To stay or not to stay...

Hey guys,

I have a very important choice to make before tomorrow morning and I dont' know what to do.

To make it short, I have a been a temp at my current job for little over a year. My contract which had been renewed several times before was suppose to run out this month so I was looking for something else. I got a call today from one of my recruiters that said I was hired for 6 months contract-to-hire for one of the jobs I interviewed for recently. They wanted me to start on Monday and asked if I could come in tomorrow to fill out some paperwork. I went to my boss and told him what happened and asked if I could stay with them as a permanent employee. He then went to management, came back 10 minutes later and said that I could stay with them for additional 6 months. As to regards to being hired with the company in the future he said that if they were looking I'd be a top candidate but as of right now there are no open seats available.

What should I do? I'm suppose to let the temp agency know tomorrow morning what my decision is.

Please help!

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ULWiz

i would stick with my current job. What if the new one turns out to be worse.

Paul Boz

Stick with your current job. Having 1 year of experience at one place is better than six months of experience at two places. Besides, if your boss is truly being candid when he says that you're #1 for being brought on, you may have a shot depending on what kind of churn exists in your environment.

slideoff

definitely stay with your current job... they know you.. they like you (hence is why they keep extending you)... Probably just have to wait till the next year's budget gets sorted out. Good Luck and keep doing your best! It will all pay off in one way or another!

human151

Leave.

If they liked you that much they would make your permanent. They dangle that in front of you and it gives you hope. They know this which is why they do it. They obviously need to position you fill but they are obviously greedy and wish to save $$$.

We had a guy @ my work who was a temp and was getting paid more than 1/3 less than what the average was for the permanents....and he was better at the job then all of them. If we as I.T People keep letting them do this to us then they will.

What other industry is relied on as much as I.T. in a comparable manner? Do they hire the accountants on contract? How about the HR people? What other department?

Dont let them continue to dangle the carrot in front of you. If they really liked you then when you tell them your leaving in the hopes of finding something permant, they will magically find a seat. If not, you'll be no worse off.

mikej412

In your other thread you said you don't like being a temp.

Did this Temp-to-Hire job you interviewed for sound like what you were looking for -- assuming that they do bring you on permanent in 6 months? Is it a move up? Is it more money? Better Benefits? Chance for advancement?

coffeeking

Stay....from what you say, things look better at your current job. You never know how the other one is going to turn out. It is easier to deal with something you already have experience dealing with than to deal with something new.

tpatt100

I have never been contract to hire I would work on your self confidence first. You might be giving off vibes that you can be pushed around IMO.

MeanDrunkR2D2

Honestly... Leave.

I've been in your boots before and had a contract that seemingly never ended. It was supposed to go perm in 6 months, but it didn't because of "budget" issues, but they wanted to extend the contract another 6 months, then I'd go perm. Did that, when another 6 months went by I asked about the Perm part, and they still had "budget" issues and couldn't bring on another person permanent. Then I decided I didn't want to be dicked around any more and interviewed for many jobs and found one that I liked that was a contract to hire after 3 months. I stressed to the new company that I wanted it in writing that it would go perm at the 3 month mark.

Before I left the last position I asked the manager that I had a new job offer but would rather stay with them if they could bring me on permanent and they said that they hate seeing me leave (and the crap pay that they gave me until I would go perm) but couldn't afford to hire a full time person. (Even though they could have paid me what they paid the contract company and I'd have been happy).

loss4words

mikej412 wrote: »

In your other thread you said you don't like being a temp.

Did this Temp-to-Hire job you interviewed for sound like what you were looking for -- assuming that they do bring you on permanent in 6 months? Is it a move up? Is it more money? Better Benefits? Chance for advancement?

No. The only advantage is that the other job has an open position while my current job can't promise anything. I need to let them know what I'm doing within the next hour...oh boy

Thank you so much for all your replies, everyone.

zen master

human151 wrote: »

Leave.

If they liked you that much they would make your permanent. They dangle that in front of you and it gives you hope. They know this which is why they do it. They obviously need to position you fill but they are obviously greedy and wish to save $$$.

