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I currently work in Uptown Charlotte. It's a fulltime permanent job that's stable. I got a 6 month contract with possible extensions (for long term) with Wachovia. The position is a great opportunity. It's more money and I could learn A LOT more. I will be able to learn more of a certain skill and the income potential for that position is 6 figures.
Also this new opportunity is about 11K more. I'm uncertain whether to take it or not since it is risky and it's not full time.
Depends on how old you are and how your financial situation is. If you're youngish and have little debt, I'd say go for it! If you have children and need your income for critical household stuff, stay where you are. Just my 2 cents' worth.
Is the new job in IT? I ask this b/c I know of several situations where people even relocated here w/ six mo. contracts f/ Wachovia and suggestions that the contract would be extended but the contracts were NOT extended (or in one case - extended six months, then cancelled). So people were left in a lurch. I would seek out more opinions f/ others who have worked on contract w/ Wachovia in the same department where you would be located. . .
With all the lay-offs . . . just don't know. Wachovia and BofA are notorious for laying people off - hundreds at a time - and doing the same w/ contract employees.
from personal experience with dh Id keep your stable job....dh loves consulting which is why he took this job a year ago, it was a contract to perm position, needless to say the 12 conusltants that wrork with dh were all hired last year on a contract t perm and NO one was offered it full time.. and the 2 others that were offered to dh he did not take because the timing was just not right for us was contract and well I count my lucky stars he didnt take them because he wouldnt have a job right now, they cut most of thier consultants in that division, so my advice to you is dont leave a stable job for a Contract Job as they have gotten rid of so many contractors and havent renewed them...dh has been with them a year now money is great yes, but it is far from stable, as they keep putting red lights on new projects...good luck with your decision..Also remember YOU WILL not make your consulting salary at wachovia if u go full time...the consultants always make more depending on what u do for the bank.....
Here's my situation more in detail. I'm in my 20s, no debt except a car payment.
My husband is currently securing a job w/ Lowe's which will be fulltime w/ benefits.
I am exactly worried about what most of you have brought up, that the 6 months will not extend or will just get cancelled. Especially with all the layoffs. Who knows after one month they may say oh we don't have the money for this.
However the manager did say this particular division has been around for 11 years and they are 5 years behind in work. (Not like that matters, they could still make cuts). They were looking for someone more experienced but they dont have the money for it so they are looking for a Junior person.
I could take a class but I already have beginner experience in it and any advanced experience would just come from learning on the job.
Thanks for providing more info so we can understand how to throw out some more ideas, LOL!!!
Okay - these are just things for you to weigh out in your mind. Since your DH is getting a good job w/ Lowes - and he will have bennies - then look at worst case scenario w/ the potential contract job.
Let's say you love the work and learn good stuff . . . but indeed, in six months the contract is cancelled. Will you be depending on your salary at that point to pay the bills? So that is the first thing I would do . . . consider what financial impact it would have if you lost the contract in six months.
Secondly, looking at worst case scenario, how hard will it be for you to secure new work once the contract ends? Do you think you could take any newly learned skills and find a new job? Or will you be competing w/ a bunch of other people for those open positions? Will there be open positions?
And lastly, I would consider what the economy will be like in six months, should the worst happen and you end up w/ no job. Will other companies have a hiring freeze and so the job market has closed up and you can't find employment, even for less money?
I would weigh those things out . . . and then decide if taking the contract job is a big risk.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by callalillies
Here's my situation more in detail. I'm in my 20s, no debt except a car payment.
My husband is currently securing a job w/ Lowe's which will be fulltime w/ benefits.
I am exactly worried about what most of you have brought up, that the 6 months will not extend or will just get cancelled. Especially with all the layoffs. Who knows after one month they may say oh we don't have the money for this.
However the manager did say this particular division has been around for 11 years and they are 5 years behind in work. (Not like that matters, they could still make cuts). They were looking for someone more experienced but they dont have the money for it so they are looking for a Junior person.
I could take a class but I already have beginner experience in it and any advanced experience would just come from learning on the job.
If the skills are easily transferable, go for it. If the skills are not easily transferablle, tell them "No thanks, not at this time". Never outright decline an offer, always add "not at this time".
Well, for starters, I'm going to say that it's really something you'll have to decide with your husband. Looking for advice about life direction on internet message boards can be sketchy at best, sometimes! We can all say whatever we want, but none of us will have to live with what you ultimately decide...
That said, I'm going to say it depends on how much risk you're willing to accept in your life, and what you've historically done, and how it's worked out for you.
Me personally, I always like to be moving forward. Sure, I could rest on my laurels and be content at whatever position I had, and not learn anything new or take any risks. But I never work that way! Or especially when I was in my 20s and didn't have a lot to lose, I didn't...
That sort of thinking let me live in a lot of cities and try lots of different kind of jobs.
But it also put me out of work for 3 months a long time ago, which was hard and took me some time to pay off the credit card debt from.
But it also allowed me to take a new job, move to a new city at a higher pay rate, decide that wasn't for me, and move back to Charlotte making what I was when I lived in Northern Virginia. (That no-pay-cut to move back here thing was a big chance that worked out in our favor.) That allowed us to buy a house, and lead a pretty nice life here.
I also took a chance on a guy from Portland, OR who I met online, and now he's my wonderful and loving husband of two years. Lots of people think I'm crazy for taking so many chances. But it all seems to work out in the end, and when you're young and have low responsibilities (no kids, no mortgage) that's the time to be making those sorts of decisions.
Again, it's all how you're able and willing to weather the risks that you take. Me personally, I would take the opportunity for growth. You're going to be learning new things in an environment that fosters it, with a reputable company. It's more money, and the potential for advancement in your future is a good one. I think saying that your job is "stable" right now is just another chance you're taking. No one knows that ANY job they have right now is going to be stable for the long-term. We could all get laid off tomorrow. Who knows?! I've seen crazier things happen to everyone I know, myself included.
But I know it's a tough decision, and it may just take you a few days to decide what you're comfortable with. Let's say you take the job, and you don't get extended past 6 months. Will you regret the opportunity and what you learned (and earned) along the way? If you say no to this, and you lose your job 6 months from now, will you regret not taking the opportunity?
Good luck with whatever you decide!
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