Job opportunity but don't know whether to take it

My only comment is which job will give you a better shot at what you want in your career. Money isn't always the deciding factor. I suspect you'll make up the difference when you achieve your goals.

If I were you, I'd take the new job.

But from your post, I get the feeling you want to stick with the old one.

I don't have those issues with insurance. If I get sick, county is good enough for me. Besides, I meet some interesting people there.

Money-wise it's a wash. And it seems like your daughter is not a real factor since she won't be too far away from either you or your husband. You don't like your current publisher, but you like your colleagues... but there will be nice people at the new job, too. So all things considered, it seems like it comes down to which job has better future potentials, and I think you just answered the question.

If I were you, I would take the new job.

maestrowork said:

Money-wise it's a wash. And it seems like your daughter is not a real factor since she won't be too far away from either you or your husband. You don't like your current publisher, but you like your colleagues... but there will be nice people at the new job, too. So all things considered, it seems like it comes down to which job has better future potentials, and I think you just answered the question.

If I were you, I would take the new job.

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Good advice. Now why didn't I think of that?

Obviously, this is a personal decision, with consequences, for you and your family. That said ... this is how I would address it, me knowing only a little of the what-em-all-call-it-factors, if a friend of mine was in this situation.

At the old job, I doubt I would ever be able to move up to editor-in-chief or even managing editor, because the publisher doesn't like me.

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I'm rather sensitive to something like that in the above, and to me, something like that would be pushing me out ASAP. I'd be searching with the energy of a-safe-port-in-the-storm type of drive for a different job:

However, the editor-in-chief of the new paper has said she will mold me to take over for her when she retires in the next year or two.

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The above would be pulling me to the new job, that is, if it is true and she actually will deliver on her promise. And it would pull on me big time if I was young, and I'm assuming you're around 29, plus or minus a decade or two, because you have to look out for your resume and your future job path. Having "editor-in-chief" will look nice on your resume, especially ten years down the road.

Now depending on how you want to play it, and on your psychological makeup, you could, for many reasons, set up an appointment with your current boss and let him/her know you have an offer in your pocket. Tell him only that it has 3,500 more bucks in it for you. Do NOT mention any of the new job's drawbacks (unless you have to, and then try to minimize them). And make up creative stuff about why you don't want to leave your current job, like say how you like your coworkers; but don't say anything that would reinforce them to keep you in your current position. Like don't say you like what you are doing exactly right now in your current job. Hint that you want more responsibility. Unless you don't.

When, or if, your current boss ends up making a counter offer, you best have already decided what the minimum increase is that you need to accept staying there.

The bad part of this "negotiation" is that if he comes back with nothing more, or almost nothing more, then if you decide to stay, then you have basically shot yourself in the foot. Because they know you won't risk leaving in the near future. And sometimes they may think you are a wimp, or something. Sometimes, they might think you're a traitor for looking for a new job. etc.

Often though, the current boss will "match" the new offer. Which sometimes leads a person to think they ought to "lie" a bit and say the new job offer was for more than it actually was, but that road has many bad forks, and probably ain't worth the risk.

And if the current boss doesn't make a reasonable counter offer, then you know where you stand with them. Usually that provides the extra emotional and psychological drive for you to risk that new position.

But ... if you are very content where you are, with the hours and days that you are working, and don't want to risk having to work in the "fast lane" with its stresses and extra hours and extra responsibility ... then that is something else. You can still try to negotiate with your current boss to try to increase your salary, but that can be very, very risky.

Often, a lot changes in the future. In ten years, or in twenty years, down the road, who knows where you'll be? And then you might wish you had made a different decision at this time ...

I wish you good luck, and hopefully, you'll make the best decision for you.

- brer

Southern_girl29 said:

I think I know the new job is what I need to do; it's just being scared of the unknown.

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Welcome to the world of risk. Without it Bill Gates would still be slucking bad code in his garage. Risk makes up for the other attributes of living that we sometimes wish stayed in the closet. If you don't go for what is best as a future then you'll age into a past of regrets that will be much more painful as your years of opportunity dwindle.

(Health ins. premium) 150 x 12 = $1800 + $2500 (deductible) = $4300

You would actually lose money by taking the new job. That doesn't mean I think you shouldn't take it, but you might want to think through what else you would get from it in place of money.

For me, the more frequent evening and weekend work would be the deal-breaker, even if the new job paid a LOT more.

But then again, how much stress do you have working for a boss that doesn't like you? That would be enough reason for me to change jobs, if it was a daily source of mental "anguish."

