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What would you do for $$
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Author:  bigyak [ Thu Mar 30, 2006 3:47 pm ]
Post subject:  What would you do for $$
So... here's a generic, non-game related question.

- If someone offered you a 50% raise to leave your current company and come work for a competitor would you?

- What if you were happy with your current company and really liked the people you work with and the stuff you do?

- What if you'd still have to work in the same office with a bunch of the people from the old company?

- What if going to the new place, they make it clear up front that you'd have at least 12 hour days in a high-stress environment? (ie, no Travian at work, come home at 9PM)... and the commute would bring your 1.5 hours spent in traffic/day up to 2.5 hours?

Ugh, decsioins.
Author:  Arindel [ Thu Mar 30, 2006 3:57 pm ]
Post subject: 
Sucks to be you, I guess :roll:

The 12 hour work days (did that include your travel time?). the real question is, do you make enough money now that your standard of life is comfortable to you or will remain comfortable in the future? (i.e. having littleyaks running around when the wife wants to stay home and raise kids vs going to work.)

If you are working 12 hours a day and an additional 2 hours of commute, then you may beputting in loads of extra time and your 50% increase per hour comes back down to normal levels. If you work a standard 9 hours now + 1 hour commute then you will have increased your work-related time from 10 hours to 14 hours. Thus your time in is 40% increased and your income is 50% increased, and not as much reward for your time, but net income hardly cares about time...just bottom line.

50% (especially considering what you are making) is some serious spread to cover and may be too tempting. How long would be at this job before you could move to your next "goal" in life? 2 years? Think about now and where you want to be 3-5 years from now and what you ultimately want out of life. Time with friends, family or early retirement. do you live for those 2-4 weeks of vacation and the weekends or want to spread out your living across each day of the week?

If you are happy with your current people, but the new people would be your current people, then you would experieince more change in people by staying at the same company?

Who are wekidding, you're wife will make your decision for you...j/k
Author:  Obo [ Thu Mar 30, 2006 3:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What would you do for $$
bigyak wrote:
work for a competitor

You're moving to China? :P

Well I wouldn’t, but that’s my whole aversion to work thing.
Author:  X2-PB [ Thu Mar 30, 2006 3:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What would you do for $$
bigyak wrote:
- If someone offered you a 50% raise to leave your current company and come work for a competitor would you?
I've always been one to say I'd take a pay cut if it meant that I would do a job that I love. But then I haven't actually started working properly so can't really see the whole story.

bigyak wrote:
- What if you were happy with your current company and really liked the people you work with and the stuff you do?
Depends on whether I'd like where I'm going more.

bigyak wrote:
- What if you'd still have to work in the same office with a bunch of the people from the old company?
Hmm, then you might get issues with them thinking you'd do anything to get the better money and may resent it.

bigyak wrote:
- What if going to the new place, they make it clear up front that you'd have at least 12 hour days in a high-stress environment? (ie, no Travian at work, come home at 9PM)... and the commute would bring your 1.5 hours spent in traffic/day up to 2.5 hours?
Again, depends on the job. If it's something I'd prefer doing, then the extra stress might be worth it. If not, then it's not worth the bother.

bigyak wrote:
Ugh, decsioins.
Have Fun :D
Author:  Talon1977 [ Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What would you do for $$
Obo wrote:
bigyak wrote:
work for a competitor

You're moving to China? :P

Well I wouldn’t, but that’s my whole aversion to work thing.


I'll simply second Obo's opinion.
Author:  bigyak [ Thu Mar 30, 2006 4:51 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yeah, it'd be 12 hours+commute time. Of course, coming home that late at night would probably reduce the commute to 20 minutes home, and 1.5 hours to get there in the morning, so maybe not much overall change on driving time.

I'm happy with what I have now and am well off... and once the wife starts working, we'll be very well off.... so I guess taking it would be purely greed driven.

I know I always say I'd rather have a lower-paying job and be happy, but it's hard when the offer's been extended. And it's some serious cream we're talking, as I'm already pulling in a fat bundle. The job would be for at least a year, and potentially be a permanent gig that I could start to manage the time down to a reasonable level after 6 months or so.

Yeah, wife's torn, too. Ability to buy anything you want vs. not much time spent with family.
Author:  Arindel [ Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:29 pm ]
Post subject: 
bigyak wrote:
Yeah, wife's torn, too. Ability to buy anything you want vs. not much time spent with family.

Can I get a ride on your new Lear-jet if you take the job. I figure you being x-Air Force would prefer hat over a yacht 8)
Author:  X2-PB [ Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:31 pm ]
Post subject: 
bigyak wrote:
Ability to buy anything you want vs. not much time spent with family.
Well if ya going with that arguement, time with family wins hand down!
Author:  GodOfGophers [ Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:47 pm ]
Post subject: 
These decisions are very easy in theory. But if you make good money now, 50% more has to seem like, and really is, a lot.

