wrong decision?

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I have had two offers since I started job hunting the other week when my company announced shut down.

Have turned them both down though.

People are questioning me as to why I turned one of them down. Basically it was the new company who are taking on our existing contracts - they offered for me to work from home Mon-Fri 9-5 and they would set it all up for me if I continued to support our existing customers...

Sounds great, but It just doesn't feel right. Firstly, working from home just isn't me - I like the stimulation of the office - the debates we have (when we're not busy) and knowing that when we're busy, everytone is in it together. Secondly, I was trying to find something different anyway - for a while I have been looking as there was a huge amount of work for two people to cope with...that work wouldn't reduce - it'd just be me...and thirdly, from my interviews, I have found out that my technical skills have moved up a notch , and that perhaps now is the time to make that next career step.....

...so I am holding out for one job in particular - that security role, and another one that I should hopefully have a second interview for the week after next....have also applied and waiting to hear back from some more senior roles....

...some people seem a bit miffed that I have declined the WFH offer, but surely if it's not for me there's no point in taking it on??

What would you do?


Wow - everyone is moving on - my colleague went two days ago, so for the mo, I am the sole face of IT - quite fun actually (and also quite stressful), but really upsetting to see all these decent people going off to seek pastures new!

 

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What happens if you keep holding out and keep holding out and keep holding out...

...and you find youself unemployed... and that "next level up" job doesn't come like you hope? Remember, you lose much of your leverage with potential employers when you are unemployed. They'll have the upper hand, and they'll know it.

Personally, I'd take it until something better - meaning, offer letter firmly in hand - comes along.

 

I say go with your instincts Lee.

Personally, I couldn't work from home either and I think hey should be kept separate where you can. I have seen secretaries work from home and they get thought less off for it as the bosses can't watch them and therefore consider them lazy. However, often the reverse is true because you can't just shut down and go home at the end of the day as your already there and I've known some to work until the early hours just to get all the work done - they end up working harder and are more stressed.

I suppose it also depends on your personal situation as well Lee. Are you in imminent danger of loosing your job if you don't take what's on offer? It's one thing to have a number of job interviews lined up for positions that you're sure you will get and another to be actually offered the job

 

I suppose it really depends on how close to the nail you want to play it. How long has your co. got left until it shuts down, a month, 6 months, a year? I would as BM suggests take a job just so you have something secure to pay the bills with (but it need'nt be the first ones you've been offered) you just need to predict when the stream of offers are likely to run dry before the "target job" appears. so if your company closes in a month and you've already turned down 2 jobs, how many more have you applied for and feel likely to get positive results from even if its not what you actually want.

I think if you just take a interim job most new employers of the target job will understand, tell them that your old work shut down and you took your current job as an interim measure whilst looking for my target job with you, if your honest they wont have a problem with the fact you've only been in your new job for a month or two (we cant live on thin-air you know).

 

BM, that's what I felt initially, but, then for sanity's sake, i'm not sure it would be wise to keep the current role with the pressured workload I already have DOUBLED, AND do it from home so, as mentioned before, be unable to separate home from work. The other job I turned down because it is a bit further away and the shifts aren't too friendly in terms of being able to look for another position - it was one where if you were going to do it, it would be for the long term....

... maybe hold on just a little bit (I have some savings and a tiny redundancy pay) which would allow me to keep on going comfortably for 4 weeks after my current role finished (2 weeks) - not ideal, but it gives me plenty of time to know whether or not I am successful with the two second interview roles...and If i'm not, at least i'll know??


...hey, maybe I should see if the new company would let me temp? (1 weeks notice or something) That way I help them..and they help me...now that is a thought .....

 

Exactly - that's the scary part of it...maybe i'll go with my instinct for the two second interviews..but, after that, if unsuccessful just take whatever until the right thing pops up!

Cheers for the advice T - hopefully one day soon i'll be on here to brag about a great new position, or to actually start talking certs again - lol!!

 

As long as being unemployed is preferable to either of those, then you made a good decision. If you're turning them down for "something better", then I'm not so sure it was a good decision. But ultimately, that decision is yours to make. I'm just here to give you the "what-ifs".

There's no guarantee that you'll get a job even in six weeks. Plus... the point isn't whether you have redundancy pay so you can survive... when you're unemployed, employers know you need a job to survive, and they'll lowball you because of it. While you're employed, you hold a position of strength. You lose that position of strength in two weeks.

That is an excellent thought. They'll know that you're not looking to make it a long term thing.... just spin it as you're giving them time to find replacements. ;)

 

So is the risk of "being totalled" worth taking the chance of "finding something better"? That's the risk/reward decision that only you can make.

 

Its upto you at the end of the day, but I would consider the fact that you may be unenployed for a while and that unenployment could turn out to be longer than you expected.

You could always accept a job and say to them that you agree in principal and arrange some sort of notice period and if the better job comes along then you can turn the less agreeable job down.

