Career / Job moves advice

M

MiniMarc

Well-Known Member
Ive been working for the same place for 4 years in my current position and had worked my way up to it probably over around 8 months before that. I do visual effects for commercials and the odd music video. In those 4 years ive upped my wage by 4grand. For the last 2 years ive been thinking im being totally under paid and over worked considering the responsibilty and skill level i have. There were people on 60k+ and i was no where near that yet i was doing some of the same work they were doing etc. Every pay review its been the same thing. "we're gona give you this , its not alot but we really wana see you commit / take this opportunity etc blah blah then next year you'l be rewarded." So im doing 15 hour days handling clients doing loadsa stuff that they have never trained me to do and same thing next year.
They laid off some ppl including a friend of mine who is less experienced than me. He has now gone on to get a junior position working on films getting paid more and working agreed normal 9-6 hours. Soon as i heard that i applied and basically have an interview lined up next week hopefully.
Here's the curve ball. A week ago one of the top compositors quit , mainly over money as he got a pay cut but also he'd had enough of the company. My boss pulls me aside the other day and says rather than just replacing him we are as a company going in a new direction , getting new ppl in doing different stuff than before etc and heres a 5 grand pay rise by the way (25%)!
So now im in a slightly sticky situation of having to be all happy about this new direction / pay rise thing whilst sneeking around doing this interview for another job.I wouldnt mind seeing what this new direction is but if i get an offer from this other place I'll have to make a decision before any of that kicks in so will be bit of a gamble.
I think ive basically decided that Ive had enough of where im at and just throwing money at a situation doesnt really get rid of the problems that are there. Has anyone been in similar circumstances? What decisions did you make and were they the right ones? I think because this is my first kind of career job its hard to leave the first one when you have been there quite a while.

Sorry for the ridiculously long rant!!:oops::):):)
 
Hey Marc

In building your career over the long term, you should never stop exploring other job opportunities. It's not being disloyal or sneaky. It's something you need to do to a) make sure you're being properly compensated and b) make sure you're in the best job you could have.

I've been with the same employers in 3 different positions (and 2 different companies) over the past 7 years, but in the meantime I've met with other potential employers, received firm job offers, etc. In the end, I stayed put and I'm relatively happy with that decision.

So, in your position, I'd go to the other interview. Knock 'em dead. Impress them. Get them to make an offer. Then decide what you want to do next. There is something to be said for the familiarity and stability of staying where you are, especially given the pay rise. But before committing long-term (at least, before mentally committing), quietly see what other opportunities are there. If this other job pays better and the work looks more promising, then make the switch.
 
Do what's best for you while being as honourable as that allows to your current employers.

IMO what's best for you is to do as Morbyd says. You wouldn't sell a car without getting the best deal possible, so why should selling your time and skills be any different?
 
thanks for the advice. The new position would be of similar pay but not more. Its using new software that i dont currently know so there are new challenges which would be nice.Also would be working on films which i think id take more pride in rather than working for advertising companies/the devil. Its a more junior position than im in currently but i think would offer better quality of life as its less hours / stress. Looks like ive already sort of decided to go with the new one if i get it but is good to get other peoples perspectives/experiences.
I think my point is that feeding more money into a situation that has perhaps gone abit sour doesnt get rid of any of the problems , it merely compensates to a degree
 
Just be clinical. You're clearly not stupid, so unless your working for family, follow logic and do what makes sense.
 
housewilly said:
Were in the middle of a recession, so you are lucky to have a job.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

And in any climate if he is good at his job then his employer is lucky to have him.
Evidently your happy to swap the lower salary in exchange for less stress and more interesting work, obviously you will have factored in long term job security or will do.

Any employer who runs a succesfull business will haul you out if you do not perform, so look at them through the same eyes. Be ruthless however respect any loyalty shown to you, my current employer paid me through my degree and gave me the time off, within 12 monhs of me starting there. That was a risk for them and I have repaid it, knocking back other jobs being one way.

If your feet are that itchy though will you really do youself justice by staying, if not I'd seriously consider leaving. Only get one shot!
 
I would say go for the interview regardless of the job offer at the place you are at. What is the worse that can happen? If you get offered it then you can start thinking properly about it & what option to choose.

I think its easy to think you are betraying your current employer especially in these hard times. I feel a bit like that myself but if they dont recognise hard work then why should you stay and just be "promised" things all the time. My place is the same, always promise you stuff and it never amounts to anything. I know if I had a good interview coming up I would definitely go for it :p
 
When that senior compositor left over money, your boss has clearly looked around and thought "Who else are we taking the piss out off?"

"Ahh Minimarc (because that's your real name;)) let's chuck a few grand at him and keep him onside".

You've said that you've had enough of where you're at, and once you reach that point, any change of heart is only ever temporary in my experience.

It seems time to go, take your time and decide what is best for you and you alone.

And when you do hand your notice in, don't entertain any counter offer.


Good luck, it looks like it's time for you to start earning what you're worth!!:lol:
 
Well interview is now set for this friday:)
I do think the rise was a knee jerk reaction as my boss had a big chat with a friend of mine in a similar position and he basically told him that everyone was lookig around at other options and i think he basically shat himself. And thats just the problem , if he hadnt been told that he probably wouldnt have done anything and assumed everything was ok. Its one thing to get a rise when you deserve it and another to get a rise when you deserve it but only getting it because the boss thinks you might leave.
I hope this doesnt sound distastefull to anyone who has been made redundant or suffered due to the financial situation , just getting some advice on my current situation
 
Update:

I quit my job with the intention to have some time off and get back in shape and perhaps find something abit more rewarding. I swiftly then broke my ankle which laid me on the couch most of the summer. Have since started doing some freelance bits n bobs (same industry / area as before) which is taking off abit now so although much of it is back at the company i left I'm getting paid more and working on my terms so i can take time for fitness and other interests where as i never had the time before. Alot of it is night shifts but strangely I quite like them as theres no stress , no clients and less responsibility. So far so good...
 
frantic, panic search for new work at the moment - cost of living for me is about to rocket...

it's fcking depressing - the good times are over
 
what sort of stuff do you do olly? Our industry had abit of the downturn a year or 2 ago but seems to have picked up again from what i can tell
 
a very niche area of media

which I hate along with the vile people who employ me and the equally vile clients who pay them

the real dilemma is whether to stick in this industry because it's what I know or take a plunge into something else (at 35?) Die by suffocation or make the wrong decision and end up in the dalston jobcentre...

or sack it all off and disappear to South America?
 
well that sounds very similar to me. Niche area employed by bloodsucking advertising Nathan Barley's and their clients who want hollywood fx for 10p. Thats why freelancing is working out well as i dont have to deal with alot of these ppl any more. That said of course there are actually some nice ppl working in advertising/tv but also some cnuts of the highest order!
 
fatphilb said:
this
Click to expand...

:lol:

got this mental image of you and Barton stepping off some old boat on some river in bolivia in 2017

FPB to local herder: Amigo! where is the gobby inglese?
local herder to FPB: he over there with wifes - he expecting you. You like Bolivia?
Barton: Aye
FPB: no, it's fookin rancid, man.
 
Olly said:
a very niche area of media

which I hate along with the vile people who employ me and the equally vile clients who pay them

the real dilemma is whether to stick in this industry because it's what I know or take a plunge into something else (at 35?) Die by suffocation or make the wrong decision and end up in the dalston jobcentre...

or sack it all off and disappear to South America?
Click to expand...

I would love to say go to S American but running away doesn't help. You gotta face your demons :(
 
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