Am I Committing Long Term Career Suicide? (Santa Clara: job market, buying) - San Jose - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

your_chum · 08-26-2013, 03:11 PM

Hey City-Data,

I believe this'll be my first post, but I was just looking for a bit of objectivity and clarity on my situation - I hope you can share with me your experiences and insights.

I'm a 27 y/o currently working at a small company in Santa Clara as an Account Manager, making around $55k, the work is easy, the company is great; it's been mostly mundane after 2 years, no growth only stagnancy, but there is a paycheck increase every year. I consider this a 3.5 star company (out of 5 stars).

Anyways, in a fit of frustration and need to feel ANYTHING I applied at a different company that has an even worse reputation, doing pretty much the same thing except with a tiny bit more SEO/SEM focus (previously zero). It'll also most assuredly going to be mundane work, but this new company has offered a position at $50k and overall I believe it's more like a 2-3 star company. A pay cut sucks. But I feel stuck at my current job and am starting to resent it.

The question is, if I actually make a switch and put this new company on my resume, am I committing long term career suicide, by going from something I consider as 'ok' to a 'less ok' company?

After I told my department lead I was going to this new company, he told me that company is garbage and I was wasting my life, and that they were buying me from my current company "on the cheap" to do equally mundane work. He made me a counter offer for promotion and $60k comp. package, but I'm having a hard time justifying staying even with the extra $5 large.

Overall, the feeling I have from the new company is that it's for burnouts and/or industry newbies. The turnover rate is alarmingly high. It feels like a step backwards but the draw is that I really don't want to be at my current place anymore and potentially learning this extra SEO skillset, feels promising.

Due to the timing of it all, I just jumped on the first opportunity I got. it goes without saying that i'd rather be making 50k at some big company, but since this is whats on the table, I'd like to hear your thoughts about it.

Is it common, or, why would anyone go from a good company to a bad company, and does it have a terrible impact on long term? After two years, if I switch again, will I be shunned by HR managers, or will they see it as a good thing that I'm actively switching and "pushing" myself.

mysticaltyger · 08-26-2013, 03:14 PM

The downside seems worse than the upside to me. Why not apply for more jobs until you find something that's a clear winner over what you have now? Being impatient is working against you, I think.

Snort · 08-26-2013, 03:41 PM

Take 60K in a cheaper place to live than the South Bay Area. It will go a lot further.

ccm123 · 08-26-2013, 03:52 PM

One you have made your intentions clear about resigning to your current company, you should never accept a counter offer, THAT is career suicide.

roadwarrior101 · 08-26-2013, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccm123

One you have made your intentions clear about resigning to your current company, you should never accept a counter offer, THAT is career suicide.

Well, long-term, yes. However, if its worse in terms of comp, company prestige and equally bad in experience, it doesn't sound like a good jump to me. I'd take the counter in this case and continue to look for something better. I'm sure something better will come in the next few months....the job market is starting to improve here.

Also, companies often give you a 10-15% raise from your current salary when changing jobs (this terrible company notwithstanding). If your base = $55k, you may get $63k at your next job. If your base = $60k, you may get $70k at your next job.

your_chum · 08-26-2013, 05:42 PM

Thank you all very much for all your input! I'm still at an emotional stalemate regarding the pros and cons of each decision.

While it's very enticing, another offer from my current company allows me to redefine the boundaries of my current position; which is yet another option in a bag full of indecision and bull****.

I guess it's important not to lose sight of the reason why I'm leaving in the first place anyways.

I've started considering a third plan which is to take the job at the new place, stick it out for a few quarters while I look for yet another job, being more patient this time, that'll start me at $60k. I know that is a dangerous move since it'll put "company B" on my resume for less than a year. :yikes:

But since I have to get away from the current place, but also need money it's my only play. Checkmate.

roadwarrior101 · 08-26-2013, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by micha3lchu

Thank you all very much for all your input! I'm still at an emotional stalemate regarding the pros and cons of each decision.

While it's very enticing, another offer from my current company allows me to redefine the boundaries of my current position; which is yet another option in a bag full of indecision and bull****.

I guess it's important not to lose sight of the reason why I'm leaving in the first place anyways.

I've started considering a third plan which is to take the job at the new place, stick it out for a few quarters while I look for yet another job, being more patient this time, that'll start me at $60k. I know that is a dangerous move since it'll put "company B" on my resume for less than a year. :yikes:

But since I have to get away from the current place, but also need money it's my only play. Checkmate.

If you're patient at your current role, I think it would be easier to stick it out. BTW, $60k is rather low for Account Manager roles in the Bay Area. If you stay at your current company, I think you'll have more leverage and won't have to explain why you're switching companies only a few months after starting a new job.

marcopolo666 · 08-26-2013, 08:48 PM

I don't get your indecision, unless it is that you had already decided to leave, and so you want to leave. Your main complaint with your current company was "no growth only stagnancy". The new $60k offer also includes "allows me to redefine the boundaries of my current position". So your main complaint is now addressed. Unless you just want change. THAT is a poor reason to switch jobs.

I have to agree with the previous poster. Stick it out at your current company for a while (unless there are other reasons you really want to leave). You will be able to add more skills on your resume when you look elsewhere. You will be able to list a higher base salary when you look elsewhere. You won't have to explain why you are leaving a job in less than a year (which was always a big !!!! for me when looking at resumes). And you can take your time looking for a better job, that pays better, at a company you actually WANT to work at.

zitsky · 08-27-2013, 05:30 PM

How do I put this nicely? Frankly I think it's a big mistake to go from a bad company to worse. It's not even about the money. Do you not have any confidence that you could work for a better company? The idea is to keep finding better companies or better positions. You seem to be going in the opposite direction and are proud of it.

thetrb · 08-27-2013, 05:54 PM

It sounds like you don't like the new company and the salary is worse. So I would never ever go there in your case, unless you absolutely had to.

Just take the promotion / new opportunity from your current company and see how it works out in the coming months. If you still don't like it you can still apply for other jobs.