[OT] Need some advice from those who have been around the block

[GrimFandango]

Hey all - been a while since i have posted here but i am stuck with a weird situation tonight and since i will be thinking about it while watching the game, i figured i would ask others their opinions.

 

To sum up, i was laid off at the end of November. Shortly after, i was able to find a job with a company (lets call it Company A). Company A provided me with related work to my field, a fair salary (about what i was making at my previous job), and an unfortunate hour and twenty minute commute each way. I accepted this job from Company A as i didn't want to go unemployed for long in this economy. My start date with Company A is the first week of January.

 

Now, a former boss of mine at a different company (Company B) sent in my resume for a position that was vacated the day before i accepted the job offer at Company A. In my time before i started work at Company A, i met with Company B and they have told me that they are unable to offer me a position due to corporate policies until the first or second week of January. Company B will likely offer $8-10K more (about a 18-22% more than what i was scheduled to make), a much shorter commute, and a much more challenging workload (which will inevitably bring more stress).

 

Now the question is, if i have been working at Company A for a week or two would i be right or would it be acceptable to leave for a position at Company B if it can offer me such a better opportunity?

 

Has anyone else been faced with a similar situation of receiving a better offer shortly after starting a job?

 

Thanks for the thoughts.

[will]

i haven't had it actually happen to me, but i've seen folks start a job on december 31st just to get a head start on "years of service" benefits like vacation (i.e.: "i started in '03, so '08 would be my fifth year of service...so fork over that extra week of vacay now, thankyouverymuch"). that's lame.

 

i've also seen people start an internship at the beginning of a summer, get their benefits worked out and leave a week later for "unexpected" surgery that will keep them out for 2-3 weeks, not allow them to do bench work when they return (lab atmosphere), which is what they were hired for (an INTERN did this!), and then leave at the end of the summer with no apparent remorse.

 

finally, and more to your question, i've seen people start, work a week, and leave for a better opportunity.

 

so my point is, it's acceptable to do whatever you want with your career...but folks may tell stories about you long after you're gone. the truth is, who gives a crap what others think about your choices? unless it's going to bite you in the ass down the road, do what you think is right and whatever will make you happiest in your work life. life is too short to have regrets about what you do every day for a living. this might be a little off in answering your topic, but those are my thoughts.

 

with that advice, after i was laid off a year ago, i soaked up my severance and enjoyed life for a while. then i dove head first into a new career by moving across the country in september and starting flight lessons to become a helicopter pilot. it may be tough going for a while (i'll go broke paying for it all), and possibly not compensate me as well as what i used to do, but you can be damn sure that i'm having the time of my life doing what i'm doing. and that is what is most important to me. do what is most important to you.

[stenbaro]

Hey all - been a while since i have posted here but i am stuck with a weird situation tonight and since i will be thinking about it while watching the game, i figured i would ask others their opinions.

 

To sum up, i was laid off at the end of November. Shortly after, i was able to find a job with a company (lets call it Company A). Company A provided me with related work to my field, a fair salary (about what i was making at my previous job), and an unfortunate hour and twenty minute commute each way. I accepted this job from Company A as i didn't want to go unemployed for long in this economy. My start date with Company A is the first week of January.

 

Now, a former boss of mine at a different company (Company B) sent in my resume for a position that was vacated the day before i accepted the job offer at Company A. In my time before i started work at Company A, i met with Company B and they have told me that they are unable to offer me a position due to corporate policies until the first or second week of January. Company B will likely offer $8-10K more (about a 18-22% more than what i was scheduled to make), a much shorter commute, and a much more challenging workload (which will inevitably bring more stress).

 

Now the question is, if i have been working at Company A for a week or two would i be right or would it be acceptable to leave for a position at Company B if it can offer me such a better opportunity?

 

Has anyone else been faced with a similar situation of receiving a better offer shortly after starting a job?

 

Thanks for the thoughts.

Take the job that you like the best no matter if you have to leave another job..Upwards and onwards..They will fire you in a minute if they can upgrade..

[Knightrider]

I'd go with Company B. If you feel really guilty, you can tell A to keep the paycheck.

 

You did not sign a contract, and you know they'd lay you off if they didn't have the work.

[elcrusho]

You have to look out for #1...

 

If company B is more money and a shorter drive then do it...

 

I'd tell Company A that another company has offered me a position that is closer to my home and pays more and that your accepting it...

 

What are they going to say with the economy except goodbye and best wishes (or at least that's all I got after I told my company I was going to a new job a few weeks ago)

[SDS]

You have to look out for #1...

 

If company B is more money and a shorter drive then do it...

 

I'd tell Company A that another company has offered me a position that is closer to my home and pays more and that your accepting it...

 

What are they going to say with the economy except goodbye and best wishes (or at least that's all I got after I told my company I was going to a new job a few weeks ago)

 

ORLY? Care to share any details? :)

[SDS]

They will fire you in a minute if they can upgrade..

 

I seriously doubt it.

