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Interesting Thing About Job Hunting….

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Once you get a new job, all those resumes that you sent out are still on someone’s desk. I have been on the job with my new employeer for only two months now, and for the second time since accepting my current position, I have been approached for an interview by a top Fortune 100 company. I had originally declined, since their schedule didn’t work with mine, but now that I can fit them into my schedule, I am going to at least go talk to them. I know that the money might end up being better, but the current position(small independently owned company) has a lot of intangible elements that really make it nice. I have worked for some large companies before, and it wasn’t necassarily bad, just different. How do you put a number value on different intagibles when looking at job opportunities? What is everyone’s thought on this?

Topic

Think about the future

In reply to Interesting Thing About Job Hunting….

Dollars strike me as a good way to put a number value on intangibles. Seriously, job hunting is a bit like being a wing walker in an air show, never let go of what you have until you have a good grip on the next thing regardless of how desirable the next thing is.

Although it might sound somewhat old-fashioned, ask yourself some questions about your current company, like are you happy, does the company have a future and does the management have a sense of honor? If you answer yes to all of these questions you might want to stay put, otherwise you run the risk of kicking yourself some time in the future for leaving.

First things first

In reply to Interesting Thing About Job Hunting….

Under the “treat others the way you would like to be treated”, or the Golden rule, don’t job hop. Its harmful to the companies who spent a lot of time and attention hiring you and providing you training etc. And it harms your reputation as well.

But, on the other hand, if you have sincerely given this job a decent effort and discovered that it isn’t what it was sold as or it isn’t a good fit, then you can start to look. I would suggest at 6 months you can look back and see if it still fits.

How to compare two jobs? Money is only one thing. Security is another – my current employer doesn’t pay as much as some, but it is relatively secure – if I do a good job there is very little likelyhood I will get laid off. Opportunities is another – what kind of other positions will there be in the company should I look for another job internally after a couple of years. Do they provide skills training if I want to plan on getting there?

People are important. You know the people you currently work with, at least on some level, and you don’t know much about the people at the other job. Success at many jobs is about getting along with others.

Small things matter to some people – do they provide benefits you like, how is the commute, are they flexible with their working schedules and generous with their bonuses.

Frankly I wouldn’t look outside my current employer unless the “perfect” job comes up. It hasn’t yet.

James

The thing that gets me…

In reply to First things first

Is that companies take so damn long to *contact* you about a job… like the last time I was unemployed, I was relatively desperate for work so I applied for a lot of jobs… well I had an interview and got hired for a job that’s not IT-related, but like a week after I was hired for that job I got a call from an IT job that I really wanted asking me to come in for an interview… I had to turn them down because I just got a new job the previous week; the other company (the one with the IT position) took too long to get ahold of me.. and I wasn’t about to jump ship after one week. Very frustrating.

You think companies are bad…

In reply to The thing that gets me…

try the government. They take MONTHS just to get to the interview phase. I applied for a job in Sep. Didn’t hear a thing. Finally took a job with a contractor in Dec. Then, out of the blue, I get a call in Feb asking me if I was still interested in the job. Come on…5 months?! No wonder the govt has a hard time getting people with good IT skills. By the time they get around to interviewing, all of their candidates are gone. I don’t know anyone who can afford, or is willing, to wait that long just to get an interview. I’m thinking the only people that would be left are either local or the ones that couldn’t get hired anywhere else.

In response to the original poster, I understand your dilemma. I always seem to get multiple job offers all at once. It can be tough, but guard your reputation. It is worth far more than your skill set, especially if you’re tied to a particular job market. Don’t for a second think that the competing HR folks don’t talk to each other. They do and they’ll label you as an unreliable job-hopper in a heartbeat. You won’t be able to buy a job then.

IMHO, smaller companies are the way to go. Yes, there is higher risk, but the distance to the top usually isn’t that far and you’re more than a number. Plus you tend to have more responsibility, which can lead to an impressive resume in a relatively short time that can land you a much better offer from a big company, if that’s where you want to go.

A job is more than money

In reply to First things first

Money is only one thing to consider when choosing a job. Like James said, you need to consider the other aspects. I would put security over a difference in pay, provided the current pay is enough to cover my financial needs.

Although I apply to them, I tend to avoid jobs at larger companies. Call it prejudice, but even though they may offer high salaries, I feel that they don’t have the perspective, flexibility and security of a smaller company. The companies I’ve worked for are usually smaller and family-owned. They are flexible with schedules so I can work around my kids’ school schedules and are understanding if I have to miss because a child has to go to the doctor. And then the salary has been excellent too. I think they have a better tendency to show their appreciation of your efforts.

