Passing up a job offer

[SagaLore]

I'm signed up on Monster.com, because I like to look at the trends of hiring and the job requirements in neighboring cities. My long term goal is to become a CSO.

I was unexpectedly contacted by a recruiter trying to fill a position that is here where I live. This small city does not have a lot of IT jobs, especially ones that pay well. I'm rather lucky I have the job I have - the HQ is in another bigger city.

I travel a lot, because I support multiple offices. During tax season I work a lot of hours, but do not get paid overtime. Even during the off season sometimes I don't get home until 6:30. When I started here, it was a sys admin job, mostly helpdesk support. But 4 years later I'm heading all of the security projects for the firm. My plan was to use it as a stepping stone for my CSO job a few years from now.

Now this other job offer pops up. Instead of Sys admin, it's strictly Server admin. I wouldn't support users. I wouldn't travel. I'd promptly leave work at 4:30. The pay would be $10k to $15k more.

But it's not an apples to apples comparison. Because now I support this entire tier of offices myself, I have my own office - I have space and privacy. Since I work so many hours, nobody cares if I'm running late in the morning or if I have to leave early. I'm basically a manager of myself. With this other job, I'd report directly the VP who'd be sharing an office with me. Based on the Recruiter's description, it sounds like he's very strict - must show up at 8, must leave at 4:30. He'd probably be watching over me, which I'm not use to. They also have a rather heterogenous infractructure, involving windows, linux, as/400, even apple servers.

What to do, what to do... I don't really want to leave my team, but I'm so exhausted...

edit:
Poll is here

 

[dcdude]

too long to read

 

[Jassi]

If you need the money, give it a thought. If you are happy with what you are earning and enjoying life at and after work, my advice would be to let it go.

 

[Landroval]

go meet with them and get a feel for the boss?

 

[Platypus]

Originally posted by: SagaLore
I'm signed up on Monster.com, because I like to look at the trends of hiring and the job requirements in neighboring cities. My long term goal is to become a CSO.

I was unexpectedly contacted by a recruiter trying to fill a position that is here where I live. This small city does not have a lot of IT jobs, especially ones that pay well. I'm rather lucky I have the job I have - the HQ is in another bigger city.

I travel a lot, because I support multiple offices. During tax season I work a lot of hours, but do not get paid overtime. Even during the off season sometimes I don't get home until 6:30. When I started here, it was a sys admin job, mostly helpdesk support. But 4 years later I'm heading all of the security projects for the firm. My plan was to use it as a stepping stone for my CSO job a few years from now.

Now this other job offer pops up. Instead of Sys admin, it's strictly Server admin. I wouldn't support users. I wouldn't travel. I'd promptly leave work at 4:30. The pay would be $10k to $15k more.

But it's not an apples to apples comparison. Because now I support this entire tier of offices myself, I have my own office - I have space and privacy. Since I work so many hours, nobody cares if I'm running late in the morning or if I have to leave early. I'm basically a manager of myself. With this other job, I'd report directly the VP who'd be sharing an office with me. Based on the Recruiter's description, it sounds like he's very strict - must show up at 8, must leave at 4:30. He'd probably be watching over me, which I'm not use to. They also have a rather heterogenous infractructure, involving windows, linux, as/400, even apple servers.

What to do, what to do... I don't really want to leave my team, but I'm so exhausted...

You said yourself your current job is a transitional position. If you don't want to trade it for something that has less hours, more pay, and a lot less headache, I question your reasoning at all...

You need to do what is going to be best for you. If you cannot live in the new work condition you described, hold out for something different.

 

[ultimatebob]

Personally, I'd interview for the position and find out if this VP that you would be sharing an office with is a nice guy.

If he is, taking a job that pays better with less overtime and help desk grunt work to do is a no brainer.

 

[exilera]

Have you gotten a raise at your current position recently? If not, perhaps you should ask for one. If you get one, it's pretty much a no brainer from what I gleaned from your post. Either way, it seems you want to stay where you are.

Just remember, even if you get paid less, it's better to be in a job that you enjoy more rather than waking up every morning dreading the day. As long as you live comfortably, money isn't everything.

 

[BurnItDwn]

It sounds like an easy decision made tough.

If you are comfortable with your current salary, and if you still find at least a little bit of free time to do what you love, it sounds like you aren't too bad off. Having lots of freedom at work is something I value pretty highly. I have worked in help centers, where you need to account for every second, and if you come 2 minutes late one day, you get written up. I also have seen the other side of the fence, where the management mostly just lets you do your thing, and if they need anything extra, they ask.

Perhaps the VP is just strict initially, but once you prove yourself to him/her, then they will loosen up a bit, since they will see that you like to get stuff done. Once they see that you are a hard worker, they may back off a bit and let you work the way that you believe you work best.

In any case, this is a tough decision, and I can't decide for you. If I was in your shoes, I'd think about it long and hard, weigh all the pros and cons, and decide with what I believe to be the most logical answer.

 

[beyonddc]

It sounds like you're happy with your current job and you've a lot of learning oppurtunity.

If you care about job satisfaction more than money, then still with your current job. Otherwise, move-on to the new job.

 

[Malak]

Less work for more money? I dunno, I'd give it a shot.

 

[overclock]

never hurts to interview. get a feel and ask some questions that concern you. sometimes the grass isn't always greener on the other side. but if you never leave your office you'll never know.

 

[thelanx]

Ask for a raise from your current job, then you can get paid more for a job you like.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: dcdude
too long to read

cliffs notes:

1. Unexpected job offer
2. Job is less hours, less travel, and for more money
3. I like the team I work with, and I'm very important to the firm on a lot of security projects
4. I have my own office right now, with a lot of freedom and flexibility - new job I will share with a strict boss
5. I want to become a CSO some day
6. ...
7. Profit!

