ATOT... I humbly ask for your advice.

[E equals MC2]

I'll cut it straight to the point.

- I'm sick of my job (Company A), but I excel at it. Was promoted once already. 2.5 yrs total here.

- Really wanted the next promotion but couldn't get it after 3 tries. Disappointed, I started to look else where.

- So I found Company B. Passed the phone interview, they want to see me coming Tuesday.

- As luck would have it, my boss pulls me inside just an hour ago and tells me I'm gonna get my long-waited promotion here (Company A).

Problem:
The promotion at Company A is no longer as attractive to me, but is guaranteed. It's same cube, different work, slightly higher pay.

The job at Company B is very attractive to me. You get to travel 60-80% which is what I've always wanted. It'll also offer a fresh change of scene which is what I've always wanted. But as you know, there's no offer. . I don't know how much $$ offers, but I suspect it's higher than Company A.

-My promoted title will be Assistant Project Manager at Company A, I will be full blown Project Manager in Company B.

-I would definitely take B over A if both were offered. As you can see the dilemma is that B is not certain.

Action Choices:
1. Stick with A, do a year or so then get out. It's the safest way and the most guaranteed way. But this also means I'll always wonder about the greener grass on the other side, traveling and etc.

2. Decline A and see how B works out. If I end up with B, then all's GREAT! But if B doesn't accept me. I'm fvcked and I miss the one-time chance of a promotion that pretty much fell on my lap.

3. Accept A, but still pursue B. If I get the promotion and B offers me their job, I'll be a dick and burning a bridge by promptly leaving the company right after the promotion.... but then if I don't get B, I still safely got A and no one will ever know about B. This is the most selfish choice and will burn some bridges, especially my boss who loves me. But that is of course only if I get B.

Which action should I take? Or do you have an action 4?

Please help. I don't even have appetite right now... I'll be happy to answer any questions.

 

[SnipeMasterJ13]

I'd say you should definitely still pursue B, just to see if you get an offer. I think once you get an offer from B, then you have a difficult decision to make. Sorry that isn't much help, but at least you won't be left wondering about B...

 

[Deeko]

4. Tell your boss you need to think about it (in the meantime pursue B). If you don't get B, accept promotion at A. If you get B, take B

 

[slayer202]

for the most part, choice 3. however, I would play it safe and tell B about the situation, and that you are pressed for time etc. and see if they can speed things along to see if you can get the job

 

[sjwaste]

No-brainer to me. Take the promotion at your current job.

You don't even know if B is going to make you an offer. If they do, and you want to work there, then take their offer when it comes. The promotion at A is certain, you'll have a higher base salary to negotiate from with B if they make you the offer, etc.

Gotta do whats best for you. Your current company will understand, everyone there is doing the best for themselves too.

 

[pontifex]

when is the promotion taking place? wait until tuesday or after to decide?

 

[E equals MC2]

Originally posted by: slayer202
for the most part, choice 3. however, I would play it safe and tell B about the situation, and that you are pressed for time etc. and see if they can speed things along to see if you can get the job

This is what I'm thinking. At the interview at B, I plan on acing the damn thing and also straight out tell them my situation. See their reaction and go from there if they can speed it up.

 

[funkymatt]

Let company A know about the offer from Company B and the position you will be taking there. Your current company may counter with more money and give the the Project Manager Title... if thats what you want.

 

[E equals MC2]

Originally posted by: funkymatt
Let company A know about the offer from Company B and the position you will be taking there. Your current company may counter with more money and give the the Project Manager Title... if thats what you want.

Not likely. Company A is cheap and the promotion is HIGHLY in demand by others if I were to haggle.

Either I keep it a secret or tell and leave the company altogether. I really don't think this is a wise route for my particular position.

 

[Spineshank]

Accept the promotion and go for the interview at the new company and see what happens. I dont understand why people suggest waiting on accepting the promotion.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Easy 3, you need to look out for yourself.

 

[E equals MC2]

Originally posted by: Gnrslash4life
Accept the promotion and go for the interview at the new company and see what happens. I dont understand why people suggest waiting on accepting the promotion.

Because if I accept position A then leave for B, then I'm burning the bridge. My boss loves me and he told me he'll be writing a personal recommendation for my promotion....

I mean that's pretty nice of him. I know it's biz is biz at the end of the day, but I think that's pretty bastardly.

 

[Nitemare]

Company B. There are no more loyalties in the workplace.

 

[Svnla]

OP, if I was you, I would take a day off and talk with B, just see what they have (do not call in sick or make up stuffs with A).

