Oh, dear, dilemma time again

[selenay]

That interview last night? Might be a job offer. And I'm really not
certain about it.

It's a good role and would be great experience. I liked the people and
the company seems to be going places.

Except it's going to be 80% programming, 20% network admin. And the
distance is no better than what I'm currently doing.

And there's a job that I'd really prefer - better location, really
like the work that the company is doing and it's web development
rather than pure programming. I've been offered a telephone interview
for that one so it's not out of the realms of possibility.

This was my first interview and I'm loath to take the first thing I'm
offered when I'm not entirely certain about it. At the same time, I'm
afraid that I'll never be offered anything again if I do turn it down,
leaving myself stuck here for the rest of my life.

I hate making these choices. I always seem to make the wrong one. Last
time, I made the choice to take my current job and got offered
interviews for three great jobs a couple of days later. And I'm
already planning to leave this job. So am I going to be crazy turning
this role down or should I hold out for the right thing this time,
particularly when there's still the possibility of that job I'd really
prefer?

Comments

[paranoidangel]

Please can I have your problem? Personally, I'd say don't take it. If half the problem with your current job is the commute then you're only really solving half the problem. And it's not as if you're desperate with having no job, no money etc, and you can afford to wait, even if you end up leaving your current job before you have a new one.

Totally unsolicited opinion *g*

[catspaw-sgjd.livejournal.com]

That interview last night? Might be a job offer.

Well that in itself should tell you something - your first interview and it turns up an offer. You're obviously desirable :-) Add in the fact that when you plumped for the current one you then got further offers and it confirms this simple fact.

So, for what it's worth my advice would be - don't just take the first thing that comes along this time. Just keep your nerve and hang on for the job you *really* want and I bet it'll pop up in no time flat.

[sassyinkpen.livejournal.com]

Your last post said there seemed to be a lot of misinformation (or even outright deception) going on with this first job offer - that would raise a lot of red flags for me.

Plus - both job huntings now, you've had several job offers (I know you don't technically yet, but you're about to, we all think).

It's SO damned easy for me to say, not being the one on the line, but it looks like you ought to take the chance and wait. It doesn't sound like this current possibility gets you into any better position than you're in now?

[yragg.livejournal.com]

Personally I'd wait, for the reason that the others have give and fort he fact that you took the present job when you didn't really want it.

This time hold out for yourself, not what others want or expect. Why make do with second best when something better is just round the corner.

[selenay]

I'd share the jobs if I could :-)

You're echoeing a lot of what I've already been thinking on this one. The commute is a good chunk of the reason for looking - if only because my back just can't keep doing this and I am feeling fed up with doing so much driving every day. I can afford to wait and I'm probably crazy to think that nobody else is ever going to offer me anything. If one company already thinks that I'm a fantastic candidate then others will.

I'm just being nervous and indecisive *sigh* It's now a definite offer and the agency is pushing hard for an immediate decision, which is only making me feel less certain about it. Bleh.

Re: Totally unsolicited opinion *g*

[selenay]

*snort* I hope I wasn't too obvious in soliciting the advice of my friends!

It's now a definite job offer and the agency is pushing for a quick decision. If anything, that's making me feel less certain about it. It's not quite the direction that I wanted to go in, career-wise, and the commute is going to be just as bad as what I'm doing. The company will probably be better to work for than my current employer, but I think that everyone is right that I should just jump at the first thing I'm offered when I'm really not sure about it.

Keeping my nerve, though, is always tough because there's that nasty voice in my mind that insists that I'm not good enough and nobody else will be crazy enough to offer something. It's not even really web development, so I probably would be crazy to accept a job that's no better to commute and on a day-to-day basis won't be what I want to do. One or the other negative side I could handle, but probably not both in the one job.

[selenay]

*sigh* Yes, the agency for this is pretty determined to mislead or fudge things and I have no doubt that it's because she wants the commission rather than because she wants the right job for me. I know that she's not working for me, but the agency for the job that I'm really enthusiastic about is being much more helpful and transparent about the role. So, red flag.

It's now a definite job offer and I'm thinking about it. But in my head I was hoping that the job offer wouldn't come so that the decision would be made for me. Which may be a sign that it's really not the right thing, or just me being crazy.

Thanks for reminding me of the sane, sensible way of looking at it - this isn't the only job I've ever been offered and it's just the insecure part of me that's saying I'll never get another offer. This job doesn't really put me in a better position than what I currently have and won't take my career in the direction I want. I just have to hold my nerve, I guess, which is a lot easier to say than do!

[selenay]

I think your point is the biggest one to consider. The last time I really wasn't sure and needed time to talk myself into it, which with hindsight was the wrong thing to do. I feel the same about this one, for different reasons, and it's throwing up big red flags for me. There are other opportunities in the pipeline that I know I'd be saying "yes, please!!!! When do I start?" to if I were offered them and that's the way I think I should feel about whatever I accept.

I'm scared of making the same mistakes I made last time by taking a job that I'm not even 75% convinced on and regretting it later.