Advice on what should I do
Discussion
I'm really struggling to decide so hopefully can get some input to help decision making.
Around a year ago I made a big career move from big multi national to a SME. Main reason for move was mainly too much red tape, stagnant progression and pay.
Current job is pretty good so far. I'd say the commute (1.5 hrs/45 miles each way) would be the downside. Other than that there's slight friction with a colleague which was taken on in my department before I was found. I suppose he was a bit bitter as he was supposed to progress into my position. Another thing is the pace of progression isn't as quick as initially hinted but I suppose these are minor issues.
Anyway out of the blue I was contacted by a very nice recruiter for a job local to me. This is a very small company, in fact it's a chartered institute.
Reading the job spec I get the impression that they are not really sure of the direction of this new role. I'm also worried that as the role is a new role in a new "department" (they call it work stream?) it would be a risk for me in case things don't work out. I've turned down chance of interview but the recruiter was interested to find out my concerns so I was very honest with him and told him everything plus my expectations etc.
I didn't really expect further reply but he replied this morning addressing each of my concerns which does sound reasonable enough. There was reassurance that the new role would develop into a small team with me managing it and also I would be a decision maker and possibly budget holder. He further added that my salary expectation (+£10k from current) would be possible to achieve if I'm the right candidate. Plus I'll also be able to work from home 1/2 days a week with flexible work time for rest of the week. As this company is local it would mean I'll have more time for family (and myself!). I'll have to admit it all does sound too good to be true though.
All does does very tempting at the moment but I think I need to take step back and rethink. I've only just started in current company and I think I'll definitely burn bridges if I were to leave as they are depending on me for the upcoming project. Because of me they've managed to save about £50k for this project.
Basically me head says stay but heart is thinking of trying for the interview. What would you do in my position?
Around a year ago I made a big career move from big multi national to a SME. Main reason for move was mainly too much red tape, stagnant progression and pay.
Current job is pretty good so far. I'd say the commute (1.5 hrs/45 miles each way) would be the downside. Other than that there's slight friction with a colleague which was taken on in my department before I was found. I suppose he was a bit bitter as he was supposed to progress into my position. Another thing is the pace of progression isn't as quick as initially hinted but I suppose these are minor issues.
Anyway out of the blue I was contacted by a very nice recruiter for a job local to me. This is a very small company, in fact it's a chartered institute.
Reading the job spec I get the impression that they are not really sure of the direction of this new role. I'm also worried that as the role is a new role in a new "department" (they call it work stream?) it would be a risk for me in case things don't work out. I've turned down chance of interview but the recruiter was interested to find out my concerns so I was very honest with him and told him everything plus my expectations etc.
I didn't really expect further reply but he replied this morning addressing each of my concerns which does sound reasonable enough. There was reassurance that the new role would develop into a small team with me managing it and also I would be a decision maker and possibly budget holder. He further added that my salary expectation (+£10k from current) would be possible to achieve if I'm the right candidate. Plus I'll also be able to work from home 1/2 days a week with flexible work time for rest of the week. As this company is local it would mean I'll have more time for family (and myself!). I'll have to admit it all does sound too good to be true though.
All does does very tempting at the moment but I think I need to take step back and rethink. I've only just started in current company and I think I'll definitely burn bridges if I were to leave as they are depending on me for the upcoming project. Because of me they've managed to save about £50k for this project.
Basically me head says stay but heart is thinking of trying for the interview. What would you do in my position?
Always regard the recruitment process as including you 'interviewing' the company. Good questioning makes you look better and floating a few ideas will expose surface their likely reactions. Go ahead, find out more about the role and company, you have nothing to lose beyond a days leave.
I've been there a few times. Go to the interview, kick the tyres of the place. Raise your concerns with the interviewers, you're not desperate for the job, so you can afford to question these things. Trust your gut feeling, and if you don't get a good feeling you don't have to accept the job offer.
Interesting feedback thanks all.
