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Is it time to move on?

I am happy about my present job.
-my boss likes me and is my advocate in the company
-the business is stable.
-I plan to pick up new skils, make a positive difference in next 6 months and get increase in a pay next year.

What will make me unhappy in a near future:
-I am 45
-after one year there will not be opportunities to grow and develop as a business analyst.
-by repeating my experience for 5 years, I will reach the top of my pay range. I am headed nowhere at the small company.

On the other hand fortune 30 company offers:
-much jucier offer to work in a cubicle maze and babysit the database.
-I am confident that I will perform well, build good relationships with peers(who are 10+ with the company) and boss.
-40-50 workweeks.
-extra money would give me ability to travel more.

OB

Mark's picture
Admin Role Badge

OB-

Key lesson: it's only time to move on when either:

A: you're terrilby unhappy and anything would be better, or
B: you know what you're leaving for, and can compare apples to apples.

Since A is not true, the only reason to leave would be that you KNOW what you're leaving for.

Which means: [i]it may not be time to move, but it's [b]certainly[/b] time to look, to interview, to get an offer, and to compare apples.[/i]
Simple.

Mark

obulay's picture

Thanks Mark,

I got an offer and trying to compare.

Money
A - as an average american. I 'll hit the ceiling in 5 years
B - +20%. I 'll hit the ceiling in 15 years. Excited to be able to travel.

Boss.
A - a great boss, likes me
B - looks good, 30 years with the company, subordinate call them as one of the easyiest to work with.

The job content
A. can shape my duities, expand my job as analyst to other departments in a company.
B. Baby-sit database. Not too exciting, but i like it.

The business
A-stable.
B - Fortune 30 company with low margin, 8%. It used to be 5%. It adds to the stress level as management could start outsourcing. Development is done partially in Bangalore. I've never worked for corporations.

Management opportunity
A - none
B - limited.

Proffessional Development
A. In the next 6 months I plan to pick up new modelling skils on my own.
B. In the next 6 months I plan to pick up all new skils that needed to do the job.

Office
A - private.
B - cube.

I am loosing good boss, stable job and private office for the money and to avoid hitting the ceiling in 5 years.

OB

Mark's picture
Admin Role Badge

OB-

Well, I wouldn't call it a slam dunk, because you've never worked for a (big) company, and you're losing a great boss (this is ALWAYS underrated!).

That said, my antenna tell me you've already decided. And that's great! Now, just make sure you leave your present employer with plenty of notice - follow our resigning cast.

Good luck, and we look forward to hearing how things go.

Mark

obulay's picture

Hi Mark,

I haven't decided yet. I don't know how to best compare the options and what most important questions to ask.

OB

fcch's picture

OB,

The grass may be [color=green]greener[/color], ... it all depends on several things.

This new employer has come to offer you a position, so obviously, you know what you're doing around a db.

I switched from a small private company to the "corporate" side a while ago too. The difference can be startling (in good and not so good ways).

imho, a question to ask is What is the role of the IT group in this other company? How do they see themselves in the "big company picture"? How are they "perceived" by other departments.?

This could help to figure out if IT over there is just a necessary evil, or a truly functional part of the company.

How do they support the end user? How do they target, develop and implant new initiatives?

Through my experience, these little questions can give you a feeling for the real business philosophy of the prospective employer.

Another question to ask yourself, ... Given that you'll be babysitting the db for a while, ... Will you be able to keep up your motivation through that period? Will you have the latitude to explore new opportunities, prospective projects, training (including mgnt training) during this time?

Finally, "Corporations" have a bad name as big, cold, impersonal structures. ... imho, this is true in some cases, false in others. I've been in small businesses with worse philosiphies than some companies with +10,000 employees.

Good luck, ... you seem to be at a turning point in your career. An exciting time.