Be careful what you ask for... got a job offer!

[IntlSet]

Some of you may remember a post I made earlier in which I stated that I was looking to switch offices although remain in the same field.

About a month ago I had lunch with a partner at another firm and he just now offered me a job, beginning around the first of the year. He did not disclose the terms, salary, etc. Is it a faux pas to ask him to disclose all this if I'm not 100% interested in getting a new job?

Umm... I work in a GREAT environment (minus one person). I LOVE my boss. However, I'm interested in growing and I work for a small firm. This offer comes from a large firm with many offices. But it's an unknown environment and I really have to ask myself: How much more money do I have to get in order to go from a great environment to one that's unknown and could be awful?

Also, should I mention to my boss that I got a job offer? We have a GREAT relationship but I don't want to mistake it for a friendship. I have the urge to ask him how my role within his firm can grow. Is it bad to say, "I was unexpectedly offered a job, but I'd like to know how I can grow here before I consider it?"

Also, if I turn down this job with the firm now, does that mean I've closed all opportunities in the future with them? I don't want to seem like the undecisive type. I DID mention to the partner I was "keeping my eyes open..."

What makes me hesitate now is that even then, at lunch, the partner at the other firm told me, "You are extremely lucky to be working at _________." So maybe I should stay. It is a prestigious although small firm. But the pay could be better (or heck, maybe not!), the hours could be better, but the environment probably would be tough to match. Plus, this larger firm definitely doesn't carry the prestige.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[Label Addict]

that's a tough one as you are on good terms with your present boss I'd maybe sit down and talk it through with them, it'd be wise to find out if you have oppotunity to grow in the current company

 

[berryblondeboys]

This is a tough one, but I would really look to find out more. First, it is perfectly acceptable to ask about the whole package with the new job - salary, vacation, other benefits, etc. It doesn't mean you are comitting to it, it means you are thinking about it and you want to make an informed decision.

With that said, if you LIKE where you and what you are doing, don't take that for granted. Working environment is SOOOOOOO important. If you are tempted by the new offer because of the money, going to your current boss just as you said, "this job came to me out of nowhere and they are really tempting me with this great offer (if it is a great offer), but I really like it here." And then see if there's a way to negotiate a better package with the current place you are or room to grow where you are. It's wise not to view your boss as a friend, because in the end, right now he/she is your boss.

Then, if you decide take the new job, LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN at your old job (don't burn any bridges) because people do go back to former places in the future sometimes.

Or, if you decide to stay where you are, tell them you are flattered and it's a tempting offer, but that for you, right now, it's not what you are looking for but that might change in the future.

And no, it does not slam the door to the future. DH turned down a job with his current place cordially) and a year later they called him up with a new opening and asked him if he was interested and this time he was and he's been there (and very happy) for the last 3.5 years. It's all in how you handle it.

of course, there are jerky employers, but then, would you want to work for them if they reacted poorly? I would think not!

Good luck in your decision. If nothing else, it's very flattering!
Melissa

 

[amanda]

i'd sit down and talk with your boss about your desire to grow your roll i the company in the future, and ask him about what your opportunities would be to do that. hopefully he'll be straightforward with you, and if you aren't thrilled with what you hear, ask the other firm to disclose more information on the positioning they're offering you. that way, you can make an informed decision without wasting anyone's time.

 

[Swanky]

I agree w/ much of what's been said.
I would not however, tell your current boss you've been offered another job at this point.
It's a business relationship and your boss HAS TO do what's best for him/her. If he thinks you may be flirting w/ another firm it's possible you could get a surprising severance.

I strongly encourage you to get an offer in writing from the other firm and visit it prior to accepting, maybe it has a fantastic atmosphere, maybe not.
Meanwhile, sit down w/ your boss and ask about what they foresee your future holding w/ them.

Very exciting Annie, keep it as simple as possible though and look at the BIG picture:yes

 

[Roo]

^^

ITA with Swanky.

 

[Jahpson]

But it's an unknown environment and I really have to ask myself: How much more money do I have to get in order to go from a great environment to one that's unknown and could be awful?

Also, should I mention to my boss that I got a job offer? We have a GREAT relationship but I don't want to mistake it for a friendship. I have the urge to ask him how my role within his firm can grow. Is it bad to say, "I was unexpectedly offered a job, but I'd like to know how I can grow here before I consider it?"

Also, if I turn down this job with the firm now, does that mean I've closed all opportunities in the future with them? I don't want to seem like the undecisive type. I DID mention to the partner I was "keeping my eyes open..."

But the pay could be better (or heck, maybe not!), the hours could be better, but the environment probably would be tough to match. Plus, this larger firm definitely doesn't carry the prestige.

Thank you!

1. It doesnt matter how good friends you are with your boss, I personally would not disclose that I am thinking of leaving and have a job offer waiting for me. Especially if you havent even decided if your going to take it or not. Your Boss doesnt need to know at all that you have another job waiting in the wings. I think after you give your notice can you disclose that information.

