think I made a wise decision. I just feel this isn't just a lateral move, but it's a backwards pass!

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

Yes! Sorry, I've been a bit busy today. Well, after calling the college again and getting some more details, I decided to turn down the offer. They didn't mention to me from the beginning that this was an hourly paid position, not salaried. That's a big deal breaker for me, but there were other issues that I couldn't get past either. No raises, except for cost of living, and the last one they had was a couple years ago and it was a 1% cost of living increase. The insurance didn't cover as much as my current insurance, and even though parking wasn't as much as what I thought earlier, I still couldn't get past the idea of having to pay to park on a monthly basis.

So, I think I made a wise decision. I just feel this isn't just a lateral move, but it's a backwards pass!

Just saw this. Good decision. Sorry to hear it didn't turn out to be as good an opportunity as you thought, but glad to hear the decision got easier.