Did I make the wrond decision? 7

[mwa]

I need a little advice... I was approached a few months ago by a company offering me a job as a Senior business Analyst. I wasn't seeking a new job, as I was content with my current job as an Information Systems Analyst. The new company was offering about $15K more a year than what I was making and showed a greater future growth potential than the old company... in other words the Corporate ladder was much taller. I had been with the old company 5 1/2 years and had received 3 promotions, and was due up for a 4th in September when a co-worker retired. The promotion there would have only been worth about $5K-$6K. As you can probably guess, I decided to jump ship and accepted the offer from the new company. Now that I have been here about 5 weeks, I am concerned that I have made the wrong decision. At the previous company, I was basically an intranet applications team lead, analyzing projects requirements and coordinating a group of programmers. They used current technogies such as SQL Server, ASP.Net, and Crystal Reports. Once I got to the new company, all of that disappeared. The system that is used is an archaic, proprietary, non-ODBC compliant system that I have come to despise. During interviews, I asked the typical questions about technologies and was told what I wanted to hear about them using current technologies, but I have since found out that is not the case. I was told that they would be implementing Sharepoint for their intranet applications in the near future and they needed someone who could manage that project. That intrigued me, but what I have learned is that Sharepoint has been in the works for over a year, and they are nowhere near implementation, and in fact, the whole intranet development may be outsourced.

My dilemma is that I know the old company would take me back, and would probably give me the promotion position that I was due up for in September. But, I need them to pay me a higher salary. If I go back beggin' for my job back, they have the upper hand and would give me a job at my old salary level. Should I pursue going back? Should I wait and see if they come to me in September? Should I hang here? Or should I cut my losses and hit Monster?

Any advice would be appreciated...

mwa
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[DeanConsulting]

I would explore trying to go back to your old job. Let's face it you were lied to! I don't know how your relationship is with the "powers that be" at your old job but it would be worth checking into.

I don't believe that I would stay at the new job any longer that I had to. First and foremost, you were lied to! Once they see they can do that they will try again. I don't think that I could work for a place that I felt like I could not trust.

Just my 2 cents worth. Good luck to you.

nb


---------------------------------------
Noble D. Bell

http://www.noblesoftware.com

http://www.noblebell.com

 

[LadySlinger]

Ditto.

Definitely approach your old company and attempt some negotiation: but keep in mind that the ball really is in their court, as you left them and are under no obligations to rehire you.

See if you can't at least negotiate the $5K-6 more that you would've gotten once you got the promotion. I don't know if I would count on the $15K more. Depends on if they tried to keep you by offering you the matched salary or not.

If money is more important though and you know your old job wont' give it a thought, then I would still post your resume.

Good luck.

 

[mwa]

Thanks for the advice... One more consideration is that I will be graduating with an MBA degree in 7 months. I don't feel that either job would keep me satisfied once I graduate. That was part of the reason I left the first job... I felt (at the time) that the MBA would go further at the new place. If I go back to the old job, how crappy would it be if I left again when I graduate?

mwa
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[paterson]

Personally, I would tough it out until graduation. I think it would look better if you left then with the new credentials rather than job hopping. You would also have a longer term of being a Senior Business Analyst, which I would consider a good stepping stone for where you are heading.

It seems that you have made a descision to leave the current position one way or the other. Do you think that the old company and position will help you get to where you are really headed? If so, maybe they will want your MBA and promote you further.

Good luck!


**************************************
My Biggest problem is that I almost always believe what I tell myself.

 

[JCreamerII]

Call someone at your old job ( boss,coworker,friend ) find out what's going on but don't ask about your old job. Try to pull as much info as you can without letting on your interested. See if they still need your expertize and let them make the first move. Make the call as if your just trying to keep tabs on your old friends. You can let the person your talking to know that the job you moved into isn't the job you thought it was but that your focus is on finishing your MBA. If they want & need you they will make an offer. Your looking again in the spring so keep the extra money and hold your nose for seven months if nothing happens.

Jim C.

 

[kHz]

I worked for a Fortune 500 company and a coworker left to work for a Fortune 100 company. That lasted a year and he was back at the Fortune 500 company - for a month - then left for another large company he wanted to work at.

They were not very happy and I am sure he would never be allowed to work at the Fortune 500 company ever again.

 

[kHz]

Oh, and I agree with sticking it out for 7 months till you graduate. If you already feel that way now about leaving the old company when you graduate anyway, that is just wrong. Any good feelings they have about you would evaporate I am sure.

 

[mwa]

I think I may use a combination of the suggestions: in other words plan to stay at the new job until I graduate. I do however speak to my ex-supervisor on a regular basis. I could ask him generically "How's it going?" and see what kind of response I get. In previous conversations, he has jokingly stated "So when are you coming back?" Maybe that could segue into a conversation about me really coming back.

