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  • #293987
    Tom
    Participant

    Hi,

     

    I have been with my current company since 2014 and have worked myself through the ranks. I have become a little frustrated with my income there and other issues within the company.

     

    I have been offered a new role on more money but will require a longer and financially more expensive commute. It is also only a six month contract to begin with.

     

    After the extra cost of travel, I would still be better off but not by a huge amount. Do people think its crazy to leave a full time post for a six month role to begin with? If it goes well it could be extended/made permanent. I have 0 dependants but do have a mortgage.

     

    Thanks

    #294001
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Tom:

    I would like to understand:

    1. If you take the six month position you are giving up your current position and will not be able to return to it after the six months, if you so choose?

    2. If you take the six month position, will you be learning new skills and experience that will help you to advance further in the current company (or elsewhere, if you change employers), is it a growth opportunity?

    3. Is the extra commute involving taking a train every day, or driving? How much longer will your commute be than it is now?

    anita

     

    #294053
    Tom
    Participant

    Hi Anita,

     

    1) Yes, I would be leaving my current position and unable to return as I would be giving them my notice.

    2) Yes, i will be learning new skills and I think it will benefit my resume as my current working history is all with one employer.

    3) It will involve taking a train. And it would probably be 1-1.5 hours longer than it is currently.

     

    #294063
    Michelle
    Participant

    Hi Tom.

    Which would you say is the bigger driver for you from the potential move – the lack of interesting opportunities to continue to progress/grow in your current company or the pay-rise?

    It is not necessarily the number of employers on your CV that matters but being able to show that you are continually progressing, gaining new skills and additional responsibilities in each new role.  It sounds like you have done this well to work through the ranks so far but are now hitting the classic brick-wall of mid-management? As you know, contract positions pay higher because of the financial risk involved – often if they then want to hire you on permanently it will be a reduced rate, so worth bearing in mind if you are not looking to stay contracting long-term. It’s also pretty well known that joining a new company is the best way to get a promotion/pay-rise if you are now stuck at your current place and it’s not unusual at all in the early days to move around to do so.

    Often, it’s worth talking to your current employer first about the new opportunity and pay-rise on offer, as you will be surprised how often it gives employers the prod needed to realise you are still ambitious/ready for more. The more concrete you can be about what you want the better those conversations go. Steer clear of the obvious “I just want to be better paid”, you can say the same thing by describing what additional responsibilities you want to take on and it comes across as looking to be a leader, not just asking for a grade promotion.

    As someone who used to have a 2 1/2 hr commute each way for over 15 years – I can safely say it does get very tiring. But it can also be worth it for sure if there are no better opportunities nearby and you are not interested in moving/renting near the new job and renting out your current house, if all went well.

    Hope helps.

    #294079
    Tom
    Participant

    Hi,
    I actually asked for a salary increase with my last promotion and was told one wasn’t available. This has contributed to my feelings but isn’t the sole reason. Morale where I am now is fairly low throughout the office which isn’t the best environment and there has been a high turnover off staff in recent months.

    #294081
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Tom:

    Reads to me that accepting the six months position is a good idea because in your current position:

    – “Morale..  is fairly low throughout the office”

    – “there has been a high turnover of staff in recent months”

    – You asked for a salary increase to go with your recent promotion but denied an increase.

    And in your offered contracted position:

    – It is long enough, six months, with the possibility of extending the contract or being hired there.

    – You will be learning new skills and gaining experience that will make you a more desirable employee anywhere.

    A comment: working for one employer for years and decades, from what I understand, is pretty much a thing of the past. As far as progressing in position in the work life and income, it is about looking every few months or years for a better and better position while you improve your skills and gain new experiences.

    When I read your original post I was hoping that Michelle will answer you because I read from her previously and reads to me that she has succeeded in the work place herself and has valuable personal experience on the matter to share with you. I hope you re-read her post above and anything she may add.

    anita

    #294157
    Tom
    Participant

    Hi Anita,

    Thanks for your measured response. All of your points are valid and why I know it feels like a good fit. I think the concern is just leaving a secure position for one that isn’t. But i know you have to take risks sometimes and this could be one of those times.

     

     

     

    #294163
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Tom:

    Is your position secure, being that there is a high turn over of staff; how secure is your position?

    I will be away from the computer and back in about 16 hours from now.

    anita

    #294175
    Michelle
    Participant

    Thanks for the vote of confidence Anita, much appreciated.

    Tom – yeah, I’d tend to agree, if no payrise offered with accepting a promotion, not much is going to happen by staying put.