 

Lee go with your gut. You have been busting tail for the last couple of months. You have earned the right to see if you can get either of those jobs or something else you want. As long as your husband is standing behind you, I really would not worry about what others think. They have not been working your case load. If he is one of those that is getting miffed at ya. Take the time and sit him down and explain your reasoning to him. If they doesn't work smack him in the head a couple of times with a frying pan till he does see the light.

 

Thanks Mitzs. I am going to...I have just landed another first interview for another "bad boy" next week for one I applied direct to, and also an agency called up to say they have three possibles...this is ontop of some other companies who I am waiting to hear back from who already wanted to see my CV...I have applied for about 10 others now too - all various roles still so that if i don't get any of the bad boys, there are other possibilities to fall back on.
My hubby and his / my family are all amazed at how much I have done and are fully supportive!

I think the worry of it all is, yes i've had lots of interest and done quite well , but I don't know if that will continue, or if it will all go silent...

...decided that if, by the end of next week - mid week after next I don't have any definite offers, I will be more flexible with whatever comes along next...and also see if I can do this temping thing with the new company!

Wow - it's all so crazy!!!

Take care xx

 

There probably is no right or wrong decision in the absolute sense. I'd work from home in a heartbeat, but then, I can write from anywhere in the world, as long as I have Internet access. There are times when I'd rather like working in a distributed environment, with my mates being located anywhere else in the country. I know someone in another state who works out of his basement and never sees his co-workers. Loves his job and wouldn't trade it in for any other. That said, it's probably not for everybody.

Lee, you've got to make the decision that *you* can live with (I'm sure you already know this), regardless of how the rest of us would respond. Sure, I think it's wise to consider your options and being employed almost always is better than the uncertainty of unemployment. If you are receiving a fair number of interviews, then you're currently "hot" in terms of being a prospect, but the longer you're out of work, the "cooler" you'll get. Please keep that in mind. In IT, you're skills become obsolete fast.

Whatever you decide and whatever happens, good luck. As a fellow job seeker, I know how tough it can be "out there".

 

Couldn't agree more! I work from home a lot (not from choice, I hasten to add), and I basically roll out of bed and 'into the office' and I am often working till 11 at night (unless I am studying...).

 

I have a couple of buddies in different states that work from home and they just love it. However, they have 15 to 20 on lee and have done the rat race thing. So it is a blessing for them. I can understand leehaa not wanting to work from home at her age. And to be honest working at home is not for everyone. I know a couple that would prob crack if they did not have a place of bussiness to go into everyday. They just really thrive in that enviroment. Our leehaa might be one of those people.

 

I'm with ya Lee, I couldn't work from home either. I *did* have a sysadmin job from home for a month, and hated it -- no feedback, no support, no interaction...just problems. Oh, and it was graveyard too. Ugh.

Like you, I'm juggling recruiters, interviews and job offers. Luckily, I can afford to wait for a little while, but the frustrating thing is keeping the 'sure thing' interested while you reach for the stars (so to speak). However, this is what I'm seeing -- all of the smaller, lesser interesting jobs are responding, and the bigger better ones are silent. Maybe its a US thing, but the bigger companies seem to take FOREVER.

Good luck to you, Lee, and knock 'em dead!

 

Thanks for all the responses - as usual, some great advice / support!!

It's such a toughie. I've been trying to come up with a list - what is most important from the job to what's least important. If I can tick say, 3 boxes out of 5, or 5 or more out of 10 (depending on how big the list gets - lol), then it's going to be considered a "winner"...i'm still going to give the security and other bigger interviews a chance, as i'll find out if they are goers (or at least if still in the running) in the next week or so, but going to keep attending interviews I have been invited to..and any more that come up...and, if, in 1 1/2 weeks I don't have any offers from the ones i'd prefer, then i'll take whatever pops up, then take it from there!! Er, did that make any sense?? Am high on paint - been painting the bathroom to take my mind off stuff - lol...better get back to it...then more interview prep!!

 

Makes perfect sense! 3 of 5 or 5 of 10 boxes seems quite realistic.

 

Didn't get the security job, but at least I know now (kind of a relief, as would be awful to put stuff on hold for a second interview then be told no)...and it was great to get an interview - out of the many CVs they received from various agencies they only interviewed a few people. Well, at least I can move on now.

Still waiting to hear back about everything else.

Had some unexpected interest - one company who approached me direct - interview tomorrow, and the company who interviewed yesterday said that the MD would like a chat, so looking good there too....then, there was this racing company that I applied to direct - they advertised a role in my local paper for a web developer, and I cheekily applied to to them quoting the ref, but asking if they may have something suitable....the IT manager came back direct and said that there are two possibles coming up, and that my CV is first on the pile - yaay!!

So, despite the security role, all looking good - out of all the (think it's now 7 or roles I've applied for / been approached about and heard back from, I have had two offers, and only one rejection so far....thinking that's pretty good -feeling really chuffed!! it's just hard not knowing what to accept or wait for etc - this whole thing is almost like a game of chance and I don't like chance - like things to be planned!!...