What to do regarding the job offer?

[Foetushost]

Hello

I need some advice and I thought I can get some perspective here. I found mumsnet when I was pregnant, but I subsequently had a miscarriage.

I work in the regional office of big firm. Office is quite small - 45 people in total. It's a friendly environment. There are smaller cliques like everywhere else. I generally have a good working relationship with my main manager although we have had our ups and downs. Generally we work well together, although there have been talks of favouritism etc. I would admit that I do look up to him, and he is generally nice to me. More recently there have been unfounded gossips and he had been quite distant although he still values my work. At the last minute, the partner decided that the manager was not to do my appraisal any longer. Another manager who I barely worked with did my appraisal and I had a bad appraisal generally.

I was gutted applied to a bigger firm in London and was offered a position straight away. The firm is much bigger with 100s of employees. When I told the partner of the job offer, he told me how much he valued my work etc and he did not want me to leave. He told me that he would change my appraiser to another manager. He would also revisit my objectives and give me his biggest client.

I am in a dilemma. The London job offers 13k more. It will give me the chance of a fresh start. There will be potentially more opportunities for promotions. In my current job, I have learnt a lot and there will be more opportunities to learn. I also have friends in my current job.

Can anyone advise me or tell me what else I should consider?

Thanks

F.

[meoverhere]

Presumably it's not solely the appraisal that had you applying to other companies? Or was it?

If the appraisal issue gets sorted (I.e. Redone), would you be happy at your original company?

[cakedcrusader]

Obviously money isn't everything but a 13k pay increase is HUGE! I would have to have serious doubts to turn that down.

[championnibbler]

I would take the new job. It sounds like a good opportunity to move on.

[GloriousGloria]

New job of course.

New people and no unfair appraisal

13k more I would be biting their hand off

[WalkingInMemphis]

The £13k may not make that much of a difference to the op though.

I mean, if your salary is going from £30k to £43k that really is a big difference, and the extra could make a huge change to your quality of life. If you're salary would go from £130k to £143k though...well yes, £13k is still a lot of money but it wouldn't have anywhere near the same impact.

[Greenfizzywater]

After your current company offering to match the pay rise?

[bedraggledmumoftwo]

13k more on how much? If it is a huge pay rise then probably worth going for. But when you say it is in London does that mean an expensive commute. How much more time and travel costs? Any difference in terms of work life balance eg would you be likely to have to work longer hours?

[bedraggledmumoftwo]

Or are you saying you would have to move to London? In which case your extra 13k might not touch the sides!

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

Take it. If your current company valued you they would already be showing it.

You will still keep in contact with your friends if they really are friends.

[bedraggledmumoftwo]

And sorry about your miscarriage. Are you likely to ttc in the near future? Maternity entitlements obviously vary by employer, and you might not be entitled for a year or two after you join...

[FishWithABicycle]

The increased cost of living in London is likely to be more than £13k so it's not that big a pay rise. However, it's generally good for your long-term career to move organisations and be seen to be in-demand.

[owlonabike]

Appraisals are supposed to be carried out fairly and impartially. What has happened to you does not reflect well on the partner or the company. He was happy for you to be appraised by someone who was not in a position to carry out the task properly. You then called his bluff by getting a better job offer and all of a sudden, you are flavour of the month- new appraiser available, biggest client offered,, blah blah blah. Your abilities haven't changed THAT dramatically since that "bad ' appraisal, have they? The system clearly isn't worth the paper it's written on, and that would be a massive consideration for me, were I in your position. Offering better terms to keep a valued staff member is one thing, but the partner's behaviour is manipulative and cynical.
Apologies for the rant, OP, but I was recently made redundant from a company where this culture was endemic. I was , unsought, one of the favourites and so not directly affected, but am only now realising the full impact on good, committed, capable people of this type of behaviour. And yes, friends are important and it might be a wrench to leave. The pay rise sounds good, though. Whatever you decide, you've done bloody well. All credit to you, and good luck!

[owlonabike]

Goodness, what a long and badly punctuated post!

[OraProNobis]

Nonetheless owl it was a very good considered post saying what I was still trying to formulate through my Tramadol haze!

[NotYouNaanBread]

I would take the new job.

Don't even consider keeping your existing job unless they match the 13k rise, not even for a MOMENT. "Revisiting your objectives" means little or nothing.

[Lurknomoreladies]

I'm not sure whether you're planning to move to London or commuting in. If the second, do think carefully about the impact on your life. Been there and done that with a 90-120min commute each way and it's just not sustainable long term, or at least it wasn't for me. Also 13k can get eaten up very quickly with increased tax and NI plus commuting costs.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

[Tobyjugg]

Take the job. Something similar happened to me years ago. I accepted my then current firm's offer and stayed. It turned out to be a short term fix and 18 months later I was effectively back where I started. If the new offer is good, it's a step forward in your career (aside from the cash) - then take it.

[Notmeagain1]

Weigh alll the pros and cons and see which job is worth it. Benefits with each firm etc could be a deciding point. Also, if ttc what are the maternity benefits with the new job?

Money isnt everything, (although it helps) you need to be certain you will be happy at the new place. Once you leave, there will be no going back.