raise or no raise?

Rieferman · Post by **Rieferman** » 14 Mar 2006 07:53

In 8 minutes I'll receive a call from the company I interviewed with last week. I'll either find out that they're meeting my salary demands or that they're going to low-ball me. Based on the answer to that I'll either be leaving existing job or not. Stay tuned.

Caleb · Post by **Caleb** » 14 Mar 2006 08:21

On the edge of my seat. Goodluck buddy.

brinard · Post by **brinard** » 14 Mar 2006 09:19

so whats the call? its been 8 mins. i belileve. hope it went well.

thats why i left my job about a year ago. got a easier job, and got paid better.

Rieferman · Post by **Rieferman** » 14 Mar 2006 10:00

Got the offer!!!!

Just have to make final decision points tonight with the wife.. Overall, the pay is better, my office is nicer, I'd have more people reporting to me (8 isntead of 1), I'd learn a new industry, and the commute is 15 minutes instead of an hour. Plus, my existing company has made some decisions lately that I think are taking us in the wrong direction. Vacation days are a little lower but I'm feeling like I'll deal with it because of the above benefits.

Will let you know the final decision tomorrow.

Zeb Jackson · Post by **Zeb Jackson** » 14 Mar 2006 12:49

sweet man good luck!

Caleb · Post by **Caleb** » 14 Mar 2006 13:03

Bob Reifer, living the American Dream with his big important job, new house, and a beautiful wife and kid waiting for him with it. HAHAHA. You're the man big guy!

Iron Clad Ben · Post by **Iron Clad Ben** » 14 Mar 2006 13:20

Rock on. Just curious, is this in Philly? If so what part of town?

brinard · Post by **brinard** » 14 Mar 2006 13:33

im happy for you... great new jobs kick ass...

Rieferman · Post by **Rieferman** » 14 Mar 2006 15:06

Ha ha.. Thanks everyone

feels gooood. wooo hoooo... drinking champaign and having sushi tonight to celebrate.. getting buzzed much more easily than beer for some reason?? good to know

Caleb - all that, and I hit Pixie DLO somewhat easily now again (i.e. the skills are coming back a little after that year off). Living the dream baby! Side note, why don't you come visit us?

Iron clad - It's west of Philly about 25 miles (Worscester) which is perfect because I'm only a few miles away from that. Biggest downer about this decision is that my old company has a box at the Phillies ballpark... will miss that.

Rieferman · Post by **Rieferman** » 15 Mar 2006 07:26

I accepted the offer.. Breaking the news to my boss in 35 minutes. I hope he takes is well - he's actually really cool.

Rieferman · Post by **Rieferman** » 15 Mar 2006 16:31

Ok, so I broke the news to my box as noted above... He took it *****really****** well... Well, not really. What I mean is that he doesn't want me to leave and now HR is working with him and managers in other departments to see what positions I could be moved to that would enable them to challenge me more and give me the pay raise that would beat the offer from the other company. I mean, c'mon?!?!? The decision is hard enough without now having to consider staying where I was going to leave.. The other company thinks I'm on my way in two weeks.. And I will be if something doesn't work out where I'm at.

Sorry to babble.. Thanks for listening.

Iron Clad Ben · Post by **Iron Clad Ben** » 15 Mar 2006 16:50

Dwight K. Schrute wrote:This is what we call... leveraging an offer

Rieferman · Post by **Rieferman** » 16 Mar 2006 04:55

Understood, but the worry is that you never want to be stuck with the stigma "that's the guy that strong-armed us into more money".. So it's a delicate thing. Plus, turning down a previously accepted position at another company permanently burns that bridge no matter how nicely you decline. Urgh. I have 3 in-house interviews today and tomorrow. Will keep you posted.

Caleb · Post by **Caleb** » 16 Mar 2006 06:18

It's tough work being so sought after. Haha.

HighDemonslayer · Post by **HighDemonslayer** » 16 Mar 2006 22:29

15 min. commute is way better than 1 hour.

That's an extra hour and a half, per day, that you aren't being paid for, in/by comparison.

You should calculate that extra 1.5 hours of waste, when considering your employers desperate counter-offer. And make them eat that drive time.

-n

SandWraith · Post by **SandWraith** » 17 Mar 2006 15:38

What do you do for a career? Sounds like you're hot potatoes.

Rieferman · Post by **Rieferman** » 18 Mar 2006 06:10

nate, that's a great point that I've actually added into my "pros / cons" model >> thanks for the idea

sand - Hot potatoes..

I don't mean to come off sounding that way, but I guess I'm doing pretty OK at this point in my career. For anyone out there that is stuck in the mud wondering why your company doesn't see how great you are, give it another year or so... Halfway through my grad degree (about 2 years ago) I couldn't get any challenges at work... then the damn broke and I find myself with tons of neat things going on now.

Anyhow, I work in a financial department but my role is really more of a project manager/process improvement specialist/mangement consultant. That is, when something isn't working well or when there's an opportunity to be explored, I get plugged into the issue to fix it. They call me the "idea guy" because when there's an issue I'm responsible for figuring out some sort of good solution to that issue. Sometimes this involves implementing new software systems, sometimes it's simpler (if Jane would just pass that paper directly to Joe we'd solve that bottleneck). And generally the issues are for the VP's of the organization so I spend a lot of time in committees with them to help them make the right decisions.

Now, the new job is a product category manager.. Instead of so much project type of work, I'd initially be trying to make a line of products be more profitable by correctly managing the supply chain and sales strategies of my team. In the long term once I get used to these duties, I'd be called upon to be "idea guy" again - basically, I'd stabilize my team and then enhance the company. This is enticing because EVERY company buys and sells in some capacity. Having direct experience working with vendors, inventory managers, supply forecasters, sales and marketing etc... Well, that'd be some good resume filler and would even prepare me to run my own small business soup to nuts someday.

This is why it's so tough... Both roles are very interesting. Honestly leaning towards the new job though because I want to be on my own eventually. But if the money is good enough where I'm at, that's a pretty loud signal that my existing company is VERY interested in my development >> that level of company committment is tough to pass on.

Last comment for now... The CIO of my company interviewed me on Friday... I kid you not that he graduated from my small college (Susquehanna U.) with the SAME degree (Economics) with the SAME advisor (Fisher) abotu 20 years prior to me doing all that. Small world.

Caleb · Post by **Caleb** » 18 Mar 2006 08:17

Product manager!?!? Pshaw. At my internship, you are my enemy Bob. Haha, everytime I have an awesome idea to make a big change to the software I work on and improve it, the product manager stops by my cube or the lab and is like, "That would affect our release date too much. Just stick to the schedule." lol!!!

But you're still the man.

Iron Clad Ben · Post by **Iron Clad Ben** » 18 Mar 2006 14:55

Rieferman wrote:For anyone out there that is stuck in the mud wondering why your company doesn't see how great you are, give it another year or so... Halfway through my grad degree (about 2 years ago) I couldn't get any challenges at work... then the damn broke and I find myself with tons of neat things going on now.

Shit I hope so.

Rieferman · Post by **Rieferman** » 20 Mar 2006 10:47

The deed is done. I'm leaving my existing company. They offered to beat the money by $5k but the increase in responsibility/learning opps wasn't enough to forgo the other position. It's a relief to have this done!!

Thanks for all the listening and comments