Thinking of changing jobs

[trblshuter]

Need some feedback. I’m considering changing employers. This is a big decision for me and some of you may have a viewpoint I'm not considering. Please understand that I feel very lucky to be confronted with this situation as I know that there are a lot of people out there who would love to be in my shoes.

Here’s the situation. Current job: Fortune 500 company. Union job. Pay after 4 years - $26 and change. Great benefits – medical, prescription, dental, great working environment. All dayshift with a little overtime. Probably the best job I’ll ever find! Problem is the division needs to cut operating expenses by 25%. Layoffs are unavoidable. I am somewhere around 16 spots from the bottom by seniority. As long as Management doesn’t eliminate any jobs in my trade I’m safe because no one on site is qualified to bid into my position. On the other hand, if any HVAC jobs go, I’m out because I have no seniority to bid anywhere else. Odds are I’m out, although nothing is definite. Management is very tight lipped until the last minute and they have given a very broad timeline for the changes.

Another opportunity has presented itself. Different Fortune 500 company. Union job. Starting pay $21 and change. Benefits are comparable. Closer to home, 20 minute ride compared to 50 minutes. Probably the 2nd best job I’ll ever find! Problem is this one is primarily 3rd shift with possibility of some rotation and plenty of overtime. (Problem is I’m a single parent of a 13 year old.)

Here’s my question. Do I jump the gun and leave the best job ever for a shorter commute and peace of mind about job security, or do I pass up the 2nd best job ever and ride it out hoping I don’t get laid off ?

[anxiousjonny]

these two jobs aren't in the same local are they?

[trblshuter]

No. Totally different unions.

[anxiousjonny]

if you're being paid $26+ then you're probably worth $26+. dont sell yourself too short.

[trblshuter]

Thanks. The drop in pay isn't a real big deal. Problem is jobs of this type and caliber are very rare in my area. Lots of service jobs that pay $16 - $18 with lousy benefits. My biggest worry is that I'll try and stick it out, end up laid off and have to go back to all the grief of a service job, runing my a** off at all hours, never knowing when i'll get home, etc. etc.

[merken1]

I'd go to my supervisior and let himn know that I have the ability to change jobs. Ask him to advise you on the possibility of you being laid off.
If they are planning on letting you go he will probably tell you to take the other job. All managers are not bad guys and he might be relieved to let you handle the situation.
Down side is that with the new company you will be at the bottom of the list.

The main thing is not to ask a question if you don't aren't prepared to deal with the answer

[coldspot]

Be Prepared, you know what you have, and you have to have some cash reserve, to maintain the bumps of the worst case scenario to come "if" and thats a small If! I had job for four years same kind of deal and money, the company was unappreciative and the pay was stagnating of a dollar a year, and the work load was too heavy and the co-help was not a team effort or concerned anything would effect us working longer hours, or after hours and weeknights and weekends, the pay was about 20 an hour, everything was for the convienance of the dept heads, and not the better of the hotels and casino's, I worked for five dollars an hour more instantly, then found out that I was back in the same boat as before , finding a home to hang my hat again! Financial stability, thats hard to find, what company you can deal with? co-workers and good money?, I went from an ex alcoholic boss, that blew money like no tommorow and blamed me for his lazinessmistakes and unproffesionalism and bad habits to the customers, and then laid me off, then I went to a bigger company that was in another city full of hot shot techs that were just bump-n-go techs the majority, and the good ones were counted on one hand, But the new guy gets to prove himself all over again, because youre the new guy! and I was doing more call backs from the bump-n-go crew, and getting complaints like youre the fifth guy thats been here, you think you can fix it right this time, and it was my first time getting there! lmao! I was let go there! lmao, moral of the story , grass is always greener, but when opportunity presents itself, jump when it feels right cause they will can you just as you will them, and when you dont feel right with the same company anymore, you can pick up the vibes in certain situations that are tell-tale signs of how the boss acts towards you, they become distant with you, and dont really listen to you when you talk to them, unless it is soley in their favor of helping them, and they cant remember you working a 60 hr work week for them and this isnt billable hours either! now i am mgr-hvacr, and had two other mediocre offers to run myself to death for two others to restart businesses that were run into the ground, on poor business ideas of taking advantage of their customers and techs... do the math...

[Edited by coldspot on 02-23-2005 at 01:17 AM]