 

Grim... I don't remember your field, but if it is a small one - you need to be careful. I wouldn't drive an hour twenty, so IMO your original arrangement was a bit impractical. Clearly, you are willing to jump at any decent opportunity that improves upon this up and coming arrangement. If not this job, then one next week, next month, next spring...

 

Unless you are truly willing to give this employer a chance, I would withdraw your acceptance and just wait on a better position. Anything other than that is bad, bad karma.

 

and you know what they say about karma....

[SabresFan526]

Hey all - been a while since i have posted here but i am stuck with a weird situation tonight and since i will be thinking about it while watching the game, i figured i would ask others their opinions.

 

To sum up, i was laid off at the end of November. Shortly after, i was able to find a job with a company (lets call it Company A). Company A provided me with related work to my field, a fair salary (about what i was making at my previous job), and an unfortunate hour and twenty minute commute each way. I accepted this job from Company A as i didn't want to go unemployed for long in this economy. My start date with Company A is the first week of January.

 

Now, a former boss of mine at a different company (Company B) sent in my resume for a position that was vacated the day before i accepted the job offer at Company A. In my time before i started work at Company A, i met with Company B and they have told me that they are unable to offer me a position due to corporate policies until the first or second week of January. Company B will likely offer $8-10K more (about a 18-22% more than what i was scheduled to make), a much shorter commute, and a much more challenging workload (which will inevitably bring more stress).

 

Now the question is, if i have been working at Company A for a week or two would i be right or would it be acceptable to leave for a position at Company B if it can offer me such a better opportunity?

 

Has anyone else been faced with a similar situation of receiving a better offer shortly after starting a job?

 

Thanks for the thoughts.

I have no idea what line of work you are in, but I generally try to avoid straining any relationships with any company I work for as there is a good chance that later on down the line you may need those people again (emphasis on the people and not on the company itself). Seems like Company B is a better option, but if I'm reading this right, it does not seem to be a sure thing but somewhat likely that they'd give you a job. Since you've accepted an offer with Company A, it does not look very good if you reneged on the offer as it may hurt your relationship with that company later on. However, it would look far worse if you went to work for Company A only to quit 1 week later as that will permanently sever all ties with the people at Company A. If I were you, I'd talk to Company B and find out the likelihood of them giving you an offer. If it's a pretty sure thing and they have interviewed other candidates and are most likely to choose you, then I'd let Company A know that you've got an offer with another company that is closer to your home before you join Company A. If Company B gives you some vague answers and is not being totally up front with you on your chances with them, then I'm not sure Company B is a good company to work for anyway and I'd stick with Company A. That's my two cents.

[stenbaro]

I seriously doubt it.

 

Grim... I don't remember your field, but if it is a small one - you need to be careful. I wouldn't drive an hour twenty, so IMO your original arrangement was a bit impractical. Clearly, you are willing to jump at any decent opportunity that improves upon this up and coming arrangement. If not this job, then one next week, next month, next spring...

 

Unless you are truly willing to give this employer a chance, I would withdraw your acceptance and just wait on a better position. Anything other than that is bad, bad karma.

 

and you know what they say about karma....

You cant be serious if you think that an employer will not let you go if they have a better person to fill your position than you..It happens all the time....Or if they have friend that needs a job there are many reasons.If you can improve your self careerwise its a no brainer..

[GrimFandango]

I appreciate everyone's input. These are all things i have been thinking about and really trying to do what is right for me and not piss anyone off. Company A is a very small non-profit firm in an industry in which i have no passion for and no ties to. It is merely a stop-gap of unemployment. A place i can see myself for a year or so. Company B is a subsidiary of a large public company in the marketing field (i am a data cruncher) that i feel i can grow with for several years, as long as their clients don't dissipate.

 

I think it is highly unlikely i would run into Company A in my future, as it is so small and very specialized.

 

The likelihood of Company B giving me an offer is probably around 95%. They say i am the best candidate and the only candidate they have interviewed and they intend to offer me as soon as they are able. However, i fear telling Company A that i am withdrawing from the position then having that 5% come to pass with Company B and i am out of work looking for a job in this crap market. Speaking of which, part of the reason company B is so much more attractive, with that extra 10K or so, i can quit my other two part time jobs and actually focus on being a guy in his 20s instead of working 70+ hours a week.

 

 

Knightrider - I do like the idea of telling them to keep the paycheck if i get the offer shortly after starting. Would suck to give money back, but its fair, may make them bitch a bit less, and it may only put me in a 2 week hole to start the year (which isn't that bad, all things considered).

[SDS]

You cant be serious if you think that an employer will not let you go if they have a better person to fill your position than you..It happens all the time....Or if they have friend that needs a job there are many reasons.If you can improve your self careerwise its a no brainer..

 

 

Actually, I bet it RARELY happens in any professional based setting. People are let go for primarily 2 reasons - lack of work and under performance. I have never, ever heard of a single case in my life where a company who had plenty of work, laid off an employee who was performing well because "someone better" came along. Coworkers would NEVER stand for that and they would leave as soon as it was convenient. That type of firing would destroy and professional work place environment in a nano-second. It would be company suicide.