I'm really tempted by what I've heard however it will not be amicable if I leave my current job due to a position I'm in.
Basically main reason I'm hired is to lead (also save cost to do whatever we can internally) a major system upgrade project. It's just over a year since I've joined and progress has been really slow.
To be honest I've never accepted an interview where I don't have 100% intention to go for the job, just don't feel it's a nice thing to do. Has anyone here actually went for interviews and turn down at later stage? Wouldn't this piss the headhunter/recruiter off?
What the recruiter said was music to the ears especially on 1/2 days WFM, not many places would consider that in my role, however on the other hand everything is just a promise and like current company could change after time. I would think the risk would be greater in a smaller company (not even sure if they are a company it's listed as dormant company on the companies house but has a registration as chartered institute). Don't really have much experience with this sector but I suppose as others have said an interview would give a clearer picture.
Spoken to the missus she also suggested that I go for the interview (1st with recruiter then 2nd with hiring manager) and if it looks like things are going well have a chat with current place to see if they will consider bumping up salary or perhaps work on an exit strategy.
To be honest I'm leaning to just passing the opportunity and sticking with current job, at least giving it another year or so. I feel that it's not worth being too greedy.
I'm really tempted by what I've heard however it will not be amicable if I leave my current job due to a position I'm in.
Basically main reason I'm hired is to lead (also save cost to do whatever we can internally) a major system upgrade project. It's just over a year since I've joined and progress has been really slow.
To be honest I've never accepted an interview where I don't have 100% intention to go for the job, just don't feel it's a nice thing to do. Has anyone here actually went for interviews and turn down at later stage? Wouldn't this piss the headhunter/recruiter off?
What the recruiter said was music to the ears especially on 1/2 days WFM, not many places would consider that in my role, however on the other hand everything is just a promise and like current company could change after time. I would think the risk would be greater in a smaller company (not even sure if they are a company it's listed as dormant company on the companies house but has a registration as chartered institute). Don't really have much experience with this sector but I suppose as others have said an interview would give a clearer picture.
Spoken to the missus she also suggested that I go for the interview (1st with recruiter then 2nd with hiring manager) and if it looks like things are going well have a chat with current place to see if they will consider bumping up salary or perhaps work on an exit strategy.
To be honest I'm leaning to just passing the opportunity and sticking with current job, at least giving it another year or so. I feel that it's not worth being too greedy.
anxious_ant said:
I'm really tempted by what I've heard however it will not be amicable if I leave my current job due to a position I'm in.
Basically main reason I'm hired is to lead (also save cost to do whatever we can internally) a major system upgrade project. It's just over a year since I've joined and progress has been really slow.
It doesn't have to be bad either. If the new employer gives you something too good to refuse, you just tell your current employer that you couldn't turn the offer down it was that good. You should treat yourself as an asset to a company, not a utility. Value yourself, your time, and your work and base your decisions on that. It's selfish yes, but I'm afraid if you were to fall down the stairs tomorrow and be in traction for 6 months, your current employer wouldn't visit you every day. You'd be a millstone around their neck. Basically main reason I'm hired is to lead (also save cost to do whatever we can internally) a major system upgrade project. It's just over a year since I've joined and progress has been really slow.
anxious_ant said:
To be honest I've never accepted an interview where I don't have 100% intention to go for the job, just don't feel it's a nice thing to do. Has anyone here actually went for interviews and turn down at later stage? Wouldn't this piss the headhunter/recruiter off?
I have, many times. In one job I went back and forth between my current employer and new employer, and each kept upping the offers on money. I decided to stay where I was as the money was a good deal. The recruiter was pissed off yes, but it's your career not theirs.End of the day you have to look at yourself as the asset. The recruiter isn't your friend, you're their salary. The average rate a recruiter charges a company to head hunt is about 12% of the salary you agree on. So if you're earning £30,000 in your new job, the recruiter gets paid 12% of that salary for finding you. So dont' feel bad about declining offers etc because its your life and your happiness that's important. Not the feelings of a recruiter who loses out on £4,000.
anxious_ant said:
Interesting feedback thanks all.
