Love current job, but new job has much better pay

[Mx12345]

I've been with my company for almost two years. I'm in finance and accounting and not only do I love what I do I really like my company. My company employs a little over 100 employees but most of it is contract based around the country. I work at the headquarters. My coworkers are wonderful people who I not only get along with, but I feel also care about me as a person. The company has great benefits and also does things for employees: Christmas party, appreciation day at local theme park, etc. I also don't feel like I am micromanaged. If I take a longer lunch or need to run an errand I do so and don't think twice because I'll stay late two or three times a week. (At a previous job you were given a 15 min break and while you weren't technically timed, sometimes the owner would make comments in meetings about people taking longer than 15 minutes on your breaks, even though most of us stayed 30 min to an hour late every other day.) My only big complaint is my salary. Because I handle all the financials I know what everyone in the company makes. I also see who works harder than others. My first year I was given a $2K raise after my review which was 95% positive. This year however I've taken on two very large tasks/responsibilities in addition to everything I already do. In January it was announced that headquarters would be on a salary freeze for this year. My review was just completed and both my boss and the owner had nothing but praise for me. Because of the freeze though I will not be getting a raise.

 

Three weeks ago an old colleague told me about a position she heard about through another old co worker. I sent her my resume, got an interview, and a week later was sent an offer letter. It all happened so quickly. A month ago I was never even thinking about applying for another job. This company is much smaller. I would be working directly with the owner. I would be doing everything I do now plus a few other things. I would be in a management position. The benefits are not as good as I have now but are still good benefits. The drive is about 20 min further with traffic.

The only reason I'm really considering leaving: they are starting me $14,000 more per year than my current company. I never disclosed what I currently make to the new company. If it was under $5k I would probably not be making this post. But $14k is a lot more money.

 

I'm so torn at what to do. Currently I'm not financially struggling, but I'm only slightly living above paycheck to paycheck. I have vacation time but can't afford a vacation. I get to do most of what I want but a few little luxuries would be nice. Also I still have about half of my student loan debt left and it would be nice to be able to chunk away at that.

 

Does anyone have any advice? Any similar situations? I don't have very long before I have to make a decision.

[Taramere]

That's a difficult call. I think in your position, I would talk to my employer about it, to gauge what future roles/remuneration they envisage for you. Admittedly, the employer would probably see that as you using another offer to negotiate a better deal for yourself. Which it is, in part...but if you're letting them know that you are very happy there, would like to stay but are obviously tempted by this much higher pay offer, then they might want to negotiate something with you.

 

After all, if you were to just accept the other offer then hand your notice in they might say "you're a valued employee here, and if we'd known you were looking for higher pay/more responsibility we would have been prepared to negotiate something."

 

So my gut instinct, particularly as they're a nice company and you have a good relationship with them, would be to talk to them about the offer from the other company - while making it clear that this was an offer you didn't solicit. They might say "well, we could offer you a bit more than you're getting just now - but we can't/won't compete with their offer". You might then decide that it's worth foregoing a few extra thousand a year to stay where you know you're going to be happy. I personally wouldn't leave a good company for another job offer without speaking to the existing employer first. Maybe it's the wrong advice, I don't know - but I think it's better to be open.

 

Congratulations on the offer, by the way!

[SycamoreCircle]

Not a difficult decision where I'm standing.

 

You can always make more money. Finding people that you jive with and a place you look forward going into 5 days a week is priceless.

 

Besides, everything you need you have.

[Mx12345]

I've thought about speaking to my current company, not to use the job offer to negotiate, but as a previous poster said, to ask about my future role with the company. I just don't want them to think im not loyal or cause any future issues for myself.

 

I'm 75% thinking I should stay with my current company. I'm still young (28) and still feel like I could learn things at my current company. In an ideal world I would be making the higher salary at my current job.

[Diezel]

I would honestly go to my employer and show what they are offering you.

 

See if they counter-offer. Maybe not the full 14K, but maybe they'll offer 10K. You never know. These are things you need to do to show that you are in demand and that they should match you.

 

If it were 2K, I'd say forget it. But $14K is quite the increase. Besides who knows if you could get the same situation at the new place with the increase.

 

But the biggest thing to consider is that you are slightly above paycheck to paycheck AND your company had a salary freeze? This is actually a red flag for me when a company does this.

