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+--- Thread: Ask MM for career advice? I know, silly. (/showthread.php?tid=5901)
Ask MM for career advice? I know, silly. - Mike - 05-02-2007
I currently have a position as a QA Engineer here at my company. The pay is decent, but I am the MVP of my group, and am not paid close to the most. That is frustrating. I have spoken to my manager regarding what I need to do to be compensated as the most senior member, but he simply doesn't give me anything. He knows I'm his most valuable employee, but it's as if he struggles with paying me what I should be making or telling me exactly what I need to do to "level up." I train all new employees, have the most applicable experience, the best education (I am qualifying myself cause I KNOW you guys are gonna tell me I'm whining). Anyway, it is clear to everyone including my boss that I'm the best. [/soapbox]
NOW... since I feel my career is stagnant in this position, I have been speaking with our sales director about a deployment position that just came open. It would pay more, it would have 60% travel, I'd make tons of contacts, and honestly, I think it's a much better move for down the road. The problem is the travel... I don't know if I'm willing to give up all the free time I have. I currently work a relaxed 9-5, and have a lot of freedom. In the new position, I'd be spending a lot of time away from home, and would constantly be on the go. This would obviously require a change at home, but how big of one? Is it doable? Note: I currently live with my girlfriend... She has told me to go for it, but you know how that goes...
Thoughts? Anyone do the travel thing and swear to never do it again?
Ideally, I'd be able to get a taste of the job, and if it doesn't work out I could come back to my current position... I'm fairly certain my current manager would allow it too... Shit... Help!
I've spoken with my current boss and he gives me the go ahead. I just got done speaking wit the sales guy and he wants me. Tomorrow morning I meet with my boss' boss and then based on that I guess I'll be making a decision.
- .RJ - 05-02-2007
Go for it - travel is fun. And being in your biz you probably get to go to cool places, and not airports out in BFE :lol:
When else are you going to do it? You're young, not married and dont have any kids/pets/etc to worry about...
Keep in mind you can probably only do the travel for 12-24 mos before you burn out, but in that time hopefully you've made some good contacts and gained enough experience to move on to something else - either within your company or somewhere else.
- WRXtranceformed - 05-02-2007
Go for it dude, sales is where it's at!
I'm actually thinking about making a career and / or location change myself. The opportunities with my company in this area simply aren't opening up for the long term, and I took a large pay cut to go into sales training knowing I'd come out of it with the ability to make 3xs what I used to make.
Travelling would be awesome, especially since you're young. It is tough to do the long distance thing with a girlfriend though, trust me on that... I'm going through it right now. Travelling a lot doesn't help that, but you two are living together so it's probably less of an issue.
- Andy - 05-02-2007
I traveled for a few weeks every other week for 6-8 months. It was cool at first but felt like jail after a while. On a business trip, I worked a solid 12 hours a day instead of working 5 and dicking off 3. The then GF thought it was getting old and so will yours.
I'm in the same boat as you are and I feel like jumping ship for more money is a better move than switching around one's own company as witnessed by the great hater's recent ride on the employment merry-go-round.
Put your resume up someplace with some rediculous salary demands and see if you get any bites.
- .RJ - 05-02-2007
Andy Wrote:I feel like jumping ship for more money is a better move than switching around one's own company as witnessed by the great hater's recent ride on the employment merry-go-round.
Unless your new job sucks.
Unfortunately its really the only way to get a solid raise, or at least get your pay back in line with the area standards if you have a pretty significant underpayment thing going on.
Keep in mind... bigger paycheck = bigger taxes. The raise doesnt always work out to be that great, as I found out with my nearly 50% bump in pay.
Mo' money mo' problems
- HAULN-SS - 05-02-2007
get married.
- mrbaggio - 05-02-2007
.RJ Wrote:Andy Wrote:I feel like jumping ship for more money is a better move than switching around one's own company as witnessed by the great hater's recent ride on the employment merry-go-round.
Unless your new job sucks.
Unfortunately its really the only way to get a solid raise, or at least get your pay back in line with the area standards if you have a pretty significant underpayment thing going on.
Keep in mind... bigger paycheck = bigger taxes. The raise doesnt always work out to be that great, as I found out with my nearly 50% bump in pay.
Mo' money mo' problems
You can make a "donation" to me and take the tax write off. If your tax bill is too high.
- Feersty - 05-02-2007
I say go for it Mike. Travel is something that I have always wanted to do, but never got the opportunity. You get to see things on company dime.
OT: What kind of raises do you guys get on your yearly reviews? Do you ask for them?
- JohnC - 05-02-2007
Feersty Wrote:OT: What kind of raises do you guys get on your yearly reviews? Do you ask for them?
We patiently wait.
