A to stay or go dilema.
Discussion
I realise asking some strangers on an internet forum may seem a bit odd to some but sometimes some totally impartial advice/experience is appreciated.
I'm a chemical engineer, been with the same employer all my working life. Recently became chartered have a good undergraduate and post graduate degree. The work I do is primarily research based, it can be interesting and tedious in equal measure. I'm kind of a law to myself, manage my own work load, get to travel a bit, involved with our social responsibility dept and go out to local schools to teach kids about engineering.
The package has always been a good one, good holidays, good salary, and a final salary pension. Now and again I've been tempted to look at getting into O&G or other private sector roles where the salary would be much higher, but I live local and earn enough as it is for a good standard of living.
The job I've been offered is more hands on a large chemical plant. The salary was about 15k higher than what I'm currently earning, same holidays but would loose the final salary pension. The company is much larger and there seems to be much more scope to move around into different roles and to gain promotion. Initially I fancied the change, and although I'm pretty comfortable at the moment 15k isn't to be sniffed at.
I've been totally transparent with my current employer from the off. I had a meeting with my boss yesterday who said we'd like you to stay and if it's a case of money we'll be able to do something. A couple of hours later one of the directors asked to speak to me, a director has never said more than 3 words to me in 8 years of working there. Gave me a big spiel about how good the work I'm doing is etc etc. The upshot was they've not matched the new offer but come pretty close about 4k less than the new offer.
In my current role I think I've reached a ceiling in terms of progression, it's pretty annoying that it's taken me to threaten to leave for them to offer me a promotion and recognise my efforts. Being a smaller company and working in a specialised area it's usually a case of someone retiring before you can get to progress, and apparently threatening to leave.
I'm still in two minds, the pension is a sticking point. I've another 30 years to go until retirement and it's highly unlikely that it will still exist when I come to retire but I'm best paying into while I can. Current job is 15 mins from my front door, new job about 40. All in all new job sounds like an easier less stressful role for more £. I know people who work there and it sounds like a roll up do your hours and go home where in my current role it can be stressful with deadlines to meet and occasionally put allot of extra unpaid hours in.
Need to decide by next Thursday, I appreciate this is quite a nice problem to have and given the economic climate in the UK should just be glad to have a job. Both jobs are similarly secure.
I'm a chemical engineer, been with the same employer all my working life. Recently became chartered have a good undergraduate and post graduate degree. The work I do is primarily research based, it can be interesting and tedious in equal measure. I'm kind of a law to myself, manage my own work load, get to travel a bit, involved with our social responsibility dept and go out to local schools to teach kids about engineering.
The package has always been a good one, good holidays, good salary, and a final salary pension. Now and again I've been tempted to look at getting into O&G or other private sector roles where the salary would be much higher, but I live local and earn enough as it is for a good standard of living.
The job I've been offered is more hands on a large chemical plant. The salary was about 15k higher than what I'm currently earning, same holidays but would loose the final salary pension. The company is much larger and there seems to be much more scope to move around into different roles and to gain promotion. Initially I fancied the change, and although I'm pretty comfortable at the moment 15k isn't to be sniffed at.
I've been totally transparent with my current employer from the off. I had a meeting with my boss yesterday who said we'd like you to stay and if it's a case of money we'll be able to do something. A couple of hours later one of the directors asked to speak to me, a director has never said more than 3 words to me in 8 years of working there. Gave me a big spiel about how good the work I'm doing is etc etc. The upshot was they've not matched the new offer but come pretty close about 4k less than the new offer.
In my current role I think I've reached a ceiling in terms of progression, it's pretty annoying that it's taken me to threaten to leave for them to offer me a promotion and recognise my efforts. Being a smaller company and working in a specialised area it's usually a case of someone retiring before you can get to progress, and apparently threatening to leave.
I'm still in two minds, the pension is a sticking point. I've another 30 years to go until retirement and it's highly unlikely that it will still exist when I come to retire but I'm best paying into while I can. Current job is 15 mins from my front door, new job about 40. All in all new job sounds like an easier less stressful role for more £. I know people who work there and it sounds like a roll up do your hours and go home where in my current role it can be stressful with deadlines to meet and occasionally put allot of extra unpaid hours in.
Need to decide by next Thursday, I appreciate this is quite a nice problem to have and given the economic climate in the UK should just be glad to have a job. Both jobs are similarly secure.
Interesting dilemma.
Reading your post I'm a little confused as to how much you like your current role. Early on it sounds like you have a lot of control and flexibility in your role. TBH - sounded like quite a cushy number
Later you talk about stress and deadlines.
The fact that you work for a company that are prepared to increase your salary by £11k to keep you suggests that: a) they do want to keep you & b) they can make a pretty quick decision about it.
What seems to be missing in your post are some thoughts on where you'd like your career to go in the future. I'd give some thought to what you want. Sounds like your company are pretty receptive, have you sat down with your boss and talked about your long term goals and how you could achieve them there?
