Money or Happiness?
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So I'm torn right now...my general manager at Staples asked me to take the EasyTech Expert job tonight, as the current Expert leaves in about a month. Now I currently make $10.30/hour at Staples, and taking that job would bring me over $11/hour. My new full-time job I started on Tuesday, March 3, 2015, pays me $10/hour, but after six months, I get brought on full-time as an employee at $15/hour. After I get my first CCNA, I get a 5K/year raise, which brings me up to $17/hour.
Now I told my GM that he can't afford me as the Expert. However, him and the current sales manager, who claims he's all that but has not been performing in terms of numbers for more than 18 months at this store, do NOT get along. The district manager has given my GM the nod of approval to bring me back full-time. So I told my GM tonight that if he gives me the sales manager's job and $17/hour, I would take it.
Why I'm torn is because my current full-time role is definitely a better money opportunity. However, I've had IT job after IT job and none of them have made me happy like I am at Staples. I know that's weird, but I felt like I built something at Staples. Also, if I was sales manager, that would mean I would be legitimately the head of that department. I could build the department to be what I envision it can be, and run things the way they should be run.
I know it's retail. I know Staples closed a ton of stores last year, but it's no different than another company dropping clients that bleed resources. They closed all their low volume stores that weren't making money. It made sense from a business sense. All these things are rattling around in my head. The store I'm at isn't going anywhere anytime soon. It would mean a career change, but I've been contemplating that for awhile. Maybe this is just what @scottalanmiller was talking about in regards to finding what you're great at and you like and sticking with it.
However, I'd like some more opinions. Be as honest as you want.
Thanks,
A.J. -
I think you know the answer from how you write. Staples makes you happy. And long term, what makes you happy will pretty much be what makes you more money too. Job hopping is okay a little, but that's a factor too, you have a lot of it. Halting that would be beneficial.
Moving to an MSP, again, means leaving what you enjoy and your comfort zone into a path that's not been ideal for you, again. That makes it a big gamble. And unlike other MSP ventures that you have taken in the past, this one is into a technology arena in which you are not currently experienced which adds even more risk - both in that you will not enjoy it and in that you have to ramp up in a whole new area.
Staples is stability and known territory, territory that you enjoy. Honestly the ET Exp job seems like the smart move. More money than you make now and more money that you will make for the next six months. It's stable, reliable and safe - and it is what you enjoy.
Taking a pay cut to take on a huge risk is.... risky. A 50% pay raise in six months means that they lack confidence that you will stay that long, one way or another. That's a crazy raise to be "promised" off in the future. That's a red flag. Either than they lack faith in you but are willing to gamble at $10 or that they don't intend to give it or they are on the verge of collapse and if they make it that long, they think that they can probably cover the extra cost. None of those are good.
I don't think looking outside Staples makes sense for you, not for a few years. You need to build a resume, build stability and build a track record.
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Stay where you like a Guess if you don't like IT jobs it's not for you..
That said $17/hour is kinda low pay, more like entry level tech pay.
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@thecreativeone91 said:
Stay where you like a Guess if you don't like IT jobs it's not for you..
That said $17/hour is kinda low pay, more like entry level tech pay.
Yeah, but I'd be entering the world of management. It'd be a totally different ballgame. I know the pay is low, but it'd be enough to live on for a bit. Plus, it would go up.
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@scottalanmiller said:
I think you know the answer from how you write. Staples makes you happy. And long term, what makes you happy will pretty much be what makes you more money too. Job hopping is okay a little, but that's a factor too, you have a lot of it. Halting that would be beneficial.
Moving to an MSP, again, means leaving what you enjoy and your comfort zone into a path that's not been ideal for you, again. That makes it a big gamble. And unlike other MSP ventures that you have taken in the past, this one is into a technology arena in which you are not currently experienced which adds even more risk - both in that you will not enjoy it and in that you have to ramp up in a whole new area.
