Confused!

kkelly

kkelly

kkelly

Soldato
Joined
8 Oct 2003
Posts
2,899
Location
Glasgow
Current job is a snr dev, due to a total lack of investment/replacing staff my team pretty much covers everything, security, infrastructure, dB patching, testing, development, analysis, training etc. There is a lot of ''its not my job' too again which again lands me work with my team, as my boss knows we'll get it done, or they just tell us to dodr everything and do x.

Now I have an offer to work for more money in a more structured environment (basically just Dev work) in a much larger environment.
But my work has now finally after two weeks made an attractive counter offer and I don't know what to do! - getting so much conflicting advice :)

So stay at the current place and belevbe the counter offer, or new different challenge ? I just worry I won't get such a attractive offer again :)

Thanks !
 
Apart from money, are the issues that motivated you to look for another job still there ?

The usual advice is to go anyway as you are now marked as disloyal and likely the first to get the boot when circumstances suit them. The cynic in me is only slightly amazed how some extra money magically appears when they realise they are up poo creek and the person with the paddle is heading away. Taking two weeks to come up with a counter offer is a red flag to me. If you were really valued it would have been within a few days.
 
Were you looking to move for more money or for more job satisfaction? I'd imagine the answer would be the latter, so after a few months the counter offer money will become less relevant if you stay and you'd still be annoyed you don't like your job.
 
This is why I think it is worth going to interviews every so often regardless.

Presumably the counter offer is higher than or at least matches the new job offer?

Has the new employer not come back with a new offer to match or exceed the counter?

IMO, if they haven’t and if it isn’t a role that is particularly special then I’d stay at the existing employer for more money and apply for more jobs... you’re now worth more on paper and so should get better offers. You get the benefit of a boost from job hopping without having to job hop...essentially you get to roll the dice again and get another boost.

The worrying bit is that you’re concerned you won’t get an offer like it again? Is there something you’ve not told us like it being way above market rates or something? Is Glasgow/Edinburgh short on dev roles? Or is it more just you being risk averse/lacking confidence?
 
What about other factors.

Commute to new place?
Is there a really good social scene in your current place, that you'd lose out on?
Long terms prospects at both places?
Ability to WFH?
Flexible hours?
Expected overtime?

Weigh up more than just the salary.
 
Thanks for the replies so far :)
  • Current work is free parking, new work is not,
  • Current work has no flexible working at all, nothing.
  • Overtime is time on lieu at both
I really enjoy development work, and recently I'd say 30/40% of my time is toward development the rest is basically covering support as we've lost our first/second line. Now given I'm the senior you'd think I'd be able to delegate the work, but the higher ups just keep giving it directly to me to do.

My friends and missus (biggest vote) think a change is needed which is why I started looking, the counter offer looks good with the promise of resources which will free me up ~ I'm just worried nothing will change in the long run or I've gotten so used to this situation now. I was all set to leave until the counter offer appeared.
 
kkelly said:
Thanks for the replies so far :)
  • Current work is free parking, new work is not,
  • Current work has no flexible working at all, nothing.
  • Overtime is time on lieu at both
I really enjoy development work, and recently I'd say 30/40% of my time is toward development the rest is basically covering support as we've lost our first/second line. Now given I'm the senior you'd think I'd be able to delegate the work, but the higher ups just keep giving it directly to me to do.

My friends and missus (biggest vote) think a change is needed which is why I started looking, the counter offer looks good with the promise of resources which will free me up ~ I'm just worried nothing will change in the long run or I've gotten so used to this situation now. I was all set to leave until the counter offer appeared.
Click to expand...
I didn't ask and I don't think you mentioned it in the OP, how long have you been at your current place?
 
10 years from jnr -> mid -> snr, for most of this time I have constant development it's just totally stopped recently
 
Yeah, sounds like it might be a good idea then. Try not to burn any bridges though, the grass isn't always greener, it'd be good if you left with the potential to come back in the future.

Also just one final point to consider, it seems like you're never short of work at the moment. It means you're trusted to do good work and you're important. If this new organisation is much bigger, you'll become a lesser cog in a bigger machine, and you may feel less important or valued in this new place, and there may even be periods where you're not busy.

Good luck with it all.
 
dowie said:
This is why I think it is worth going to interviews every so often regardless.

Presumably the counter offer is higher than or at least matches the new job offer?

Has the new employer not come back with a new offer to match or exceed the counter?

IMO, if they haven’t and if it isn’t a role that is particularly special then I’d stay at the existing employer for more money and apply for more jobs... you’re now worth more on paper and so should get better offers. You get the benefit of a boost from job hopping without having to job hop...essentially you get to roll the dice again and get another boost.

The worrying bit is that you’re concerned you won’t get an offer like it again? Is there something you’ve not told us like it being way above market rates or something? Is Glasgow/Edinburgh short on dev roles? Or is it more just you being risk averse/lacking confidence?
Click to expand...
This is very true.
 
kkelly said:
10 years from jnr -> mid -> snr, for most of this time I have constant development it's just totally stopped recently
Click to expand...
based on this though, it screams move. If you have been there that amount of time and the work has changed, I'd imagine it's not going to change and you'd be better off elsewhere. Just depends on the new role offer and opportunity.
 
The counter-offer from your current job is simply the money they should have been paying you already plus your next 5 years worth of pay rises.

Walk away smiling to the new job.
 
Still not really clear to me, job aside, the relative attractiveness of the two offers. How much better in terms of pay and benefits is the counter-offer compared to the job offer from the new firm?
All else being equal the new job sounds better suited to your desires, but I would never dismiss a counter-offer out of hand, it needs to be weighed up.
 
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