Possible job with existing company what would you do?

[stevieb]

After being on the redundancy hit list 3times in the last 12 months I started doing external consultancy work. Please note permission given by the directors of my employer. The consultancy side is starting to generate a small income, not enough to leave my current employer but enough to stick some by forna rainy day.

The director has now advertised for a new expert to lead the team, as 2 people have resigned and leave on the 24th dec. I have been asked to step in and cover the 2 largest projects we have. Both project generate £2 million in consultancy fees for my employer every month. With me now leading the projects I have in no uncertain terms taken the roles as the expert to lead these projects while they look for someone else.

So far 12 people have applied, but all CVs have been filed in the bin.

The technical director feels that I am more than capable of doing the job hence why I was put forward as the most suitable one to take over. So if I was to accept and go forward with the job I would not get any additional pay, but would give me a good boost if I was to apply formally for the job.

So what would everyone else do, do the work in the short term and give it the best shot that it help when you go for the internal interview?

Lastly if I was to do this I wouldnhave to sell my external consultancy work to another contractor to complete.

I would loose I the short term but could get a 35% pay rise if I was successful so longer term would be good.

I already have in mind what I want to do, but just trying to find out what others may do.

[xr287]

Depends on the consultancy work available. Will it become enough that you can earn more than your current salary + 35%?

Also how long would you have to stay in this other role at current salary before being able to apply and officially get it. As well as is it going to cause you any problems selling on the current contracts.

But if the answer to the previous two questions is not too long and no then I would go for the new role. If you don't get it or it doesn't work out you still have the opportunity to go back to consultancy work. If it does and you are making good money then it doesn't matter.

[stevieb]

xr287 said:

Depends on the consultancy work available. Will it become enough that you can earn more than your current salary + 35%?

Yes it could, but would involve a significant amount of more time and effort but the work is rewarding, but is extremely risky. All of my work is dependent on Central government funding!

xr287 said:

Also how long would you have to stay in this other role at current salary before being able to apply and officially get it. As well as is it going to cause you any problems selling on the current contracts.

The work i undertake outside of work is part of a 3 way partnership, I will still stay as a partner but will have a lesser role in the main part of the work. All of my work would then be sold/sublet to the other 2 partners.

I would anticipate that the job would be awarded sometime in January 2011, commence march 2011. So it is not to long in the future.

xr287 said:

But if the answer to the previous two questions is not too long and no then I would go for the new role. If you don't get it or it doesn't work out you still have the opportunity to go back to consultancy work. If it does and you are making good money then it doesn't matter.

The job is a big step up for me, but i am now taking the risk on to prove that i can do the job. I dont see that it will do me any harm, but is a big risk if i get it wrong.

[zippy3x]

stevieb said:

The technical director feels that I am more than capable of doing the job hence why I was put forward as the most suitable one to take over. So if I was to accept and go forward with the job I would not get any additional pay, but would give me a good boost if I was to apply formally for the job.

So the obvious question would be : Why doesn't he give you the job?

To be honest the entire thing smells of management BS, and if I had to put a tenner down on the likely outcome, I would go for you being used and discarded the moment someone the director likes better, walks through the door.

[stevieb]

zippy3x said:

stevieb said:

The technical director feels that I am more than capable of doing the job hence why I was put forward as the most suitable one to take over. So if I was to accept and go forward with the job I would not get any additional pay, but would give me a good boost if I was to apply formally for the job.

So the obvious question would be : Why doesn't he give you the job?

To be honest the entire thing smells of management BS, and if I had to put a tenner down on the likely outcome, I would go for you being used and discarded the moment someone the director likes better, walks through the door.

That thought has crossed my mind, but the over management of the comapny have cocked up big time as they have let 80 people go (Redundancy - 50% of the team) and now we are short staffed. If i was appointed for the job it would be like robbing Peter to pay Paul.But the company is not small it employs over 11,000 staff in the UK.

I am going to give the job my best shot in the short term, and keep both the perm job going as well as pushing myself to do the consultancy work in the short term (Until MAr 2011).