I know I couldn't work those hours. Even for that kind of money. But for sure I'd go to a competitor, loyalty to a company only goes so far.

Good luck on your decision. I'm sure it'll be the right one. But how could you go somewhere where you couldn't play Travian???? :) That's gotta be a deal breaker.
Author:  Rocklar [ Thu Mar 30, 2006 6:44 pm ]
Post subject: 
I've never heard you mention and if you prefer to not, that's cool, but if kids are in the equation somewhere I wouldn't seriously consider a job that would keep me away from them more...particularly when what I'm currently doing keeps us very comfortable. Have you ever heard of an old man on his death bed, surrounded by his kids wishing he'd spent more time at work? :)
Author:  iJasonT [ Thu Mar 30, 2006 7:23 pm ]
Post subject: 
50% is a huge sum. However, longer days, more stress, and less time with the wife is also a serious consideration.

Being that it is not me I can probably make the easy call when I say that I would not take it. At the end of the day I want to make a nice wage but also have time to enjoy what that nice wage affords me.
Author:  nasiobo [ Thu Mar 30, 2006 8:00 pm ]
Post subject: 
Been there, done that. Just gotta say that the grass is not always greener on the other side :) If you enjoy your work and are gaining experience that will furthur your career and satisified with the money then stay put. As long as your current position is still offering challenges then your are gaining experience that will land you a higher paying job in the future, maybe something that you pick with a better commute and less stress. If I had it to do over I would have stayed put for another year or two, gained some more experience, then maybe moved on if the pay was not reflecting the experience.
Author:  moonraker66 [ Fri Mar 31, 2006 12:23 am ]
Post subject: 
Been there done that, Yak and it SUCKED. Anyone remember the brief time I lived in GA just recently.

The extra stress, the extra travel time, the loss of time spent with the ones you love its real hard to say that even a 50% raise would be worth it.

If you are happy where you are I would say stay there, but that's because I've already went thru that and it turned out to be one of the worst decisions of my life.
Author:  Flyoc [ Fri Mar 31, 2006 12:42 am ]
Post subject: 
Stay where you're happy man, stay with the family
Author:  Romsuiag [ Fri Mar 31, 2006 3:25 am ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
- If someone offered you a 50% raise to leave your current company and come work for a competitor would you?
- What if you were happy with your current company and really liked the people you work with and the stuff you do?
- What if you'd still have to work in the same office with a bunch of the people from the old company?
50% more is a lot, and that kind of money would make all of those tihngs worth it. The question however is why does it pay 50% more? That may be an indication of a company so awful they have to pay people a lot of money just to work there.

Quote:
- What if going to the new place, they make it clear up front that you'd have at least 12 hour days in a high-stress environment?
Thats my job right now. Which explains why you guys don't ever see me anymore.

Don't take my advice, but here is the advice of someone very successful in the business world.
"Do what makes you happy! Do not choose a direction or a vocation because of money. You will only get one time around in life and you should enjoy all of your experiences not just your payday."
Author:  moonraker66 [ Fri Mar 31, 2006 4:59 am ]
Post subject: 
Romsuiag wrote:


Thats my job right now. Which explains why you guys don't ever see me anymore.




I wondered what happened to you.

Hope all is well with you.

*********Zorrukk slaps the fishhead Rommy with a big ole trout for old times sake**********
Author:  dbakke [ Fri Mar 31, 2006 10:31 am ]
Post subject: 
If you are not going to inherent a truckload of money in the next 20 years from relatives, take the money now on one condition: INVEST IT.

If you're going to take the money just to spend it, its probably not worth it from a family perspective as the new plasma tv (i have one, they're nice!) is great, but its just a thing and won't affect long term happiness.

If you take the job and find that its not as bad as you feared and you sock away the money maybe you can retire 5 years earlier, or pay for grad school as well as undergrad for the future kids, etc...that may be something worth biting the bullet.

In any event, the field you are in is red hot and will continue to be for quite some time so taking a risk now in order to better yourself financially is better to do now than later when you've got kids, etc. If it doesn't work out, you'll be able to find a new job.

Hell, I could hook you up with some folks from Cybertrust, BETrusted, etc if you needed leads, but I doubt you will.

/stream of consciousness off
Author:  Cyrus Rex [ Fri Mar 31, 2006 11:24 am ]
Post subject: 
I did something like that just before joining Avian. Working 84 hours a week, only coming home a couple of weeks each year. It sucked, yet it was good. It gave me the experience that along with my new degree allowed me to land my current a very good paying job. It taught me things about the industrial construction industry, and how to exist in tat environment. It gave me the money so that I did not have to work while going to college.