Staples is stability and known territory, territory that you enjoy. Honestly the ET Exp job seems like the smart move. More money than you make now and more money that you will make for the next six months. It's stable, reliable and safe - and it is what you enjoy.
Taking a pay cut to take on a huge risk is.... risky. A 50% pay raise in six months means that they lack confidence that you will stay that long, one way or another. That's a crazy raise to be "promised" off in the future. That's a red flag. Either than they lack faith in you but are willing to gamble at $10 or that they don't intend to give it or they are on the verge of collapse and if they make it that long, they think that they can probably cover the extra cost. None of those are good.
I don't think looking outside Staples makes sense for you, not for a few years. You need to build a resume, build stability and build a track record.
Yeah, but right now, in my life, I need the money. Also, I would only get $11 and change as Expert. Last I knew, the cap for a non-management associate was $12/hour at Staples with very few exceptions. That is regardless of tenure.
The $10/hour is only when you are a temporary employee. The company is reputable and good to its employees, which is evidence by many first hand accounts. It's just their policy. The promised raise they are good for. That's also SOP.
The reason I said $17 is because I figured it'd be doable for that type of position and because that's what I'd really need.
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I'd be worried about switching to management, it's a different game. You like what you do now, do you know that you'd like that? You are always looking for a change, maybe look to stay stable. I know that the current money sucks, but take the raise and the long term path. Take the ET position, it's more money right now either way. Not a lot, but some. Once you take that and excel at that, ask for more. Put in six months, just like you would have at the other position, prove that you are worth it and ask for another dollar or two.
Sometimes evolutionary growth is more important than revolutionary growth. Sometimes just growing where you are is the right thing.
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@scottalanmiller said:
Sometimes evolutionary growth is more important than revolutionary growth. Sometimes just growing where you are is the right thing.
This. Many of my friends work in HR and they always say constant switching of career paths is always a red flag to them.
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Here is the thing, you have three choices ahead of you. Let's break them down:
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Drop in pay, ephemeral promises of halfway decent money in six months "if things work out." In the meantime you are not an FTE. Warning bells should be going off all over. The only guarantee here is that the next six months are less money. That is the promise. Don't keep saying what will happen in six months, that's not a guarantee, it's not part of the deal. It's marketing, ignore it. High risk from your side (can you excel?), high risk from their side (are they stable?) And don't repeat that they are the fastest growing anything, no one has heard of them, they are paying like a failing business - use logic, you have no proof this is a healthy business.
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Small raise, solid future. This is the guaranteed raise with a job that you know and they know you. No one is taking a chance here, this is success within your grasp. It's the conservative choice. Everything is a 'known', there is essentially no comparative risk.
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Big raise, nothing has been offered, unknown capability. You are untried in the position and don't even know if they will offer it. Less risk than #1 but huge risk compared to #2. More money but big chance of failure.
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@thanksajdotcom said:
Now I told my GM that he can't afford me as the Expert.
This was probably a mistake. Not only can he afford you in that role, but he's offering you 10% more than you have as an offer from anywhere else. And with a stable future, not a paycut for just six months and no offer after that.
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Don't be afraid to negotiate, but do so reasonably. EZTech Expert is $11. You jumped to $17, that's an unreasonable leap. But tell him you need $11.25.... no one is going to lose you, the bird in the hand, the known quantity, over $.25.
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Now I'm not saying to give up on the management track, that might make sense for you. But don't hard negotiate for it, you have no leverage. Build your Staples resume first. You have EZTech Expert experience in your grasp. Don't waste the opportunity. Become the Expert, gain experience, gain leverage. Start getting training or whatever so that becoming the manager is the next obvious step. Talk to the big manager, tell him you want the Expert Job, with $11.25, not $11 flat, and you want to start grooming for the entry level management position and want to be ready to be seriously considered when the time is right.
Don't give ultimatums, no one has more to lose here than you do.
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What makes you happy is pretty much always the answer. You need to get up every morning and be excited about what you do.
