Need some advice in a new job oppurunity please?

Question

Hi their! Thanks for taking the time to look at this question.

My dilemma is as follows.

#I will be in my current job one year on the first of November. The pay is pretty good and the people i work with are ok. The company is pretty small though, and a little unprofessional at times.

I have been offered a new job which is closer to my new home (havent moved in yet). Its with a HUGE company who are global and have a turnover of 8billion a year.

Problem is the pay they are offering is the same as my current one. Now in my current job their is also bonus structures in place, but they arent guarunteed.

My question is, what to do? Should I stay in my current job where I know the pay is ok, little chance of furthering my career though, or should I jump on board with the new crowd, and work for the SAME wages.

Should I try and hammer out a deal with the new job offer? Tell them my figure I want and if they cant give it good luck?

What if I pass up the oppurtunity???

Answer 1

Look at other benefits carefully. The larger company probably has a better 401(k) matching program, tuition reimbursement and other perks that the smaller company can't match. Of course you can always ask the new company if they can come up in their offer a bit; the worst they can do is say no.

Working for a global company has a lot of advantages over working for a smaller company. You have a lot more opportunities for advancement; you can relocate without having to find another job; it's more stable because it is bigger. I would personally go for the bigger company.

Answer 2

Are the benefits including 401K, pension (if any), medical benefits, dental, paid time off, and all the rest, the same as well?
You can simply tell the new position that you are so excited to have the opportunity to work with them but that you did want to see if there was any flexibilty on the pay. Tell them you are making the same now but with a bonus structure. Perhaps they can up the salary to at least match the average bonuses that you received in the past year (for example if you received 5 grand in bonuses since last Nov. perhaps they can raise the salary 5 grand). Maybe even add a little to what you actually made to see if you can get the salary upped a bit higher even. But you don't have to make it sound like you are saying no if they do not up it, you just want to know if they can. If you don't ask you'll never know. I think most places do offer a bit lower than what they have budgetted for a position so they have room to negotiate. Don't forget to add your benefit package in as well. For example, if this new company that makes 8 billion has stock options or profit sharing, then the job is worth a whole lot more!
It's difficult when you don't completely hate your job to take a new one. There is always the possibility that you could hate the new one or hate the people and then wish you were back at the old one. But you do need to look 5 years ahead or so. If there is no room to grow in your current job, you may have to leave at some point to further your career. Since I don't know what you do it's hard to speculate on this.
But definitely step one, I would say, is to negotiate and see what they can offer you. They may come back with a nice deal and then it'll make your decision a whole lot easier!! Also, which job will you LIKE better? Will you be doing the exact same thing in both places? Perhaps one is more challenging or looks better on a resume? Just something else to think about.

Answer 3

Sometimes it's better to take a risk and go into different surroundings to further your career. The same wages aren't that big of a deal, at least you're breaking even. Maybe you can negotiate your salary for the new position. Explain what your figure is and if they cannot agree to it then take a little off. The point is not to have the same wages. Even if it does come to that, you can always find out about advancement from within the company, but make sure to express genuine interest in the job the whole time, and they're bound to up the ante a bit.

Answer 4

If pay/benefits are the same, look at the bigger picture. Will one of them give you more reasonable hours so you can be at home with your family? Will one offer more job security? Will one offer a more pleasant (zero stress) environment?

The bigger company sounds like it has a bit more room for upward promotion, but big companies are also known to lay off massive numbers of people without notice. You'll also have to work harder to get noticed in a huge company.

Switching jobs may help your career or it may not. Some might look at your resume and see you quit jobs every few years, and they don't want to hire a person short term.

You could try asking for a bit more money with company #2. My one suggestion is to learn how to spell -- it makes you look more educated & professional. I know it's a tiny thing but people do notice.

Do you have a spouse or family member you could talk this over with? They'd know you better than we do. Maybe they can give you some insight.

Answer 5

If you view the new job as an opportunity because it is a bigger company, you may be looking at it wrong. There are plenty of small companies that go out of business and have problems, but that pales on comparison to how much you will be treated as number in a big company. Big companies are always restructuring and changing. That instability always trickles down to the employees. No matter how good you are...no matter how hard you work....if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time, you will get the shaft in a big company. I love small companies. You have a lot more control over your own destiny and a real chance to make a difference.

Answer 6

Kinda a tough situation. At least if you went to the new place for the same wages, there would be the opportunity for advancement. Plus, if you ever decide to move out of state or wherever, you could be transferred. Do some research on salary.com to see what you are really worth. I just went to an interview last week armed with that knowledge of what I should be making and told that figure to the interviewer and he didn't bat an eye! So, maybe it will work for you too in your negotioations. Good Luck. And if all else fails...GO WITH YOUR GUT!!

Answer 7

A larger company may be able to offer things that your current small company can't - private health cover, opportunity to progress, duvet days, maternity/paternity packages. I'd have a closer look at the whole deal before deciding where you'd be most happy.

I also find that a wander through the office to pick up on the atmosphere helps you to judge what they might be like to work for. Most interviewers are happy to show you round if you ask.