Decision on job change - supervisor vs individual contributor 1

[HornTootinEE]

Question-

A first level supervisor with 12 direct reports is being pursued by a company that offers a 10% increase in base salary, double bonus potential and overall a 30% increase in total comp package; but it would entail a return to a mid to senior level individual contributor level from first level supervisor.

How to advise this person? Assuming both jobs are potentially rewarding for this person.

Thoughts?

 

[JohnRBaker]

If what you say about both jobs being personally rewarding is accurate, then go for the extra money. BTW, how old is this person and how long has he/she been in their current position?

Note that about halfway through my career, when I was offered something similar (although there was not as big a financial incentive and I didn't change companies), I opted to leave my mid-level management position for a technical staff position working for a vice-president of development. While long term I might have made more if I had stayed where I was, life outside the management track was certainly a lot better personally. I managed to keep all the perks that a manager had but with almost none of the responsibility, which does have value. For example I would have probably retired much earlier missing those last few years of pensions contributions to say nothing of having to take less from my defined-benefits pensions and Social Security. I probably worked 6 years longer than I would have and when you look at how much I'm now getting each month in pension and SS benefits, those six years made a big difference, to say nothing of the extra salary that was made in those last six years, including paying off two new cars and accelerating the payoff of our mortgage.

Anyway, those are my thoughts, for what their worth.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[1gibson]

Sounds like a good increase in compensation, with more room to move up. What was the downside again, other than a less impressive title on your business card, and of course the hassle of switching jobs?

 

[HornTootinEE]

JohnRBaker-

10 years out of college, 3 yrs in current position.

 

[KENAT]

What is this persons end goal with their career?

Do they want to become a manager or they prefer technical?

To me, getting more money to stay technical is almost a no-brainer assuming everything else is equal.

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[HornTootinEE]

KENAT-

I asked the question; management path is of interest only because that appears to be the only way to increase comp beyond a certain level.

Thoughts?

 

[KENAT]

So the main concern is chasing the almighty $, not job satisfaction, work life balance etc.?

In that case 10% base, 30% total is non negligible.

This individual has managed to jump from technical to management once before, so they could probably do so again.

(If the $ is really the most important thing then the individual should see if there are careers outside of the Engineering sector that are even more rewarding.)

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[HornTootinEE]

Kenat-

You are right, if $ are the most important, engineering is not the career in general!

the original assumption was that the intangibles were unchanged. work life balance was is similar, satisfaction is similar, etc. I think the original concern was that does stepping back into a technical role hurt future opportunities for management again?

 

[HamburgerHelper]

I get tired of people talking about if money is important, they should think about leaving engineering. What other profession talks itself down continuously instead of trying to figure out how to acquire more value from its product? It is almost as if everyone has had it beat into their head that they are all easily replaceable and nothing more than an interchangeable commodity.

 

[IRstuff]

" instead of trying to figure out how to acquire more value from its product? "

Probably because it simply doesn't work that way; otherwise, waiters would make more than minimal wage.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

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[KENAT]

With an engineering education you can potentially make more money in fields such as finance/wall street & management consulting etc. Obviously it's not a universal state but worth bringing up when the goal appears to be primarily $ oriented.

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[HornTootinEE]

If you want to be a technical engineer, there are very few companies that will reward you money wise like a manager who does no engineering. There are a few, but they are few.

I personally feel engineers are way more valuable than our market makes us, but then, it's the market that makes us that.

If you want to make more money and continue being technical, you have to work for yourself or a very small firm...

 

[GroovyGuy]

Ya gotta go for the money. Assuming both jobs are potentially rewarding for this person.
This is no-brainer.


I am forever learning and changing.
W.E. Deming

 

[GregLocock]

Does it hurt your future career prospects? Well, possibly, but I'd rather be discussing salary from a 30% higher overall package, in a future interviews.



Cheers

Greg Locock


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[moltenmetal]

I see no downside and plenty of up-side to this move.

 

[monkeydog]

+10% and +30%?
None of the "high maintenance" personality issues that accompany direct reports?
No year end reviews for the 12 direct reports.
Why is this person asking for advise?

 

[Panther140]

Sounds like a big pay raise and the person would be very well positioned to move up. Not only that, but you also have the opportunity to go a different path than management. Personally, would take the other position even it were not a pay raise, because I am not interested in supervisory responsibilities.

"Formal education is a weapon, whose effect depends on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed." ~ Joseph Stalin

 

[GroovyGuy]

As an ex-senior manager, who hired a whole bunch of engineers over my career, I was suspicious of anyone;
1) Who changed employers more than once every few years (unless they were a Contractor of course)
2) Stayed with the same employer for too long

No 1) above shows perhaps they are a bit flighty, and might leave you high-and-dry for another buck per hour (ie no commitment)
No 2) might indicate a lack of exposure to different ways of doing things (not what you look for in an experienced engineer)

Having said all that, I was happily employed with my first employer for 11 years. Who knows, I might still be there if they had not been bought out by a competitor.

Who knows what live will throw at you during your career. As long as you are still growing and learning, you are becoming more valuable. Of course you need to be happy as well.

I am forever learning and changing.
W.E. Deming

 

[JohnRBaker]

I basically worked for two organization over the course of my professional career, the first for 14 years and the second for 35 years (I retired this past January). In those 49 years I've held line positions, staff jobs as well as having supervisory and managerial responsibilities (when I retired I was part of the Product Marketing arm of our Software R&D unit).

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[1gibson]

Don't mean to be rude, but I can't help thinking if the situation as presented is a difficult decision, then maybe management is not the best place for that individual. So that's another nudge towards the higher paid technical role. You can potentially move to management and make more money at the new place after awhile.