We had a guy @ my work who was a temp and was getting paid more than 1/3 less than what the average was for the permanents....and he was better at the job then all of them. If we as I.T People keep letting them do this to us then they will.

What other industry is relied on as much as I.T. in a comparable manner? Do they hire the accountants on contract? How about the HR people? What other department?

Dont let them continue to dangle the carrot in front of you. If they really liked you then when you tell them your leaving in the hopes of finding something permant, they will magically find a seat. If not, you'll be no worse off.

I agree 100%. "No openings available"? What a load of BS.

miller811

loss4words wrote: »

No. The only advantage is that the other job has an open position while my current job can't promise anything. I need to let them know what I'm doing within the next hour...oh boy

Thank you so much for all your replies, everyone.

Run Forest, Run .... to the new job.

They will love you when your gone....

tpatt100

loss4words wrote: »

No. The only advantage is that the other job has an open position while my current job can't promise anything. I need to let them know what I'm doing within the next hour...oh boy

Thank you so much for all your replies, everyone.

I would just leave, if you keep talking to them about getting hired on and other opportunities you "might" have, you may find yourself with no job from either.

120nm4n

loss4words wrote: »

I need to let them know what I'm doing within the next hour...

Let us know what happens! Good luck with whichever you choose.

bwcarty

I vote leave, too. As long as you're willing to be strung along with contract extensions, that's what you're going to get.

Leave on good terms and let everyone know that you'd be interested in coming back as a permanent employee. Besides, you may like the new job more, and you'll expand your network of contacts for the future.

Zartanasaurus

You've already made your bed with this. You made a power play to get hired and they didn't hire you. If you stay now you will just look like a sap. Time to move on.

unsupported

I agree that you all ready made your "power play", although your could have more power in your play if you would have talked to your current boss about a pay increase in the contract extension. New contract, new terms.

I also agree that since you made the "power play" and it failed to get you hired on, it would not hurt to go with another company. Of course, there are other factors you neglected to mention, like the money difference, size of the two companies, advancement opportunities at the new place, type of work you do. More information would have given you more solid advice.

Please let us know your decision and check in with us with how it works out for you, good or bad.

Turgon

loss4words wrote: »

Hey guys,

I have a very important choice to make before tomorrow morning and I dont' know what to do.

To make it short, I have a been a temp at my current job for little over a year. My contract which had been renewed several times before was suppose to run out this month so I was looking for something else. I got a call today from one of my recruiters that said I was hired for 6 months contract-to-hire for one of the jobs I interviewed for recently. They wanted me to start on Monday and asked if I could come in tomorrow to fill out some paperwork. I went to my boss and told him what happened and asked if I could stay with them as a permanent employee. He then went to management, came back 10 minutes later and said that I could stay with them for additional 6 months. As to regards to being hired with the company in the future he said that if they were looking I'd be a top candidate but as of right now there are no open seats available.

What should I do? I'm suppose to let the temp agency know tomorrow morning what my decision is.

Please help!

Difficult one. You have had replies from the guys for and against leaving what you have now.
The economy is bad. Your present employer has just offered you another six months on the back of your alternative offer. If you are pretty sure that this new job does not carry the hazard of being waxed inside 6 months and has a *real* possibility of you going permanent after 6 months then I would be inclined to roll with that new job. Offset this against the fact that you have a job at present, know the ropes and its clear they want you to stick around there. I think the answer at the moment is really in which of the two jobs are you most *likely* to still be drawing a wage in three months time. Getting laid off in January will not be fun.

The perm carrot is tempting though..

By way of an example I know someone some years ago was perm and took the contract deal on offer to return to work to do the same job and make more money than sense. The alternative for the permies was a cut in pay. 6 months later he got waxed along with a few thousand others. Its easy to get rid of contractors so it was a bit of a honey trap really.

ssmith147

Leaving one temp job that you have longevity and some level of tenure in, just to take another temp job where you have nothing- looks like a big risk, to me. Is the second job offering you more money? Better opportunities? Exposure to technology that you don't currently have (ie, resume enhancement)?

