Just been headhunted for my dream job - not good conclusion
Discussion
No reason for posting this other than to say I'm totally in disbelief
Had a headhunt call for my dream company - professionally I won't say where the dream job is - but it was in a very known company. If you like spaceships, it's the equivalent of NASA giving you call.
All things being roughly equal - it's a 68% pay cut.
I say roughly equal, because it's one rank down from where I am now and I'm freelance now but I've normalised my take home to the equivalent salary after tax - and taken into account paid holidays, pension, car blah blah.
Even at 32% of what I currently get, I want to work there so badly I've been looking at what lifestyle choices I can make and what I can sell.
Alas, I fear I can't afford to work there. Which effectively rules out this company, and many like it probably always.
PANTS - just wanted to share as my partner totally wouldn't get it, and well I can't tell work people.
Off to commiserate with booze.
Had a headhunt call for my dream company - professionally I won't say where the dream job is - but it was in a very known company. If you like spaceships, it's the equivalent of NASA giving you call.
All things being roughly equal - it's a 68% pay cut.
I say roughly equal, because it's one rank down from where I am now and I'm freelance now but I've normalised my take home to the equivalent salary after tax - and taken into account paid holidays, pension, car blah blah.
Even at 32% of what I currently get, I want to work there so badly I've been looking at what lifestyle choices I can make and what I can sell.
Alas, I fear I can't afford to work there. Which effectively rules out this company, and many like it probably always.
PANTS - just wanted to share as my partner totally wouldn't get it, and well I can't tell work people.
Off to commiserate with booze.
I sympathise with your frustration. I would love to work there (leaving aside the small matter of not being qualified and probably not clever enough).
I am also freelance and used to have a dream employer, a software company, also on the West Coast. I would have taken a job there at 32% of my pay. It never happened, a friend who worked there told me there was more to the world than just that one company, I scoffed. Looking back now though, she was right, the dream employer was just another employer.
That said, your not-NASA may be the exception to the rule. I can't think of many companies that could compare to them for desirability.
I am also freelance and used to have a dream employer, a software company, also on the West Coast. I would have taken a job there at 32% of my pay. It never happened, a friend who worked there told me there was more to the world than just that one company, I scoffed. Looking back now though, she was right, the dream employer was just another employer.
That said, your not-NASA may be the exception to the rule. I can't think of many companies that could compare to them for desirability.
If the headhunter has done their job correctly (and they are a headhunter and not just a recruitment company), then they will have done their homework and determined you're the guy! As such, one would expect some negotiation on the package offered.
If you've not already done so, let them know what you need - play it cool and see where it goes.
If you've already done that and it's a no go, then the chances are they were just out fishing.
If you've not already done so, let them know what you need - play it cool and see where it goes.
If you've already done that and it's a no go, then the chances are they were just out fishing.
its a fair point StevieBee - alas a little more complex.
I wasn't the first choice (there are two roles) - my good friend was contacted and he said, nope, but ring SelfishG - it's his dream to work there.
Where I am now - I am at the highest level of what I do, this would be one rank below that and reporting to my equivalent at the new organisation.
That is fine, although not preferable, but alas - the 32% thing............I did tell them my current % and also made it clear I wouldn't be expecting that, but so they know what the parameters were and what I was working to.
I was told the 32% is the absolute max (plus a max bonus I should add of 10%) so at best they could get to around 35% and some change.
I just can't afford it - at 50% I'd be struggling to make ends meet and presumably already past the top level job's salary.
It's just too desirable role, and alas not something I can do at this stage of my life.
maybe later.
I wasn't the first choice (there are two roles) - my good friend was contacted and he said, nope, but ring SelfishG - it's his dream to work there.
Where I am now - I am at the highest level of what I do, this would be one rank below that and reporting to my equivalent at the new organisation.
That is fine, although not preferable, but alas - the 32% thing............I did tell them my current % and also made it clear I wouldn't be expecting that, but so they know what the parameters were and what I was working to.
I was told the 32% is the absolute max (plus a max bonus I should add of 10%) so at best they could get to around 35% and some change.
I just can't afford it - at 50% I'd be struggling to make ends meet and presumably already past the top level job's salary.
It's just too desirable role, and alas not something I can do at this stage of my life.
maybe later.
Fair enough. Sadly, most people stick to the jobs they endure because they can't afford to do their dream job. I know someone who makes a crazy salary in a bank but would give it up in an instant and become a cabinet maker if he won the lottery. I suspect most cabinet makers don't earn close to £500k so...
I used to work for McLaren as a contractor - back in the mists of time when they won stuff.
They wanted me to go permie and couldnt understand why I wouldnt take a 60% pay cut, as so many other people would.
Thats the problem with this sort of thing, they can get away with it because fan boys will do anything to work there.
