Potential Job Dealbreaker - HELP!

Rockets34Life

I apologize for the long post, but I reaaaallly need the help!

My current job I'm doing Desktop Support/Jr. Level System Administration. It's contract, so I've been searching for full time work for the past month.

I applied for a position earlier this week that has the same type of position I'm currently doing now. With that, the recruiter felt that I was a perfect fit for the position and even the IT supervisor came down to recruiter and wanted to interview me right away. I had my interview with them yesterday and everything went great in the interview. I really felt the manager and supervisor really liked me and I think I impressed them the best I can.

I'm supposed to know something today if I got the job or not, but there is one wrinkle in going forward to accept this position. The position is Help Desk/Desktop Administrator (the help desk is at expert level supporting 1500-2000 users locally and remote) and he told me as we were walking out the door that there are 4 people (including me) that will be staffed within the hours of 7am to 6pm. Now there is one person that works 7-4, me and one other person would be 8-5, and the other would be 9-6. He said the person with highest seniority (this is what got me) has the 9-6 shift. He said there is a slight possibility that he could bump me from my 8-5 shift and I would move to the 9-6 shift. I wouldn't mind this if I was single, but I have a daughter who depends on me when it comes to daycare. The daycare usually wants parents to come by 6pm to pick up their child. If I'm stuck with the 9-6 shift, I could end up paying fines for picking my daughter up late, plus making myself look bad for the daycare. Also, my wife would have to pick her up while she is working and have to wait on me while she is on the clock.....which she could do only like once or twice (she works 10:30-7pm). After he told me this, the one mistake I made was I told him I would work it out with the daycare, but I just said that because I really want this job.

I'm pretty sure they will meet my salary requirements and it's close to my home, but what do I do about the timing? Should I say that I would like the 8-5 to be permanent or ask them if there is a way I could have a 8:30-5:30/7:30-4:30 shift?

After I left, my wife ripped me a new one and I argued with her thinking to myself it would work out. Now I'm going crazy and it's been racking my brain all last night and this morning because it could screw me in the long run. My wife is accepting of the position, but she is worried more about our daughter and the daycare that she chose (she really likes this place because it has the webcam option, so she or I can watch her while at work). She would like to keep the daycare since it's close to her work.

What do I do!??!?

pitviper

If the 9-6 shift is a possibility and it doesn’t fit in with your other "life" responsibilities then I would be up front with the manager before I accepted the gig. You’re only talking about an hour, not like you are requesting to change from a full night shift to day. Let them know that on occasion you’re more than willing to help out, just can’t do it on an everyday basis.

networker050184

pitviper wrote: »

If the 9-6 shift is a possibility and it doesn’t fit in with your other "life" responsibilities then I would be up front with the manager before I accepted the gig. You’re only talking about an hour, not like you are requesting to change from a full night shift to day. Let them know that on occasion you’re more than willing to help out, just can’t do it on an everyday basis.

This would be my advice also. Let them know up front that you can't do it. I don't think one hour will be a big deal if you need to be out of there at five. Every place I've worked at has been pretty flexible with that kind of thing when it comes to kids.

Rockets34Life

I'm thinking the 9-6 shift could change at anytime (might be a quarterly thing like at my old job when I was doing help desk back in the day), depending on that guy's mood. I was told he's married, but doesn't have any kids. So in the future, he might feel the same way I am and decide to pull the rug from underneath me and I'll get screwed.

That one hour is crucial to me. It's a definite buffer for me if I have to stay late past the 8-5 shift. It would still give me time to run and pickup my daughter from daycare. If I did 9-6, I would be screwed everyday.

Bokeh

While you are waiting, I would check with the daycare and see if something could be worked out. I was in a similar situation last year, having a grandson living with me for a year. Day care closed at 615, and there were times due to the distance I had to drive to/from work, and then through bad weather on top of that, that I couldn't make that 615 cut off. They were more than willing to work with us on it, and at no extra charge. Long as you are up front with them, and know what they are willing to do, it might make taking that 9-6 position easier.

