Post # 1
Member
1311 posts
Bumble bee
BEES! I need your help. Here are the facts:
Right now:
*working as a Marketing Assistant in a brokerage firm for some investment advisors
*I want to leave because there’s no room for growth
*salary is on the low side
*when I asked for a raise my bosses are not making the time to meet me & are delaying giving me an answer for months despite my consistent great reviews
*my skills are being WAY underutilized and I’m not challenged
Opportunity #1: Business Development Consultant job (internal)
*I was invited for a second interview the day after my first so they really like me (plus there are few people as qualified to do this job for various reasons) – 2nd interview is next Tuesday
*Pros: better money than I’m making now, interesting work that I’d be great at, no hassle with switching over my benefits & savings, I get to travel regularly (only within Canada, but it’s still nice!), much better title, better bonus, good work/life balance, good use of skills (no paper pushing like what I’m doing now), internal AND external opportunities for growth (more options if I decide to switch organizations)
*Cons: financial industry isn’t super interesting to me, not glamourous
Opportunity #2: Programming Coordinator for a very prestigious film festival!
*just got offered the job!!!
*Pros: glamourous, looks great on the resume, I can develop a career in a very vibrant industry, they’re throwing in one business trip to Asia for me in my first year as an incentive, rare opportunity, I can go to screenings/events/workshops/etc
*Cons: I’d be making the same amount of money as now, ENORMOUS workload (like, the work of 3 people), mostly administrative-based work which is what I don’t like about my current job, opportunities for growth are mainly internal as there’s only one organization like it here, so if I don’t like it there I have much fewer options
Some things to consider:
*I really want to be making more money because I have $12K in student loans that I want to pay off before I get married (although we haven’t set a date yet), plus I want to save up for a wedding (& SO’s ring, etc.), plus I can rarely afford to travel, which is very depressing
*#2 chose me over 350+ applicants! & though they’re offering me the same pay I’m making now, it’s $3K more than the last person that did that job
*I was 1 of 20 people out of 110 applicants to be offered an interview for the #1 job, and when I went in, the manager told me he’d already seen about 10 people and had eliminated 8 of them – I am a strong contender for this
What should I do???
Post # 4
Member
344 posts
Helper bee
A word of advice, don’t think that prestige will be worth it in the long run. I work for a well known company but it’s not all as fabulous as it looks on the outside. If there’s not a lot of opportunity in the long run or the job looks like it’s going to stress you out then it will- trust me. I’m unsure if having worked at my current company is going to get my foot in the door at other places.
Post # 5
Member
3210 posts
Sugar bee
@ChicFoodist: if it’s a job with TIFF, take it. I have several friends with the organization and they are all obsessed with their jobs.
Post # 6
Member
1311 posts
Bumble bee
@bapbap: Thanks for your advice! My SO and my brother said the same things. When I told them I was interviewing for #2 they said that because it’s not for profit, it will probably be lots of menial admin work with long hours and little pay. And SO pointed out that I’m currently working in the investment arm of one of the largest banks in the country, which is already a good brand name on my resume.
Post # 7
Member
11747 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
I would ask the hiring manager at the film place to give you until next week to make a decision. I would personally take the promotion at current company from the pros/cons you have laid out. Good luck!
Post # 8
Member
2783 posts
Sugar bee
Just pm’ed you. You’ll see why! lol
Post # 9
Member
9139 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
- Wedding: November 2013 - St. Augustine Beach, FL
Op #1 seems like a more stable option imo. I was in a similar situation when I took my current job and don’t regret turning down the first offer I had for another job while I was waiting to hear back on whether I was going to get another offer on the job I really wanted. Unless you are completely miserable at your current job I say it’s worth risking losing Op #2 to hold out for Op #1.
Post # 10
Member
1311 posts
Bumble bee
@letigre: Obsessed as in they love their job, or as in their whole life is work?
@MrsWBS: That’s exactly what I did! 🙂 They’re giving me until Wednesday to make a decision. :S
@sara_tiara: Thanks! 😉
@beachbride1216: Do you think it’d be okay if I tell them at my 2nd interview next week that I have a job offer, so while I don’t want to put any pressure on them I’d appreciate it if they can let me know about their decision at their soonest convenience?
Post # 11
Member
9139 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
- Wedding: November 2013 - St. Augustine Beach, FL
@ChicFoodist: I’m not sure. It does put a little pressure on them but it could also seem like you aren’t as serious about the position or loyal to the company since you already work for them. I couldn’t use it for my current job because it took them 3 months from the time of the interview to approve my position and then offer it to me (I interviewed in October but didn’t receive the job offer until January; yay for government jobs.) I would have to defer to any Bees that have used this tactic.
Post # 12
Member
1564 posts
Bumble bee
I would take option #1. There’s a lot of work that you know you already don’t like about the other one, and you seem more excited to be picked than about the job. #1 it is!
Post # 13
Member
3340 posts
Sugar bee
- Wedding: April 2013 - Rhode Island
I would only pick #2 if working in the film industry is what you want to do (ie. it’s your passion and dream). It’s really hard to make good money, and it’s hard to transition between jobs. There can be a lot of down time between positions. If what you want is to make money, then pick #1.
Post # 14
Member
3718 posts
Sugar bee
@ChicFoodist: My career has been good entry level at semi-known, intern doing admin work at incredibly prestigious (top of my field) office, entry at prestigious firm, mid-level at non-prestigious, back to entry level at well respected, and now mid-level at well respected firm. With that path, here is my advice:
– Prestige matters, but it isn’t evernthing. Especially if you can’t afford it. Every interview I have ever had wanted to know about my internship. Every one in the world knew who my boss was. Working for her was awesome, but it was unpaid. That meant I needed a second job and I was exhausted, hungry, and it couldn’t go on forever. I am now in charge of a very well known program– I can mention it by name and most people will have heard of it, but it isn’t like my internship. It is nice to have people go “wow, you do what? That is so cool”,
– Money matters, you have to eat. I got a nice pay bump at my first mid-level job and then a slight pay cut at my next entry level job (about $2k difference). Money matters, but it isn’t everything. I took the pay cut because I was excited to work on a cool project and knew I was making enough to eat. If you can’t survive on your salary, it isn’t worth it.
– Perks like traveling and events are cool, but traveling for work is very different than traveling for fun. I was surprised by that– it is a lot more exhausting! I love to travel, but work travel is so much less fun.
There are no bad choices, so just figure out what is right for you.
Post # 15
Member
13249 posts
Honey Beekeeper
@ChicFoodist: I would absolutely, 100% NOT tell them you have another option. I do hiring for my company, and if a interviewee came in and told me in not so many words that they want me to hustle to give them a decision to decide between, I’d finish the interview and wish them well, but wonder why they wasted my time. Interviewers want to know you’re dedicated to THEIR job, and that you want the position. Adding pressure on them is not a good idea.
I would opt for job 1, regardless. It just seems like a better option for you in the long run.
Post # 16
Member
3210 posts
Sugar bee
@ChicFoodist: they love their jobs! One friend recently left and is working at a really great communications firm. Depending on your role, you may be able to build some fantastic contacts while working there. I don’t know much about growth within the company since my two friends that still work there are young and junior-level.
