The kindness of friends VS money

[bravojohn]

Recently I decided to start looking for another job, due to a tremendously toxic work environment.

Some friends (of which one was instrumental in getting it hooked through as a Director) at a small consulting firm manged to create a role for me, enabling me to resign from the role I was in. This is all great and I am so thankful for that.

However, the salary they managed to put together for me after multiple rounds of negotiation is half of my current earnings.

Now, it's enough to make sure all my commitments get paid a least. It was a bit of a bitter pill to swallow but I needed to get away from my existing job. For the first time in my 20+yr career I was on the brink of immediate resignation daily. Not a good space.

Anyway, so I put in my notice at my job and accepted the half-salary offer. On top of that, the offer I've accepted is a fixed term agreement, for 6 months....possibility of renewal, but not guaranteed. None of this is ideal at all, but I really had to cut myself loose from the company I was working for, so something is better than nothing I guess.

During last week, lo-and-behold, I was contacted by 3 recruiters for interviews. Two of the three went really well, with one basically asking to give them a week to get back to me, as they just needed to secure a final budget (in-line with my original earnings), following which the role on offer is basically mine. Another of them also went very well and it appears it's progressing to the next stage.

All great, right?

Well, what's eating at me now is the fact that I've accepted the role that friends pulled a lot of strings for. But, financial wellbeing is also important and if one of the other offers materialises I'd be stupid to not seriously consider it.

None of the new offers are remotely a reality yet, but I'm not sure how to approach it with "the friends" should something worth considering come along.

[basil67]

I'd continue with the interview process for the new offers.  IF you get offered a better job, have a conversation with your mates.  Thank them for their assistance, but state that the higher salary and long term option is better for your finances and stability.

If they are good mates, they'll want the best for you.  

[Sanch62]

I'd continue the interviews while considering the low paying position to be a temp job. They've pretty much let you off the hook by creating it that way.

Everyone's entitled to a probationary period where the company is not just evaluating you for the fit, but you're also evaluating them, their culture, their expectations, their overall fit with your career goals.

I'd consider it to be reasonable at any time during the first 3 months to accept a better fit elsewhere. That's just business. If friend would hold that against you, she might be friendly but too self-interested to be a real friend.

[Els]

I'd definitely carry on with the interview process. If you get the other offer (in writing, finalized), you should just take it. I'm sure you're aware that it's completely normal for people to apply for multiple roles at the same time, so it wouldn't be unprofessional of you to do so.

As for your friends, if they are truly your friends they'll want what's best for you and they'll understand once you talk to them about it. You could sweeten things a bit by buying everyone dinner or a round of drinks as thanks for the effort they've put in. If they don't understand, then they're not really friends, they're business acquaintances (in which case the former statement applies).

Edited June 9 by Els

[ShyViolet]

When you took this new job that is half your previous salary, I would think your friends who arranged this for you would have understood that this job might be temporary for you, and you will keep looking for a better job.  I would think you and your friends would have discussed this at the time or at least mentioned it.  They can't possibly expect you to just plan to stay at a job that was a major pay cut without continuing to look for something better.  Even if this was never explicitly discussed, if they are good friends and care about you they would understand.  If they get upset over this then they are being completely unreasonable and are certainly not very good friends.  I hope you're not considering staying at this lower paying job just to appease them.  The way your friends react to this situation will tell you whether they are actually good friends or not.