I need some career advice, lend me an ear.

[mikebw]

I think I just need to think aloud here for a minute, get all my thoughts out on the table. Feel free to comment. Let me try to explain my situation first, then recap-

I have been working for the same company for about 3 years now and have not seen much advancement, mostly due to Union problems. The company won't agree to reasonable terms for a new contract so we are all stuck with the old one, which means basically no raises for the last 2 years. We might even go on strike, who knows.

Union dealings aside, I am relatively happy, I have made friends here, decent benefits etc... I would stay on for the long term but I just found out that one guy who used to work here with me wants me to go work for him at a major competitor to the company I work for now. I have no particular brand loyalty, but I am uncertain if this is a wise move.

I guess my two biggest concerns are money, and then my career path. Right now at my current job I make a good amount for what I do, and I am actually getting paid extra to train in another area department which is where I really want to be. What I do now is more editorial work, but what I want to do is more creative/design work. I think if I stay at my current job long enough I will get there and I will be happy.

I will not switch if the other company won't pay me more than I make now, I just can't afford to do that right now. So assuming they will increase my salary, my concern then becomes the career path. The new job would be more creative/design related than my present job, but also more technical at the same time. I don't know if I would be able to get back on track to where I am headed right now. This is all industry-related experience so it's good for my resume no matter what, but I just don't know if I am comfortable switching at the risk of losing what I have worked for here...

Well, after re-reading this it sounds like I really don't want to switch, unless there is some huge difference in pay which I doubt. I should really just talk to this guy and see what they can offer. I am also worried that the new job would be more stressful. I deal with job-related stress very well, but I also enjoy how relaxed and casual my current job is. I wear jeans and a t-shirt pretty much every day, my meals are provided free of charge and I even have time for a nap most days. How much would that appeal to you?

I know I have it pretty good at the moment, but I need to move up SOON. I have been in the same position for too long. I am hoping that my recent training will get me into another job within the same company sometime this year. They value me enough as an employee to offer me that extra training, so they must not want me to leave, but can I take that as a promise of a future promotion? I almost feel like I could use the fact that they have catered to me in the past as leverage to possibly negotiate a better position within if I challenge them with this other job offer from their competitor. Would that be an underhanded tactic? I am a nice guy and I don't want to burn any bridges.

Anyway, that's a mighty long post. Thanks for reading it if you've made it to the end. I'll take any career advice you all have. I know most of you have been out there longer than I have.

[Jp!]

My Uncle worked for one company and one company only for 60 years, retired a couple of years ago. (I know this doesn't help your situation)

[mikebw]

Well, I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with working for one company for my whole career, especially if it continually meets my needs and can provide adequate opportunity for me.

One other thing- if I stay here another 2 years I can become vested in the company retirement / pension plan. You need 5 continuous years of employment and then you are automatically enrolled. I think with the future of Social Security no longer looking so secure this might be a worthwhile thing to do.

[Drew]

If you stay with the current company you keep security, whereas the new company brings added risk. However, the new company may provide more opportunity for you to expand in directions that the present company can never offer. It depends on your tolerance for risk. I'm now 50 and have had a variety of jobs in two countries. Looking back, I'm very glad that I took risks earlier on and tried new things, because I wouldn't have had nearly as many interesting experiences.

[Sam3]

I know, advice is not worth the paper it's written on, but here goes anyway... It seems like you like your employer, and it certainly does sound like you are being groomed to move into another position. I'm not so sure that I'd jump ship. You've heard the saying "No guts, no glory", from what you've written it doesn't seem like the risk to benefit ratio is there for you to jump ship at this pont. If your co-worker jumps ship, keep in touch with him and montior the situation, it may provide you with an insight as to how the other company treats it's employees. You can always leave later if the other position at your company doesn't pan out.

[incognegro]

I found this on the lawn...

[Jp!]

I NEVER finished watching Blue Velvet. A lady called me up and diversions ensued.

[incognegro]

I love diversions.

[spearmint]

What you said about sounding like you don't want to quit sounds like that to me too. Today a good job and friends are something to hang on to. Also like Sam3 says it sounds like you are being prepared for something better. Good stuff.

[Lux Interior]

If you're happy with the money and the job, why the desire to "move up"? Personally, the only reason I can see for trying to move up is if I don't enjoy what I'm doing. But that's my personal position.

Working for the same company for your entire career, with some exceptions, of course, isn't a good option anymore. Companies are doing away with or defaulting on their pension plans. My company has done away with theirs. I have always ignored it as anything I could count on and fully funded my 401k. Also, they are eliminating health-care coverage for retirees.

Throw in salary compression and the fact that employees are regarded more as a commodity that a valuable resource, then working for one company doesn't seem like such a great option any more.