If i do not get the job, i have decided that i will resign on the day they tell me i have not got the job. So in effect there will be no hand over period between myself and the newly appointed person.

[zippy3x]

stevieb said:

zippy3x said:

stevieb said:

The technical director feels that I am more than capable of doing the job hence why I was put forward as the most suitable one to take over. So if I was to accept and go forward with the job I would not get any additional pay, but would give me a good boost if I was to apply formally for the job.

So the obvious question would be : Why doesn't he give you the job?

To be honest the entire thing smells of management BS, and if I had to put a tenner down on the likely outcome, I would go for you being used and discarded the moment someone the director likes better, walks through the door.

That thought has crossed my mind, but the over management of the comapny have cocked up big time as they have let 80 people go (Redundancy - 50% of the team) and now we are short staffed. If i was appointed for the job it would be like robbing Peter to pay Paul.But the company is not small it employs over 11,000 staff in the UK.

I am going to give the job my best shot in the short term, and keep both the perm job going as well as pushing myself to do the consultancy work in the short term (Until MAr 2011).

If i do not get the job, i have decided that i will resign on the day they tell me i have not got the job. So in effect there will be no hand over period between myself and the newly appointed person.

Personally, I'd turn down the job and devote the extra hours you would have done to you consultancy (i'm assuming extra hours is the reason you were talking about giving up the consultancy?), then resign when it suits you.

[Anubis]

Obviously go for something that benefits you long term, but always remember that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. This is something you need to decide for yourself.

Taking on more responsibility yet no additional reward is basically saying your management team want something for nothing - I don't know them, but to me it sounds like the job may end up going down this route if it started like this regardless of whatever the role involves.

You have to sit down and weigh it all up. At the end of the day a job (even if you do love it) is about improving your quality of life right? If it means working all the hours under the sun you could end up hating it. Alternatively, it could open a lot of doors but never count on this (a lot can happen between now and then).

No job is totally secure in this day and age and you could turn it on it's head and get your consultancy moving in the right direction too.

Try and see yourself in alternate realities in the future. Would the consultancy end up making your an entrepreneur guru or will this big project role offer something in return?

Personally I would want more cash if it means more responsibility and skills, regardless of what it is and what doors it *could* open in the future. Not every offer leads you on to bigger and better things, yet some do - take a look at what your doing right now and ask yourself if there is anything wrong with it? Are you happy now? Why change this?

[stevieb]

Anubis said:

Obviously go for something that benefits you long term, but always remember that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. This is something you need to decide for yourself.

Taking on more responsibility yet no additional reward is basically saying your management team want something for nothing - I don't know them, but to me it sounds like the job may end up going down this route if it started like this regardless of whatever the role involves.

You have to sit down and weigh it all up. At the end of the day a job (even if you do love it) is about improving your quality of life right? If it means working all the hours under the sun you could end up hating it. Alternatively, it could open a lot of doors but never count on this (a lot can happen between now and then).

No job is totally secure in this day and age and you could turn it on it's head and get your consultancy moving in the right direction too.

Try and see yourself in alternate realities in the future. Would the consultancy end up making your an entrepreneur guru or will this big project role offer something in return?

Personally I would want more cash if it means more responsibility and skills, regardless of what it is and what doors it *could* open in the future. Not every offer leads you on to bigger and better things, yet some do - take a look at what your doing right now and ask yourself if there is anything wrong with it? Are you happy now? Why change this?

Both the consultancy work and my paid employment are in the same sector. and in some cases could be a conflict of interest for my employer. But i have covered that as they have granted me permission to set up as a indipendent.

Am i happy at the moment, truthfully no, but the work pays the bills and gives me a comfortable life. As the office is 5 minutes from home. The new role is a good role to have as would open doors within other companies but only if i perform well. If i fff it up then my reputation in the small industry will be tarnished.