If the answer to all of these questions is 'no' then why leave? I didn't see anything in your post that suggested this position was terrible in any way-the only problem you cited was that it was temporary.

IMHO, you should keep looking until you find a permanent job, then go back to your boss. I disagree with the folks who say you "made your power play" and you lost. In this economy there really may be no open positions (respect to those who could read the manager's mind via this thread, of course). You negotiated for a permanent position, they countered with another extension. That's six more months than you had before (which by my math means you'll be working for the next seven as opposed to six)- doesn't seem like a total loss to me. Plus, from a hiring manager's point of view longevity is a good thing- one of those measures that aren't as esoteric as "works well with others".

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Turgon

ssmith147 wrote: »

Leaving one temp job that you have longevity and some level of tenure in, just to take another temp job where you have nothing- looks like a big risk, to me. Is the second job offering you more money? Better opportunities? Exposure to technology that you don't currently have (ie, resume enhancement)?

If the answer to all of these questions is 'no' then why leave? I didn't see anything in your post that suggested this position was terrible in any way-the only problem you cited was that it was temporary.

IMHO, you should keep looking until you find a permanent job, then go back to your boss. I disagree with the folks who say you "made your power play" and you lost. In this economy there really may be no open positions (respect to those who could read the manager's mind via this thread, of course). You negotiated for a permanent position, they countered with another extension. That's six more months than you had before (which by my math means you'll be working for the next seven as opposed to six)- doesn't seem like a total loss to me. Plus, from a hiring manager's point of view longevity is a good thing- one of those measures that aren't as esoteric as "works well with others".

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Yep agree with all that. A lot of companies are simply not taking people on full time right now. 6 more months in work and better the devil you know.

loss4words

Thank you so much for your help, everyone.

So this morning when I came in to work I went to my boss and told him that I have made a decision to leave the company. He responded by saying that in the next few months the company will be going through some changes and it's a very good possibility they will have a position open for me, but again, he's not the one to make the final decision. He adviced me to accept their offer to stay with them and asked me to think about it.

Some time later in the day my boss' manager (the person who can make the decision to hire me) invited me to his office. He said that he's also very happy with my performance and people in the upper management like me and are trying to do what they can to let me stay. However, it can't happen right now but it's a very good possibility that within the next 6 months I'll get hired. He also mentioned the changes the company will be going through within the next few months. He asked me to consider to stay with them. He also told me I could now take paid vacation days if I stayed.

The main benefit that this job will give me and that no other job can provide is the ability to study at a very prestigious college for free. As far as I know everyone in the group that I work with are either studying or have graduated from this college. Both companies were paying the same for pretty much the same type of work.

In the end, I decided to stick with where I am now for another contract. I hope I made the right decision. The group is great and I get along with everyone, and I like what I'm doing there. I just hope it won't be the same story 6 months from now.

veritas_libertas

loss4words wrote: »

Thank you so much for your help, everyone.

So this morning when I came in to work I went to my boss and told him that I have made a decision to leave the company. He responded by saying that in the next few months the company will be going through some changes and it's a very good possibility they will have a position open for me, but again, he's not the one to make the final decision. He adviced me to accept their offer to stay with them and asked me to think about it.

Some time later in the day my boss' manager (the person who can make the decision to hire me) invited me to his office. He said that he's also very happy with my performance and people in the upper management like me and are trying to do what they can to let me stay. However, it can't happen right now but it's a very good possibility that within the next 6 months I'll get hired. He also mentioned the changes the company will be going through within the next few months. He asked me to consider to stay with them. He also told me I could now take paid vacation days if I stayed.

The main benefit that this job will give me and that no other job can provide is the ability to study at a very prestigious college for free. As far as I know everyone in the group that I work with are either studying or have graduated from this college. Both companies were paying the same for pretty much the same type of work.

In the end, I decided to stick with where I am now for another contract. I hope I made the right decision. The group is great and I get along with everyone, and I like what I'm doing there. I just hope it won't be the same story 6 months from now.

Sounds like you made the right decision.

Turgon

loss4words wrote: »

Thank you so much for your help, everyone.

