New job offer vs staying put?

[ellie09]

Hi all

I have been in my current company for almost 3 years now. Same position, and received pay rises yearly (10% first year then 5% the following). Its a part sales role, but there is no commission structure so I dont get a bonus. Hybrid working, so only in the office as much as I want (no set days). The company is quite flexible and accommodating etc and I get on with most of my colleagues.

I went on a job search because:

• I got a new manager who is completely insufferable to work with (but have since been put under somebody else due to restructure and the newest one seems good)
• A couple of redundancies across the company, but not in my department
• Significant cashflow issues that I am aware of within the company (they are also relaunching a product in a big push which raises eyebrows)

I have been offered a new job in the same role with:

• Slightly higher pay (5% raise)
• Bonus structure and 6 monthly pay reviews
• Unlimited annual leave
• Flexible working
• Completely remote working

Some concerns I have:

• I generally like my current company and get on with most colleagues
• Going back to a probation period or putting myself at risk of it not working out when I have a wedding in 9 months time plus everything else financial
• Newest manager hasn't really been given a chance and he seems good to work under

WWYD in this situation?

I would have thought about this BEFORE I applied, not once it was offered! I hope you take the offer otherwise you have wasted an awful lot of time and money for them.

That's ridiculous. Recruitment is a mutual relationship. At any point one or the other parties can end the process.

Surely by that logic they have wasted the time of anyone else they interviewed but didn't offer to?

No. A recruitment process is about the two parties finding out about each other. The OP's reasons for not taking the job are all concerns that she already knew before she applied.

They can. But if the employer ran a process, despite knowing beforehand that they were not going to appoint, they have been unprofessional and wasted the candidates' time and money. If a candidate applies for, interviews for and receives an offer for a role, despite knowing beforehand that there are reasons they won't take it, they have been unprofessional and wasted time and money.

I would be reluctant to change jobs while planning a wedding due to added stress. Also re. unlimited vacation this is not the amazing perk it sounds. If you take too much vacation it looks like you are somewhat superfluous - so typically people don’t - and if you are let go or quit they don’t have to pay out unused vacation, because there isn’t any.

Take the job if it is the next step up in your career or if you have serious concerns about the financial viability of your current company. Otherwise I would stay put as I don’t see that you are gaining much by moving.

I thought that Op was still making up her mind? So hadn't made any decision beforehand?

That's my point! All of the concerns she listed are related to her current job. She could and should have made her mind up on whether those concerns are serious BEFORE she started applying for jobs so she wouldn't waste people's time.

But she said her manager changed which is tipping the balance back in favour of staying put.

The grass isn't always greener. But, it depends on your drivers.
For example, for me, job satisfaction is multi faceted - competitive remuneration (based on my opinion, not because the employer says so on their job ad), holiday entitlement, work-life balance, opportunities for progression, enjoyable work, good camaraderie, company values that align with my own (and are followed through on), free/onsite parking, onsite facilities, commute time, etc etc. Based on this, here are some points I'd consider...
Firstly, your current company has cash flow problems - in my experience it doesn't usually end well. You either end up working your socks of for no gain, and/or you face the chop at some point. And it's often quite a stressful work environment. Seldom do companies facing cash issues turn things around. Check accounts of prospective employers via companies house. Having said that, your current employer has given you pay rises. So they either really value you, have realised they were underpaying you, and/or are paying you extra because you're always putting in way more hours. If it's the latter, look at how much you're actually making per hour when comparing job options.
Secondly, it's worth taking employer pension contributions into account. Ask yourself if you'll be able to reach your pension goals in your current company. Many employers are only offering to pay the legal minimum into your pension pot. You can do better.
Thirdly, I've never heard of a company offering unlimited holiday. Sounds great... and too good to be true. There will surely be some caveat and/or politics that dictates how much holiday anyone actually takes. Call my a cynic, but it's the sort of thing an owner or manager that works ridiculous hours would offer as a benefit, only to then verbally bully you into working as many hours as they do which in reality means you're guilted into taking less time off than the minimum standard (min. being 20 days + bank hols). Maybe reach out to other employees on linkedin and ask if they'd be willing to share their experience of working for the company. I'd advise against asking specifically for details on the holiday policy, because if they do mention it you'll immediately know if they have a positive or negative view on it, and if they don't mention it you can assume it's highly likely not the positive perk you're being led to believe it is.
Even though financials are a very important driver for me, my view is that you can't put a price on decent colleagues and an enjoyable job role. If by some miracle I happened to ever hit the jackpot with both of those, I'd likely review my stance on salary and pension, unless I was struggling to pay bills and/or my pension pot was wildly off track.
Ultimately, what it boils down to is what your priorities are in life. Decide what they are and you won't regret your decision.
Best of luck.