If B makes me an offer with more money (plus you said you love B more than A atm, I would jump to B after I gave A my 2 weeks notice (do not burn any bridges). I see that you have doubt with choice 3 but remember, you have to look out for yourselve. Just explain to the boss the situation (I found something that I think will be better fit for myself and give me more opportunities and traveling).

 

[Vonkhan]

no brainer

3

 

[E equals MC2]

Originally posted by: Svnla
OP, if I was you, I would take a day off and talk with B, just see what they have (do not call in sick or make up stuffs with A).

If B makes me an offer with more money (plus you said you love B more than A atm, I would jump to B after I gave A my 2 weeks notice (do not burn any bridges).

2 weeks notice and all that is of course given. The problem is that I cannot wait til B makes an offer because A is approaching very fast.

 

[SearchMaster]

Definitely 3. I don't even know why it's an issue. Whether you leave A tomorrow without accepting the promotion, or in a few weeks after accepting the promotion, they're going to have to fill the position. If things don't work out with B, then you still have A.

I'm all for loyalty, but if your passion is with what B offers, you have to at least try it out.

 

[SpunkyJones]

Originally posted by: Gnrslash4life
Accept the promotion and go for the interview at the new company and see what happens. I dont understand why people suggest waiting on accepting the promotion.

Winner. Its simple and all will be fine. Accept promotion, pursue new job. All will be ok.

 

[EKKC]

both 1 and 2 are not good

OP, i was in a similar boat like yours a few years ago. the new job may not be what you are looking for (y'know, the grass is always greener yadda yadda) i left my job after working my ass off and had no promotion, and my boss told me his superiors forced him to have my review rating taken down one notch because my salary increase cannot be for someone who had a 'exceeding expectations' rating (yeah i was so pissed i stopped going in on time!). but i left my job to be a consultant, it is fun but the people i worked with was not comparable at all to my old team. i left that job in less than 6 months and is now working for another company (still as a consultant, but a lot better)

choice 3 would be logical, but you don't have to burn bridges, when/if you DO decide to go to company B, tell your boss and peers at job A that you were disappointed about the lack of promotion in the past 3 years, you've already given them a lot of time to appreciate you and develop you to the next step. It was just that this latest promotion just coincided, or preceded by your decision to start looking elsewhere, and now that the opportunity knocks, that you decide to try for "something new" since you said your old job would be mostly the same as what you've been doing but with more pay.

do not tell them you need time to think about accepting a promotion, nobody does that. might just as well tell them you're waiting for another offer if you did that.

good luck, and don't sweat it. when i decided to leave (i interned there for 2 years during college and then worked 4 years. i had great relationships with my boss and peers) it was like leaving a family, but you'll get used to it.

 

[bigrash]

Go with option 3. Leaving them after accepting the promotion is not a really bad thing. This coming from someone who works in HR. You don't wanna leave your promotion hanging either since you don't know where it'll stand later. They might offer to someone else or might not even offer it later for any reason that they can find. Plus if you say that you wanna think about it, they'll be wondering why.

 

[DaveSimmons]

I'm a goody two-shoes so I'd try something like Svnla's suggestion, take a personal day or do something else to slow down the promotion at A, and tell B that you have to get an answer from them right away because of this upcoming offer.

That way, you've let B know that if they can't say yes now, you'll decline their offer but only because of your promotion at A. You've left the door open at B for next year.

 

[kranky]

This is not as complicated as you are making it out to be.

- Take the promotion. Absolutely. There is NO reason to delay, haggle, or anything else. Take it.

- If the other company makes you an offer afterwards, and you like it, then take the new job. Tell your boss that while you feel awkward leaving so soon after you've been promoted, you received an offer for a better position elsewhere and you're taking it.

It's really that simple.

On a side note, constant travel can really wear you down. It's fun for a little while, but it gets old fast. It may not be as appealing as you might think.

 

[E equals MC2]

Originally posted by: kranky
This is not as complicated as you are making it out to be.

- Take the promotion. Absolutely. There is NO reason to delay, haggle, or anything else. Take it.

- If the other company makes you an offer afterwards, and you like it, then take the new job. Tell your boss that while you feel awkward leaving so soon after you've been promoted, you received an offer for a better position elsewhere and you're taking it.

It's really that simple.

On a side note, constant travel can really wear you down. It's fun for a little while, but it gets old fast. It may not be as appealing as you might think.

A sound advice. But you know you just have to get it out of your system no matter what others tell you? That's me with traveling.

 

[LS21]

Originally posted by: Nitemare
Company B. There are no more loyalties in the workplace.

+1
you said youre alrady tired of it. dont make excusees for yourself to stay

 

[beat mania]

Take promotion at A, use salary increase at A to get a bigger salary offer at B FTW.