swi
A later commer to this thread....
Change is always hard, and very rarely are we offered the "no brainer" decision.
As has been suggested, you have to look for a balance...
current "comfort/uncomfortable" position and security
+ $51 k salary
+ some benefits
- 12 hr days and 4 hr commute (there and back)
- less tanagible - poor quality personal life
- boss seems to be ignoring you for new position
vs
change, unknown
+ better benefits
- $45 k salary
- "test" contract ??
- same yucky commute
Some things you can control to improve your life
- Move -- your commute may cost you $5 to 10k a year.
Okay, the mortgage will be higher, but you will have more free time and more in control of your personal time.
- Car pool less often -- you can leave earlier, work later. More flexible.
- Can you work one day at home? Depends on the boss, but this would be a great thing if allowed.
- Let your boss know you feel you should get a raise, or a new, more senior position. Demonstrate you can do the job.
Now ask yourself...
Why is the head hunter offerring less?
- Your skill set is really less than you expect. (I doubt it)
- There is a glut on the market for IT guys and gals, especially with outsourcing, Pacific rim stuff. They are offerring less because they feel it is an employer's market.
- They are playing a tad-bit of hardball to see if you will blink.
Why are you working so many long and hard hours?
- Under-resourced
- Being taken advantage of
- Company is a financial bind (not making enough profit to suit sharehodlers)
- Bad employer
- Bad boss
Are employees in your current company treated the same -- long hours, etc?
- Are you working hard because you have to, want to, feel you need to?
- If others leave, are they replaced, replaced with a cotnractor? Meaning, is there a "push" to move to contract employers??
Why has your boss not talked to you about assuming a job they appear to want to assign to a consultant?
- May think it is cheaper to outsource
- They have concerns about your skills
- Never crossed their mind
Why is the new company looking for a project?
- Want a project completed on-the-cheap (very unethical)
- They really do want to access your skills (been burned before?)
How do you know the potential new comapny will...
- Actually not require you to work long hours
- Follow up on their promises
Have you researched your potential new employer and your current employer? What does the outside world thing of these companies?
Does working 50, 60, 70+ hrs a week plus commuting for 20 hrs a week....
- Interfere with your performance. This type of fuedal work load would sure slow me down if I had to endure it for an extened amount of time.
- Prevent you from career advancing strategies such as training.
- Cause you significant amount of stress, greater increase is disease, etc?
...And as said above, you will have to decide what you want to do. Personally, I would think about shopping around with the following objectives...
- Similar lifestyle, meaning less pay is cost of living is less, more pay if cost of living is more
- Shorten the commute whether it is better transit, or near location
- A fair employer
- Hired at something I do well with the chance to move up and learn more. (Nothing worse than convincing the employer you have a skill set you do not have)
- Time and place for a personal life
Good luck
Maybe something wonderful will come up for your real soon.