So this morning when I came in to work I went to my boss and told him that I have made a decision to leave the company. He responded by saying that in the next few months the company will be going through some changes and it's a very good possibility they will have a position open for me, but again, he's not the one to make the final decision. He adviced me to accept their offer to stay with them and asked me to think about it.

Some time later in the day my boss' manager (the person who can make the decision to hire me) invited me to his office. He said that he's also very happy with my performance and people in the upper management like me and are trying to do what they can to let me stay. However, it can't happen right now but it's a very good possibility that within the next 6 months I'll get hired. He also mentioned the changes the company will be going through within the next few months. He asked me to consider to stay with them. He also told me I could now take paid vacation days if I stayed.

The main benefit that this job will give me and that no other job can provide is the ability to study at a very prestigious college for free. As far as I know everyone in the group that I work with are either studying or have graduated from this college. Both companies were paying the same for pretty much the same type of work.

In the end, I decided to stick with where I am now for another contract. I hope I made the right decision. The group is great and I get along with everyone, and I like what I'm doing there. I just hope it won't be the same story 6 months from now.

On balance I think you made the right choice. You have already put time in there and are well thought of and from the sounds of things you have seniors there that should pull a few levers for you. Much harder in a new contract to hire job when you only have 6 months to make your mark. They should think more of you for declining the offer and showing some faith in them. Had you moved and been laid off inside 3 months at the new gig you might have found someone taken on permanent in the job you just left. Now concentrate hard on doing a good job there.

Good luck.

tpatt100

He also told me I could now take paid vacation days if I stayed.

Uh wtf? Did the company you are contracting now even offer you paid vacation days?

Heck the only thing I was ever offered that did not offer at least 10 paid vacation days was a Checkpoint position at Ford where I would be a 1099 employee meaning I had to pay out of my own pocket for taxes, vacation etc but hell at least they were paying 150 bucks an hour for that....

You are getting seriously hosed imo. You have said several times you got the same line, why would it change "next" time.

MeanDrunkR2D2

Well, it sounds like they want to offer you a full time job. Had you not stuck to your guns you would have missed out on that and they'll know that once this economy improves and companies can hire on people full time they will have to Sh*& or get off the pot and offer you a permanent position.

The paid vacation days is a bonus and something you didn't have beforehand. Sounds like they were able to at least give you something, which is better than nothing.

Good luck and I hope that in 6 months or less you have that permanent position.

loss4words

tpatt100 wrote: »

Uh wtf? Did the company you are contracting now even offer you paid vacation days?

Heck the only thing I was ever offered that did not offer at least 10 paid vacation days was a Checkpoint position at Ford where I would be a 1099 employee meaning I had to pay out of my own pocket for taxes, vacation etc but hell at least they were paying 150 bucks an hour for that....

You are getting seriously hosed imo. You have said several times you got the same line, why would it change "next" time.

Before I signed the contract with the temp agency they clearly stated that if I needed to take time off I won't be paid for the hours that I didn't work and that I should fill out my timesheet accordingly. At the time I really didn't have much choice since I was struggling in finding any work and this was the best opportunity for me to get my foot in the door.

indyodie

Down side of staying is that they now know you are looking for a position elsewhere. They could just as easily put up a job listing now, start interviewing and then let you go due to "changes in the company".

I have held (and currently hold) many contract positions over the years and most will **** you at the first sign of trouble. I would start paying attention for new hires and keep your eye out for the "changes".

What if you go back to the company that made you an offer and tell them about the counter offer, except exaggerate the offer. Best case, you wind up with more money and a better package at the new place. Worst case, you keep your job where they know you are considering leaving.

Turgon

indyodie wrote: »

Down side of staying is that they now know you are looking for a position elsewhere. They could just as easily put up a job listing now, start interviewing and then let you go due to "changes in the company".

I have held (and currently hold) many contract positions over the years and most will **** you at the first sign of trouble. I would start paying attention for new hires and keep your eye out for the "changes".

What if you go back to the company that made you an offer and tell them about the counter offer, except exaggerate the offer. Best case, you wind up with more money and a better package at the new place. Worst case, you keep your job where they know you are considering leaving.

