Not a bad problem to have.. but still a problem

Looking for some insight if anyone has it.

I work IT for a SMB organization. We run infrastructure for my companies' group of 4 companies and just started to run IT for 4 more sister companies. I do most everything - user support, I migrated our infrastructure from VMWare to Hyper-V 2012, migrated all the exchange servers from '03 to '10. Replaced all the network infrastructure. It's myself, my boss who actually ends up doing mostly management and helps out with business development, and we inherited some desktop support guys with the 4 sister companies. 2 on the other end of the state and two up the road from us.

With us taking over IT for the sister companies I finally got a much deserved change in title (Sr. Systems Engineer is the new title) and commensurate pay increase. That was 10.5% to go along with the 5% performance based pay increase I received at my first annual review in April of last year.

Last week I was contacted by a friend about an opening at a company he just started with. It will be working in a managed IT services environment. This company has an excellent track record for sustainable growth, has never laid anyone off, and has a pile of new contracts that they have been delaying, pending getting qualified staff.

I spoke with the manager last night and he was very interested and thew out a number that is about 16% higher than my base pay now - though it is only 6% higher if I take into account my current companies 401k matching. I don't yet know if the managed services company does 401k matching. Benefits otherwise are similar at similar cost.

My current company affords me a crazy amount of flexibility. I've put in tons of hours for projects and my supervisor has rewarded me with basically being able to do as I please. I can call him at 0730 in the morning and tell him I'm still sleepy and I'm headed back to bed and that I'll be in at 10:00. "Ok, no stress, see you then" is all I get. Don't get me wrong, I bust my ass when needed and don't mind working hard. When I start online classes back up in a few months, I'll be able to spend an hour or so at work doing school work each day with encouragement from my supervisor.

That certainly wouldn't be the case at the prospective new place, as I'd be billable. So while there would be a bunch more money and the headroom to earn more as my skill set improves ("well into the 6 digits" was mentioned for someone who wants to become extra-specialized in some less common fields) I'd not have the flexibility that I've become used to in my 2 years at this place (and the 5 years at the prior place - similar situation for me)

The CEO at my current place believes any more salary for my position would require a degree. So pay won't go up much between now and me finishing my degree (probably about 2 years from now - I'm sitting on 90 hours but really that just core curriculum and some classes from degrees I'm no longer pursuing)

I keep convincing myself that staying is the better choice - but then I convince myself that going after the money and headroom to earn more is the wiser choice, only to come back to deciding that staying is better.

I know this isn't the worst problem in the world to be wrestling with - but I keep beating myself up over it. I've never worked as outsource'd it, so I'm not sure exactly if I'm cut out for it.

Stay. The increase isn't enough to give up the flexibility and security you have now. I was in your situation 14 years ago, and I left, but it was for 50% more money.

There's this thing, like a rule of thumb, and take this with a grain of salt because I have no source to site. The rule of thumb is that when a guy goes to a new job, he's excited about the pay and related benefits for about six months. Around that point he's used to the pay and it's no longer the big motivator, it becomes other thing like if the work seems "fun" or flexibility or coworkers you don't hate being around.

It sounds like you'd give up a lot for a bit more pay, and pay that could get better in the not distant future. I think I'd stick with it, especially for a flexible work environment that doesn't make you feel like a jerk for not being there exactly when they expect.

My 2 cents.

Having a work environment that treats you well and that you can enjoy beats the hell out of a marginally better salary any day. I'm already overpaid IMO (another HS grad in IT work with no plans toward a degree) but I could probably walk out the door at any time for 10% more someplace else. But my company treats me well, affords me flexibility and in general is a great place to work, with luck I'll retire here.

Stay where you are.

Stay

Stay. The parent/sister company (weird situation) of my last employer was managed services. The only reason I stayed was the money - and I was miserable for 5-years.

My new employer sounds much closer to your present job, and although I've only been here 6-months I'm not sure money could lure me away. The reduction in stress is worth it alone.

Then again, some people thrive in stressful situations. I'm not one of them.

Thanks yall. If I hadn't gotten the change in title/pay increase on Monday it would be a much easier decision - going from 54k to 70k is a big enough jump that I wouldn't have really considered staying. But 60/66 if counting 401k matching) is a much more difficult decision.

My gut is saying stay.

stay .... if the 6 figure future was a written guarantee ....

Sounds like staying makes much more sense.

Also, the whole you need a degree thing to earn more money doesn't make sense to me. If you provide value that is irreplaceable, they will pay the money.

Money isn't everything. I've quit high paying, stressful jobs because the money just wasn't worth it.

I'd stay.

Stay most definitely. I'd need a minimum of a 20%+ salary raise to change jobs currently, and my job is almost as flexible as it gets (not quite as flexible as yours however).

Also, it'd be totally illegal to call yourself an engineer in Canada. Weird how the different systems work.

In reply to HiTempguy:

His job is almost as flexible as being self employed. Sometimes more so.

HiTempguy wrote: Also, it'd be totally illegal to call yourself an engineer in Canada. Weird how the different systems work.