[pink_sugar]

I am in a very similar position. My current job is really laid back...I get to work from home 2 days per week, take a longer lunch if needed...like you I just stay at work longer. Same employee appreciation days and etc. Anyways, I know I could be making considerably more and get full time elsewhere as I am part time now without benefits. I really enjoy working there, but I need something that is a career and not just a job that barely pays the bills.

 

I think you should make a list of pros and cons and see which one fills up faster. Remember, you want to count your benefits as part of your salary, because some people don't mind making a little less for good benefits. But as you said 14k is a fair difference. It sounds like you could sacrifice the benefits a little for a little more cash flow, which I probably would too. Good luck!

[pink_sugar]

I would honestly go to my employer and show what they are offering you.

 

See if they counter-offer. Maybe not the full 14K, but maybe they'll offer 10K. You never know. These are things you need to do to show that you are in demand and that they should match you.

 

If it were 2K, I'd say forget it. But $14K is quite the increase. Besides who knows if you could get the same situation at the new place with the increase.

 

But the biggest thing to consider is that you are slightly above paycheck to paycheck AND your company had a salary freeze? This is actually a red flag for me when a company does this.

 

I agree with this right here. But once you do present this information to your employer, you must be prepared to follow through with the other job if they don't want to offer you a salary increase.

[davidromero43]

I will never do anything for "pay" again. What is your time worth? So far it is 40 minutes extra a day. That is 14 hours a month. Plus the extra time you will need to give for the extra duties. So factor in "your time", loss of friends, and the reduced benefits. The pay is about the same. If you want to be a manger. Then this is a golden opportunity. Management opportunities are scarce. If you do not care about being a manager, turn it down.

[pink_sugar]

I will never do anything for "pay" again. What is your time worth? So far it is 40 minutes extra a day. That is 14 hours a month. Plus the extra time you will need to give for the extra duties. So factor in "your time", loss of friends, and the reduced benefits. The pay is about the same. If you want to be a manger. Then this is a golden opportunity. Management opportunities are scarce. If you do not care about being a manager, turn it down.

 

I think there needs to be a balance. While it's nice to have a laid back environment, from my standing, I make a few hundred under $2000 a month $15-20k a year is not a career when you have a BS degree with almost 4 years experience in the business field. I would jump at the opportunity to at least make $40k a year...even if that means less friends and less kick back time at work. I want a house and to travel. Having buddies at work is nice and having a little leeway on your lunch hour is nice, but it's not going to give you the lifestyle you want. I love having a laid back atmosphere at work, but at the same time I am not happy making pennies and feeling as if I'm at a dead end.

[central]

I suggest you tell your employer that you have a great offer, and ask if they will match it. They may use the salary freeze as an excuse to not offer you more, but if they have to replace you, they may have to pay more anyway to get someone qualified. If you are valuable to them, they will make some effort to match the other offer. If they do not, give your notice and move on. Loyalty is a two way street, and fair compensation (as determined by the marketplace) for your work is a huge plus. Unless you know you'll dislike the new company, you have to be prepared to quit to make progress in your career.

[Mx12345]

So much great advice and so many good points. I guess the reason I really value my current company is because before this I've had two other professional jobs since graduating college. One was in sales which I absolutely hated. I'd go home and cry to my boyfriend how much I hated my job. The next I liked my job but hated the atmosphere. We were extremely micromanaged. My boss set rules based on how she felt that day. I had been there a year and wore a certain dress at least twice a month. One time she even commented it was a cute dress. One day she pass by me, said my dress wasn't work appropriate, and asked me to not wear it again. I told her I wore that dress often and how nothing had ever been mentioned. She said not to wear it again and that was the end of it. I also worked with extremely catty people. There was little room to move up there so everyone was always kissing the owners butt. People would actually tattle tale when someone was a few min late or took a little longer at lunch. It was such a horrid environment.

Then I started this job and I've love both the job and the company from the beginning.

 

I'm currently at $46k and would be making $60k. I think tomorrow I'm going to go to my current company with the offer. I'm going to state I realize we are in a freeze but an up in pay is what I'm hoping for.

 

Then fingers crossed!

[pink_sugar]

My boss once told me if I wanted $25 an hour that this company wouldn't be the place for me. (Smaller company and not many advancement opportunities). So I know I will be left with no choice but to move on in the near future if I want any decent salary.