- Andy - 05-02-2007
Feersty Wrote:I say go for it Mike. Travel is something that I have always wanted to do, but never got the opportunity. You get to see things on company dime.
OT: What kind of raises do you guys get on your yearly reviews? Do you ask for them?
Feersty,
Most business travel is for business. It's not a vacation. That's what vacations are for.
- .RJ - 05-02-2007
Andy Wrote:Most business travel is for business. It's not a vacation. That's what vacations are for.
Especially when your job sends you to shitty places with 1 stoplight in the whole town and nowhere decent to eat within 50 miles and you have to work 12 hr days.... it happens. But for the most part, I like travelling for work.
- jongp3 - 05-02-2007
Most people hit it right on the money already. You are young, no kids/pet/wife to worry about. Travel while you can see as much as possible! If you have nothing to loose go for it.
As for jobs in general I've gone through many personally. Its very hard to find a company who treats "all" their employees equal and fair. If you've ask for a raise and know you deserve it but still get turned down then your best bet is to start looking at other jobs. Inform your "superiors" that you have offers by other companies but you'd rather stay with them if they increase your pay. This has worked for me many times, if you are good at what you do and if the company gives 2 shits about you. If you really are the "MVP" then they will give you the raise otherwise its not worth staying. If they can't keep you happy or other employees then think about how this will affect their business. Businesses with unhappy employees never really make it that big. In the end you might be doing yourself a favor by jumping ship if they can't make you happy.
I"d have to say I landed a gold mine when i started working at Rosetta Stone here in Harrisonburg. I get the same benefits as all the CEO/CFO/C*Os do as well as everyone else down to the person doing the trash. Thats equal and fair. People goto work because they want to. I used to wake up and hate going to work, now i wake up early so I can go into work for the overtime pay. Raises are given to everyone once a year, all raises are the same percentage. I started working 2 months ago, I'm in tier 1 tech support, I'm being "promoted" to tier 2 already, keep in mind we have all of 10 people in the Tech Support team. Since everyone is happy the company has gone from a small software company out of "Harrisonburg, VA" to an international company in only 10 years. Last year they had ~350 world wide employees, they now have about ~400 and have plans to double that by the end of this year. I'm not expert but that seems huge to me and I've worked with big companies such as Valero and Clear Channel in San Antonio.
In any case the whole point is, work some where, where you are happy at, that treats you and all its employees fair and equal.
P.S. Rosetta Stone is hiring like crazy in Harrisonburg and I believe in DC as well. IF anyone in Harrisonburg needs a summer job or looking for something full time PM or AIM I can get you contact info. I get a nice bonus if your hired and stay 30 days!
- Apoc - 05-02-2007
I'm going to be the dissenting opinion but that was probably a foregone conclusion.
I think you're going to hate having a sales job, especially one that requires travel. You're going to miss your home life, the relatively cushy hours you have now and you're definitely going to miss your g/f. I don't think a girl is the right reason to pass up an opportunity but this seems more like a way out than an opportunity.
I'd also be nervous about my fall back being a job that was okay with letting me go and then taking me back. It's clear your current situation is somewhat of a dead end but the choice shouldn't be the available job in your current company IMO. What's the career move if you end up excelling at sales? Do you eventually not have to travel as much? Where will you be in 3 years if you keep at it? You're at a crossroads in your life where you can really get ahead by starting a career and it doesn't seem to me this is one you'd like to have. You can take the time to "live it up" but everything else in your life says to me that you want to go the other direction. Taking a job that doesn't set you down that path only sets you back however many years. I've seen the good and the bad of it with people I work with. (read: people younger than me who are doing as well as people 10 years my senior).
It really sounds to me like you need to find a new company.
- HAULN-SS - 05-02-2007
.RJ Wrote:Andy Wrote:Most business travel is for business. It's not a vacation. That's what vacations are for.
Especially when your job sends you to shitty places with 1 stoplight in the whole town and nowhere decent to eat within 50 miles and you have to work 12 hr days.... it happens. But for the most part, I like travelling for work.
or here
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=guyuan,+china&sll=28.998532,104.765625&sspn=52.775677,90.878906&ie=UTF8&ll=36.164488,105.836792&spn=3.126248,5.679932&z=8&om=1">http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q= ... 2&z=8&om=1</a><!-- m -->
this is where my dad currently is. Wanna talk about shitty places to travel..try travelling to any city you havent heard of, China. It might have 2 million people or whatever..but it's still BFE.
- .RJ - 05-02-2007
Apoc Wrote:It's clear your current situation is somewhat of a dead end
Why is that? If he's gained enough experience in ~2 yrs to be the "MVP" of the group it seems like things are going well.
Cushy hours and decent pay is hard to give up, but if you dont travel now you probably wont get to do it in the future.