I'm really tempted by what I've heard however it will not be amicable if I leave my current job due to a position I'm in.
Basically main reason I'm hired is to lead (also save cost to do whatever we can internally) a major system upgrade project. It's just over a year since I've joined and progress has been really slow.
To be honest I've never accepted an interview where I don't have 100% intention to go for the job, just don't feel it's a nice thing to do. Has anyone here actually went for interviews and turn down at later stage? Wouldn't this piss the headhunter/recruiter off?
What the recruiter said was music to the ears especially on 1/2 days WFM, not many places would consider that in my role, however on the other hand everything is just a promise and like current company could change after time. I would think the risk would be greater in a smaller company (not even sure if they are a company it's listed as dormant company on the companies house but has a registration as chartered institute). Don't really have much experience with this sector but I suppose as others have said an interview would give a clearer picture.
Spoken to the missus she also suggested that I go for the interview (1st with recruiter then 2nd with hiring manager) and if it looks like things are going well have a chat with current place to see if they will consider bumping up salary or perhaps work on an exit strategy.
To be honest I'm leaning to just passing the opportunity and sticking with current job, at least giving it another year or so. I feel that it's not worth being too greedy.
I don't see what you have got to lose by going to the interview. I'm really tempted by what I've heard however it will not be amicable if I leave my current job due to a position I'm in.
Basically main reason I'm hired is to lead (also save cost to do whatever we can internally) a major system upgrade project. It's just over a year since I've joined and progress has been really slow.
To be honest I've never accepted an interview where I don't have 100% intention to go for the job, just don't feel it's a nice thing to do. Has anyone here actually went for interviews and turn down at later stage? Wouldn't this piss the headhunter/recruiter off?
What the recruiter said was music to the ears especially on 1/2 days WFM, not many places would consider that in my role, however on the other hand everything is just a promise and like current company could change after time. I would think the risk would be greater in a smaller company (not even sure if they are a company it's listed as dormant company on the companies house but has a registration as chartered institute). Don't really have much experience with this sector but I suppose as others have said an interview would give a clearer picture.
Spoken to the missus she also suggested that I go for the interview (1st with recruiter then 2nd with hiring manager) and if it looks like things are going well have a chat with current place to see if they will consider bumping up salary or perhaps work on an exit strategy.
To be honest I'm leaning to just passing the opportunity and sticking with current job, at least giving it another year or so. I feel that it's not worth being too greedy.
I've twice been offered jobs after interview that I've turned down (one, the company management just didn't feel 'right' for me, the other I was going to take but the current job upped my pay to match and was a safer bet).
Smaller company can be better for carving out your own niche and in your ability to influence the direction of future strategy and development, but it also often means a more flexible attitude towards taking on other responsibilities.
It's your career, your life, your decisions.
If it sounds like a great job, go do the interview. Interviews are 2 way processes. They are looking for a particular skill set & character, you are looking to see if your skill set matches, you like the company & the role and everything that comes with it.
Even if you get through and get offered a job, there are no rules that say you have to accept.
Who cares if you p
s off a recruiting agency ? Likelyhood is you won't anyway, they deal with this stuff everyday. It's part and parcel of their job to sell the new job to you if they think you are right for it.....but you don't have to "buy" .....even if you've taken it for a test drive via interview :-).
If it sounds like a great job, go do the interview. Interviews are 2 way processes. They are looking for a particular skill set & character, you are looking to see if your skill set matches, you like the company & the role and everything that comes with it.
Even if you get through and get offered a job, there are no rules that say you have to accept.
Who cares if you p
s off a recruiting agency ? Likelyhood is you won't anyway, they deal with this stuff everyday. It's part and parcel of their job to sell the new job to you if they think you are right for it.....but you don't have to "buy" .....even if you've taken it for a test drive via interview :-).Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff