New Job or Maybe Upgrade on Current?

MichaelLC

I've been in a contract/consultanting job for 3 years. It was made quite clear there was little chance of conversion to employee.
So I recently accepted an offer for a different contract job at a new company. When I told my current job, they said I could maybe get this new thing they were working on that combined my current work with another position that also recently left. I'd have to interview, etc. but it's basically what I'm doing now.
New job at Company B is similar to old, but slightly farther travel, nothing major. Do I stick to plan and leave current, or try my luck at this new thing that hasn't been approved/processed by HR or anyone yet?

Daenris

How long is it going to take your current company to interview and make a decision? And is that time short enough that you can delay giving job B a decision until then. If not, I'd take job B. A guaranteed job -- especially when it's comparable to your current position -- is better than a nebulous thing that may never materialize into a real job, leaving you out of options.

DevoutlyApathetic

This feels similar to the classic question about being offered a raise to stay. In that case the dangerous bit is that they will feel you "owe" them because you tried this once and were accommodating. You'll also be viewed as the least loyal and if somebody has to go...

All that and having to quit to get your concerns addressed would worry me and I'd likely just go to job b.

MichaelLC

DevoutlyApathetic wrote: »

This feels similar to the classic question about being offered a raise to stay. In that case the dangerous bit is that they will feel you "owe" them because you tried this once and were accommodating. You'll also be viewed as the least loyal and if somebody has to go...

That was my thought. No mention of trying to convert the position until we're both leaving. The benefits are very nice at Company A, but I just feel like I'm done there, and they missed their chance. It's just scary to leave a known quantity for the unknown.

CelestialBadger

Which one pays best?

MichaelLC

Company A at the moment. If the conversion went through, it'd be lower base but same or slightly more with bonuses. Company B would be a pay cut.

MagicToaster

I was once in a similar spot as you, MichaelLC. I was feeling burned out at my company, and I really wanted to move. I was offered a job with a company where my pay was slightly lower, had less benefits and basically dealt with the same type of project that I was sick of working on. It was also more out of the way.

The only thing that was different would be my co-workers. I concluded that at this new job I would gain no new skills, I would not be earning more, and in the end the newness would wear off. I declined their offer.

If I was going to make a change, it would have to be either a higher pay or something that would earn me a new skill. I stuck it out in my old company for a while until the chance that met my criteria came around.

Keep looking! Move up, not down.

zepherin

MagicToaster wrote: »

I was once in a similar spot as you, MichaelLC. I was feeling burned out at my company, and I really wanted to move. I was offered a job with a company where my pay was slightly lower, had less benefits and basically dealt with the same type of project that I was sick of working on. It was also more out of the way.

The only thing that was different would be my co-workers. I concluded that at this new job I would gain no new skills, I would not be earning more, and in the end the newness would wear off. I declined their offer.

If I was going to make a change, it would have to be either a higher pay or something that would earn me a new skill. I stuck it out in my old company for a while until the chance that met my criteria came around.

Keep looking! Move up, not down.

I agree with this. Unfortunately it is easier said than done. Career planning looks great on paper, but when you are looking at bills, and uncertainty it is far more intimidating.

Generally I would stick with the current company especially if they really want you. If you are a contract consultant, try to get them to put an agreement into writing. I feel like you should keep looking to try to move up career wise, or at the very least pay wise.

PedroAsani

zepherin wrote: »

MagicToaster wrote: »

I was once in a similar spot as you, MichaelLC. I was feeling burned out at my company, and I really wanted to move. I was offered a job with a company where my pay was slightly lower, had less benefits and basically dealt with the same type of project that I was sick of working on. It was also more out of the way.

The only thing that was different would be my co-workers. I concluded that at this new job I would gain no new skills, I would not be earning more, and in the end the newness would wear off. I declined their offer.

If I was going to make a change, it would have to be either a higher pay or something that would earn me a new skill. I stuck it out in my old company for a while until the chance that met my criteria came around.

Keep looking! Move up, not down.

I agree with this. Unfortunately it is easier said than done. Career planning looks great on paper, but when you are looking at bills, and uncertainty it is far more intimidating.

Generally I would stick with the current company especially if they really want you. If you are a contract consultant, try to get them to put an agreement into writing. I feel like you should keep looking to try to move up career wise, or at the very least pay wise.

If you want to improve your standings you need a career plan. And at no point on that plan would you ever include phrases such as "pay cut" or "worse situation". Going from one employer or contract to another at the same rate is something that will happen, but only if you haven't improved in the interim.

Improved? Well, you worked a contract for x weeks/months/years. So what new skills did you pick up? What did you learn? How can you apply this to a new position that will benefit the employer? Write that on your resume.

I worked as an IT contractor in the UK for a decade. I increased my rate from £9/hr (Junior grunt, cable crawler and such) to £30/hr (3rd line Technician) in one year because of two factors: qualifications and experience. Being able to put both on the resume afforded me the higher paying opportunities.

If you find yourself getting sick of your current job, DON'T MOVE. Spend the next six months getting qualified and experienced on everything you can. After that six month period, you can start looking, and will be able to look at a larger range of jobs. Repeat this every time you start feeling sick of what you are doing. That's how to build a career. Improve and expand your skills.

kaliyama

Pay cuts happen. Contractors and freelancers often get paid more than salaried employees. MLC may currently be getting benefits, but often there is a salary/benefits trade-off in becoming a line employee. For example, my friend at GOOG went from contract to salary and took a third pay cut.

Part of it is the benefits regime, and part of it is the risk premium contractors get; even tho we are all at will, there's a sense that going salaries gives you a more-permanent spot.

MichaelLC

Yeah it's funny. I currently get no benefits, and probably would not with Company B either. Salary is somewhat adjusted to compensate depending on the company and your negotiations.

The employees here at Acme get amazaballs benefits, but my base pay would probably be slightly to more-than slightly lower.

Contractors are generally less likely to be laid off as the budget is more operations/project focused than from payroll.