Hope you get what you want but don't kill yourself to get it, you won't be thanked, but you will be taken advantage of
They wanted me to go permie and couldnt understand why I wouldnt take a 60% pay cut, as so many other people would.
Thats the problem with this sort of thing, they can get away with it because fan boys will do anything to work there.
Hope you get what you want but don't kill yourself to get it, you won't be thanked, but you will be taken advantage of
Why don't you share the problem with them - a problem shared is a problem halved. Show the enthusiasm you've shown in this thread. If they can't get to the level you need, don't lose sleep on it. The grass is always greener from the outside. Who knows if they will live up to their promises? There are many other factors. At the end of the day you need a livelihood and you have people that depend on you (I presume).
I fear I might be on a similar path with a firm thats about 90 mins commute away so 3 hrs every day (60 hours every 4 weeks of my life just travelling to and from work and I am paying for it).not my ideal balance of work life.
The MD didnt headhunt me and I never sent a CV to him (i'm not that senior) as such but he did contact me out of the blue (he interviewed me a few years back for something else and remembered me and we connected on linkedin).
I can just see them offering me a job because I know the subject matter, the MD clearly thinks I am pretty good at what I do otherwise he wouldnt have contacted me and I came 2nd in the last job they advertised - the kicker is I have no idea what level the job is - ive still agreed to go see the guy anyway. if the role is mid level with a great package then itll be superb and will make up for the time and expense of the commute- if its entry or junior level at say 20k a year salary then it wont any economic sense to accept it.
rock and hard place. I will know more by Friday. The plan might entail seeing whether I can work remote from a satellite office thats only a 5 min drive in the car from my house. Seems daft in this day and age to force somebody to work in one location when another location exists closer to the employees home and you can work via phone and email as if you was in the original location. we will see. It probably all hinges on what the position is - junior level take it or leave probably no say about the location - commute or dont take the job OR a mid level position might allow that flex to hot desk locally.
the irony though - I have been looking for work since Feb and this is the first real strong chance I have of getting a job and it could end up being a really hard decision. aint life just sh*t LOL.
The MD didnt headhunt me and I never sent a CV to him (i'm not that senior) as such but he did contact me out of the blue (he interviewed me a few years back for something else and remembered me and we connected on linkedin).
I can just see them offering me a job because I know the subject matter, the MD clearly thinks I am pretty good at what I do otherwise he wouldnt have contacted me and I came 2nd in the last job they advertised - the kicker is I have no idea what level the job is - ive still agreed to go see the guy anyway. if the role is mid level with a great package then itll be superb and will make up for the time and expense of the commute- if its entry or junior level at say 20k a year salary then it wont any economic sense to accept it.
rock and hard place. I will know more by Friday. The plan might entail seeing whether I can work remote from a satellite office thats only a 5 min drive in the car from my house. Seems daft in this day and age to force somebody to work in one location when another location exists closer to the employees home and you can work via phone and email as if you was in the original location. we will see. It probably all hinges on what the position is - junior level take it or leave probably no say about the location - commute or dont take the job OR a mid level position might allow that flex to hot desk locally.
the irony though - I have been looking for work since Feb and this is the first real strong chance I have of getting a job and it could end up being a really hard decision. aint life just sh*t LOL.
Edited by ToothbrushMan on Monday 22 October 21:44
ToothbrushMan said:
I fear I might be on a similar path with a firm thats about 90 mins commute away so 3 hrs every day (60 hours every 4 weeks of my life just travelling to and from work and I am paying for it).not my ideal balance of work life.
The MD didnt headhunt me and I never sent a CV to him (i'm not that senior) as such but he did contact me out of the blue (he interviewed me a few years back for something else and remembered me and we connected on linkedin).
I can just see them offering me a job because I know the subject matter, the MD clearly thinks I am pretty good at what I do otherwise he wouldnt have contacted me and I came 2nd in the last job they advertised - the kicker is I have no idea what level the job is - ive still agreed to go see the guy anyway. if the role is mid level with a great package then itll be superb and will make up for the time and expense of the commute- if its entry or junior level at say 20k a year salary then it wont any economic sense to accept it.
rock and hard place. I will know more by Friday. The plan might entail seeing whether I can work remote from a satellite office thats only a 5 min drive in the car from my house. Seems daft in this day and age to force somebody to work in one location when another location exists closer to the employees home and you can work via phone and email as if you was in the original location. we will see. It probably all hinges on what the position is - junior level take it or leave probably no say about the location - commute or dont take the job OR a mid level position might allow that flex to hot desk locally.
the irony though - I have been looking for work since Feb and this is the first real strong chance I have of getting a job and it could end up being a really hard decision. aint life just sh*t LOL.