The consultancy work on started as i was sick and tired at being placed at risk every 3 months and having to fight for my job. But now the tide has changed and everyone is overworked, but i am the only person left in the office who could step up to the level and deliver.

[edc]

Why not ask for an acting up allowance and sell it to them as it gives them a chance to see you perform and for you to see whether the role meets your expectations.

[Aussies5 EngSA 0]

You're being bent over if they want you to manage two big projects and step up (because they could not find an alternative) but not pay you any extra.

You'd be mad not to negotiate an increase in pay to reflect the change of responsibility.

[worsy]

Why don't you hire another contractor to complete the consultancy work, you'll make a small margin then i'm sure. Everyone's a winner

[stevieb]

worsy said:

Why don't you hire another contractor to complete the consultancy work, you'll make a small margin then i'm sure. Everyone's a winner

If only is was that easy. It's the same problem my employer has, can not find any one with the skill to do the work.

If you now any one that can use the following software, understand the theory and apply it then please send me a pm.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VISSIM
http://www.citilabs.com/

Able to program in C++ using ArcGIS extensions link to a SQL data base then get in touch.

The skill set is very unique, and so far only a handful of people are known in the industry to be able to do the work as a onestop shop. but 3 of us have formed a strong partnership so the recruitment pool is very small.

[Aussies5 EngSA 0]

stevieb said:

worsy said:

Why don't you hire another contractor to complete the consultancy work, you'll make a small margin then i'm sure. Everyone's a winner

If only is was that easy. It's the same problem my employer has, can not find any one with the skill to do the work.

If you now any one that can use the following software, understand the theory and apply it then please send me a pm.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VISSIM
http://www.citilabs.com/

Able to program in C++ using ArcGIS extensions link to a SQL data base then get in touch.

The skill set is very unique, and so far only a handful of people are known in the industry to be able to do the work as a onestop shop. but 3 of us have formed a strong partnership so the recruitment pool is very small.
c

Sounds to me you have some leverage - you know your employers cannot find a suitable candidate.

If they are desperate for you to do it - and previously wanted to be rid of you - offer to run the two projects as a consultant.

[bga]

stevieb said:

The skill set is very unique, and so far only a handful of people are known in the industry to be able to do the work as a onestop shop. but 3 of us have formed a strong partnership so the recruitment pool is very small.

Do the 3 of you currently work together?

If you don't then might be worth looking into. If you can back each of you to be able to bring in contracts as individuals then it's not a big step to offer your services as a company and corner the market. You will also be in a good position to start to train people up (assuming there is a future in the market).

[stevieb]

bga said:

stevieb said:

The skill set is very unique, and so far only a handful of people are known in the industry to be able to do the work as a onestop shop. but 3 of us have formed a strong partnership so the recruitment pool is very small.

Do the 3 of you currently work together?

If you don't then might be worth looking into. If you can back each of you to be able to bring in contracts as individuals then it's not a big step to offer your services as a company and corner the market. You will also be in a good position to start to train people up (assuming there is a future in the market).

Yes 3 of us have just forme a partnership (9 months ago) with a very strong contract with break clauses. We all work for different companies, but we are looking to be fully indipendent within the next 12 months with our company providing our primary income.

[bga]

stevieb said:

Yes 3 of us have just forme a partnership (9 months ago) with a very strong contract with break clauses. We all work for different companies, but we are looking to be fully indipendent within the next 12 months with our company providing our primary income.

That's a good place to be and relatively low risk. It's how we set out in a reasonably niche area. One thing I have learned is that getting a contracts independently of your previous employer/primary revenue stream is really important so spread the risk and dependency on one source of income.

[Seek]

No brainer...

UK government finances are screwed for the coming years which means limited potential for new motorways or widening of existing motorways.

That means that the only way to tackle congestion issues is to get more vehicles over the existing road network. To do that you require more intelligent traffic systems and traffic modelling. With your VISSIM experience you're solidly in this area.

If your consultancy company is in VISSIM modelling then work your balls off there the coming years. Now is your chance to score while your skills are still rare.