Job offer, what would you do?

[tokyotea]

Hello. I wanted some advice on my current situation. I've been at my current job for a long time. Have been mostly happy, my work colleagues are good and I've never had any drama. A massive change from the place I was at before which was extremely toxic so compared to there, it's been great. However, there is no scope for any improvement on my salary. I don't believe my salary is in line with the market rate for my role and experience. My request for a salary review was refused. The last pay increase I received was over 5 years ago and I believe this will be the only increase they will ever be prepared to give me.

My current commute is about 40 mins each way.

I applied for a job recently and interviewed. It went well and they offered me the position. The pay would be a 25% increase. But would have to factor in I would have to pay for parking. The commute to this new place would be similar, between 30-40mins.

However, when I was interviewing they introduced me to their current staff and the impression I got was they are not happy and feel they are overworked. This was confirmed via a friend who knows a person working there, and it just feels like a slightly toxic workplace perhaps. But I'm not sure if it's just this persons poor attitude which I was told about through the mutual contact.

So, what do I do? The pay increase would be amazing. Do I risk taking the job purely for the money and try and keep to myself? Or stay where I am where I am comfortable, but with no scope for any improvement in pay? It is a part time position so I wouldn't be in every day.

Thanks for reading!

Well done on the job offer.

what about a third choice? This shows you can get offers and highe pay. So keep
applying until you find a company you’d be happy with.

@NewIdeasToday thank you! The issue is, I've been looking for a new job for quite a long time and there have been very very few openings coming up in the area I am in. I could keep looking though, you're right. But then it would mean staying in a job I'm underpaid at, whereas I could be on more in the meantime. The salary is just so tempting!

Is there any way you could use the offer to negotiate a higher salary where you are? Speak to your manager, say you’ve been offered a job at higher salary, but you’d love to stay where you are if they can match it. It will cost them to replace you, and sounds like they’ve been taking you for a ride for years.

Then use your new salary to give you space to look elsewhere at a leisurely pace, as otherwise you’ll be in the same place in a few years (ie no pay rises).

If your current employer doesn’t increase your pay, I’d take new job but keep looking.

Hi @tokyotea have you tried looking up the new employer on glassdoor? I’d be careful about going somewhere new if the working environment is bad, especially if there aren’t many jobs you could jump to. If it’s awful, you may end up taking a hit on salary/commute to get out of it and be worse off than you are currently.

Personally trust your gut. It is such a risk going to somewhere where the atmosphere is toxic, unmotivating and unhappy.

I allowed a company to interview me via video link pretty much last minute and then were strange offering me the role, so without stepping into the work place even until it was to late (don't I wish I'd said trial day please, haven't stopped kicking myself on it) I walked into a right atmosphere that I could barely comprehend the why's and what was a company as quiet business wise as the last place. The specialism of the role turned out was part time and the role the employer described was so far removed from what I envisaged. The extra money was so not worth it as I just couldn't see myself being happy/settled.

I quickly had to decide whether I wanted another car crash role on my CV and just how achievable finding a new role would be working a 9-5 with no holiday leave expected as a new starter, so wrote of 2 days worked just to get the hell out. No chance of even asking ex employer for job back as it turns out they've let the manager go! so I'd done something in haste and now repenting at leisure.

In my previous role, I'd dismissed other staff who were buddies during training, who used to delightfully quip 'I'm the only one left from my training group' and you know what true to form as I found out. I had no idea the employer would can our training group and manager, all bar one but they did!

Honestly a heads up about unhappy existing staff is gold.

Thank you all for your insight. It's a tricky one! I agree, it wouldn't be worth it if there's an unhappy atmosphere. However funnily enough, the place where I am currently, when I first got the job another friend was a little awkward about it as she had heard a lot of bad things through another friend who had worked there previously. This person I actually knew and know they're quite a volatile type of person. They weren't there long as they were asked to leave. So my current place doesn't have the best reputation either. However in all the years I've worked there, I've never had any issues and have been quite happy there. Perhaps only as the trouble maker has left by then. But at my new interview, I actually met my potential colleagues and I picked up on their low morale. So I wonder how long they would even stay. Perhaps there is a third option out there... @SlipperyLizard it's very unlikely they will match the 25% increase. My colleague who has more experience is only on about £1 more and I believe that is the ceiling. But worth a try. And @Userxxxxx I'm sorry to hear of your experience. I hope you moved on to something better