# To take a job or not to take a job **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 24, 2004, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-take-a-job-or-not-to-take-a-job/261342 "2004-08-24T21:17:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2004, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-take-a-job-or-not-to-take-a-job/261342/1 "2004-08-24T21:17:50Z")
Well, in the next couple of days I have two choices. Keep the engineering job I have which I enjoy but don’t get paid regularly at because the company has been waiting for funding for two years. Good things seem imminent. (But we’ve heard that before) Take a job offer in a position radically different from the one I’m in currently. This is something I _might_ enjoy, but don’t have a lot of experience in so I can’t tell. This company seems small but well funded and stability would not be an issue. Pay and benefits are comparable and I wouldn’t have to move. Anyone have a really big coin I can borrow? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2004, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-take-a-job-or-not-to-take-a-job/261342/2 "2004-08-24T21:27:11Z")
Take the one that pays regularly until the money comes in at the current one. They’ll HAVE to understand! ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2004, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-take-a-job-or-not-to-take-a-job/261342/3 "2004-08-24T21:49:50Z")
Yeah. They’d have no problem understanding. I’d feel guilty about taking a job like this without planning on staying at _least_ 6 months. ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2004, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-take-a-job-or-not-to-take-a-job/261342/4 "2004-08-24T22:16:49Z")
Take the stable job. I’ve been in a similar situation before, and believe me, you don’t understand just how important stability and benefits are. My situation was that I really liked the environment of the company I was in, and believed I was doing something I really loved, but they were always low on funding and promising that better days were just around the corner. They weren’t. The company went under, and my “loyalty” just found me out of a job and with no money (because I’d gone without pay for several months). When I got my new job, I didn’t like the work as much, and I didn’t like the company as much. But I had never realized before just how much I’ve been stressing out about money all these years. Since working here, I haven’t had to think about money once – I’m not rolling in it, but I’ve got enough that it’s just always there when I need it. And that has made a **world** of difference. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2004, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-take-a-job-or-not-to-take-a-job/261342/5 "2004-08-24T22:32:02Z")
Well, you guys are telling me the stuff I need to hear I guess. Constant low-level stress can do bad things for you. Case in point: I was just prescribed blood pressure medication from my doctor. I’m 25 yrs old and in shape! post hoc ergo propter hoc, but still… ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2004, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-take-a-job-or-not-to-take-a-job/261342/6 "2004-08-24T22:35:50Z")
After being in the work force for 35 years, there aren’t a lot of things I expect from a job anymore. But if I’m going to work for someone else, I expect a regular paycheck. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2004, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-take-a-job-or-not-to-take-a-job/261342/7 "2004-08-24T23:21:50Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > I’d feel guilty about taking a job like this without planning on staying at _least_ 6 months. Why? Do you think if it met his or her business needs your employer would feel guilty about firing you? Employees need to get over the outdated concept of “company loyalty.” Employers got over it long long ago. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2004, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-take-a-job-or-not-to-take-a-job/261342/8 "2004-08-25T12:30:21Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Why? Do you think if it met his or her business needs your employer would feel guilty about firing you? Employees need to get over the outdated concept of “company loyalty.” Employers got over it long long ago. Ain’t _that_ the truth! Your employer (unless you’re like a relative or something) would drop you like a hot potato if it meant more money in his pocket. As it is, he’s taking advantage of you. Are you over 40? I find that the “over 40” crowd thinks in terms of loyalty more than the younger folks. That attitude will eventually make you feel like shit about yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2004, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-take-a-job-or-not-to-take-a-job/261342/9 "2004-08-25T13:43:22Z")