- Andy - 05-02-2007
HAULN-SS Wrote:.RJ Wrote:Andy Wrote:Most business travel is for business. It's not a vacation. That's what vacations are for.
Especially when your job sends you to shitty places with 1 stoplight in the whole town and nowhere decent to eat within 50 miles and you have to work 12 hr days.... it happens. But for the most part, I like travelling for work.
or here
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=guyuan,+china&sll=28.998532,104.765625&sspn=52.775677,90.878906&ie=UTF8&ll=36.164488,105.836792&spn=3.126248,5.679932&z=8&om=1">http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q= ... 2&z=8&om=1</a><!-- m -->
this is where my dad currently is. Wanna talk about shitty places to travel..try travelling to any city you havent heard of, China. It might have 2 million people or whatever..but it's still BFE.
You're an idiot.
- .RJ - 05-02-2007
Andy Wrote:You're an idiot.
Nothing new here
- Apoc - 05-02-2007
.RJ Wrote:Apoc Wrote:It's clear your current situation is somewhat of a dead end
Why is that? If he's gained enough experience in ~2 yrs to be the "MVP" of the group it seems like things are going well.
Being the MVP doesn't mean shit if your company doesn't recognize or reward you for it. It quite clear his current boss doesn't give a shit or is incapable of helping him get that promotion and/or pay raise he thinks he deserves. Contrary to popular belief, some companies do pay their top talent and switching jobs stops becoming the answer. If his current employer doesn't do that in his current job, it's going to become systemic throughout his career there and now is the time to change that.
I left Allstate because length of service was all that mattered when it came for review time. I was better than most everyone else, I was helping people who had been there longer then me and even doing some of their work for the sake of the team. Come review time they got the promotion because they had been there longer. (I know because I was told that everyone got promoted in the order they were hired.) I finally found a job where my quality of work is what determines my success and not only has my salary increased 35% in 3 years, it's actually quite empowering (read: warm and fuzzy) to know I'm on the same level as people approaching 40. I know if I exceed expectations, am a leader in my field and help the company then I'll be rewarded in return. It sounds to me like Mike has the former and he wants and belongs in the latter.
- .paul - 05-02-2007
Being given names, titles, awards, mean absolute SHIT unless you are given a reward for them in your review or in bonus form. My company is somewhat the same. I agree with Chris 100%.
Mike it seems you are in a dead end job, sure it is luxury and comfortable, and you have gotten used to it, but it seems what you are worth to them is lower than what you would be to other companies. Chris is right in saying that you need to find a place that looks past age and time at the company, and looks at quality of work. My old manager was all about time vested in the company, he no longer is my manager thank God, and now my new manager is about what each individual produces. I have in the span of 4 months with the new manager have been put up for employee of the month with the company, I have been given awards from my Govn't counterparts, have gotten a 400 award bonus thing from my company, and been moved up to a level 3 engineer and a 5% raise whcih was out of cycle.
I am at a disadvantage when it comes to the likes of you, RJ, chris and other on this board. I do NOT have a degree, but it makes me wonder how someone with a degree and experience can get stuck in this slump. i work with a few guys that are about your age with masters and I make more than them. Not because I am better, but because their knowledge in the work game is off. Everyone can get more than they think, it is just knowing how to sell yourself properly to the right people.
As for your sales possibility, if you enjoy dealing with people, lots of interaction and sucking up, you could stand to make mucho dinero in sales. If the girl is the one, then go for it, you have nothing to lose, if she is not, go for it you have nothing to lose. This is your future, and you are still young, this is your time to be risky and take a chance. You have that paper, you have experience, you have somewhere to fall back on. You can ALWAYS get a job, maybe not doing what you want but you can always get a job to get by. So if you are up for the sales thing, I would go for it. Ideally that is where I want to go, IT sales. my pops does it, the people he has working for him loves it. He used to be a mechanical engineer, worked up to VP of the copmany, quit to be Director of sales for EDS and then this smalelr company. He says life is much better, money is better, quality of life is greater. Sure sales is a lot of travel, but he gets so much mileage he takes my mom with him lots of the places that are cool and turns it into a vacation with some work.
I am babbling now, but I say stat actively looking for a new job, or investigate this sales opportunity. Hey the place you work at looks at time, so it could be a win win, new position new money and time spent at hte company still
- ScottyB - 05-02-2007
i guess i side with Chris and Paul and their points of view.
sounds to me that if you are really interested in travel now is your chance, however it seems to me that ultimately the issue with recognition for accomplishment lies with the company itself, and you will ultimately hit a poor management "wall" again and possibly more frustration.
naturally this is the time in life to travel all over if its really something that interests you, but otherwise i think it would do you well to look into a better company.