Just accepted a job offer, new interview coming

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Last year I switch job to a very stressful company. I didn't know it would be this stressful (3x industry standard), and was working all nighter twice a week on top of the standard hours. My health took a toll and my boss' boss told me to find another job or will be fired. He gave me 3 months to look (suspecting that he is throwing people under the bus to escape responsibility and buy time).

Fortunately the industry has a lot of hiring and out of 4 companies I contacted, 1 really like me and gave me an offer only 5% less than my current pay, 1 decide not to continue after an over the phone interview, 1 has no opening, and the last one has a need to hire but no posted opening, only from the people I know in the department (I know 1/2 of the department from previous work relationship), but the hiring manager whom I do not know in person, only started responding back to me after about 3 weeks of contacts, saying that "there are a few internal projects being kicked off, let me check if there's any that's a good fit for you." It seems like he is hinting that his team has no opening but other team may, if I understand correctly.

I like this "maybe an opening" company better because it is more family friendly, but it has a track record of laying off people when cancelling projects. The company who offer me 5% less is relatively more stressful and has an "old boy club" culture, yet they have free lunch, top notch medical insurance, and the team I will be joining is close to the core of the company as well as the most in demand and challenging work in the industry.

Commute distance wise they are about 1 mile from each other, and pay wise they are close from people in the industry I know. It would be a "family and fun with layoff risk in a good project if I'm lucky" vs "old boy club with more stress but free lunch, best medical insurance, and close to the core technology". Most importantly, it is a solid offer vs a maybe.

I'm planning to start in mid July this year, so not much time left for interview and hiring process. Currently, despite being "asked to leave", I'm still doing my best to hands off my work to coworkers, wrap up my progress, document every detail of the know how, because I have a good reputation that I want to keep, and eventually people will know that it is the management and corporate culture, not me that is the problem. Not much time left to interview a "maybe". Funny because one of the manager who interviewed me from the old boy club just started at my current company yesterday, we might end up switching job with each other.

So, what should I tell the hiring manger of the "maybe" company? We have heard of each other from other coworkers, and I do not want to burn any bridge after asking in personal email if he has any opening. I also definitely do not want to burn any bridge or be blacklisted in the old boy club company after already signing their offer.
 
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Your current job sounds like it's one that wouldn't motivate anyone to get up in the morning. Unfortunately that's occuring more frequently IMO.


Good luck with your job prospects.

I suggest you get yourself a few books to read. How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie and Dig your well before you're thirsty by Harvey Mackay.

There will always be old boys clubs, politics and plain old jackasses out there. You need to learn how to deal with them.
 
Heeeeeeeey Peter.... what's up. Umm..... yeah. I'm going to need you to go ahead and come in on Sunday, too. Mmmmmkay? Faaaaaantastic. Oh... yeaaaaaah, before I forget, did you get the memo? We're using a new cover page on the TPS Reports, so if you could just start doing that, that would be greeaat, mmmmkay?

Seriously though, are you sure Intertrode is going to be that much better?
 
I wouldn't tell the "maybe" guy a thing until he pops an offer letter in front of you or reaches out to you.

To me the words he used with you are blowing you off lightly because he likes you but doesn't have anything right now.

Every place is a boys club with its own politics. Its just a matter of how much.

You should be looking for a job every day of your life companies have no loyalty.

UD
 
you said you just accepted an offer.

it looks bad on you that you would accept something only to turn around for something better so quickly.
while you can always quit and change whenever you want what does it say about you.

you should tell the company that you like better that you're going to start the other position in a few weeks so you need to know their offer. This gives you some leverage and sees if they have anything real. Little do they know that it seems you are ok with jumping ship anyway so you have nothing to lose.
 
Solid offers have more ground than "maybe" offers. Maybe offers mean absolutely nothing until it is actually on the table. The 5% less job sounds like it is for a much better company than the one you currently work for. Medical insurance is good, and it sounds like you will be part of a more solid group within the company. Usually the solid much-needed groups within the company are treated better. Good companies are willing to invest in their employees, this includes medical health.

Considering that the "maybe" offer company seems to also be less stable as far as job security, I wouldn't even think about them at this point.
 
Originally Posted By: UncleDave

You should be looking for a job every day of your life companies have no loyalty.



Company loyalty IS a thing of the past, but I disagree with the looking for a job every day thing. Yes, it is good to keep your options open, but make yourself valuable and the company will find ways to keep you.
 
I'm sure the bennies are good and the industry drug of choice pure but... it sounds like these silicon jobs get people sick in a hurry. Like deeply life sick and unsatisfied. Take your money, move to Iowa or Kentucky, teach at a local tech school and enjoy life on a hobby farm.
 
Thanks guys.

Originally Posted By: SumpChump
I'm sure the bennies are good and the industry drug of choice pure but... it sounds like these silicon jobs get people sick in a hurry. Like deeply life sick and unsatisfied. Take your money, move to Iowa or Kentucky, teach at a local tech school and enjoy life on a hobby farm.


It is actually a company in Seattle, the famous free shipping if you join a membership company, that abuse people with stock vesting on the 3rd and 4th year but on average fire people on their 2nd year. They think the whole industry is gouging because the industry is making 60-70% profit margin, and they can reduce that to 40% margin if they hire 10 people to work on it for 2 years, while everyone in the industry has 100 people working on it full time, per generation of products.

All the other companies I mentioned (in Silicon Valley) understand you have to be reasonable, or people will leave for the competitors even if you pay them more money.

Fortunately I bought my home early and am already 1/2 way done with my mortgage. I like my job, and am fortunate that it makes a good living, so moving to Iowa or Kentucky is not for me.
 
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Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Company loyalty IS a thing of the past, but I disagree with the looking for a job every day thing. Yes, it is good to keep your options open, but make yourself valuable and the company will find ways to keep you.


Yes, everywhere I interview the first question is, why leaving only after 1 year. They expect people to stay for at least 3-4 years before moving on.

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Solid offers have more ground than "maybe" offers. Maybe offers mean absolutely nothing until it is actually on the table. The 5% less job sounds like it is for a much better company than the one you currently work for. Medical insurance is good, and it sounds like you will be part of a more solid group within the company. Usually the solid much-needed groups within the company are treated better. Good companies are willing to invest in their employees, this includes medical health.

Considering that the "maybe" offer company seems to also be less stable as far as job security, I wouldn't even think about them at this point.


The "maybe" company just went through a merger, and despite paying people a lot of retention bonus, people know there will be layoffs at least within a couple years.

I just responded to the hiring manager of this "maybe" company, and he respond politely and congratulate me on my offer. I have a feeling that he's glad that I'm off his back, instead of having to tell me politely to leave because he has no immediate opening.
 
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I couldn't live like that, no matter the salary (unless it was seven figures... CEO territory). Job hopping every few years would be super nerve racking.

I have to know I can rely on my income being steady and constant for the rest of my life, which is why I love my job and it's fully funded and in-the-black defined benefits pension plan.
 
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