Need opinions on possible new job offer.

pcgizzmo

This may be a little long but I'm hoping to get some input on my

I've worked for my current company over 12 years. We have a new CEO and CIO. My old boss is gone and we are short handed. There is no upward movement here and IT is looked upon now as a necessary evil and like we are the bad guys.

I have an opportunity to go to work for a larger company. My current company has about 600 employees and is known only in their industry and the new company has about 40,000 and is international although not known to everyone is probably more well known.

I've been on multiple interviews and actually got turned down for the job but now two people have gotten let go and my old boss is in a position to hire me. I have concerns because the people I would be working with are some of the people that had concerns about me before my old boss became their boss. I am also concerned because even though this company is large their IT resources are strained and don't seem to have the man power or IT budget they need for such a large company.

In my mind the positives are that I've worked for my current medium size company now for a while and probably need to make a move just for resume sake. The larger company would look good on my resume I believe. The move would be lateral but would probably include a small bump in pay $3 - $4k but not much more because my salary is already at the top of the range for what I do.

I'm conflicted because of the other things about the company I wrote above. Mostly having to work with employees that saw something that didn't they like about me in their interview with me and the fact that I might be jumping into an overworked IT dept. My relationship with my old boss was good but I questioned his decisions on things sometimes. Part of me say's if make the jump to a more prominent company it would really help my resume out and if I went and it didn't work out I could still stick it out for a year or two then move to something else using this as a spring board.

Please give me your thoughts. Thanks!

AwesomeGarrett

What do you currently specialize in within IT?

stryder144

I am going to focus on the new company in this response. Let me recap in my own words. If I misunderstand a point, let me know.

1. You interviewed for a position with Company X.
2. You were not selected for the position with Company X.
3. Your old boss, from the company you work for now, Company Y, is now the boss of the people you interviewed with at Company X.
4. Your old boss, now a boss at Company X where you interviewed at, wants to hire you to work for Company X.
5. You are concerned that the people who interviewed you did not like you or saw something in you that they didn't like, thus the reason for them not hiring you.

If any of the five points is wrong or not completely accurate, please let me know. Now, I have a question for you:

Did they provide any feedback about why you were not given an offer of employment?

If they did, I would bring that up with your old boss. Maybe he can provide some insight as to their line of thinking. If they didn't, then I wouldn't be too concerned at all. Here is why: you went on multiple interviews...so they had to like you to some extent and you must have had the skills and experience they were looking for. Otherwise, they wouldn't have wasted their time. Consider this as a possible reason why no offer was made: they probably had dozens, if not hundreds, of applicants. Essentially, you were one among many. It is quite possible that the person who did get the offer had something they were looking for that tipped the scales in his/her favor. As such, that doesn't mean that they didn't like you or that they didn't want you on their team. It was likely just a business decision, nothing personal.

Honestly, the only concern I'd have is if the technologies I'd touch and the experience I'd gain through working for that overworked IT department would offset the stress that I would have to endure. If it is worth it to you, then go for it. If not, maybe look for another opportunity somewhere else.

pcgizzmo

AwesomeGarrett wrote: »

What do you currently specialize in within IT?

Network and Systems Admin

pcgizzmo

stryder144 wrote: »

I am going to focus on the new company in this response. Let me recap in my own words. If I misunderstand a point, let me know.

1. You interviewed for a position with Company X.
2. You were not selected for the position with Company X.
3. Your old boss, from the company you work for now, Company Y, is now the boss of the people you interviewed with at Company X.
4. Your old boss, now a boss at Company X where you interviewed at, wants to hire you to work for Company X.
5. You are concerned that the people who interviewed you did not like you or saw something in you that they didn't like, thus the reason for them not hiring you.

If any of the five points is wrong or not completely accurate, please let me know. Now, I have a question for you:

Did they provide any feedback about why you were not given an offer of employment?

If they did, I would bring that up with your old boss. Maybe he can provide some insight as to their line of thinking. If they didn't, then I wouldn't be too concerned at all. Here is why: you went on multiple interviews...so they had to like you to some extent and you must have had the skills and experience they were looking for. Otherwise, they wouldn't have wasted their time. Consider this as a possible reason why no offer was made: they probably had dozens, if not hundreds, of applicants. Essentially, you were one among many. It is quite possible that the person who did get the offer had something they were looking for that tipped the scales in his/her favor. As such, that doesn't mean that they didn't like you or that they didn't want you on their team. It was likely just a business decision, nothing personal.

Honestly, the only concern I'd have is if the technologies I'd touch and the experience I'd gain through working for that overworked IT department would offset the stress that I would have to endure. If it is worth it to you, then go for it. If not, maybe look for another opportunity somewhere else.

Thanks for the reply. You summarzied it perfectly. I appreciate the input and what you said makes sense.

They only feedback I got was that I didn't answer some of the question they asked like they wanted. They were looking for some very specialized information I know from some of the questions that I could not answer exactly on VMWare but I generalized some of my answers. I had an idea but not the exact answer.

I do a lot of everything but I am not a master of anything where I currently work. So, I work with VMWare and I am the only admin here that has set it up and configured it. I don't however work only with it daily so I know there are things that I may not know about it and I think those are the questions that I fell short on in the interview. Thanks again.

stryder144

In that case, if you really want to work for them I'd say take it!

Cyberscum

There have been many that like/dislike me. In the end you have to do what is good for you. Who cares if someone does not like you for whatever reason, you are not there to make people like you, you are there to make money. Do what makes the most money in the shortest amount of time and who knows you might be everyone’s boss one day.

techfiend

Sounds like you want to move up but chasing the same position with a different company you have some real concerns with. What about applying for that upward position with other companies while sticking with your current company? That's what I would do.

dave330i

Based on your history with company X, I think you'll be better off applying to company Z.

wgroom

The salary bump is not that great, so that is not a reason to jump. How much vacation, retirement savings (company matched), and other "perks" would you lose if you left your current position? How is the commute, current vs. prospective? These are questions I would be asking before making a decision.

Heero

Plus, even if they don't like you, you still have the boss on your side

Russell77

I have been on the other side of the coin when a boss brought in someone who used to work for him at another place. It was very tough on that guy because, 1) he was new, 2) We did not know what feedback he was giving the new boss, 3) The new boss did give him some favorable treatment 4) The new guy was not all that driven to help us out when we needed it. The new boss left after a few years and that kind of left the new guy out in the cold. When layoffs came he was the first to go. If you do take the position keep in mind until proven otherwise you will be looked upon with that baggage. It will take awhile to overcome some of that but it can be done. Be a good co-worker and tread lightly around the existing staff.

pinkydapimp

take the job and if it doesnt work jump in a year. In the meantime get some new certs so when/if you jump in a year or two you can get a bigger raise or into a better role.