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Thread: Jump ship? Or not...

  1. #1
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    Default Jump ship? Or not...

    This is the question...

    What do you guys think? I am not a gen Y person, but I feel changing jobs within 13 months is just a bit suspect at my age (47).

    My current job has loads of travel (China every 2 months) and I am off to Switzerland, Germany and India in 2 weeks. The down side: much less hands on engineering, much more management. The company is huge, stable and could be a job for life...

    I have been offered a new job that is very exciting, working on some cutting edge systems with loads of raw DSP coding, wireless mesh networks etc. and I get back to system design, coding and hopefully they will use my experience in manufacturing to setup plants in China. The company is small and highly likely to fail!!! But it really has my interest and it's a chance to get in early and be a part of the company growth. The products are cutting edge and revolutionary (not evolutionary) so it could be really good for me!

    A part of me is saying stick with the current job, the other half of me is wanting to move over. At 47 I feel this is a big risk, but hey, sometimes great rewards come from great risks...

    I appreciate some words of wisdom here, thanks in advance.

  2. #2
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    Default

    well, not a word of wisdon as i am not very very old with a very very long white beard, but i think:

    - time to leave the screwdrivers behind and start talking "bullshit" in meetings aka management, not as exciting but it is the next level of evolution
    - economic times do not seem favourable for revolutionary products and small underfunded companies

    i understand that deep inside you need a "romantic cause", a "noble quest", the excitement of a brand new design, but at the end of the day this romance might not pay off and it could be more difficult to get back into the game

    i think a job for life is what you need at the momoent, even if it means that you will do less interesting stuff
    "its called character briggs..."

  3. #3
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    Cool. I will say this:

    economic times do not seem favourable for revolutionary products and small underfunded companies
    While this might be true in many places, it is not here in Perth. We have a huge mining boom feeding China's growth. This particular product will tap in to this and fill a dire need that is not currently being met. It will save BIG $$$$ and man all resource companies want to do that!

    Yes, it's the wild wild west over here and times are a booming. You have no idea unless you come and see for yourself. Young 20 somethings earning 150K per year to drive haul paks, all trades in short demand (just ask Kit!) - and it's all fly in fly out mega bucks. Thousands of young people are earning enough $$$ to buy big houses (and not just one) to set themselves up for life. The boost to our economy in the West is actually keeping the rest of Australia running!

    If you have an idea that will save mega bucks and improve productivity, your almost a guaranteed overnight success.

    What worries me is how long will it last? Some say at least another 10 years, and with the growth I am seeing in China every 2 months I can believe it. China are building the equivalent of 2 x Perth cities every month!

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by dnar View Post
    Cool. I will say this:

    While this might be true in many places, it is not here in Perth. We have a huge mining boom feeding China's growth.
    well, it looks like you are not 50-50 in your decision. i can sense a "slight" bias



    so, maybe i should be considering jumping ship too and coming over there? any idea what a finance guy (postgraduate level) could do?
    "its called character briggs..."

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by LaNeK779 View Post
    well, it looks like you are not 50-50 in your decision. i can sense a "slight" bias

    so, maybe i should be considering jumping ship too and coming over there? any idea what a finance guy (postgraduate level) could do?
    Your correct, it's the stigma of having working in a good job for only 13 months that is rubbing me. My CV is full of good long term stable positions.

    It's like I am being tempted by the devil.

    Finance guy? I know there is a great need for project financial controllers, check it out here: http://www.seek.com.au/JobSearch?Dat...200&state=3107

  6. #6
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    dnar,
    how awesome is that? you got your current gig, which offers you enough to keep you on the fence, and the new offer which sounds great too.

    I say take the risk...
    Since the dawn of our time, Humans have been drawn to the unknown.

    You owe it to all mankind to take that first step in that new direction.

    then again, better you should owe us, than cheat us out of it...


    having a short run or 2 on a resume doesn't look as bad as you might think. Companies fail, downsize, and get regulated into different shapes/sizes. A short term of employment at 1 gig looks fine when there are 6 other long-term jobs there...