Well, first, make sure that the new company \* is \* well-funded. Are they actually selling stuff, or are they existing on venture capital? What’s the work environment like at each company? I’m guessing that esprit de corps is pretty low at the one you’re at now. Even if people are highly motivated, the continual disappointment of waiting for that ship to come in can really have a draining effect. Just how screwed will you be if the current company never gets funding? Will you be out of cash immediately? Have to move? What’s the upside? Do you have equity in the current company? If their ship does come in, will you then spend the next 50 years sleeping on mattresses stuffed with 100 dollar bills? To some extent, at 25 you can stand some risk. So if there’s a significant potential payoff, then it’s maybe worth sticking around. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2004, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-take-a-job-or-not-to-take-a-job/261342/10 "2004-08-25T13:57:52Z")
> [@](#): > > Why? Do you think if it met his or her business needs your employer would feel guilty about firing you? Employees need to get over the outdated concept of “company loyalty.” Employers got over it long long ago. Well, let’s just say I’d feel guilty about _planning ahead_ to leave after only a few months. > [@](#): > > Well, first, make sure that the new company is well-funded. Are they actually selling stuff, or are they existing on venture capital? Well, as far as I can tell as an outsider looking in, they appear well-funded. They’re a spinoff of a larger, wealthy company. > [@](#): > > What’s the work environment like at each company? I’m guessing that esprit de corps is pretty low at the one you’re at now. Even if people are highly motivated, the continual disappointment of waiting for that ship to come in can really have a draining effect. You hit the nail on the head. > [@](#): > > Just how screwed will you be if the current company never gets funding? Will you be out of cash immediately? Have to move? Pretty screwed. > [@](#): > > What’s the upside? Do you have equity in the current company? If their ship does come in, will you then spend the next 50 years sleeping on mattresses stuffed with 100 dollar bills? To some extent, at 25 you can stand some risk. So if there’s a significant potential payoff, then it’s maybe worth sticking around. I’ve got stock options (warrants actually). Most of which I can take with me. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2004, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-take-a-job-or-not-to-take-a-job/261342/11 "2004-08-25T14:21:00Z")
Well, I think you know the answer to this one, then. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2004, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-take-a-job-or-not-to-take-a-job/261342/12 "2004-08-25T15:01:26Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Why? Do you think if it met his or her business needs your employer would feel guilty about firing you? Employees need to get over the outdated concept of “company loyalty.” Employers got over it long long ago. I agree with you. Except that on a resume, anything less than a 6-month stay at a company will raise eyebrows. And while sometimes you can get away with skipping that on a resume, I’ve had at least one friend who was fired the second day of his job because HR found out he failed to list a job he held for less than a month a few years ago. He wasn’t fired or didn’t quit or anything. The company folded. But the current company had a blanket policy regarding such things and if you’re caught misrepresenting your employment history — even in an innocuous case like this — you’re out. Thank god I’m self-employed. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-take-a-job-or-not-to-take-a-job/261342/13 "2004-08-27T18:40:28Z")
drum roll please. ratatatatat… I took the job offer. Thanks for all the advice fellow dopers. ---
**Author:** ![Kuizelemartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19b73/32.png) [@Kuizelemartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuizelemartz)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-take-a-job-or-not-to-take-a-job/261342/14 "2004-08-27T22:11:56Z")
Yay! and Congrats ! When do you start? How did you break the news to the people at your current job? More details please! Boy, am I nosey or what? ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-take-a-job-or-not-to-take-a-job/261342/15 "2004-08-27T22:24:40Z")
> [@Ravenous Lady](#): > > Yay! and Congrats ! > > When do you start? How did you break the news to the people at your current job? More details please! Boy, am I nosey or what? Thanks! Not nosey. Just ravenous for news perhaps. 🙂 I’ll spend the next couple of weeks sort of mixing and matching days. I need to balance finishing a project I’m working on now and getting trained by the guy I’m replacing. I just walked into the boss’s office and told him what was going on. There wasn’t any surprise or anger. (see above) I wish I could have stayed around a couple of more months to see what happens, but I’m tired of worrying about money. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2004, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-take-a-job-or-not-to-take-a-job/261342/16 "2004-08-27T23:27:45Z")
I say take the new job. It is a new adventure and may be something you like, with the added bonus of getting paid regularly. If you hate it, you can always start looking again…