Get all your ducks in a row before having to scramble afterwards IF that is the only hours the new position can be worked at.

Rockets34Life

Bokeh, you were right. I went ahead and called the daycare. They told me the latest I can pick her up would be 6:35. So if traffic is ok around then going to pick my daughter up, then I can do it.

The only thing is in our line of work....there is a good chance of working late.

I hope it doesn't come to that.

pitviper

Rockets34Life wrote: »

Bokeh, you were right. I went ahead and called the daycare. They told me the latest I can pick her up would be 6:35. So if traffic is ok around then going to pick my daughter up, then I can do it.

The only thing is in our line of work....there is a good chance of working late.

I hope it doesn't come to that.

See if you can work the 8:30 - 5:30 shift then

ehnde

Don't take your chances. If you must, tell them you talked with the daycare and the 9 - 6pm shift will not work for you. You need to be direct about this, because your daughter and wife are more important than your job. If they still want you, they'll take one of the other three and put them on 9 - 6.

Rockets34Life

Well, I talked with the recruiter today and he said they were very impressed with me during the interview. He told me and I quote, "We thought he fit the company job description and he explained that he can do it to a T."

It looks to be an 80-90% chance I will be hired by them. But I also took your guys' advice and mentioned to him about the time issue and that if they can make my 8-5 permanent or put me as 8:30-5:30/7:30-4:30. I also told him that I would volunteer to swap with the earlier shift and 8-5, but 9-6 can't be done because of the daycare issue. I told him I don't want this miniscule detail to be the dealbreaker of my employment there.

He understood and doesn't want this to fall through either. I also had to throw in the tidbit that since I have to go on-call that I had to up my range of pay another 5K so I can get compensated for the on-call since I won't be paid. He said he will let the manager and supervisor know.

Crossing fingers.....

Turgon

Rockets34Life wrote: »

I apologize for the long post, but I reaaaallly need the help!

My current job I'm doing Desktop Support/Jr. Level System Administration. It's contract, so I've been searching for full time work for the past month.

I applied for a position earlier this week that has the same type of position I'm currently doing now. With that, the recruiter felt that I was a perfect fit for the position and even the IT supervisor came down to recruiter and wanted to interview me right away. I had my interview with them yesterday and everything went great in the interview. I really felt the manager and supervisor really liked me and I think I impressed them the best I can.

I'm supposed to know something today if I got the job or not, but there is one wrinkle in going forward to accept this position. The position is Help Desk/Desktop Administrator (the help desk is at expert level supporting 1500-2000 users locally and remote) and he told me as we were walking out the door that there are 4 people (including me) that will be staffed within the hours of 7am to 6pm. Now there is one person that works 7-4, me and one other person would be 8-5, and the other would be 9-6. He said the person with highest seniority (this is what got me) has the 9-6 shift. He said there is a slight possibility that he could bump me from my 8-5 shift and I would move to the 9-6 shift. I wouldn't mind this if I was single, but I have a daughter who depends on me when it comes to daycare. The daycare usually wants parents to come by 6pm to pick up their child. If I'm stuck with the 9-6 shift, I could end up paying fines for picking my daughter up late, plus making myself look bad for the daycare. Also, my wife would have to pick her up while she is working and have to wait on me while she is on the clock.....which she could do only like once or twice (she works 10:30-7pm). After he told me this, the one mistake I made was I told him I would work it out with the daycare, but I just said that because I really want this job.

I'm pretty sure they will meet my salary requirements and it's close to my home, but what do I do about the timing? Should I say that I would like the 8-5 to be permanent or ask them if there is a way I could have a 8:30-5:30/7:30-4:30 shift?

