Would You Accept This Job Offer? (401k, interview, employer, jobs)

[DennyCrane]

I received a job offer and need help deciding whether to take it. On the plus side, my salary would go up 15K, my commute would go from 19 miles to 12 miles, and I'd no longer be on call every 2 months. The downside is that the benefits aren't as good (less vacation, no 401k matching) and it's a smaller company. Normally, this would be a no-brainer. However, I've had my current job for less than a year. So if I were take this job and didn't like it, it would be very hard for me to change jobs again without it looking really bad on my résumé. The last thing I need is to be perceived as is a job hopper. As much as I want to get out of my current job, I don't want to just grab the first thing that comes along out of desperation. But I'm worried that if I pass on this, I'll live to regret it. I also don't have a strong gut feeling about the job that was offered to me. I didn't come out of the interview thinking the job would be awesome or that the team I'd be working with would a good group. In fact, I only met the manager, who seems alright, but kinda hard to read. I also know the job would be harder than the one I have now. Part of me is worried it might be too much for me to handle.

If you were in my place, what would you do? Take the job and hope for the best? Or pass on it and continue looking?

[EzPeterson]

I'd take it.

[mb919]

Originally Posted by DennyCrane

I received a job offer and need help deciding whether to take it. On the plus side, my salary would go up 15K, my commute would go from 19 miles to 12 miles, and I'd no longer be on call every 2 months. The downside is that the benefits aren't as good (less vacation, no 401k matching) and it's a smaller company. Normally, this would be a no-brainer. However, I've had my current job for less than a year. So if I were take this job and didn't like it, it would be very hard for me to change jobs again without it looking really bad on my résumé. The last thing I need is to be perceived as is a job hopper. As much as I want to get out of my current job, I don't want to just grab the first thing that comes along out of desperation. But I'm worried that if I pass on this, I'll live to regret it. I also don't have a strong gut feeling about the job that was offered to me. I didn't come out of the interview thinking the job would be awesome or that the team I'd be working with would a good group. In fact, I only met the manager, who seems alright, but kinda hard to read. I also know the job would be harder than the one I have now. Part of is worried it might be too much for me to handle.

If you were in my place, what would you do? Take the job and hope for the best? Or pass on it and continue looking?

1) Harder could be really, really good for you. If your prospective employer thought the job would be too big for you, they wouldn't have offered it to you. They probably had lots of people they could have chosen, but they picked you.

I also think the increase in job responsibilities alone would justify what you think could be construed as "job hopping" if you look for the right opportunities down the road.

2) Could you negotiate for more vacation, even if you had to give back a little salary? (A $15K increase in salary I'm sure goes a long way towards washing out the missed 401K match.)

3) You don't like your current job.

4) The current job you don't like is 7 miles further from home and pays you $15K less than what you'd be making if you took this job.

5) No more being on call.

6) You don't like your current job.

So, you kind of get the idea which way I'm leaning Congratulations on the offer! Choices like this one are nice to have.

[DennyCrane]

Originally Posted by mb919

1) Harder could be really, really good for you. If your prospective employer thought the job would be too big for you, they wouldn't have offered it to you. They probably had lots of people they could have chosen, but they picked you.

I also think the increase in job responsibilities alone would justify what you think could be construed as "job hopping" if you look for the right opportunities down the road.

2) Could you negotiate for more vacation, even if you had to give back a little salary? (A $15K increase in salary I'm sure goes a long way towards washing out the missed 401K match.)

3) You don't like your current job.

4) The current job you don't like is 7 miles further from home and pays you $15K less than what you'd be making if you took this job.

5) No more being on call.

6) You don't like your current job.

So, you kind of get the idea which way I'm leaning Congratulations on the offer! Choices like this one are nice to have.

1) I agree that the hiring manager wouldn't have offered me the job if he didn't think I could do it. After all, he looks bad if he makes a bad hiring decision. But part of me still feels like I might be getting in over my head.

2) I actually don't want more vacation. They give the standard 2 weeks. My current employer just gives a lot more. But I'd rather make more money than have more time off. And you're right about the extra salary being better than the 401k match.

3) I don't like my current job. There are days where I absolutely hate it and then days where I'm just indifferent to it. Never have I had a day where I really liked it or been excited about what I was working on. I do like the people I work with though. For the most part, they're a fun group.

4) Although the new job is closer, it might end up taking the same time to get to work because of traffic. The extra 15K is, by far, the biggest plus. At my current job, I'll be getting a slight pay increase. It's basically a cost-of-living adjustment. My company isn't known for paying well and it would take me a long time to see my salary reach what this other company is offering.

5) I HATE being on call, not just because I don't like being called for work-related stuff, but also because I hate not being able to plan anything while I'm on call.

[HappyDogToday]

Originally Posted by DennyCrane

1) I agree that the hiring manager wouldn't have offered me the job if he didn't think I could do it. After all, he looks bad if he makes a bad hiring decision. But part of me still feels like I might be getting in over my head.