But most importantly it taught me the meaning of family. One of thoes "You dont realize what you have until it is gone" kind of things!

I doubt I could do something like that again. As I get older I am becoming a real family softy. I now value the time I spend with my wife and family way more than I did 5 years ago, so it would be very hard for me to loose that again. Just before graduating I thought about going to the Middle East for work…. But the only way I was going to do that was if I knew it was for a very finite time. In the end I wimped out and took the best offer I have closest my family.

Your situation is a bit different from mine. You have your education, and much more than I had. So the only real thing you gain is the increased income. Is it worth what it takes away from your family life? That is the question I would have to answer if I were in yore shoes.
Author:  bigyak [ Fri Mar 31, 2006 12:30 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks all for the replies. You guys rock in terms of quality of advice. I often wish that I still had my father to ask advice from, or a big brother, or someone else that understands me... then realize that I could just ask Avian. :)

I've decided to go a slightly different route. The reason this job is being offered is because my current company isn't delivering what the ultimate customer wants. Because of previous work I've done, the other contractor basially built the job for me, as everyone thinks only I could do it...

Anyway, instead of going to them, I went to my current boss and laid all the cards on the table. I told him of the offer, I told him I'm not going to take it, and told him I think the root of the problem is that we're not supporting the customer like we should... and that I think I could help fix it.

If this leads to a promotion/big bonus, then great. If not, then I'll know at least I did (what I think is) the right thing and stuck with my current team, and hopefully can make everything better.
Author:  Cyrus Rex [ Fri Mar 31, 2006 1:41 pm ]
Post subject: 
Your post reminds me of my brother’s best friend, Joe.

Joe graduated in Human Resource Management, and started working for a large construction firm. The guy that hired Joe was a big wig and had big plans for Joe, but that guy was fired a few weeks after Joe was hired.

After a few years Joe realized that his company had a very small role for Human Resources, as for decades project guys and senior management did things their way and not the traditional HR way. So one day Joe goes to his boss and tells him that he likes his job, likes the people he works with, but he sees that the company is not set up for someone to make a long-term career as a Human Resources Manager. So Joe tells them that he wont start actively looking for a job any time soon, but he realizes that one day he will have to leave if he ever wants to do what he went to school for.

Joe leaves for a week long business trim across the US. The next week when he returns to find that while he was gone his company created a staffed Human Resources department, a Human Resources Manager position for Joe, and gave him a $10,000 raise.

Joe got all that because he had the balls to tell the superiors the truth before it got to the point where he was frustrated and ready to jump ship. I can and need to learn a lot from Joe. He knows what to say and when to say it.

Yak, your post reminds me of Joe.
Author:  Angelus [ Fri Mar 31, 2006 5:07 pm ]
Post subject: 
imo it would take a huge chunk of cash to make me wanna put in 12 hour days. There is too much other stuff I enjoy doing outside work that that added work and commute time would not leave me enough time to enjoy such things.

Money only gets ya so far.
Author:  tobiasds [ Sat Apr 01, 2006 8:46 pm ]
Post subject: 
bigyak wrote:
Thanks all for the replies. You guys rock in terms of quality of advice. I often wish that I still had my father to ask advice from, or a big brother, or someone else that understands me... then realize that I could just ask Avian. :)

I've decided to go a slightly different route. The reason this job is being offered is because my current company isn't delivering what the ultimate customer wants. Because of previous work I've done, the other contractor basially built the job for me, as everyone thinks only I could do it...

Anyway, instead of going to them, I went to my current boss and laid all the cards on the table. I told him of the offer, I told him I'm not going to take it, and told him I think the root of the problem is that we're not supporting the customer like we should... and that I think I could help fix it.

If this leads to a promotion/big bonus, then great. If not, then I'll know at least I did (what I think is) the right thing and stuck with my current team, and hopefully can make everything better.


That would have been my strategy go to the boss of your current job. I might have told him I was thinking about it though, lets face it that is the truth. You will have no frigging life working 12 hours days plus commute, remember that.
Author:  dbakke [ Sat Apr 01, 2006 10:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
The idealist in me finds the altruism in this thread heartening, but the cynic in me wonders at it given the sorry state of the PBGC, broken promises by corporations to employees as evidenced by underfunded pension plans (or Enron, take your pick), and the massive shift of jobs off shore (this coming from an outsourcing consultant).

No one likes long hours, and everyone's situation is different but opportunities to pull in that much bank don't come around to you every day.

Just make sure you are looking out for #1 in the long run BY...your not directly defending your country anymore...its your family.
Author:  TheMole [ Sun Apr 02, 2006 1:06 am ]
Post subject: 
Very tough decision... very smart move, Yak. You got something out of this offer without even having to take it... I'm impressed... plus you get to keep Travian :)
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