Should I even go to this interview?

oldsak

Long story short, was told by work that there probably would not be an opportunity to make a move into the type of position I wanted for at least a year. I told my boss I would probably start looking around to see if I could make a lateral move into that kind of role. I interviewed at a few places, have a second interview with one place tomorrow and a second interview with another place Friday. Today my boss told me he got approval for me to move to a new role with a nice bump in salary, and I should be able to do so within two - three weeks.

I'm going to go to the interview set up tomorrow. The person I met with in the first round seemed well networked and a good person to know in general, and she expressed interest in helping me find a position elsewhere if I did not end up working there. Also, I suppose I could be lured away if the numbers are good enough.

The interview Friday is with a pretty well respected company, but they probably won't be close salary wise and the role isn't exactly what I'm looking for. I got the interview here through a recruiter, and I'm thinking of just calling tomorrow and telling him I got another offer I'm going to take. It never hurts to work on your interview skills, but with this one i'm thinking "what's the point?"

I guess I should also mention that my birthday is Friday so in the back of my mind I'm thinking it would be really nice to take Friday off, not have to do anything that day, and just enjoy the fact that I have all this stuff resolved (also probably enjoy the bottle of scotch my brother got me). I already know I'll be working through the weekend so it's not like I could just delay a lazy day until then.

kaliyama

Nothing's resolved until you are in the new role and are collecting a paycheck at a new rate. Keep interviewing until you have something more concrete in hand.

oldsak

Sigh, I know that's probably the right answer.

Oh well, at least it's a morning interview. I should be done around 10 and still be able to take the rest of the day.

Shadowfire

Also, it's good to keep interview skills in practice, and you never know what kind of offer you'll get.

wallabeeX

This is all good advice.

You played your cards incredibly well so far - finish the hand.

Eat it You Nasty Pig.

Can't hurt you to go to the interview, and you never know what they'll offer you.

Also depending on your industry and your relationship with the recruiter, might be worth going to the interview and putting on a show for their benefit.

spool32

Seriously man... "my boss told me" is equivalent to "a homeless guy on the subway told me". Until you have an offer on paper, you have fuck all.

CelestialBadger

If you go to an interview not really caring whether you get it or not, you can play "hard to get" and try for a higher salary than you think they'll give you. It also guarantees that you'll come off as cool and collected rather than desperate, which can be an advantage.

... And as spool32 says, you don't actually have an offer *yet*.

Zeromus

There is never a reason not to go to an interview.

Horus

I go to interviews at places I would never want to be at but I do it for practice and learn more about the industry I am in. Right now I am the top candidate for another place and working out $$$$ range and then I will present it to my current job to see if they may counter.

Enc

My work did the same thing to me... and then didn't do the upgrade. This has happened to pretty much everyone I know in positions like this. Definitely take the interview, the worst thing that happens is you get a job offer that you can show your current supervisors with a "show me something immediately in writing or ciao" attitude. Or, nothing happens and you get some interview experience.

oldsak

I really doubt the new position is going to vanish. It was speculative a week ago but now things are actually in motion. The only thing that might happen at this point is the numbers aren't as good as I was told.

I see your point though.

Enc

oldsak wrote:

I really doubt the new position is going to vanish. It was speculative a week ago but now things are actually in motion. The only thing that might happen at this point is the numbers aren't as good as I was told.

I see your point though.

I'm not going to pretend that our offices work anything alike, my old job was run by fairly mean spirited people. That said, this has happened to everyone I know who suggested they might look for and gain employment elsewhere since the economy went sour (6 so far). Employers want to keep people, and they know that keeping folk where they are is more attractive than starting over. They also know they only have to go halfway to get a "compromise" that may or may not be a fair appraisal of your pay.

Go for the interview. It's likely that you can use it to boost your perspective pay if the other job comes back higher (as they would rather pay to keep you than train someone new).

SpongeCake

Speaking from personal experience, I was in your exact same position, didn't go for the interview and shortly after the previously approved new role and pay rise (which I had even successfully interviewed for and beaten 3 other candidates to) was snatched away.

Go to the interview. Do it for me.

Do it.

Infidel

When it comes to employment/compensation, all promises should be treated as empty promises. They usually make them because they can get away with it / it works.

Until it is official, it doesn't affect your decisions, is my policy.

Deebaser

Going to an interview where you don't really care about the outcome is one of the simple joys in life. It's so much better than the "FUCK I HOPE I GET THIS SO I CAN EAT" interviews.

Druhim

All the advice about not taking your boss at his word about the new position is solid. Talk is cheap. Until you have an offer on paper it don't mean shit.

spool32

Please listen to those of us telling you this. Your boss will be very sorry if he has to go back on what he's saying, but that won't help you out much. Until it's on paper, it is NOTHING. It's less than nothing - worse than nothing, because people tend to make decisions based on this crap and end up screwed.

There is literally no downside here. Go to the interview, and if you get the promotion fantastic! If you don't, at least you're not kicking yourself for missing the interview opportunity. But until you have a document with a signature, you do not have anything at all.

oldsak

Conversation with my girlfriend after the interview today

"How'd it go?"
"I think they really like me."
"Aww, too bad... for them I mean"