Career Decision 9

[Swi]

I am currently working at an employer making 51K. I have interviewed with a company and they are interested but want me to take a 5 or 6K pay cut. The company I interviewed with has somewhat better benefits and I would be working less hours. The commute would approximately stay the same. They say my skills only warrant the above salary and I assume that is because one of the requirements is to know PowerBuilder. The recruiter told me that they were looking for VB and/or PowerBuilder developers but I come to find out at the interview that they assumed that VB developers could pick up on PowerBuilder quickly. Eventually all projects will be moving toward .NET. In addition, for this job I have already had a technical phone interview, an interview with two recruiters and another interview yesterday with two interviewers at their place of business. They also want me to complete a project for them to further assess my skills. I believe that they are low balling me and have wasted my time. Any thoughts?



Swi

 

[chiph]

Eventually all projects will be moving toward .NET.

Lots of people say this. Ask them for a timeframe & to see their project plan.

They also want me to complete a project for them to further assess my skills

Hmm. So they want to get work out of you for free, before extending an offer?

I believe that they are low balling me and have wasted my time. Any thoughts?

How bad is where you're working now? Because I think you'd be better off staying put until you can find somewhere else to work.

Chip H.


____________________________________________________________________
If you want to get the best response to a question, please read FAQ222-2244 first

 

[SQLSister]

Only you can decide if they are wasting your time. I would not consider a pay cut unless the job itself was one I was really interested in doing and I really liked the people and it gave me a new skill set that I wanted but had not had the opportunity to get before. But that is just me.

So if you really want the chance to learn both PowerBuilder and .NET, and you can afford the pay cut, you might go for it. But...

It does seem that their interview process is overly lenghty especially that part about getting free work from you by asking you to do a project for them. This is likely to be a very bureaucratic organization with this convoluted of an interview process. Do you really want to work in that kind of an environment?

But I think you have answered your own question. Generally If I question whether I want to be at a place that means I don't. If the place is making you feel bad about them before you take the job, then it's pretty much guaranteed that you will never be happy there.

Questions about posting. See faq183-874

 

[Swi]

They have said within the next year. No offer yet, they say they need to access my skills (even though I already had a technical phone interview). It is pretty bad. Right now it takes about 2 hours one way to get to work although I am in a carpool. I also have been working about 12 to 14 hours a day.

Swi

 

[ecobb]

They also want me to complete a project for them to further assess my skills

What happens if you complete this project, it works beautifully, and they decide not to hire you? I agree with chiph, they're just trying to get some free work done. If they like you they may hire you, if they don't, oh well, they've got their project finished so they don't have to have anyone right now. They can wait until another project comes up to look for someone.



Hope This Helps!

Ecobb
Beer Consumption Analyst

"My work is a game, a very serious game." - M.C. Escher

 

[kHz]

Complete a project for them?

I have never heard of that. With time, I guess you eventually hear it all.

Would I work for them? Not a chance.

 

[DoubleD]

Positives:
Slightly better benefits
Less Hours
Learn new skills (will the company pay for the training)

Negatives:
5-6K less pay
Want you to do work for free
Lots of red tape

Based on the info as I understand it, this doesn't appear to be a good career move if you're reasonably happy with your current job.

I am what I am based on the decisions I have made.

DoubleD

 

[Swi]

I would be only one of three actual company employees in the department. There are about 17 other consultants that work in house. The consultants will be doing most of the conversion but I would be working hand-in-hand with them through the conversion process (I guess that would be my training).

Swi

 

[Onyxpurr]

What is your reason for looking around right now?

 

[Swi]

Amount of hours worked. I work about a 13-14 hour day and have a 3-4 hour commute round trip leaving me about 6 to 8 hours left for family time, eating and sleeping. I would like a better quality of life. Also, programmers are being hired in at my currect employer at inflated salaries with minimal experience (I have been sitting in on the interviews) and it seems like they are forgetting about their current employees which have proven themselves. Typical corporate America.

Swi

 

[Onyxpurr]

Have you tried speaking to them about it?

I would do a little research on the net about salary ranges for your position and mention that you are not being paid according to industry standard and would they be willing to negotiate considering that they have been adding (hopefully it isn't just replacements) to staff?

 

[Swi]

Actually, they are all replacements to previous staff. I have told my supervisor that I thought the people were asking a bit much for there experience but he still granted them their salary requirements and even gave some more than what they asked for. My boss likes to hear a good sales pitch. If someone can sell themselves enough it does not matter if they know there job well or not. Last time he did this the person lasted about 2 months and they fired him and all the while I was responsible for fixing his mistakes. Had to pull about a 2 1/2 day shift (slept at my desk). Loyalty and hard work never seem to be rewarded. I have also voiced my displeasure but nothing has been done. The answer I always get is that I need to make it happen, thus my job search.

Swi

 

[kHz]

Why the long commute? Can't you move your family closer to your job?

 

[ecobb]

Can't you move your family closer to your job?

Wouldn't it be easier (and cheaper) to find a job closer to your family?
(Which, I would suspect, is another reason for looking at other jobs to begin with.)



Hope This Helps!

Ecobb
Beer Consumption Analyst

"My work is a game, a very serious game." - M.C. Escher

 

[Swi]

I live in PA and commute to MD. Cost of living in PA is much cheaper than MD. For example, a $200,000 house in PA would be about $250 - $300,000 in MD in the same type of neighborhood. Most good paying jobs in PA are in the Philadelphia area not around where I live. In my area most places only want to pay around $40 - $45K for mid-level developers which is what I would be classified as. The reason I took a job that was so far from home was that they sold me on opportunity. I work for quite a sizable company but the only opportunities they have would require a considerable relocation. This is exactly why I am looking to move within a 40 or 50 minute commute time.

Swi

 

[Onyxpurr]

Boy if I had a penny...

Bottom line: I would continue to look around. Of course, you could also discuss with this company your reservations about working on said "project". Ask them about it.

 

[fafrazh99]

Swi,

Based on what I heard in your previous post, I would stay in the current job if I were you. You have your good reason to move on to another job close to home. But, be careful, do not let your sense of urgency passed on to the recruiter or potential employeer like this one. There is a chance that THE company is trying to use your free labor, surely depending on what type of project they want to test you ...

It's close to the end of year when a few company is looking for new hire. Take your time and keep looking ...

Hope you find a better one if it's not a dream one ;-)

 

[Swi]

All posts are appreciated. Stars for all!

Swi

 

[OhioBill]

Swi,

Completing a project is no problem. Tell them that if they use the results and they don't hire you, they have to pay an hourly rate. Personally, I wouldn't work directly for a company that has a lot of contractors on site. They're short sighted and will likely consider you a low priced contractor.

On your current situation, stop working the OT. Start leaving after 8 hours of work and you'll be happier. Make plans to relocate for your next job, and find something very close to work.

Good luck.

 

[chiph]

Sounds like you need to move. Just not to this company you talked to. Don't stop looking.

Chip H.


____________________________________________________________________
If you want to get the best response to a question, please read FAQ222-2244 first