Hey all, some of you may remember a while back I made a post about me being a truck driver and not being able to figure out what I really wanted to do. Well, one thing I decided was to stick with driving for now and find a job that I enjoyed more. I finally found one... it pays pretty well, it's not back breaking work, and the people are all good to work with. I like the specific field I'm working in now... here's my delimna though.

I have a very shaky job history. I knew this would be a problem when trying to get on with a good company, but I managed to sell myself to this particular company. I've been there one month and it's going great. I've been presented with what may be an opportunity to go to another company that does the same type of work. This other company would pay about $20k more per year and has much better benefits than where I'm at. But, I feel like I owe the company I'm with now for giving me the chance at the job.

One the positions for this other job are filled it may be a while before I have the opportunity again. They don't hire often. Most of the people who work there that I've talked to applied for years before finally getting hired.

So if you were in this position, would you stick with the company who gave you a chance, or would you take the better job with better pay and benefits?

I can appreciate your loyalty to your company. I would like to ask if you think your company is loyal to you?

Loyalty is a two-way street, and in today's economy there's a good chance that you could lose either of these jobs. I tend to believe that if a better opportunity comes along one should take it. If you'd like to remain loyal to your current company you could ask if they could match or beat the new offer.

Give it a lot of thought, and how each job meets your needs and the needs of your family. Is the extra money worth it if the boss is a jerk? I don't know your age, but if there's a lot of stress or hard work do you want to do this at your age? etc. In the end, whatever you chose, try to stick with it for a few years. There's not a huge expectation that people will stay with their company for their lifetime anymore, but managers do want to know that you won't be skipping off someplace else just as soon as they've got you trained to do things "their way".

Take the job. Go back to your existing employer and explain. Say that you aren't trying to put them in a tough position, but that you have to think of your financial security (or your family or whatever) and that you can't afford to turn down this offer. Apologize. They're human. They should understand. If they feel bad, they can pay you more!

I once hired a truck driver for $12 an hour. I knew this wasn't much, but that was the budge we had. A few weeks later, the guy told me he had an other for $23/hr plus benefits. I was happy for him. I knew he had a baby and that this was a more livable income. I was only able to offer an entry-level position and I knew he was up to the higher-paying job. I harboured no ill thoughts!

I expect rather then feeling like you owe the company, you probably feel like you owe the person who hired you because they gave you that shot. I expect that since they're clearly a rational and thoughtful human being (they did give you the job after all) that they'll understand that you're jumping ship for 20k/year and better benefits. If you want to make it up to them for giving you a shot, get that person or people responsible for hiring you a nice gift. Then 6 months down the road, get them another nice gift. You can also give them the opportunity to match your other offer after you've locked up the other position. I've seen people try to renegotiate before they've secured the other job before and if they don't get the other position they just tend to poison their working environment.

I would make absolutely sure that the $20k job is locked up... that is don't leave this one if there is a possibility that this offer disappears. You would be in a really tough spot then. Make sure you have it in writing, and it is an absolute lock that you will be going on with them.

Like some have said, loyalty is a two way street. You might even consider doing a longer than 2 week notice, offer to train your replacement, etc. Whatever you do, make sure not to burn any bridges.

Thanks for all the advice so far. I want to add a few things. The company I'm with is pretty much throwing free money at me right now. They pay a lot during the training process. I'm actually making more than the guy who is training me who has been there 4 years because of the signing bonus I'm getting. So if I were to take the other job they wouldn't let me give a 2 weeks notice if I wanted to. And they don't allow you to train new people until you've been with the company for atleast 2 years.

Here is the other thing. The only reason why I'm hesitant to go check into the other company is because I really had to talk my way into this job. They didn't want to hire me because of my work history, but I convinced them and promised they wouldn't regret it if they gave me a chance.

So it's more of a moral delimna for me. I know the other job is better, but it's just that I promised these people that I would come through for them.

I'm still battling back and forth with it. Feel free to leave any more suggestions.

wage/salary per year + benefits package + number of people who actually *have gotten raises* since starting - amount and length of layoffs per year - time away from family

Will this company regret hiring you?

How will this impact on your future hireability?

Would it be good for your own development to stick a job out for a while? (if you have a history of flitting from job to job, it may be beneficial to prove to yourself that you can stay in one place)

How guaranteed is this new job? It sounds like it's only a maybe thing anyway. If it doesn't get back to your current company, then there's no harm in exploring it, but don't jack in the one that you have. Why won't your work history so far plus quitting shortly after starting your current job stop you getting this new job?

I think this depends on what your work history actually is, and how honest you can be about it.

It sounds like I'm in favour of you staying, but I'm really in favour of you being honest with yourself about how you got here, and where you want to go. If you know yourself, it becomes easier (not necessarily easy).

The new job is there for the taking. Not staying where I'm at now will not hurt me with these people. They specifically want me because I've been through my current company's training and they do the exact same work. I did actually go there to talk to someone today and they want me to come back tomorrow. They said plan on being there for 2-3 hours (that's how long it takes to get all their new hire paperwork done).

The current company is making the decision easier. This is the 2nd week in a row that $500 that was short from a previous check was supposed to be paid to me and wasn't. The guy who is training me tells me it's a regular thing with new people.

Sounds like they're making your decision for you.

Yeah. Don't put up with not getting paid. That's some crap.

Shakespeare got to get paid, son.
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You got a signing bonus. Was there any agreement that it would be paid back if you didn't work for x amount of time? I worked for a research lab once that paid me a nice signing bonus. One of the stipulations was if I left before 18 months I'd have to pay it back.

If the new company wants you for training you received at the current company, then they're obviously in the same line of work. Did you sign any proprietary information agreements that might expose you to legal action from your current company by leaving for a competitor? I.e., you've just been trained on widget y and the new company is working on a competing widget z from which they'd benefit from your training.

regards,
Zulu

As far as the signing bonus goes... it's going to be $2,000 total. I received $500 on my first check. I get $500 once I'm certified, $500 after 3 months, and the last $500 after 6 months. There was nothing saying I had to pay it back if I were to leave.

I had a talk with my boss about my money. I told him that I was very aggravated with the situation and that I was talking to another company that has been recruiting me. He assured me it would never happen again and had me a check over-nighted for what I was owed.

After a lot of thinking I have decided to stick it out with my current company. I know the other company will be hiring thru the end of 2009 so if I have a change or heart later I can make the move.

The spread in pay was not as big as the people who were trying to recruit me made it out to be (other drivers for that company who get a big bonus if they bring new drivers in). They do make more, but nothing like they'd said.

I am grateful to the company I'm with for giving me the shot at the job when I didn't think anybody would. I hope I'm making the right decision.

Darn, stay at one job or go to another that made you an offer? Granted, neither one offers gold-plated incentive packages, but from your initial post, you explained that you had to work really hard to get your foot in the door.

Shaun, you have a really great problem. I wish your problem on my poor neighbor! Instead of being stuck between a rock and a hard place, you are stuck having to choose between two vying companies who want YOU.

This is a position of power; take pride and enjoy it.



This is the right decision. Trust your instincts. Good luck!

If I were in your shoes, I'd go for the other company. I know, loyalty is hard to break, but its already an opportunity for you, oppportunities seldom comes you know. Go take it.