After I left, my wife ripped me a new one and I argued with her thinking to myself it would work out. Now I'm going crazy and it's been racking my brain all last night and this morning because it could screw me in the long run. My wife is accepting of the position, but she is worried more about our daughter and the daycare that she chose (she really likes this place because it has the webcam option, so she or I can watch her while at work). She would like to keep the daycare since it's close to her work.

What do I do!??!?

Wife and kids first. If the company want you they will work something out. If they dont you are clearly very employable and there are other companies. Companies need to learn that people have lives outside of work, and people need to learn there is more to life than work.

This whole situation is already causing you stress at home. It will be stuff to worry about constantly when you have enough on your plate just bedding into a new job. You dont want to be beating the clock constantly to pick up your kids. Traffic will make you late and stress the daycare folks who want to go home too. Parking fines? Forget it.

Offer commitment to the new company but ask for understanding on your personal situation. There will be plenty of times when the extra hour you are asking for will be given back when you are on call at short notice..

Rockets34Life

You're right, Turgon. I really hope they work with me on this matter. If something like this really small can cost the job offer, then this isn't the company for me.

Plus, my phone has been blowing up with opportunities....not to boast, but I think the market is back on it's way up.

The only challenge for me is to come up with excuses to get out of work to make it to these interviews....

joey74055

Yeah, you have to mention the working hours issue upfront, when they offer you the job. If they can't accommodate then you don't want to work there! Just think of the kind of working environment that is there if they can't even work with you on this or the type of coworkers that are there if they can't shuffle around, it may be the coworkers that are the issue and not the manager, in any case pass it up if they can't work with you on it. That would be the first red flag for me of many potential more issues on down the road. Remember, no matter what YOU are going to be the one with the least amount of seniority!

ehnde

Rockets34Life wrote: »

Plus, my phone has been blowing up with opportunities....not to boast, but I think the market is back on it's way up.

The only challenge for me is to come up with excuses to get out of work to make it to these interviews....

Are you just interviewing locally? What area do you live in?

blargoe

ehnde wrote: »

Don't take your chances. If you must, tell them you talked with the daycare and the 9 - 6pm shift will not work for you. You need to be direct about this, because your daughter and wife are more important than your job. If they still want you, they'll take one of the other three and put them on 9 - 6.

THIS. It's not a complicated situation. Either he can accommodate you, or you will not be able to take the job. Just be up front with him.

-b

Rockets34Life

Just interviewing locally and I'm in the Dallas area.

blargoe and ehnde, I told them last Thursday about the daycare situation and the timing. I'm assuming they will work with me because I'm scheduled to meet with the VP of IT tomorrow. The IT manager and supervisor told the recruiter to tell me that the meet with her is "getting her blessing for the hire".....

I know they want me for the position, but I hope they meet my standards on the daycare and my asking compensation. If they do, then it's bye-bye to this damn contract job and hello again full-time perm!

Bokeh

Will keep my fingers crossed for you. I used to live in your area back in the late 90s, IT was very good back then. Hope the market is picking up.

MrAgent

Any updates?

Rockets34Life

Will have my meeting with VP of IT on Tuesday. Should be easy since it's just formality according to the recruiter for me to meet her.

From what they told me on my interview on Thursday, the person I'm replacing has left, so I'm guessing they need someone fast so there is no hiccup in their operation.

Hopefully I can hear something this week so I can give my 2 weeks in or...

Do I need to give 2 weeks since I'm contract?
Or can I just say peace out and leave?
And do I need to notify the agency first or the employer?

Could someone answer these questions for me?

Bokeh

I wouldn't burn any bridges. Is this job through the same recruiter who got you on contract? I would check your paperwork and see what the policy is for early termination. There may not be one, and once you tell your current employer and give them notice they may just escort you to the door that day.

To the employer - your a body doing a required job.
To the recruiter who has you on contract - Your $$ in his pocket as he gets a cut of your billing hours charged.

Id check the paperwork first, if it doesn't state anything AND you have a firm offer in B&W, then I would notify the current employer first.

