Give current boss opportunity to match better job offer or just quit? 6

[BlastResistant]

I have been lured away from my current job by a local competitor firm by promises of more advancement opportunity, a better overall total compensation package, and a 40% increase in base salary! Any way I look at it, it’s a great opportunity and I’d be dumb not to take it. Should I give my current employer an opportunity to match (which I know they won’t), or should I just take the job and put in my 2 weeks notice (I will offer to stay as long as I need to of course to close things out smoothly, and my “new” employer is totally agreeable to that). I’ve heard that it is best to just take a great offer and quit, because even if your current employer matches things will never be the same (resentment, getting passed over for future advancement opportunities, etc.).

I’d like to hear from anyone willing to respond, but I’m especially interested in hearing from small/medium engineering firm owners. Would you guys hold it against me if I left for a better offer you couldn’t match? If you could match and had the opportunity to do so, would it change our relationship? I’m really torn on this.

Thanks in advance.

 

[jmw]

You'd be a fool not to take the offer.
Why would you want to start and auction with your old company who obviously have been paying you well below your worth.

What's the worst that could happen? your prospective employer could withdraw his offer leaving you high and dry and your current boss will do nothing except start looking for your replacement.

But this is a topic that has been discussed here many times before. Perhaps someone can remember some of the threads and will post them for you.

It hasn't been that long so you could try searching backwards through the threads here.



JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[KENAT]

Very similar was the topic of a thread recently thread731-208551. I'd say your assessment is probably correct.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[JAE]

My perspective from being a structural department head:

1. I always told my staff that I would appreciate an opportunity to respond to outside offers.

2. I told them that in this current job market culture, there will always be offers coming your way and to truly evaluate your options, if you told me the offer then I could at least let you know what my counter response would be and therefore have two "good" offers to evaluate.

3. As a department head, it is sometimes very tough to know what to pay someone. You have the pressure to keep costs low, but you also have the pressure to retain good staff. And the job "market" isn't an active one. I mean by this that minute by minute we know what a stock is selling for on the NYSE but sometimes staff salary levels aren't well understood for months or years.

4. Let's face it, sometimes we managers do take our staff for granted and then when an outside offer comes we think "Oh s..t" and jump to react and pay accordingly.

5. Let's also face it - your 40% salary increase may fool you into thinking you'll get further raises from where you are in the future at the same rate you have previously been getting them. Firms do offer high to get you in the door and then scale back on the future raises to make up the difference over time.

6. As far as burning bridges, my own disposition is that I never felt bad about folks leaving my staff as I had empathy for any engineer just trying to find their way on their own career path. I never took it personally. However, some managers do and you have to evaluate each one individually.

7. I usually emphasized that I would never get upset if my staff came to me with a counter offer since they are simply a reality of life and I'd actually appreciate it.

 

[JAE]

One more point: The large jump in salary (40%) might wake them up to a severe case of "cheapskate-itus" if you were truly underpaid that much.

You might want to evaluate your current and prospective pay against some of the published literature out there....were you underpaid? Is the new offer way high? Combination of both? This might get you a better feel for what's going on.

 

[ash9144]

I say take it, get everything cleared with new employer then turn in notice.
There was a reason you were looking in the first place. I imagine that hasn't changed and probably it wasn't just money.
If your current did counter and you stayed things would probably go poorly in the future (ie. poor assignments, first up for RIFs, poor raises).
Don't burn your bridges in either direction. I imagine your current employer would be more willing to hire you back in a few years rather than the new one if you failed to accept their offer.

 

[TDAA]

My boss was happy I told them I had recieved an offer. I did not go into detail about it, but that I would feel foolish from a financial standpoint to pass it up. I got a token raise that portrayed some degree of desire that I stayed.

When all the reasons to stay/leave were scored and weighted, the outcome was 50/50, so I took to flipping a coin before going into the liquor store. Out of the 5 flips, the first 2 said to go, the last 3 to stay. This told me that things looked good on the surface, but I would be better off in the long run to stay.

A few months later, I was promoted. Now I just need to work up the compensation for the position.

 

[jmw]

How many coin flips were you prepared to do?

JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[abusementpark]

BlastResistant,

Congratulations on the new offer!! That's great.

If you don't mind me asking, I am curious to the specifics of your situation. How much were you making and what is the new offer?? What line of structural work (bridge, building, industrial)? How many years experience do you have??

 

[frv]

Star for your reply JAE!

Very insightful and honest opinion from a department head. It's good to know what managers think.

Personally, I'm not looking, nor do I plan to look any time soon. I'm actually the kind of person who will stick around for a long time. But if the situation ever presents itself, I will remember your post.

