Job recruiters be all up on my junk

Fagatron

So last November, after slightly more than two years of unemployment I was hired into a pretty excellent position doing something I knew little to nothing about at the time. Without going into too many details

• It's in web application security.
• I do things that would normally be illegal to websites to protect them
• I enjoy it quite a bit, and it's like getting paid monies to go to college instead of the other way around

Ever since then, along with the economy heating up in general, the ties I'd nurtured with recruiters have started to pay off; only a little too late. Every other week I'm getting emails about full time jobs I would've jumped at when I was unemployed, usually paying better than what I've got here, but not better enough for me to really consider them.

Other day however, I got an email from an agency I've done a lot of work with before, about a position I'm not entirely clear on the details for, and on a whim I replied and told him that I had a stable job and in order to consider the position it would have to pay "at least $80k annually." (double what I'm making) to which he just now replied "it very well could." I'm currently going along with setting up a meeting just to hear him out.

Couple other details that are very relevant.

I am underpaid where I am. I kind of sort of knew it going in, but I considered it more or less a fair trade because initially I was ultra entry level, the doors this job would open would be worth it and the stuff I'm learning here is more invaluable than 90% of anything I'll ever learn when I go back to college.

I don't plan on staying in this field forever, but I'm definitely trying to keep my options open because the stuff I'm learning here excites me and there's doors opening all around me in an extremely closed community; connections I'm making here with industry people have the potential to bear incredible fruit. Even so, in the fall I intend to go to back to school to attempt to learn about something that gets me going even more.

This other aspect of IT is probably a lot more dead end, but the job location is probably in San Francisco, and so I'd be able to stay in the city (and have a lot more money) instead of moving down to Silicon Valley come Fall. This matters more to my girlfriend than me, who would be moving with me and has expressed concerns about transferring schools and having no friends down here, even though it's less than an hour away; but I do like San Francisco a lot more than down here.

I'm also concerned that whatever the opportunity is, it might be less stable than here. I mean, I've already been here four months, I have benefits, I have some money in a 401k, the company I'm working for is in the process of growing in a really big way and the job stability is excellent as long as I continue to be excellent. I also love all my coworkers here to death and this is pretty much the most fun I've had working anywhere, ever. If I get this job and it turns out to be unstable and I lose it I'd be stuck with the same lackluster resume that has me jumping all over the place because of layoffs or unemployed for an extended period, in the almost same terrible job market.

Thoughts?

Slider

If it's possible, use your current position to leverage you into the other higher paying position. That's how it works. People do it all the time.

With that being said, I'm incredibly jealous. How did you get that job?

Casual

I know a lot of people would disagree with me on this but I would stay where you are. The chances are you aren't getting job offers because the economy is heating up but because you're employed now. You would be amazed how much difference that makes, employers just seem to prefer hiring someone who was already in work over someone who isn't.

You went into a your current job knowing it would be entry level pay but very useful and you've only been at it four months. With things the way they are you'd be mad to give up a secure and fun job for an unsure thing. Like you said there's a real possibility it could go tits up and you'll be looking at another bout of long term unimployment.

Fagatron

Slider wrote: »

If it's possible, use your current position to leverage you into the other higher paying position. That's how it works. People do it all the time.

With that being said, I'm incredibly jealous. How did you get that job?

Internets, relentless applying to apps.

Casual wrote: »

I know a lot of people would disagree with me on this but I would stay where you are. The chances are you aren't getting job offers because the economy is heating up but because you're employed now. You would be amazed how much difference that makes, employers just seem to prefer hiring someone who was already in work over someone who isn't.

You went into a your current job knowing it would be entry level pay but very useful and you've only been at it four months. With things the way they are you'd be mad to give up a secure and fun job for an unsure thing. Like you said there's a real possibility it could go tits up and you'll be looking at another bout of long term unimployment.

Pretty much what I have already figured. Still gonna meet with the guy, but I'll probably end up staying here even though it's a hardship short term.

EggyToast

You should hear him out, but here's what you should be listening for. If a recruiter comes to you with an offer, or a job they found, they probably see something in the job that isn't an exact match for you. After all, if it's the perfect job, in 6 months or a year they can't come back to you and ask "so how's that job working? Not an exact match? Well I happen to have found another job, and it may very well meet your requirements even more."

So what you're listening for is what that imperfection is. The recruiter isn't telling you something about the job and your job is to figure out what that is.

Now, it might actually be a really good opportunity for you, and if it fits all of your criteria and seems awesome, then of course you'd be a fool to pass it up. But when a recruiter says "I found something for you" you need to ask "What's the company, what's the pay range, and email me the job description from the company." If they don't do those things, then they're just submitting your resume for you.

JLM-AWP

I'm in the law firm IT biz in Chicago, and there is a nutty little niche market for people like me around these parts. I get calls on my friggin' office phone about job opportunities to all kinds of places. I have no idea how all these different groups got my information, but in a pinch, it might help.

One thing to also remember, if it hasn't already been mentioned, is that a lot of these people will act as if they directly represent a company through carefully-chosen words, when really they are working for a headhunter group. If you are serious, in the future, about switching jobs, I would highly recommend taking all of these jobs with a grain of salt. If you are a desirable, capable person, then you will have mp problem finding alternative (and hopefully better) employment than your current job. I know you just started, so I assume you're staying put for a bit.

The reason I say this is because the companies hiring from the headhunters is paying, quite often, a large chunk of money that would otherwise be part of your salary. They are taking X amount off the top of what you would be making, and a lot of companies will pay top dollar to have another company hunt down the talent they need, for various reasons (time sensitivity, niche market/skills, and shortage of potentials).

Just something to think about. Happy to hear you found something you enjoy!