05-22-2007, 07:06 AM
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.
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.