You know what, though? Congrats on getting that offer. Doesn't that say something about your value???? Maybe it would give a good starting point for a conversation with your boss about renegotiating your salary. Every once in a while, a discussion about a raise is not uncalled for.

ltd.

Southern, the whole point of changing a job is respect and advancement. Normally respect means more money. There isn't more in your case.

If you can determine your current editor's mind frame about you by talking frankly with your coworkers and superiors, you might see your publisher has been hard on you to develop you. If that is not the case, then leave. He doesn't like you, so your life will be filled with agony. But give the guy the chance, and do the study.

The other place is a crap shoot at best. There will be many co-workers and subordinates who did not get the job you got who will sabotage you forever. You must identify them and can them as quickly as possible.

Corporate games suck, and I don't like immersing myself again into this vile muck, but you must make a move now. An opportunity has been offered, you must pick a path and make the most of it. You cannot just stay in the job you are in as is, because your boss will know eventually. Then he will act to either put you down or put you out. So, if you stay where you are, you must ask for either more money for your current job, or more responsibility.

You need to do some homework, there are more subtleties than you think here.

The new job sounds like a better bet.

I think I read this right -- you said there will be some turmoil at the old position, because right now there is no editor in chief.

Either way, it sounds like there's some risk. There's a risk that the new editor who comes might not be good, and some of the good people you work with may leave.

While there's a chance you might work with some people who weren't offered the job at the new place, as Joe270 stated, there's always the chance that the new editor in chief will put their own favorites in and shift the character of your current job. So either way, there's always a chance you'll be dealing with some unpleasant office politics. (After getting burned, I now think it's always dicey to stay somewhere based mostly on personalities, because people always leave and retire.)

The difference is that you're being offered more of a leadership position, and being groomed for later success. It sounds like the publisher of your current position has not, until recently, considered you as someone he would promote. If he won't give you a raise until he's aware that other people are courting you, that sounds like he may not appreciate your value to the organization or could even be underpaying you. Maybe he's softened, but it sounds like you still have doubts about his view of you.

I was doing research last night and reading Edward Yourdon's book "The Rise and Fall of the American Programmer". He pointed out that in most companies, the best people usually move on because they're good, and when there's a shakeup, the best workers with most potential usually jump ship to a better job, with the worst being the ones who get fired. This is just as true of any other type of work as it is of programming.

Also, despite your loyalty to the place that gave you your start, it sounds like you think you'll do better with your career long-term if you move on. And that, rather than just insurance, sounds like the real tie-breaker. Could your current job be a good place to start your career in, or perhaps retire/go part-time in later in life, but not the place where you'll be doing a lot of climbing?

I wonder if Poynter's job columnist has ever tackled this question...

The insurance definitely is a consideration, but maybe you could arrange something, like getting a health savings account, or switching to a plan through your husband's work.

Have you also considered renegotiating the new job? I'm not a salary expert, but it's possible you could mention the difference in the insurance and try to get the difference fixed, or some other benefit that would cover it.

It sounds to me that this new job is a good bet. One caveat: if you value your friendships, make sure you have a way in mind that you can continue to see these people, say, a monthly lunch or something. But don't be surprised if some people take your leaving personally, even people who now call you friend. (again, speaking from personal experience). Jealousy can be an issue, or just the sense that you're "leaving the family". If you're proactive about this, then you can try to nip this in the bud.

below said:

The difference is that you're being offered more of a leadership position, and being groomed for later success. It sounds like the publisher of your current position has not, until recently, considered you as someone he would promote. If he won't give you a raise until he's aware that other people are courting you, that sounds like he may not appreciate your value to the organization...

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While I agree that working for a boss who doesn't value you is incredibly soul-sucking, getting a promotion because you have another offer is not uncommon.

Don't forget that the boss at the other paper can talk a good talk about all the wonderful "opportunities for advancement" as a way of not having to offer a significantly higher salary.

And if every other employee is going to be resentful and possibly back-stabbing, how is that promise for "advancement" any good anyway? And why didn't any of the other employees get the position? Are they so terrible? (Who knows? Maybe they are! )

And will she do the same to you, when promotion time comes around? Will she go outside the organization to hire someone, instead of giving you your promised position?

Just some things to think about. It is a difficult decision, I'm sure, especially with the concerns about insurance. Have you made a decision yet, SG?

Much good luck, SG. Hope you get a really good-paying job that you really like.