Need advice of career veterans

[Gerbil Wheel]

Hello folks

I need the advice of career veterans and their great wisdom.

I am interviewing for a new job soon. The cart is way before the horse at this point, but if it works out, there are a number of considerations that will make this a tough decision.

Apparent pros
- A step up in title, responsibility and compensation
- Great benefits, including a rich 401(k) match and a DB pension plan
- A better situation culture-wise and relationship-wise (potentially...remains to be seen)
- Closer to my aging parents and hometown

Apparent cons
- Changing jobs after less than one year in the current job...in other words, job hopping, although I do not have a history of job hopping...right now.
- Expensive financial consequences for breaking rental lease and bonus payback obligation that the potential employer may not be willing to cover.

That's it for now. I will add more after the on-site interview.

Oh, and this is another megacorp.

Thanks
GW

 

[Nords]

Apparent pros
- A step up in title, responsibility and compensation
Apparent cons
- Expensive financial consequences for breaking rental lease and bonus payback obligation that the potential employer may not be willing to cover.

The non-financial pros seem to be a lot more important than the financial pros, but it seems as if your new employer should be willing to give you a financial assist with the cons of departing the old employer/locale.

Maybe you could put a dollar value on and ask for a relocation reimbursement. Employers are generally much happier offering one-time reimbursments instead of long-term higher paychecks.

 

[Gerbil Wheel]

^Thanks, I have not brought up the financial entanglements yet, but they have already said "not a full relo, but we'll offer some assistance" so I will definintely have to suss that out further if this progresses.

 

[Gerbil Wheel]

I had the interview today and it went well. I expect to get invited back.

However I am having some unexpected and troublesome thoughts.

The thing is...I am not sure I really want to go to another megacorp. This position will be a helluva lot of work initially and will be very high profile, providing the CFO with numbers and explanations on a frequent basis, for example. I will also have to manage a number of projects and hold a lot of people accountable ("where are we with X" I will be asking every day...exactly the type of question I dislike being asked of me). Maybe after two years on the job I could be quite effective...but I see two painful years getting there.

I have doubts that these corporate environments are where I want to continue to be. I can't stand my current situation...the relationships are toxic. I am disappointed now because I was hoping to eject from there into this new position!

So what to do? I enjoyed consulting, but even that had its politics. I might be better suited as the guy who works out of his basement, churning out projects and staying under the radar.

I also keep thinking about teaching English in Asia, but I have just been reading forums on that, no hard analysis or test-driving yet. I don't want to leave my dog who may live another 5+ years. Maybe I will just endure a while longer; wait-and-see. I got grass-is-greener syndrome BAD!

Not really sure what to do if they ask me back for another interview...

 

[MasterBlaster]

Some people thrive in big corporations..... And then there are the rest of us who just tolerate it to varying degrees.

The points you raise are for you alone to answer.

Maybe you need a year or three backpacking or working on a sailboat or whatever.

Money isn't everything, and at the end of the day if it's just money that your job gives then that's not good at all.

You'll get lots of talk and opinions about what to do. But in the end you have to do what's right for you.

 

[Rambler]

Gerbil - you know, you don't have to make a work environment toxic just because that is what you have now. I would put forth that you CAN indeed get the new job, and get it done while still being a nice guy/gal. There are more ways to motivate people than the stick. You just have to understand what represents a carrot for them. You must not be afraid to use the stick when the carrot does not work, but not in a mean manner. Only use it when necessary, and then make sure that the stick is reinforced by instruction and letting the individual know that it is not him/her that you dislike, but the action or lack thereof that is the problem. If the new megacorp calls you back, by all means, go. But, get yourself some leadership training if you fear becoming like your toxic old boss!

FWIW

R

 

[Gerbil Wheel]

Well, it's been two weeks since the interview and no follow-up from the company. This is the point where the recruiter (their internal recruiter) said I should check back if I had not heard anything.

In the meantime, my current job has gotten more bearable, although there are still pockets of misery. I also have a two week vacation coming up last week of Dec through first week of Jan, and I think they want the new position filled by the beginning of January. I have also been thinking about the possibility of getting back into my house in my hometown (currently renting it out) in a year or two.

In short, I don't feel much enthusiasm for this potential job. I also feel some inertia having just relocated 10 months ago and would prefer to stay put for at least a little while longer. The potential job would be career-enhancing, but I think I could find another opportunity later in my hometown if I am patient.

So, what should I tell the recruiter? Is it worth going back if they invite me?

 

[Nords]

Well, it's been two weeks since the interview and no follow-up from the company. This is the point where the recruiter (their internal recruiter) said I should check back if I had not heard anything.
In short, I don't feel much enthusiasm for this potential job.

If that's the way you feel then you could call the recruiter to let them know you're beginning to consider other options, and do they have any additional information that would help you make a decision?

 

[Gerbil Wheel]

I called back yesterday, and the recruiter returned my call today. They decided on a local candidate for the job. But, it is good to have closure now.

On a related note, one of our managers resigned today after only six months on the job, citing elder care reasons. However when we spoke privately she expressed dissatisfaction with the culture, so that was part of it. Many unhappy folks at this place.

After my vacation I will resume my job search in earnest. Many thanks to all replies.