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Exhausted because your working 45-50hrs a week?


Jeez, in a fiscal year I log about 300hrs of unpaid OT, do I quit? No, it's part of the job!

Quit whining, if you don;t like it, QUIT!

 

[shilala]

Originally posted by: Landroval
go meet with them and get a feel for the boss?

I'm with Landroval.
Go see if the guy's a dick and then make your decision.

 

[imported_Kensai]

Originally posted by: shilala

Originally posted by: Landroval
go meet with them and get a feel for the boss?

I'm with Landroval.
Go see if the guy's a dick and then make your decision.

I agree with them.
~Also, in my opinion, I'd try out the other job just for some different experience. It could be fun, and you're getting paid alot more too.

 

[SagaLore]

exilera: Raises don't come until July.

BurnItDwn: Yes it really is a tough decision - had I been looking for another job, I'd take this in an instant, but I wasn't prepared, and the timing is rather bad as I'm in the process of making several proposals that are going to impact the firm a lot, and I already have pre-approval from the CIO. It's not very often you can say you made that big of a difference to such a large company.

overclock: Where I live, IT jobs are very hard to come by, and I'm prepared to move to another city a few years from now to persue my CSO job. But if I took this job now, I'd have to stick with it even if I ended up disliking it. The plus with my current job is all the different projects we're working on, they look great on a resume.

 

[spidey07]

Dude,

Opportunity only knocks once.

I'll be hard on you for a sec...

You weren't really looking for another job, face it...you're cozy. Because if you were looking you would have a current resume in hand and ready to apply for ANY position that you wanted with only a few modifications. I believe you think that perfect position will just fall in your lap.

It doesn't work that way. You have to go get it, you have to find it, you have to work at it.

That means going out and interviewing and seeing what the opportunity may be. What's the best that can happen? You go interview and it doesn't interest you in the slightest vs. the best that can happen. Dream job, everything you've ever wanted and more pay only you would actually have to work.

Now go get 'em. If you aren't actively looking while working you are not furthing your career.

ps - what is the single most important part of a security infrastructure and how do you implement it?

 

[Descartes]

I've been in similar situations in the past, so perhaps I can at least express my thinking on these matters to see if it elucidates any of your own. For what it's worth, I travel pretty much all the time, and I spend most of my time away from home (I'm not married).

1) Consider the experience before the money. The money will come with the proper experience, so if you have to forfeit a higher paying job to gain higher quality experience, do it.
2) Flexibility is worth more than a little extra money. Nothing is worse than feeling like the monkey you are by having to be in at precisely any given time. If you find a place that respects you for your hard work and allows you the flexibility as a result, stay there; of course, that's unless it is in conflict with #1.
3) Don't work a lot of OT without compensation. I've worked plenty of 80-100 hour work weeks without being paid, and I'll never do it again; I've paid my dues (I really hate that phrase; it assumes that I owed any to begin with). If you're working 50 hours a week or less then consider it normal, because in IT that's simply the way it is. If you're working 70-80 per week then start looking for compensation or another opportunity unless the results from items 1 and 2 override the extra time you put in.

Works for me. At the moment I am self-employed, and while I travel a lot I have the freedom to do as I wish. That includes not working for sometimes a month or two at a time.

 

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Dude,

Opportunity only knocks once.

I'll be hard on you for a sec...

You weren't really looking for another job, face it...you're cozy. Because if you were looking you would have a current resume in hand and ready to apply for ANY position that you wanted with only a few modifications. I believe you think that perfect position will just fall in your lap.

It doesn't work that way. You have to go get it, you have to find it, you have to work at it.

That means going out and interviewing and seeing what the opportunity may be. What's the best that can happen? You go interview and it doesn't interest you in the slightest vs. the best that can happen. Dream job, everything you've ever wanted and more pay only you would actually have to work.

Now go get 'em. If you aren't actively looking while working you are not furthing your career.

This man speaks truth.

ps - what is the single most important part of a security infrastructure and how do you implement it?

The people

 

[tm37]

The thing that many people fail to relieze is that not only are they interviewing you but you are interviewingf them.

I was in a very unique situation when I was let go as I had offers from across the country coming my way. I went on a few interviews and rather than look at it as I needed to sell myself to them I asked questions that insured that I would be happy were I was going.

I really enjoyed my last job and I love my new job. I had a job 3 years ago where I made 20K more and I was miserable. They asked if I would come back and I was fired from that job and I said no.

Money is not everything thing and you need to rememebr that approx 50% of your wake time will be spent at work. If you have something that you enjoy I would feel out the other thing but rememebr that they need to sell you on it rather than you need to sell them.

 

[imthebadguy]

Originally posted by: dcdude
too long to read

ditto

 

[miniMUNCH]

Originally posted by: ultimatebob
Personally, I'd interview for the position and find out if this VP that you would be sharing an office with is a nice guy.

If he is, taking a job that pays better with less overtime and help desk grunt work to do is a no brainer.

Yep...never hurt to go to the interview.

 

[Joemonkey]

Originally posted by: imthebadguy

Originally posted by: dcdude
too long to read

ditto

:roll: then why post?

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: Fmr12B
Exhausted because your working 45-50hrs a week?

Jeez, in a fiscal year I log about 300hrs of unpaid OT, do I quit? No, it's part of the job!

Quit whining, if you don;t like it, QUIT!

I averaged (for the year) 65 hours per week in 2002, but the last few years have been better. The overtime isn't the hardest part - I average about 300 miles per week in travel, and my closest remote office is a 1 hour drive one way.

But I wasn't whining about it. I just said I'm exhausted...