I think anybody rational must realise that most people are probably keeping an eye out of opportunities elsewhere even when times are good. People moving on is just a fact of life and they shouldn't hold that against them. Some of the senior people in his company may be doing the very same thing. I think he has decided to stay now.

But you do need to be careful with playing ping pong between job offers. There's no point unless you have the cajones to go back to the boss you just assured you would stay with only to then renege on what you promised. If you do that, unless your working relationship there is excellent I wouldn't expect a glowing reference from that company if things dont work out at the one you are joining. Similarly the new company may not like being taken for a ride. This happens a lot when people dont really want to leave and are simply trying to get a raise in their existing job. They take an offer elsewhere to make a payclaim.

If you receive an offer from a company you dont like then just go flat out and ask for more and tell them why you deserve it. I have done this myself on a few occasions and always got the increase I was looking for. Better that I think than using an offer elsewhere to get an increase back at base only to use that increase to get the original offer to raise the stakes.

It can blow up in your face. If it does and company B gets fed up with it and calls company A you could lose both jobs. As for being laid off, from what the OP said the job offer was contract to perm so he could just as easily be laid off in the new gig.

tpatt100

Well he said in his other topic that he approached them several times and he told them he was looking for other opportunities. IMO you played your hand several times and they called your bluff. Even now you already established that no matter how many times you ask you don't get what you want.

If the other job is the same pay how do you know they won't do the same? You don't but if you already got ignored at your current job sometimes change is for the better.

I've been a temp for this company that I work for since last September. They have extended my contract several times and say that they're happy with my performance. My current contract ends in about a month and a half. I've approached my supervisor about them keeping me permanently and he said he'd try to get me in but he can't promise anything. That was 2 months ago. Since then from time to time he tells me that he's trying to make a case for me with his managers but it's still in the air.

The reason why I'm posting this is that I'm getting really depressed. I like my job but I really can't be a temp anymore. I have no breaks and I'm just getting so stressed out about it. Every week seems to be getting worse and worse.

I talked to one of my friends about this and he suggested that I speak to my supervisor and tell him that I'd like to stay with a company but not as a temp. If they can't hire me until the time my current contract expires then I'll leave and start looking for a permanent position elsewhere.

I have started looking for work in the beginning of last month and have been going to interviews. I had to tell my supervisor what I was doing since I have to ask him for time off everytime so I think he has an idea on what's on mind. To my surprise and disappointment he was totally OK with it and lets me take time off everytime I ask for it.

...but then again he knows how terrible I am on interviews, so maybe he's not expecting me to find anything

Sorry to bump this thread but this is really bothering me and I need some advice. So in 3-4 weeks is the end of my contract with this company. I had an improptu short conversation regarding my job with my manager and he said that there were no plans about discontinuing my contract although he's not the person who makes the final decisions about this stuff. I briefly told him about my worries and that I need something permanent which he met with "I know, I know". I didn't mention that I was thinking of leaving if I wasn't perminantly hired but he knows that I've been going on interviews.

Initially my friend whom I've been telling all this to told me to just come out to my manager before they decide what to do (like this week) and tell him that if they won't hire me I will leave the company once the contract expires. Now he's saying that I should wait until they decide on what to do with me and if they aren't hiring me but extending my contract I should just tell them that I'm only intersted in permanent position and will not stay for another contract. His reasoning is that if they won't hire me now they probably are just not interested since I've already been with them for over a year.

I just wanted to see what you guys think about all of this. I'm probably just letting it get to me too much but I'm so tired of being depressed about this. Thanks for any replies.

Tin_Man

Sounds like their stringing you along knowing you won't jump ship, the meeting you had today just cements the fact that their dangling the preverbal carrot of a "full time" job in front of you. If their as happy as they say they are with you and your work, then there is no reason for them not to make a full term employee. Surely they could've moved things around $$$ wise to accommodate this transition, The fact they haven't goes to show that they won't.. You can almost bet that @ the end of those 6 months nothing will have changed.

ULWiz

Definately think you made the right choice.

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