Which option to choose? What would you do?

[SansasEscape]

Hello,

I am trying not to give any identifying details as I'd be mortified if anybody at work saw this. Sorry if I'm a bit vague.

My company is slowly going down the pan and it the general feeling that anybody with options is finding new ones within the next 12 months. Many senior directors in the business are leaving and I have good relationships with a few who would like to take me with them. So, I have been exploring my options - the following four have presented themselves.

1. Stay with my current company out of loyalty. My money would stay the same, and I would probably have to adjust the type of work that I do to fit their 'save the sinking ship' business plan. 30k.

2. A director is setting up a smaller start up in April 2017, doing exactly the kind of work I currently do. He has offered me a job, without interview, to be one of his founding 10 staff (all from my current company, so a bit of a continuation but on our own terms). 5k pay rise, but I would be the most junior person in that team. No guarantee that this start up will go the distance of course.

3. Another director, one who would work me harder, but also one who I know values me very highly has set me up an interview at the business he is moving to in November. This would be a 7k pay rise and I would be in a new job, with all new colleagues apart from him, doing the most interesting work out of all of the options. It is by far the most challenging option (I find that he is quite a stressful leader) but has the potential for the highest reward. I'll have to interview with the CEO in the next week or so.

4. Sod them all and job hunt on my own.

What would you do in my position? I'm 26, I live with my fiancé with no children yet, so no real commitment other than to our relationship.

Thanks very much! Advice from those not so tangled up in this will be very helpful - feeling very overwhelmed and indecisive at the moment.

How financially secure do you need to be? Do you have a mortgage? Are you the main earner?

I think in your position I'd go for 3.

Thanks for the reply.

We rent a one bed in London. I need to pay the rent, thats about it. We earn about the same at the moment and neither relies on the other, we support ourselves mostly and go halves on the outgoings. I have about 10k in savings and would like to buy a home one day, but that feels very far off.

I'd go for 3 then, but it does depend on the level of risk that's acceptable to you. You say it's the most interesting work and sounds as though it has most potential

I'm inclined to think 3 too. There will be no better time in my life than this time before children or larger outgoings to take risks. I'm a bit crap with change and the fear of the unknown - 2 is the safe option, which is what I'm having trouble letting go of.

Imagine the decisions been made for you - 3. How do you feel?

How long have you been where you are? You'd be forfeiting any redundancy pay.

3 seems best option but wait till you go and see the place and get an idea of whether you like what you see. Sometmes things sort themselves out a bit as you go along

Since I left university, so 3 coming up to 4 years. I don't imagine that I'd get made redundant actually, I reckon they'll have lost so many people that they'll rejig the company and have a role for me - and that the business will hang on longer than I want to stay.

I feel good about 3 it has to be said. Nervous, but good. Fear of missing out on my colleagues' new venture though, I like that group of people very very much.

I would say option 2 is potentially a risky option. What business is going to let a former employee take 10 of their staff to a new venture that presumably will compete? Most businesses would prohibit this. Could wind up in all sorts of legal issues. I would keep well out of it.

I would go for 3 with a bit of 4 just in case something does not work out with 3.

What does your oh think?

2's legal issues are dodgy, I agree. Though the leader of the new business is our current COO, and he assures me that everything is open and honest, and that the company is ok with it. Nobody can be officially approached until they have resigned etc. But of course, who knows what will happen.

OH thinks 3 is a no brainer.

Anything but 1!!!
Just check if the directors have a none poaching clause. You may find they can't employ anyone from the original company for a period of time to stop hem doing exactly what option 2 is doing - leaving and taking people with him on mass to set up a competing venture.

Too slow!! Others have said it more clearly than my ramblings!

Haha, thanks Dessert! I've certainly crossed 1 off of my options list. I just don't want to be there.

I'm going to actively pursue 3. Meet the CEO, get a good understanding of the job, whether I have a future there, what the CEO's plans are for my director and how keen they are to employ me.

Following that, I think I'll keep the door open on 2 but not make any commitment and begin option 4 as a safety option.