I'd suggest you sit down and discuss that with your boss (and maybe the director(s)) ASAP. That'll also show it's not just the money making you think of leaving. Might be a good opportunity to get a decent payrise, stay where you are and have a development plan.
Hope that helps.
Reading your post I'm a little confused as to how much you like your current role. Early on it sounds like you have a lot of control and flexibility in your role. TBH - sounded like quite a cushy number
Later you talk about stress and deadlines.
The fact that you work for a company that are prepared to increase your salary by £11k to keep you suggests that: a) they do want to keep you & b) they can make a pretty quick decision about it.
What seems to be missing in your post are some thoughts on where you'd like your career to go in the future. I'd give some thought to what you want. Sounds like your company are pretty receptive, have you sat down with your boss and talked about your long term goals and how you could achieve them there?
I'd suggest you sit down and discuss that with your boss (and maybe the director(s)) ASAP. That'll also show it's not just the money making you think of leaving. Might be a good opportunity to get a decent payrise, stay where you are and have a development plan.
Hope that helps.
GadgeS3C said:
Interesting dilemma.
Reading your post I'm a little confused as to how much you like your current role. Early on it sounds like you have a lot of control and flexibility in your role. TBH - sounded like quite a cushy number
Later you talk about stress and deadlines.
The fact that you work for a company that are prepared to increase your salary by £11k to keep you suggests that: a) they do want to keep you & b) they can make a pretty quick decision about it.
What seems to be missing in your post are some thoughts on where you'd like your career to go in the future. I'd give some thought to what you want. Sounds like your company are pretty receptive, have you sat down with your boss and talked about your long term goals and how you could achieve them there?
I'd suggest you sit down and discuss that with your boss (and maybe the director(s)) ASAP. That'll also show it's not just the money making you think of leaving. Might be a good opportunity to get a decent payrise, stay where you are and have a development plan.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for the reply it's given me some points to think about as I'm not thinking straight at the moment! I've had most of the weekend to think about it and still not any clearer on what to do-and driving the Mrs nuts as a result.....Reading your post I'm a little confused as to how much you like your current role. Early on it sounds like you have a lot of control and flexibility in your role. TBH - sounded like quite a cushy number
Later you talk about stress and deadlines.
The fact that you work for a company that are prepared to increase your salary by £11k to keep you suggests that: a) they do want to keep you & b) they can make a pretty quick decision about it.
What seems to be missing in your post are some thoughts on where you'd like your career to go in the future. I'd give some thought to what you want. Sounds like your company are pretty receptive, have you sat down with your boss and talked about your long term goals and how you could achieve them there?
I'd suggest you sit down and discuss that with your boss (and maybe the director(s)) ASAP. That'll also show it's not just the money making you think of leaving. Might be a good opportunity to get a decent payrise, stay where you are and have a development plan.
Hope that helps.
I'm pretty much at the top of where I can get in a technical role, this is without getting another 10 years experience in my area and becoming a Research Fellow, most of the current post holders are PhD's with links/relationships with several universities. Otherwise I could go into management or look to go into Project Management but to be fair in our organisation they all seem to be 'bean counters' with little or no technical input.
The work we do is very back end loaded, customers discover they have money they need to spend before the end of the financial year so I tend to be rushed of my feet December to the end of March. The projects tend to be 6-12 months in duration, it's very unusual to get was project which lasts any longer. On one hand this can give great variety and on the other you can end up doing stuff you've no interest in. I've been trying to build a niche for myself which has proved difficult due to the nature of the work so I'm a jack of all trades master of none. In summary I do like my current role, but it's all I've ever known. Some parts are rewarding and others mainly down to bureaucracy can be pretty frustrating.
Up until my current employer made an increased offer, I thought the reasons I would be staying for were the wrong reasons- Pension, ease of travel, autonomy etc. Then having the director speak to me it seems I'm allot more valued than I thought but it's annoying that I've had to threaten to leave in order to get this pat on the back.....
You face a common dilemma, so take some solace that many have gone through this process before you. In cold terms; many will say never risk a move for less than 20% improvement in overall package. In softer terms; where do you want to be (role/salary/location) in 5 years time? If your current employer covers this, some would say stay. If they don't, then move. Obviously it's more complicated than that, including taking the views of family. It's also about your appetite for risk and how ambitious you are. If you're not a risk taker and have low to medium ambitions, you'll probably stay where you are. If you're a risk taker and are very ambitious, you'll move. Hope that helps alongside the good advice above. Good luck!
Well I've decided to stay.
On speaking with a more senior co-worker I was encouraged to push for more to stay which was agreed to. It's not just a case of getting more money but also more responsibility which I see as a good thing as I'll be challenged more.
Appreciate the feedback, can stop stressing now and get back to work....
On speaking with a more senior co-worker I was encouraged to push for more to stay which was agreed to. It's not just a case of getting more money but also more responsibility which I see as a good thing as I'll be challenged more.
Appreciate the feedback, can stop stressing now and get back to work....
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