[Barnabov]

Definitely take the better offer with B but you should contact A immediately and tell them you really appreciate the offer but something else came along that you couldn't pass on. They'll be disappointed but understand the better $, shorter commute, better fit to your interests, etc.

 

Letting A know ASAP is the professional thing to do and will give them a chance to contact some of the other candidates they passed on to offer you the job (might make someone else's Christmas to get hired - even if they were the 2nd choice). Better than blindsiding them with last minute back out or even worse, working for a week or two then jumping ship (that wastes time as well as money and will reflect badly on the supervisor who hired you).

 

I don't disagree that companies will let people go with little or no notice but better to always act professionally and keep all contacts open - you never know if you might have to consider working for A again - especially in this economy.

 

Been a long time since I worked in the corporate world but back in the bad old days, I was part of the interview committee and now as an employer myself, I've had a good range of experiences with hiring and managing employees. Contrary to what some of the other posters think - I've never seen the situation where a company tried to upgrade employees - instead, a lot of time is expended trying to get people to do the job they were hired for and continually improve and then if they can't hack it, they're let go and the hiring process starts anew but I've never seen it be like hockey where you trade out someone to improve.

 

Good luck in whatever you decide and the people who mentioned doing what you find interesting even if it is less lucrative hit on what I think is most important in one's career.

[BuffalOhio]

Any company in this economy will SCREW you in a heartbeat. Do what's best for YOU.

[Knightrider]

Actually, I bet it RARELY happens in any professional based setting. People are let go for primarily 2 reasons - lack of work and under performance. I have never, ever heard of a single case in my life where a company who had plenty of work, laid off an employee who was performing well because "someone better" came along. Coworkers would NEVER stand for that and they would leave as soon as it was convenient. That type of firing would destroy and professional work place environment in a nano-second. It would be company suicide.

 

I think it depends on the availability of talent. It certainly wouldn't happen in an engineering or math/science environment for a medium to large company, because there is a major shortage of talent in these fields. Even in a lack of work situation, we would only let someone go if they've been under performing, too.

 

However, in a small a bad reputation is not as important as the ability to fund payroll. A guy I know was laid off a month ago mainly because he was the highest paid non-owner for a medical advertising firm. He'd worked for the company for about a year, and the company was paying to move him and the the rent while his old house was sold. Unfortunately, his house hadn't sold... He ended up moving back to his old job and old house.

[elcrusho]

ORLY? Care to share any details? :)

 

:thumbsup: no not really

 

I just moved to a bigger and better ticketing company

[Corp000085]

Go for Company B. If your morals are tugging hard enough, you can risk yourself and gamble by telling A that you have a better opportunity. However, then you're just hoping that this verbal agreement holds for 2 weeks. I'd work for A, then get hired by B.

[McJeff215]

Actually, I bet it RARELY happens in any professional based setting. People are let go for primarily 2 reasons - lack of work and under performance. I have never, ever heard of a single case in my life where a company who had plenty of work, laid off an employee who was performing well because "someone better" came along. Coworkers would NEVER stand for that and they would leave as soon as it was convenient. That type of firing would destroy and professional work place environment in a nano-second. It would be company suicide.

 

Someone better? Only see it during a merger/acquisition scenario usually. Someone or something cheaper? Most shops wouldn't think twice. See: outsourcing to India.

[R_Dudley]

Go for Company B. If your morals are tugging hard enough, you can risk yourself and gamble by telling A that you have a better opportunity. However, then you're just hoping that this verbal agreement holds for 2 weeks. I'd work for A, then get hired by B.

 

Sound advice above. The reality is you really do not have a firm job offer from Company B yet correct ?.

 

So until you do Company A is using some analogies; the date you came with, Bird in hand, Devil you know..... and thats always better than what you do not know.

As soon as you know/have a real offer from Company B (1-4 weeks) you need to go right to Company A, apologize and explain that this offer came along after you had stopped solicting(but was originally looking) and accepted Company A's offer however it is better for you for all the aformentioned reasons. (commute, salary, opportunity,) apologize and Thank them and walk away knowing you did what was best when all is said and done.

 

Good luck.

[stenbaro]

Actually, I bet it RARELY happens in any professional based setting. People are let go for primarily 2 reasons - lack of work and under performance. I have never, ever heard of a single case in my life where a company who had plenty of work, laid off an employee who was performing well because "someone better" came along. Coworkers would NEVER stand for that and they would leave as soon as it was convenient. That type of firing would destroy and professional work place environment in a nano-second. It would be company suicide.

 

My friend at Praxair just got laid off today..They moved a lady friend of the VP of fleet maintanence into his spot..Merry Christmas..It happens alot...I ran a car dealership at one of the Northtown companies for 10 years..If a better salesman came along we moved(corporate policy) someone else along to bring the new guy in..