As someone who was doing this kind of commute, all I can personally say, is don't. Life is too short, unless you are talking telephone numbers in terms of salary to set you up by paying off the mortgage and allowing you to take a step back for that 'dream job' - but go into it with a cut point.The MD didnt headhunt me and I never sent a CV to him (i'm not that senior) as such but he did contact me out of the blue (he interviewed me a few years back for something else and remembered me and we connected on linkedin).
I can just see them offering me a job because I know the subject matter, the MD clearly thinks I am pretty good at what I do otherwise he wouldnt have contacted me and I came 2nd in the last job they advertised - the kicker is I have no idea what level the job is - ive still agreed to go see the guy anyway. if the role is mid level with a great package then itll be superb and will make up for the time and expense of the commute- if its entry or junior level at say 20k a year salary then it wont any economic sense to accept it.
rock and hard place. I will know more by Friday. The plan might entail seeing whether I can work remote from a satellite office thats only a 5 min drive in the car from my house. Seems daft in this day and age to force somebody to work in one location when another location exists closer to the employees home and you can work via phone and email as if you was in the original location. we will see. It probably all hinges on what the position is - junior level take it or leave probably no say about the location - commute or dont take the job OR a mid level position might allow that flex to hot desk locally.
the irony though - I have been looking for work since Feb and this is the first real strong chance I have of getting a job and it could end up being a really hard decision. aint life just sh*t LOL.
Edited by ToothbrushMan on Monday 22 October 21:44
I earnt very well, but in order to beat the traffic I was up crazy early, and getting home some nights, so late because of the traffic, my Monday-Friday basically revolved around working & sleeping. It didn't make me a nice person to be around, as I like to exercise, a lot.
The idea was similar, to WFH from home a few days a week, but as a head of department, with multiple teams, it just wasn't possible, and I ended up in the office 9 days out of 10, rather than 5.
When the opportunity came along, and the redundancy word popped up regarding members of my team, I may have engineered the situation to make it work for myself.
I now work somewhere that's 20 minutes from home. yes I now earn about 2/3 of what I did, but i've gained over 3 hours of my day back. it's a huge difference.
A wise person said to me once "You work to live, not live to work".
Feel for you though.... but at the end of the day you need to do what's best for you. If you can scrimp over the next six months to a year of your life at least you can look back and say you tried it. On the other hand, you might want to live your life over the next year or so.
Feel for you though.... but at the end of the day you need to do what's best for you. If you can scrimp over the next six months to a year of your life at least you can look back and say you tried it. On the other hand, you might want to live your life over the next year or so.
thanks all - you have all helped!
So I just this minute turned down their kind opportunity.
I'm with the posts that say there is more to life than money - but the going rate for what I do, is definitely more than 32% of what I currently get paid. Even if they had moved to 50%.
I did the XLS - I worked out where I could cut back, what I could sell and if it was possible.
It would change my life very drastically. I absolutely tried to make it work.
It all ended with much respect and agreement and all cards were out on table.
Should the role, two levels above the one they called me about become available, I'm apparently going to get a call.
So I just this minute turned down their kind opportunity.
I'm with the posts that say there is more to life than money - but the going rate for what I do, is definitely more than 32% of what I currently get paid. Even if they had moved to 50%.
I did the XLS - I worked out where I could cut back, what I could sell and if it was possible.
It would change my life very drastically. I absolutely tried to make it work.
It all ended with much respect and agreement and all cards were out on table.
Should the role, two levels above the one they called me about become available, I'm apparently going to get a call.
The Selfish Gene said:
No reason for posting this other than to say I'm totally in disbelief
Had a headhunt call for my dream company - professionally I won't say where the dream job is - but it was in a very known company. If you like spaceships, it's the equivalent of NASA giving you call.
All things being roughly equal - it's a 68% pay cut.
If it is a 68% pay cut, then it is not your dream job. Although everybody wants a job they love, you can't eat love or pay your mortgage with love. The primary purpose of going to work is to earn money. Money buys you freedom so even if your job is not ideal, the money you make allows you to lead a good life outside of work. Had a headhunt call for my dream company - professionally I won't say where the dream job is - but it was in a very known company. If you like spaceships, it's the equivalent of NASA giving you call.
All things being roughly equal - it's a 68% pay cut.
On your NASA analogy: there is always another company to offer you a good job doing what you love, for the money you want. If you are into spaceships then you would look at JPL, European Space Agency or one of the private launch companies. I'm sure there are equivalents in whatever you want to do.
Eating a two-thirds pay cut is flat out stupid.
Until you've worked somewhere you don't really know what the company is really like, taking a pay cut to work somewhere where (potentially) you'll be spending every day wondering if you'll get sacked tomorrow, isn't my idea of fun. This may seen extreme, but these days delusional western management seem to think that making people afraid for their jobs, works as a great motivator.
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