 

[MadMango]

Work with the new employer, get an offer letter, letting them know you will start X days after receiving it. Then you can give your employer your notice.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read faq731-376 to make the be

 

[alcoengineer]

There's always a lot of opinions on this sort of situation and I guess you have to weigh up your relationship with your manager.

I recently changed jobs myself. However I actually indicated to my manager I had applied for another job (before recieving my letter of offer even) as I felt that we had a good working relationship and wanted to give him as much time as possible to start looking for a replacement.

Mine had been triggered by an unfavourable pay review at the end of last year, which I made known to my manager I wasn't happy with, and then he told me he wasn't overly impressed by it either and we'd work it out in the new year. i was lucky I had 2 weeks holiday to dwell on it (and lose sleep etc) so that my mind was made up before I even got back to work.

Once I had indicated I had applied they bumbed up my package by 15% from the previous year. This was higher than the new position but for me, it was an opportunity to get back into some real engineering (rather than people management) and to say goodbye to weekend work.

My new employer stuck with their initial offer, as they didn't want to attract people only for the money.

There is one advantage if you do tell them and they give you a counter offer. All of you pay and leave that you get paid out when you finish will all be at the higher rate. I ended up about $750 better off because I had the counter offer!


I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you're looking to move it's not all about the money. If you make all of your career decisions based on the dollar, then you might miss out on some great opportuniies. Also bewary of a 40% increase. My concern is that they might expect you to do a LOT more for the 40%, so tread carefully and make sure you ask plenty of questions about the new role. Do they want you to work away from home for long periods of time? Do they expect you to work weekends and late nights on a regular basis?

I chased the job rather than the money, and through honesty and maintaining my integrity I still have a good relationship with my previous employer (who works closely with my current employer), I am happier in my career and although the little bit of extra cash would be nice, I'd rather have my weekends and life back than be able to buy a few extra DVD's or a better couch.

Summary of my thoughts on the situation:
1. Be honest - With you current employer and new employer
2. Apart from money what are the advantages?
3. Make sure you know what you're getting yourself in to.
4. If you get another offer it might increase your payout when you leave

 

[bob3306]

How about just asking your current employer for a raise without threatening to quit and see what they come up with? Tell them you feel grossly under-compensated, there is a lot of salary information on-line you could use as the basis rather then the other job offer.

My experience has been that management will hold it against you if threaten to leave for more money, whoever gave you that advice in your original post was right on. I do like JAE's approach, but I suspect there's very few managers that thoughtful.

 

[BillBirch]

Let's say that you decide to stay. I think that, henceforth, you will always be regarded as one with an eye on the employment pages.

 

[asixth]

BlastResistant,

Money isn't everything, in my part of the world China is driving a commodity boom that has seen alot of structural engineers heading off to remote mine sites for enormous salaries,sometimes twice what they would be earning in the city. You have got to look at the circumstances. You could be working longer hours, which does limit your lifestyle.

When I was looking for work 12 months ago, money came second when I was making my decision, I would definatley be looking to work at the firm where I can gain the most professional development.

 

[PSE]

BlastResistant,

JAE and the others provide some valuable insights. Before you do anything regarding your current employer, make sure you have the new offer in writing. You do not have to immediately accept it. Take a couple of days and use them wisely. Depending upon your rapport with your current boss, (everyone's situation tends to be different), it might very well be worthwhile discussing with them the offer and potential opportunities it could provide. If the reasons for leaving are there regardless of salary then running your current employer through the counter offer loop is a futile excercise.

You know your situation, work, and environment. Weigh the factors and decide. From your posting, it appears you are being professional and being treated professionally. The choice is yours.

 

[csd72]

Structural engineers still earn comparatively little money, the best thing you can do for the industry is sell your services to the highest bidder!

 

[frv]

Wow, csd72! That's a very jaded and somewhat cynical point of view.

 

[NKT]

I was in a similar situation about two years ago (underpaid by clueless management). Most of the engineering dept at my company evaporated around me seeking opportunities (better pay) elsewhere. When management finally realized that the staff had been underpaid, most had already left. I came out ahead in the deal: I stayed and got two substantial raises (~20% each) about two months apart as the engineering pay rates were re-evaluated.

It is possible that your management truly doesn't know that the staff is underpaid. Present the +40% offer to your manager as a helpful reality check rather than as a threat.

 

[csd72]

frv,

Not jaded, just practical. I really think that too many engineers enjoy their job too much and so are not as cutthroat in selling their services. Whereas if you are a lawyer or an accountant you couldnt possibly be doing it for the enjoyment so you would fight more for the salary.

By the way, This is a view that I share with at least a dozen of my previous co-workers. One of these people said that he would not let his daughter become an engineer.

NKT,

Your experience reflects one of mine in the UK.