Rockets34Life

I'll check the paperwork on what the policy is with my agency. The job I'm going for is through their company recruiter....thank God.

Personally, I don't give a crap about this company or my agency. Both of them don't really give a crap about me. You're right on about the employer and recruiter.

So you're saying I should notify my current employer 1st and the agency 2nd?

ehnde

Be aware that when you give your current employer notice of intent to quit that they may decide to fire you on the spot.

Turgon

Rockets34Life wrote: »

I'll check the paperwork on what the policy is with my agency. The job I'm going for is through their company recruiter....thank God.

Personally, I don't give a crap about this company or my agency. Both of them don't really give a crap about me. You're right on about the employer and recruiter.

So you're saying I should notify my current employer 1st and the agency 2nd?

Exit the job you have gracefully. You dont know how this next gig will work out and it pays to leave the last one on decent terms in case you need them to vouch for you in the future. The more time you put in at the new place and the better you do, the more of a diminishing currency the last lot become in the referral stakes, but still..

Check the exit policy on your contract. Assuming you get hired at the new shop explain to them the exit policy in your current gig and that you will get back to them the same day with how long they need to wait for you. They will wait and it's important they see that you are determined to leave professionally. If the contract people just let you go then at least you offered the mandatory weeks notice or whatever the contract has on you.

tbgree00

When I left a contract to accept another position I called the person at my new job to accept the offer, then the rep at the contract agency, told him I had accepted something else and talked to him about the why and where. Then I finally called my supervisor at the location and told him and explained myself again. Despite not liking that position at all I gave two weeks and worked hard to make them want me back. Don't be unprofessional and don't burn any bridges.

To add an exclaimation point the recruiter and my previous supervisor called me last week to offer me the contract back if I wanted it. I thought that was pretty awesome.

Rockets34Life

Well, received an email last night that there was a scheduling conflict and she won't be able to meet with me this afternoon.

Hoping it's just a scheduling conflict and their minds haven't changed....

Turgon

Rockets34Life wrote: »

Well, received an email last night that there was a scheduling conflict and she won't be able to meet with me this afternoon.

Hoping it's just a scheduling conflict and their minds haven't changed....

She will rearrange, but it's just another example of why you say nothing to your current employer until you have the contract for the new gig in your pocket..

WillTech105

The "higher" I go in the corp world and see how people and management reallty work, this shouldnt be a problem to do.

If its only a matter of an hour, its not a big deal unless there is no one else to cover the phones or the dept needs someone in the office, ect. Hours are not set in stone, especially in IT.

Go for it, ask -- I've done this plenty of times and I usually get favorable results. Nothing wrong with needing to pickup your kids, its not like its "strange" for somone to have a daughter to pickup from daycare -- people have kids -- its NORMAL They should understand.

Rockets34Life

Luckily on Monday I didn't say squat about wanting to leave on Tuesday. Definitely will get the job in my pocket before I let my agency and employer know of my 2 weeks....

But this morning, I'm feeling kind of anxious to call the recruiter and ask for a status of day/time to meet with the VP. Do you think because I brought up the daycare adjustment and bump in pay because of on-call that they are now wanting me to sweat? Just for grins, I checked their site again to see if the position I applied for was posted back, but don't see it.....so I'm a little relieved.

I think someone should just slap me hard in the face so I can be patient and wait it out this week....

howiehandles

Rockets34Life wrote: »

Luckily on Monday I didn't say squat about wanting to leave on Tuesday. Definitely will get the job in my pocket before I let my agency and employer know of my 2 weeks....

But this morning, I'm feeling kind of anxious to call the recruiter and ask for a status of day/time to meet with the VP. Do you think because I brought up the daycare adjustment and bump in pay because of on-call that they are now wanting me to sweat? Just for grins, I checked their site again to see if the position I applied for was posted back, but don't see it.....so I'm a little relieved.

