Keep my job or not?

Hey all, I've lurked for awhile but never posted here, but I think you guys are the right crowd to give me an opinion on this stuff-

I’ll try and keep this as brief as possible.
Right now I’m working as a Clinic Manager at an eye care practice, have been here for 3 months.
I just received a job offer from my past place of employment, an ISP, asking me to come back. I’m not sure if I should.
I worked at the ISP (local/regional, not one of the big guys) for two years and generally enjoyed my job. A mixture of level 2 technical support and other things related to telephony (provisioning, dispatching, etc.). The problem was, the pay was low and never increased despite my always being at the top of my department. After asking for 6 months for a raise and not getting one, I left to take on the job I’m at now.

So, the current job is OK, pay is better, but I just don’t care for eye care. It’s boring to me. I’m much more interested in IT. The job isn’t bad- Air conditioned, no heavy lifting, pretty easy work (mostly supervising optical techs and helping with testing), but I'm just not inspired here.

Now my old company is asking me to come back and would give a raise in the process, but still wouldn’t match where I’m at now. I’d basically be taking a 15% cut in pay to go back to the ISP.

Long term, I’m more interested in getting Cisco certified and pursuing a career in networking.

So I guess my question is- What should I do? Take a pay cut but go back to a job I like more, or stay where I’m at now?

My fear is, if I stay where I am now, 2-3 years down the road I’ll have a hard time getting a job in IT because employers will ask “Why did you leave an ISP to go work in medical management?”... totally different field. Is that going to hurt my prospects in the future?

Thanks for your input...

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Comments

Zartanasaurus

Tell them to match what you make now. If they say no, take the job anyway.

bigmantenor

Zartanasaurus wrote: »

Tell them to match what you make now. If they say no, take the job anyway.

I lol'd at this, but I agree with you.

afcyung

Why not tell them what it will cost to get your back, you hold all the cards. They came looking for you. I wouldnt do it for less than what you are making now and honestly I wouldn't go back unless they paid me more.

Devilsbane

Zartanasaurus wrote: »

Tell them to match what you make now. If they say no, take the job anyway.

I'd ask them to match, and if not decline. The rejection might make them submit a new offer. And if not... find a new job. You don't need to be stuck at an eye care place just because that 1 job isn't paying enough. Find a new job in IT at a company that will pay you what you want.

muzzyisme

Thanks for the advice guys. I already did ask them to match, when I left the company. After asking for a raise for a long time, I finally confronted them when I got my new job offer and asked them to match it. They wouldn't budge.

They're asking me back because they got a slight increase in budget, but as I said, still would be a 15% step down from where I'm at now (and about a 15% step up from what I was at originally).

My immediate supervisor and manager at said ISP like me and are good guys, I know they're trying, but upper management has a tight leash on them.

So, ya, I'm not a huge fan of the company, I'm just afraid I'll be voluntarily sabotaging my resumé by staying in this management position at the eye care practice...

Though, with some clever wording, I could incorporate it into my resumé... I *am* responsible for day to day IT operations and managing our Win2k3 server, and some of the stuff that goes along with networking in healthcare (HIPAA). It's a small practice though and a far cry from real a "real" IT position, though.

Devilsbane

muzzyisme wrote: »

So, ya, I'm not a huge fan of the company, I'm just afraid I'll be voluntarily sabotaging my resumé by staying in this management position at the eye care practice...

You could argue that you are sabotaging it by going back too. You worked there for (I thought you said 3 years, but going back I see that I made that up). How long did you work there? Chances are that if you were asking for a raise for 6 months than you spent some time there already. Is there anything else you can learn there? If you want to have an outstanding resume then going from Job A to Job B and then back to Job A 6 months later isn't the way to get there.

I can't see myself to take a 15% pay cut, especially considering that you already know that they won't be giving you a raise anytime soon. You will be destined to making that smaller salary until you decide to move on.

muzzyisme

Devilsbane wrote: »

You could argue that you are sabotaging it by going back too. You worked there for (I thought you said 3 years, but going back I see that I made that up). How long did you work there? Chances are that if you were asking for a raise for 6 months than you spent some time there already. Is there anything else you can learn there? If you want to have an outstanding resume then going from Job A to Job B and then back to Job A 6 months later isn't the way to get there.

I can't see myself to take a 15% pay cut, especially considering that you already know that they won't be giving you a raise anytime soon. You will be destined to making that smaller salary until you decide to move on.

I was there 2 years. Not to bore with details, but I was basically hired on as a level 1, very entry level position. After a year on the job, there were major changes in the company, layoffs and being that I was the tech who had the best performance, I was one of two who were kept (out of an original 9 techs). Of course, by then I was doing way way more than my original job description. I understand budgets are tight, hence the layoffs, but I would have liked to see even a small increase to coincide with my increased responsibilities and proven performance.

Thanks for your advice... that makes sense. I think I'm going to politely turn down their offer, bust my ass studying and getting certs and keep looking for another job.