2) I actually don't want more vacation. They give the standard 2 weeks. My current employer just gives a lot more. But I'd rather make more money than have more time off. And you're right about the extra salary being better than the 401k match.

3) I don't like my current job. There are days where I absolutely hate it and then days where I'm just indifferent to it. Never have I had a day where I really liked it or been excited about what I was working on. I do like the people I work with though. For the most part, they're a fun group.

4) Although the new job is closer, it might end up taking the same time to get to work because of traffic. The extra 15K is, by far, the biggest plus. At my current job, I'll be getting a slight pay increase. It's basically a cost-of-living adjustment. My company isn't known for paying well and it would take me a long time to see my salary reach what this other company is offering.

5) I HATE being on call, not just because I don't like being called for work-related stuff, but also because I hate not being able to plan anything while I'm on call.

I think you've explored it well from all angles. I would take this and sit on it over the weekend. I think by then you will have solidified your decision. Good luck!

[thebunny]

Originally Posted by DennyCrane

I received a job offer and need help deciding whether to take it. On the plus side, my salary would go up 15K, my commute would go from 19 miles to 12 miles, and I'd no longer be on call every 2 months. The downside is that the benefits aren't as good (less vacation, no 401k matching) and it's a smaller company. Normally, this would be a no-brainer. However, I've had my current job for less than a year. So if I were take this job and didn't like it, it would be very hard for me to change jobs again without it looking really bad on my résumé. The last thing I need is to be perceived as is a job hopper. As much as I want to get out of my current job, I don't want to just grab the first thing that comes along out of desperation. But I'm worried that if I pass on this, I'll live to regret it. I also don't have a strong gut feeling about the job that was offered to me. I didn't come out of the interview thinking the job would be awesome or that the team I'd be working with would a good group. In fact, I only met the manager, who seems alright, but kinda hard to read. I also know the job would be harder than the one I have now. Part of me is worried it might be too much for me to handle.

If you were in my place, what would you do? Take the job and hope for the best? Or pass on it and continue looking?

I work in hiring. And I see no job hopping. You mention 2 reasons for leaving a job that are valid...money and commute length/time. That clears up the leaving the job you have now.

As for worrying about leaving the new one...if you go into it with that attitude, you are setting yourself up to fail.

[onegreatnurse]

Hi Denny, long time no "see." I say take it....

[move4ward]

Why do you think the job is too much for you to handle, when the hiring manager thinks that you are the best candidate? Did you "fluff" up your resume with exaggerated accomplishments and skills? You would be struggling in a job, which should have gone to somebody with more skills and experience. That's the problem with a fluffed up resume.

If your resume is not fluffed up, I would not worry another minute about it. The manager wouldn't hire you without the skills necessary, based on your resume and interview.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by DennyCrane

I received a job offer and need help deciding whether to take it. On the plus side, my salary would go up 15K, my commute would go from 19 miles to 12 miles, and I'd no longer be on call every 2 months. The downside is that the benefits aren't as good (less vacation, no 401k matching) and it's a smaller company. Normally, this would be a no-brainer. However, I've had my current job for less than a year. So if I were take this job and didn't like it, it would be very hard for me to change jobs again without it looking really bad on my résumé. The last thing I need is to be perceived as is a job hopper. As much as I want to get out of my current job, I don't want to just grab the first thing that comes along out of desperation. But I'm worried that if I pass on this, I'll live to regret it. I also don't have a strong gut feeling about the job that was offered to me. I didn't come out of the interview thinking the job would be awesome or that the team I'd be working with would a good group. In fact, I only met the manager, who seems alright, but kinda hard to read. I also know the job would be harder than the one I have now. Part of me is worried it might be too much for me to handle.

If you were in my place, what would you do? Take the job and hope for the best? Or pass on it and continue looking?

It sounds to me like you want us to give you an excuse to turn it down.

[DennyCrane]

Originally Posted by move4ward

Why do you think the job is too much for you to handle, when the hiring manager thinks that you are the best candidate? Did you "fluff" up your resume with exaggerated accomplishments and skills? You would be struggling in a job, which should have gone to somebody with more skills and experience. That's the problem with a fluffed up resume.

If your resume is not fluffed up, I would not worry another minute about it. The manager wouldn't hire you without the skills necessary, based on your resume and interview.

My resume is accurate. Some of the skills listed aren't fresh in my head since I haven't used them recently, but I'm sure I could pick them back up. I think I'm just scared about making a change. While I don't care for current job, I've started to get comfortable with it. In a way, that's part of the problem of where I work. A lot of the folks there have been there for so long that they're comfortable. One recruiter told me that my current company is where people go to retire. I definitely don't want to stay, but I just have to decide whether to grab this new job or keep looking. I'm worried it might be a long time before something as good comes along.