Spanky
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Martha,You won't lose the pension. Negotiate for the best deal and then do what your heart desires.
Thanks for the advice. I should continue on what I like to do.
Martha,You won't lose the pension. Negotiate for the best deal and then do what your heart desires.
xyz,I would negotiate for ownership, which might make the venture worthwhile and interesting (if you help make the business successful you share in the earnings). If you are FI and comfortable in your current position why change jobs unless there is the opportunity for considerable compensation? I spent half my career (technical) working for a salary then moved to another company (as a manager) but got ownership. I liked the technical work better but the money is very good when you are getting a piece of the profits.
Let's supposed that you receive an offer to get into an engineering management position with a start-up company, but the pay is similar. You are only a few years (< 5 yrs) from retirement, working for a mega-corp with a pension (albeit small) in a comfortable environment as a technical lead engineer. Would you make that switch? I would imagine that you probably think it's crazy to make such a transition unless the start-up offers more exciting work and a much better compensation package.
Martha,
Thanks for the advice. I should continue on what I like to do.
The question reminded me of a career sea story, and yesterday I started to write a post about it, but it didn't seem to really cover all the issues.xyz,
Thanks. Since I am FI and pretty content at my current place, there's no need to jump skip unless the compensation is considerably higher.
And you mentioned you did not want more stress than you currently have. Between management responsibilities and all the change, there almost no chance you would not find the new role noticeably more stressful for at least a while.Since I am FI and pretty content at my current place, there's no need to jump skip unless the compensation is considerably higher.
Nords,Then this morning I had the thought: Five years after you ER, when you look back on this decision point, will you really give a crap about either one of these "choices"?
Agreed - being a lead is no picnic either.On the other side, a technical lead has a lot of responsibility but little ability to make real decisions, like who is on your team, or major decisions about the project. If you're lucky you are consulted on these things, but you may not have any real say.
My inclination is not making the move.Anyway, like the other comments say, I wouldn't make the jump without a big upside. The risk/reward factor does not sound very high.
I have been asking the same question.IMO - With a couple of years left... why complicate your life with unnecessary BS?
I do not think that will happen.Now... if they were going to pay me a huge hiring bonus Plus a large salary increase or the same salary a large $ amount in stock options... I might consider it if I wanted to continue working.
A new job with increased responsibilities in an agile (unstructured) software development while managing 16 developers will definitely be very, very stressful.And you mentioned you did not want more stress than you currently have. Between management responsibilities and all the change, there almost no chance you would not find the new role noticeably more stressful for at least a while.
..........Also, management is like adult day care.............
Compensation is about the same. The biggest advantage is proximity to my home. The company is less structured and political. My friend who is working there says it is a good place to work.What is the real value of the potential job?
Also, management is like adult day care. I tried it but have gone back to what Mega calls "an individual contributor role."
I am glad that it turns out well for your friend. Grass is greener once in a while.For what it is worth, a friend changed jobs a few years ago from one mega-corp where he had worked for a long time to another in the same line of work, but it is amazing how much he loves his new job and the effect the change has had on his attitude on life. the change did wonders for him, so another thing to consider.
Agreed - thanks.I just read through this thread and based on your (the op's) responses, my suggestion is to stay away from a management position.