2. The only way you are ready to move on is a couple of ways.
a. Your hungry- your current job isn't satisfying your needs financially. You would have to believe that your worth more than the work your doing, or something to that effect.
b. You want to grow professionally, and you feel with this job your in a rut. We all have to accelerate our careers at some point of our lives to work to our full potential. and if you feel that this job is not doing that, and you feel like your doing the same routine...then it may be time to venture out
c. What is more important? the work environement itself, or the prestige of the company as a whole? Because you can work for a top Fortune 500 company and be miserable in your work environment, or work at an equally/less known company and love where you work.

d. If you are seriously considering this job, and they offered the position to you you have the right to ask about hours, salary benefits etc. Remeber, they want YOU
I think that you should think carefully in what you want to do. It can be a win win or lose. hope that helps

 

[lorihmatthews]

Congrats on the offer, it just goes to show that you never know where your next opportunity will appear. However, just to be sure this new firm isn't bluffing, I'd tell them that you'd love to see the whole package -- in WRITING. In all truthfulness you don't have a job offer until it's in black and white. And that doesn't mean you have to accept it. Keep us posted!

 

[Bee...Bee]

Hmm, I am not quite sure whether I am actually allowed to give an advice or not because apparently the sole criteria is that an investment banker gives his/her service to the highest 'bidder.'

But I am going to give my [fruitless] opinion anyway because I think 9 years at 1 bank is not too lousy . My personal take is that if you are confident of progressing in your present firm then you should stick with it. In essence, I believe that one has to show a bit of loyalty - most importantly to the team that you are working with. Actually I am convinced that teamwork is what makes anyone succeed and if your presnet teamwork is good then it is extremely dangerous to shift especially if you are not certain of your future integration into the other firm. Somehow people thought I was decent even though I was blowing people's money so I did receive some 'poaching' offers during my time but I decided not to move because I was happy with my team and I believed that the good team I had was what made me not so lousy.

So how would I tell my boss about this poaching? You can use this to your advantage regardless of which way you choose but the most important bit is you need to decide whether you want to move or not first. If yes, then just move but if no, then go and tell your boss straight that you have an offer but you love this firm and decide to continue here. Then you tell him that at the same time you feel it is the right occasion to talk frankly about your future prospects here. Your boss knows that retaining good employees is probably the most important thing in service industry. So if you are seriously hot, then you will get a raise or promotion but if you get nothing, then you know you are lucky that you have another offer because you have no future there!

Lastly how would the partner from the other firm think if you reject him? He will just move on and come back to you again if your work is good. If I may refer back to my experience again; in the past 3 years, somehow 2 American places kept calling me every 28th February even though I repeatedly say no. In summary, if they think that you are good, they will keep knocking on your door until you die!

N.B. I seriously disagree with every lady who says don't tell your boss. That is the worst mistake ever! News travel fast and it will make the matter much worse if he didn't hear it from you! I had some unpleasant grilling by lots of managing directors because even though I did not move, somehow they found out that I received an offer and they were so not happy that I did not tell them.

 

[Bambie]

Well first of all, congratulations.
Secondly, I agree with Swanky. I don't have a lot of work experience but have actually been in a similar situation. I ended up not going for the other job because I was scared of asking how much they were paying. I still regret it to this day...

 

[elizat]

I agree w/ much of what's been said.
I would not however, tell your current boss you've been offered another job at this point.
It's a business relationship and your boss HAS TO do what's best for him/her. If he thinks you may be flirting w/ another firm it's possible you could get a surprising severance.

I strongly encourage you to get an offer in writing from the other firm and visit it prior to accepting, maybe it has a fantastic atmosphere, maybe not.
Meanwhile, sit down w/ your boss and ask about what they foresee your future holding w/ them.

Very exciting Annie, keep it as simple as possible though and look at the BIG picture:yes

I agree w/ that. When you say firm, I assume law and that's what my answer is tailored to. Correct me if I am wrong. And also disregard if it is not a law firm, as my advice may be totally off the mark for other types of business that are firms (ie PR, advertising, architecture).

You don't state your position in the firm. If you are a lawyer, the only thing I'd be concerned about is how long you've been there (I've read some of your other posts, which are great, but I think you are in your 20's?). I think that if you move firms too quickly as a young lawyer, that can actually hurt you. Word travels fast in any legal community and you can be branded as unreliable or flighty (esp. as woman!). Partners at my firm still moan and groan over an associate that left a little over a year in, b/c he did not put in his time and they felt that he took more than he gave, b/c the first years are such a learning experience (as well as the fact that firms really don't make much on new associates). I'd really like to leave where I am now, but I'm only in part of the way into year two and I feel I need to stick it out longer to avoid negative comments from my partners. However, you MAY work with nicer ppl than I do!

 

[SWlife]

I'm with Swanky on this one too. I've been in the workforce for over 35 years now, in different parts of the country & I can promise you, no boss out there will ever look at you the same way again if he/she even suspects anything about another job offer- whether you solicited it or it came to you!
Let us know what happens!