So you definitely need to sit down and go over all the pros and cons of each job. And remember, that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

intangibles…

In reply to Interesting Thing About Job Hunting….

The last two times I’ve taken jobs working for other people, I have been called at least twice by two other companies within a month of taking the new position… it’s like a conspiracy. In one instance, I relocated to take a job in Dallas, TX because I couldn’t BUY an interview un IT-glutted Austin… the second week I was there, I got called by a company in Austin that I REALLY wanted to work for but had not even finished paying for the move to Dallas and there was no way they’d pay to get me out of my new apartment lease or assist with my move back so I had to pass…

But the other thing I have had to look out for are things like culture – one place called me for a phone interview, which was fine, but then wanted to schedule me for appointments for THREE more interviews, all with different IT “bosses.” Sorry, I’ve been a boss myself too long to be able to work under three other chiefs in one department – that’s just a little too top-heavy for me. My personality and work habits are better suited to a nimble company that doesn’t require a runway two miles long before they can change direction.

I end up using a stratgey that’s similar to how how independent developers price their work – you sit down and figure out what you need to make to survive, what you’d LIKE to make to live well, and come up with a figure that you feel like you can live with regardless of the peripheral requirements… then use a check off list of pros and cons. Best overall score wins… it’s easier to give “points” to perks than assign dollar value sometimes. Also keep in mind what the jobs will look like on your resume. I took a VP job for a small corporation at a salary that was a good $12K below the national average for that specific position because the perks were worth more to me than that extra salary. Plus if I did my job right, I’d earn that money back anyhow.

I’m usually willing to interview anyone who calls me just to keep up with the playing field (and yeah, I said I interview employers – I won’t work for just anyone ya know.)

2 months is a little early

In reply to Interesting Thing About Job Hunting….

2 months on the job is a little early to be looking for work
That isn’t enough time for you to get your but prints on your chair
take advantage of health insurance or
even get to know your coworkers and what the job is really like

give yourself at least a year b4 changing jobs unless you have some drastic change in your situation
like graduating from college or getting some certifications that will make you more marketable

otherwise you run the risk of being taggea a job hopper

Fred

agreed

In reply to 2 months is a little early

2 months is a bit early, I just accepted a position at a fortune 40 company, after being with this tiny company for just over a year. My decision was based on several factors:
1)MUCH better pay (my wife can quit working and do what she wants, raise kids)
2)upward mobility possibility
3)looks great on resume
4)they have a plan with attached budget

at soon to be former job, the above was missing…I like the people, the freedom I have and the flexibilty…but no plan, budget, etc…not even a sales person to get new customers…the pay required my wife to to work, we had NO “quality of life” with the kids, etc.

So, big company won…and also the IT market has been down for the last few years here, so hard not to jump at the pick-up…

Hope this helps

Integrity

In reply to Interesting Thing About Job Hunting….

Youve been at the new job 2 mths… its not like by being there your not going to add to your skillset anyway, you can approach these same companies with more to offer in the future. Have a little integrity and stick this out for a while. Think also how it will look if you chop and change so rapidly. Short stints dont look good on a resume no matter how you paint them.

I still get it

In reply to Interesting Thing About Job Hunting….

My resume is available through my online portfolio, which I positioned so it is hitting in the top 10 search results. No mater where I work, I still get interview options all the time, I actually have one tomorrow at 12:30 (if I can get away from work that is, damn I’m busy these days!).

I had three calls last week, I usually say thanks but no thanks but then again I always have my door open to opportunities. Sure as hell beats actually looking for work when you need it! I haven’t done that in over 20 years now.

look @ why you took this gig

In reply to Interesting Thing About Job Hunting….

Be careful about jumping too quickly like that. Unless it is a goldmine of a job with a nice parachute, consider why you took your current job.
I jumped and it is always a topic of discussion on interviews, one that I wish would I could change.
As long as there is growth opps that keep you challenged and growing – why jump?

You Work for Yourself First, Remember That!

In reply to Interesting Thing About Job Hunting….

I understand the sentiments of the other folks who tell you not to job-hop, but I disagree. The bottom line is you need to look out for #1 and that means YOU. If you know after two months into a job that you probably won’t like the place, why stick around? Any interviewer or HR person who is human knows that they would leave their present company in a heartbeat if a better opportunity came along. Many companies today have no problem giving you the axe when the chips are down, so why should you put their needs before yours? In short, the good old days are gone of being loyal to a company because you know they’ll look out for you. Don’t get me wrong, if your job hopping excessively, that could indicate that you don’t know what you want in a career, but if you’re moving up to better opportunities- I say go for it whether it be 2 months or 2 years into the game.

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