Yeah, oddly enough my official title is Sr Systems Engineer as well. I don't call me that, my employer does. Titles are relatively meaningless in IT, heck technically I'm not a systems engineer anyway, I'm a software developer/process engineer.

I am scared of change and leaps of faith in general. I love my work and recently changed careers (same field new town) but the stars practically aligned to give me the security to transition without a single day uninsured or a weeks pay missed and my retirement carrying over.

If the move doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. I had a similar offer about 10 years ago. I decided to stay. Best decision of my life. The other place has basically disintegrated since then whereas my current job pays me more than I could have imagined for not having a degree and my freedom is astonishing.

Toyman01 wrote: In reply to HiTempguy: His job is almost as flexible as being self employed. Sometimes more so.

True. But being self employed carries large risk, and typically, you don't get to make your hours (besides ALL OF THEM being in the "working" column) until years down the road.

I'd stay. Your current employer appreciates you, you're making decent money, you're working in good areas within IT, and they're flexible. If you're doing support and have any flexibility, consider yourself lucky!

I'd float the idea of getting some advanced certifications could give you a bump in pay. VMware certifications, SAN storage certifications, Virtualization Architect, etc. With the move to virtualization, having a solid background in shared storage is a huge plus. And with the convergence between servers, storage, and networks, network experience will also pay huge dividends.

Sounds like you're in a good place, with a good problem on your hands

Enyar wrote: Sounds like staying makes much more sense. Also, the whole you need a degree thing to earn more money doesn't make sense to me. If you provide value that is irreplaceable, they will pay the money.

don't believe it ... (corporate stupidity can't be underestimated )

at the plant where I used to work, the manufacturing engineering positions changed to requiring a BS ... the, already in place, AAS engineers would not be hired if they were applying now ... ( keep in mind that these are guys that know a hell of a lot more than the 4yr guys that are replacing them ...)

they aren't being given the pay that the "smarter" guys get right out of college ... even though they know the products inside out and backwards ...end up having to teach the new guys ... make beaucoup $$$$ for the company ...

and I wonder why I'm so happy I'm out of there

disclaimer: I have 2 AAS engineering degrees and didn't even bother trying to go beyond the assembler position I had ... no way I was going to put up with their BS

Zomby Woof wrote: Stay. The increase isn't enough to give up the flexibility and security you have now. I was in your situation 14 years ago, and I left, but it was for 50% more money.

Since this was the first stay suggestion, and it covers the flexibility issue, I'm adding to it...

a couple of years ago, my wife's parents had some serious health issues that have thanfully passed (so far...). One of the "side effects" was that they needed help for an extended time. SIL could not do it, with her work arrangements, OTOH, my wife could, and spent a month with them. With her job, it was just seen as an extended illness.

Sometimes it's not fun working for "the man"- but in many, many lifestyle ways, it very, very much is. Someday, you may need to work from your parents home for a month, and I bet your current job will let you.

Anyway, just wanted to add that story, since it looks like you've already thought about it some.

In reply to m4ff3w:

As an attorney who needs to account for every 6 minutes of my day, the term in your email that stood out to me was "billable". If your time would be billed to the client in the new job, consider what that means, will you have budgeted billables, how you will account for your time, etc. If your day from arrival to departure is billed, it may not be an adjustment. If there's more scrutiny than that, it may be a big change for you. I may work 12 hours in a day and be lucky to "bill" 6 hours of it based on what I'm doing, even though based on my budgeted hours, I should get at least 8 hours in the book. In that instance, I'm in the hole 2 hours and need to make it up somewhere down the line.

All I can say is that my buddy with a 2-year IT degree was doing OK in the corporate world, but when he went to work for an independent firm owned by a guy that cared about performance and not degrees, he really started earning bank. He is now the VP of his own branch of the company. If you work hard, always go for growth potential.

I was in the same position as you when I left San Antonio. I'd have stayed if I knew then what I know now.

As someone who has been in IT for a quarter century, I'll add my voice to the chorus of "stay where you are". The difference in income isn't worth even thinking about moving once you take into account the flexibility you have and the fact that your place sounds like a really good place to work at.

Once you're getting into the realm of billable, the flexibility is going to be something that goes out of the window (you have to be "flexible" to cater to every client's whim to produce more billable hours) and your ability to take your online classes will be diminished substantially. The fact that you're encouraged to do some studying at work makes up for more than the remaining 6%, trust me.

OK... stay where you are and see if you can get your employer to help you attain a degree. Make sure you tell them it's for their benefit and all.

Thanks yall.

I had the interview. Got the offer, but I'm going to decline, after I sleep on it.

I didn't get into my office until 0930 this morning, as I was up until 0400 with a racing mind. When I called my boss he said, "Good news, I got you 65!" So there isn't much that I'm giving up in terms of cash, but lots that I'm keeping in flexibility, seniority, comp time (I won't have to take a vacation day for the rest of the year), and I'm learning alot of non-IT stuff from my boss. He's a great guy.

I very much appreciate yall's advice.