    I'd go for the new one. House, wife, kids (1 in college, 1 in private school, and 1 homeschooled), cars, boat, and of course, my new expensive laser hobby, all notwithstanding, a foot on the ground floor of a growing company is generaly a good ticket.

    just my 2 rupees...

  7. #7
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    Sounds like a great possibility on the horizon, but if I can throw in my two cents-

    Glad to hear your economy is doing so well, however the rest of the world is really struggling, and from what I hear it's not going to get any better in the next couple of years.

    You're 47 & probably have a family and kids in school, correct? What if you quit your current company, which you describe as huge, stable and could be a job for life, to go to work for this new company, and it goes under in 2 years? As age creeps up on all of us (I'm 60), you have to consider what the job market looks like for a 50 year old applicant, and how you will provide for your family. LaNeK779 brought up some valid points:

    Quote Originally Posted by LaNeK779
    - economic times do not seem favourable for revolutionary products and small underfunded companies

    i understand that deep inside you need a "romantic cause", a "noble quest", the excitement of a brand new design, but at the end of the day this romance might not pay off and it could be more difficult to get back into the game
    I understand the hassles of lots of business travel, missing the family, and wanting to get back to your roots and do what you like. Have you mentioned this to your current employer? Maybe they have something in between that will work.

  8. #8
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    Wayne;

    If I were you, I'd consider these things:

    1) It sounds like you travel a lot with your current job. Will you miss that if you take the new position? Sure, you have to deal with management crap, but maybe the travel makes up for all that? (Or would you rather be at home more?)

    2) If you *don't* take the new job, is it something you will dwell on? As in, will you be wondering what it "might have been like" 10 years from now? I guess the best way to ask this question is: "Is this new job something you would have *JUMPED* at when you were younger? If so, then it's still worth it to jump now.

    Bottom line: if you will be happy in the new job, and you are not happy now, then go for it. Happiness at work counts for a lot, dude. Just make sure your new boss isn't a tool...

    Adam

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by buffo View Post
    Bottom line: if you will be happy in the new job, and you are not happy now, then go for it. Happiness at work counts for a lot, dude. Just make sure your new boss isn't a tool...
    I have to agree with Adam, here. I left a job that I really liked because another one would pay me more money. I moved, made more money and was extremely miserable. Being happy at your job accounts for so much. I would give anything to have that old job, even though it was less pay, by a good margin. If you are discontent with your current job, that is always going to be nagging at you. The job market always gets us scared that we are not able to move from one job to another. Even in these harder economic times, we are scared. The economy, our age, the health of companies.... all of these things render us, almost useless, in moving from one job to a new one. The interesting thing is, if forced (lay offs, being terminated etc...) we seem to fair out okay. Jobs are scarce, but they aren't that scarce. Especially if you have specialized experience, which it sounds like you do. Me being a risk taker, I would do it. If it means being happy, that would mean everything. Who knows, if you are valuable to the company you are with currently, perhaps they may counter to keep you, as in: Changing up your job and keeping you happy so you will stay.
    If you're the smartest person in the room, then you're in the wrong room.

  10. #10
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    Advise is always dangerous to give and receive. Without a great deal more info. I can't begin to suggest a specific course. With those disclaimers aside you might want to look at this from a tangent. You're in a enviable position; a management level position which you relatively recently acquired, yet your skills/knowledge are significant enough that you were approached with this other opportunity. Not bad! I am assuming that this is a simple alternative, and you have not been asked to contribute financially to this start up, nor are there any non-compete restrictions hanging over you. If that is the case you may have a bargaining chip with your current employer to negotiate for an increase in salary or some modification in your responsibilities. Alternatively, would this new opportunity be of interest as an acquisition for your company? Would they permit you to consult without cutting your ties or biasing them against you? Could you take a sabbatical without prejudice and what is your fallback if as you say they are "highly likely to fail"? How pressing is your decision? Will you still have the opportunity to pursue this if you wait to get more experience as well as see how the new company progresses? Consider the failure modes with both courses; success will take of itself. Don't focus on how nice it will be when...
    Good Luck!

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