Thanks for everyone's advice...

mwa
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[LadySlinger]

Yes, since you threw in the part about 7 months to a MBA, I definitely would stick it out...no matter how grooling it is.

Would your old job offer something that would satisfy you after you receive your MBA? Find out about that too (if you are considering going back).

 

[Fatboy0341]

Coming back with your MBA gives you the leverage to ask for a little more money.

I'm assuming you left on good terms...so maybe talk to your old supervisor and obtain a verbal agreement - ie - "I'd like to come back on X date in the role of X for X salary".

JB

PS - This is an excellent display of how leaving a company professionally and never burning bridges is a VERY good policy.



"He who laughs last probably made a backup. He who laughs loudest probably hasn't checked his backups in a while."

 

[mwa]

I feel that I did leave on VERY good terms. In fact, almost every day for the last couple of weeks that I was there, I had the "are you sure you want to leave?" conversations with my boss, his boss, and even one with the CIO. My only complaint was that they never gave me a counter-offer. The only thing they said was to hang until September and I would be the favorite (but not the gaurantee) for the promotion I mentioned earlier. That was a bit disheartening at the time, and actually helped to make it easier to leave.


mwa
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[pgmr777]

I did EXACTLY the same thing, left a good job I liked for more money, big fancy company, found out its systems were total crap, people were posers, luckily my old boss forgave me and I was able to go back, I will never leave again! Try and get your old job back..

 

[AlexCuse]

I would stick it out until graduation, and try to improve your new company's systems as much as you can while you are there. It would look nice on your resume.

Good Luck,

Alex


It's a magical time of year in Philadelphia. Eagles training camp marks the end of another brutal season of complaining about the Phillies.

 

[mikeydidit]

I think you should hang in there. If you do want to go back to your old company, talk to your old boss like Fatboy0341 said and see if you can work something out after graduation.

The worst thing that can happen is getting more experience (even if it is on older or crappy systems) and show you can handle about anything. I would let my old boss know that "Well, these systems aren’t exactly on the leading edge of technology like I was told, but I am going to make them work anyway."

Like most posters have stated, I would not look at this new employer as anything long term. This will not be the last bit of BS they throw your way.


"Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something."
(Plato)

 

[spookie]

Try to hang in there in your present job as far as you could. You have a solution in hand to go back to your old company, so use it in the extream case. As you said, if you ask for old job in previous company, they have an upper hand.
Look for some other opportunity in some other comapny which suits you.

All the best.



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I never set a goal because u never know whats going to happen tommorow.

 

[mmorancbt]

Okay, in a bit of foolery - but serious non-the-less, I wrote and performed what I call, The IT Job Seeker's Song. I was the keynote speaker for the McDonald's I/S Career Conference in Chicago last week.

On the plane over I decided I would write a song geared toward the conference but also for the IT Job Seeker. Now, post conference, I am being asked to create one with slighter better sound quality.

We shall see...

http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/pm/career/archives/the-it-job-seeker-song-performed-live-11368

Enjoy...

Matthew Moran (career blog and podcast below)
Career Advice with Attitude for the IT Pro

http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/pm/career

http://techcareerconsult.blogspot.com

 

[RichS]

Hmm... such a dilemma. mwa, in my analysis there is only one correct course of action.

First take over the company. This shouldn't take too long; if they are lying to you, they are probably lying to their customers and other employees. Next, fire the scoundrels who deceived you, but only after thoroughly ruining their reputations. Then, once you've aquired major market share buy out your old company as a way to work with your old friends again.

... well,... maybe it's an option...
Best of luck.

 

[Fatboy0341]

mwa - how are you doing? Anynews on your job situation? Still with the new company? Have things gotten better? Have you spoken to anyone at your old job lately?



"He who laughs last probably made a backup. He who laughs loudest probably hasn't checked his backups in a while."

 

[mwa]

I'm still hanging at the new job. I things things have gone from worse to worser (if that's a word). I spoke with my ex-supervisor and told him that I was unhappy at my new job and was on the market for a new job, but refrained from asking for my old job back. He immediately (and enthusiastically) asked if I would entertain the idea of returning. I said that it was a possibility, but the salary would have to be at the same level that I am getting at the new job. He said he would get back in touch with me in the coming 1 - 2 weeks. I am specualting that he is waiting for the retirement of the co-worker that I mentioned in my original post. In the meantime, I have posted on Monster and have made contact with a Head Hunter that a friend of mine used. So, the long and short, is that I'm still waiting patiently.

mwa
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