I think someone should just slap me hard in the face so I can be patient and wait it out this week....

Be patient. Sometimes the decision makers get caught up in other things. If they changed their minds, the recruiter would let you know. They want to see you get the job almost as much as you want it. You're always better being up front before you accept the job, especially when it comes to your kids, as most of the people who work for can empathize.

Rockets34Life

Update:

I received an offer from the company I interviewed with and I accepted! Pay was a little lower than I expected and I think daycare won't be an issue when I talked with the supervisor, but I'm ready to get out of my current hellhole and be back to full-time again! Just have to go through filling out their application, drug test, background check, etc.

Since I'm contract, if I give my current hellhole 2 weeks, I'm pretty sure either they will let me work out the 2 weeks, maybe cut it down to 1 week, or cut me after I mention I'm leaving. I talked with my new employer of that situation and they were actually wanting me to work right away with them, but they thought I was full-time. So they are ready to bring me on as soon as possible!

Now TechExams folks, this is where I need you. Since I have to wait on paperwork, background check, etc. to go through, the recruiter put me down for a tentative date of 5/2/11. I might start maybe past that....just depends. I was going to work til' the last day and when the time I normally suppose to leave, let them know that this is my last day and I'm starting work elsewhere the next day. With this current hellhole, I'm going to miss the employees that work here, the server team and networking team, but defintely not my desktop team and the director.

Oh, and also, when should I let my agency know? I didn't care much about them except getting my paycheck from them. They didn't give a damn about me except I was their moneymaker a.k.a prostitute....

So how would you do it?

Turgon

Rockets34Life wrote: »

Update:

I received an offer from the company I interviewed with and I accepted! Pay was a little lower than I expected and I think daycare won't be an issue when I talked with the supervisor, but I'm ready to get out of my current hellhole and be back to full-time again! Just have to go through filling out their application, drug test, background check, etc.

Since I'm contract, if I give my current hellhole 2 weeks, I'm pretty sure either they will let me work out the 2 weeks, maybe cut it down to 1 week, or cut me after I mention I'm leaving. I talked with my new employer of that situation and they were actually wanting me to work right away with them, but they thought I was full-time. So they are ready to bring me on as soon as possible!

Now TechExams folks, this is where I need you. Since I have to wait on paperwork, background check, etc. to go through, the recruiter put me down for a tentative date of 5/2/11. I might start maybe past that....just depends. I was going to work til' the last day and when the time I normally suppose to leave, let them know that this is my last day and I'm starting work elsewhere the next day. With this current hellhole, I'm going to miss the employees that work here, the server team and networking team, but defintely not my desktop team and the director.

Oh, and also, when should I let my agency know? I didn't care much about them except getting my paycheck from them. They didn't give a damn about me except I was their moneymaker a.k.a prostitute....

So how would you do it?

Im not sure I understand what you are asking. If you have the offer confirmed from the new employer and nothing will prevent you from taking up that position then give your current employer 2 weeks notice and see what they want to do. If they let you go early then inform the new company and offer yourself as available to start immediately if that is what you want to do.

I do not advise that you work two weeks and then on a Friday tell them you will not be back the following week. If the new job doesn't work out you will want to have left your current employer on good terms. Always exit a job professionally.

Congratulations on the offer!

Bokeh

Personally, I wouldn't say jack to anyone till all your paperwork is back and all is in the clear.

I had a buddy who lost a job over his credit report. He accepted his new job, told the old job he was out of there. Thought he would have a nice two weeks off before starting the new job.

Well ....... HR called him, they rescinded the offer. Seems corp policy is no one gets hired unless they have less than 5k in debt showing up. Just bought a new car? Sorry. Getting a new house? Yep, but no. He and his wife had just bought a new car, and had been in their house for over 5 years. It was a family run company, and it was their policy for new hires.

Took him another two months to find something better.

Youve come this far, just hang in for the final stretch.