    Doesn’t necessarily mean this contract role is the right one to jump on. How many other opportunities have you interviewed for?? Usually for a contract they want a decision pretty quickly. What’s your longer term goal – stay contracting through your own company ( big tax advantages in UK at least ) or do you see yourself happier back in permanent employment long term??

    Moving companies sounds a good thing – just make sure you jump to the best opportunity you can, not necessarily just the first one offered as an escape.

    Happy to help more where I can.

    #294219
    Tom
    Participant

    Hi both,

    The company offering me this role is one I know and have worked with closely in my role with my current company. It is somewhere I have always thought I would like to work there one day.

    I haven’t been activley looking but this role came up so obviously intrested me.

    The concern is that its 6 months and paid hourly which is throwing me as I’m use to an annual salary. I also wouldn’t get any paid holiday during this 6 months.  They have said there will be regular catch-ups so I would know with notice if it was/wasn’t going to extended/made permanent. I would be better off financially after travel etc but it does feel like a risk.

    I don’t want to turn it down though and end up regretting it in a few months’ time.

    #294239
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Tom:

    You are welcome. You mentioned that you don’t have any financial dependents but you have a mortgage. What bothers you is that there is a risk involved in taking this contracted position. The fact that you will be paid hourly and not yearly distresses you, makes you feel less safe.

    If you look at the job market in your area, ask yourself if it is likely that following those six months, if the contract is not extended or you don’t get hired there, if it is likely that you will be unemployed for long, and therefore unable to pay your mortgage.

    Also, consider that there is always a risk. I asked you how safe or secure your current position, I don’t know the answer. Think of that. Is there a chance that you reject the six month position and then somehow, for some reason, you get fired from your current position.

    Risk is part of life, as you know. When you have a choice between A and B, calculate best you can the risk in A and the risk in B, then evaluate how A/B can benefit you in the long run and what are the chances that A/B will benefit you in these ways.

    Have risks vs benefits in mind, and rest in making thoughtful choices. Safety, or your best chances to be safe is in the making of thoughtful, informed choices, accepting the fact of life that in every choice there is a risk.

    anita

     

     

     

    #294393
    Tom
    Participant

    Hi Anita,

    I believe i would find another job if needed but I would obviously be under some pressure to do so.

    I do not think I would get fired from my current position but I also don’t believe I can move forward there or expect a pay rise any time soon. It is just secure income.

    The new offer is not secure income I guess and that is what it boils down to. Most family and friends have told me to go for it but I also think sensibly and think of all possible outcomes.

    I guess a little bit of me is also daunted as I have been with my current role for some time and am comfortable there and know it inside, out.

    #294409
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Tom:

    I will be able to read and reply to your recent post (and anything you may add to it) when I am back to the computer in about 20 hours from now.

    anita

    #294413
    Michelle
    Participant

    Hey Tom.

    So like Anita says, everything is a risk/reward balance in life.  It sounds like you are more than ready to leave your current role – once you know something inside out it quickly leads to stagnation. I suspect if you tried to imagine yourself doing the same thing in ten years you’d pretty quickly be wondering why you didn’t take the chance.

    If you wanted a long-term move into contracting, then absolutely, I’d be saying go for it. But you sound like you would be happiest back in a perm job eventually. It’s not too unusual to start as a contract and then apply for other perm jobs once inside the new company – i.e. use the 6 months on offer to build networks quickly and make it very clear to everyone you are looking to move into a perm role. What do they say when yo ask them about future perm roles – it’s a lot different than just regular reviews as to if the contract is extended or not. What’s the notice period on the contract  – sometimes it can be as short as a week and sometimes up to a month? There’s ways to ensure you protect yourself from the financial risk such as mortgage unemployment insurance and ensuring you have savings to cover 3 months payments – given it’s average time to start new job etc, which can help manage the risk.

    Most contracts don’t include holiday as the higher pay is to reflect the lack of that and sick pay etc, all the other benefits of perm roles. So the way to work out if it’s a good offer is to adjust the wage for the same proportion of holiday/sick/other benefits you would have in a perm role to make sure they are paying enough to cover that.

    At the end of the day – you need a role which stretches you and something where you are growing. But like said, may be worth talking to a few other agencies/companies proactively before deciding just on this one. You may be surprised how sought after your skills are if you haven’t looked for a while.

    #294491
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear Tom:

    Fear is a powerful emotion and it stops a whole lot of people from making progress toward a better life, a better job, a better relationship, a better anything. When we are too scared, we freeze and stay where we are. You shared about your tendency to overthink in previous threads in the context of relationships. Anxiety and overthinking is often not specific to one context in life but extends to many contexts. You shared before that you meditate.

    What else do you do to lower/ manage your anxiety (ongoing fear outside real-and-present danger situations)?

    anita

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