Currently work at a big (ftse) company, been there just over 18 months and enjoy my role. Problems are resources are being squeezed too far, the service I'm providing to my stakeholders is suffering and I'm getting some flak. I've invested some hard work here though and while I can see a long term career here I can't see any short or medium term progression. I also work with/for a good mate. Oh, and I'm commuting 4.5 hours every day because petty politics mean I can't work in the office 20 minutes from my flat.
So, been offered a role at another ftse company near home, an interesting enough job and one I'd be good at. Overall I'd be about £4.5k better off, and that's a fair bit of cash for me. What's holding me back is that it's a lateral move,i'd be starting again in a new sector and new company. I'm trying to play the long game here and do what's best for my career.
Can the collective give me the benefit of some real world experience?
Life is too short to be unhappy at work.
4.5 hour commute! That would be a very easy choice for me.
I used to commute 3 hours and was a miserable git. I now do 40 minutes and am less of a miserable git 🙂
More free time/sleep and more ££ and leaving a company that's not supporting you?
Now explain again why you don't want to move job? 18 months is not a long time to make back up IME
if you were to be 4.5k worse off and got to ditch the commute i'd still go. Its a no brainer.
All those hours commuting is time you'll never get back..
Take it!
I went lateral a few years ago. Superb move, it turns out. Had a whale of a time, got paid well
Am currently on gardening leave, after being headhunted by a competitor, with a superb offer. All through taking a risk on a lateral move.
Do it!
I can't see any short or medium term progression.
Don't confuse the long game with the sidelines.
Nothing to lose moving, go for it. Good luck.
Hmm... being less miserable does appeal :-)Seriously though there's a chance that this could force a change of location in my current job. I'm not sure that would cure all the issues though. It's a good thing decisiveness isn't one of the key attributes for either role!
add the 4.5hrs a day onto your average week - say you do 40hours at work, that makes a total of 62.5 hours a week inc travel. They want to pay you more and you recover essentially an extra day in time.
Lateral moves can do you more good when playing the long game.
Do it. 4.5 hours a day commuting is ridiculous IMO and should be avoided if at all possible.
£4.5k is a nice bump up, plus more time for yourself by dropping the ridiculous commute, sounds like a winner.
There is no need to move up the ladder with each move you make. As you say you are playing the long game so that will come with time and continuing effort, meanwhile you've got an extra few grand a year to play with while you’re getting there.
Go for it!
Jesus I couldn't imagine driving over 2hrs to get to work, I get annoyed with my 30 mins. Take the job.
With the facts written down like that it looks pretty clear cut. Looks like I'll have to let my head rule my heart on this one. Thanks folks.
There was a time when something like 'and where do you see yourself in five years?' was an interview question. Is it still?
You can't rely on being safe in a job any more IME.
On the plus side:
£4.5k additional income (have you included the reduced cost of the commute?)
Around 4 hours per day per day time bonus.
Reduced flak / pressure at work.
Broadened experience joining another FTSE company / new sector - good asset for the long game.
Less frustration due to lack of progression opportunities in your current role.
On minus side:
No longer working with a good mate.
Couldn't you try and negotiate working at the office 20 mins away. That way your current employer has a chance to do something about one of the things that is proving difficult for you (and you'll probably get a sense of your value to them in the process).
Oh, and I'm commuting 4.5 hours every day because petty politics mean I can't work in the office 20 minutes from my flat.
Change company.
I'm sure it's more complex than it seems but...more money and far less commute? Take it!
I've just taken a job where I will be less paid but it will be a lot less stress as I can't take my current working environment any more.
Means dropping back to the bottom and working back up and have no idea if I will like it, but I would rather take that risk then continue to be unhappy.
So take it 😀
'long term career'. Do these still exist?
You might find that moving around gets you more variety of experience, bigger rewards and generally more fun than staying in one place. Moving around also gets you used to the idea that you can exert control over your work life.
Sounds like it'd be a fun thing to try, even if the only things you got out of it were a much quicker trip to work, more money and a different experience.
+1 to what gazerath wrote.
That commute would do it for me.
Time is worth far more than anything else.
Take it.
Take the new job.
4.5 hours wow. I've spent most of my working life (25 years) doing 2.5-3 hours which has been the limit and have now decided no more. It's a lateral move but you are better off, seems like your current employer is underpaying you and from the sounds of the situation that's not surprising they are squeazing costs, ie you ! I would talk about your "lateral" fears with your new employer see what they can do to provide you with some promotion / training prospects, let them know you are ambitious.
Good luck
Don't burn your bridges, and assuming you do your current job well, chances are you could always move back to the first company later anyway. And you're always better off from a money / promotion point of view coming in from outside rather than waiting to be internally promoted and enduring years of pay freezes.
The commute would do it for me - 4.5 hours a day is mad!
I do 1 day per week on adverage in Portsmouth (89 miles each way) which is getting on for 4 hours in the car. I wouldn't do it more than once a week.
As for the petty politics preventing you working 20 imns from home - if you want to stay, i'd speak to HR about that, as it is crazy.
My advice - leave on good terms, and take the new challenge.
You might find that moving around gets you more variety of experience, bigger rewards and generally more fun than staying in one place.
+1
Staying in one place for ages can be more limiting than you realise.
Don't burn your bridges
But also +1 this, try to keep you reputation intact with your present employer.
That commute would kill me. Combined with more money, why wouldn't you take it?
[i]As for the petty politics preventing you working 20 imns from home - if you want to stay, i'd speak to HR about that, as it is crazy.[/i]
I took a job with one large company. I was interviewed at the office ten minutes from my house, I was told my boss was based there and was told a number of the team were based there so (rashly in retrospect), assumed that would be my base. On starting work I was told to report to the Blackpool office 50 odd miles away, on reporting there I was told I would need to spend two days a week in the Newcastle office, 200 miles away. (And those in the know will understand which company I'm talking about here). None of this had been outlined to me.
I fought for six months to get my home base moved to the local office which eventually happened and I suspected I got branded as a bit of a trouble maker. On my first day there I was told I had no desk and no car parking space. "You can park at the ASDA which is only a mile away."
I resigned.
Tall to your boss / HR people. If they won't budge, you do. 4.5 hours every day is not sustainable - what happens if there's a traffic issue? The 4.5 hours suddenly becomes 6 hours, which is not far short of a full working day in itself
My boss is on my side, my stakeholders don't care where I sit, it's my bosses boss that's the blocker. Moving to the new job
makes at least short term sense so I think that's what I'm going to do. I can live with the risk of delayed career progression. I will be interested to see the reaction when I hand my notice in. I've already talked it through with my boss and he's very supportive, it's the higher ups I'm interested in...
As for speaking to HR, good advice, but we are HR!
[i]As for speaking to HR, good advice, but we are HR! [/i]
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Quite.
I think no-one's made the point that the move shouldn't look bad on your CV. And there's no need to upset the current lot, it's a rational decision.
Don't burn your bridges
Look, if he wants to bum bridges, I don't see what it has to do with his work.
[b]unknown[/b]
it's the higher ups I'm interested in...
Really ? With a lifetime of cynicism I'd say the higher ups have shown they don't really care about you, I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for a reaction. Good advice not to burn bridges, keep on good relations with your old boss.
Don't burn any bridges until after you've crossed them.