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@scottalanmiller said:
Now I'm not saying to give up on the management track, that might make sense for you. But don't hard negotiate for it, you have no leverage. Build your Staples resume first. You have EZTech Expert experience in your grasp. Don't waste the opportunity. Become the Expert, gain experience, gain leverage. Start getting training or whatever so that becoming the manager is the next obvious step. Talk to the big manager, tell him you want the Expert Job, with $11.25, not $11 flat, and you want to start grooming for the entry level management
Management is baby steps. I had worked a temporary job for almost 3 years, and worked around 60hrs a week at the company (Follett Corperation). I was offered a regional management job and they told me to take some time to think about it, I ended up turning it down while it was very nice money, working in management in that way didn't make any sense for my career path. A week later I took a job in IT again. My Boss their as well as most upper management in the company has always been great references as well for me especially because of how long I stayed with them while being a temporary employee.
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@QDesk said:
What makes you happy is pretty much always the answer. You need to get up every morning and be excited about what you do.
So True! Money as long as it pay the bills isn't as important as people make it out to be.
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Stay put. Take the EZ Expert position. It fits you. Management is a headache and you will be responsible for things you have not even thought of yet. The Expert position is something you know and can do well. You are only responsible for results. You have a lot of friends who like you and wish you the best, but when you take on a role you are not ready for, you tend to become over-bearing and rub people the wrong way. Take some time, and learn from others. If you jump before you are ready, you set yourself up for failure. The job offer may look sweet "in six months" but most businesses now also have a 90 day probationary period where you can be let go without a reason. Being late once is all they need to say goodbye. That is extremely risky. Telling Staples goodbye when they have offered you an advancement will mean you can't go back without taking a cut in pay and respect. You need a sure thing for a while. If you want a CCNA, get it on your own. It will be worth more to you then. In all our conversations I have not heard you talk networks, so I am not sure why you are looking at that now.
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@scottalanmiller said:
Now I'm not saying to give up on the management track, that might make sense for you. But don't hard negotiate for it, you have no leverage. Build your Staples resume first. You have EZTech Expert experience in your grasp. Don't waste the opportunity. Become the Expert, gain experience, gain leverage. Start getting training or whatever so that becoming the manager is the next obvious step. Talk to the big manager, tell him you want the Expert Job, with $11.25, not $11 flat, and you want to start grooming for the entry level management position and want to be ready to be seriously considered when the time is right.
Don't give ultimatums, no one has more to lose here than you do.
You bring up some good points Scott. The ET Expert role IS a keyholder position, which would be perfect grooming for sales manager. I'd have pretty much all the same training. Also, after 4 days this week of working one job, another, or both, I have realized I can't do two or more jobs again. Last time I did it for 3-4 months and it burned me out. I have enough going on in my life that I need to focus on one job and just kick ass at it.
I can do the two jobs for about 5 weeks. April 11th, the current Expert's last day, is a Saturday, and the last day of a shift of mine, as my current shifts are Tues-Sat. So that works out. I think that's what I'll do.
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@dengelhardt said:
Stay put. Take the EZ Expert position. It fits you. Management is a headache and you will be responsible for things you have not even thought of yet. The Expert position is something you know and can do well. You are only responsible for results. You have a lot of friends who like you and wish you the best, but when you take on a role you are not ready for, you tend to become over-bearing and rub people the wrong way. Take some time, and learn from others. If you jump before you are ready, you set yourself up for failure. The job offer may look sweet "in six months" but most businesses now also have a 90 day probationary period where you can be let go without a reason. Being late once is all they need to say goodbye. That is extremely risky. Telling Staples goodbye when they have offered you an advancement will mean you can't go back without taking a cut in pay and respect. You need a sure thing for a while. If you want a CCNA, get it on your own. It will be worth more to you then. In all our conversations I have not heard you talk networks, so I am not sure why you are looking at that now.
And, of course, if you get your CCNA that other job is not only still there, but you can go in with that much more negotiating power.... a track record at more money, less on the line and more to bargain with. Go back in a year with EZ Expert under your belt AND a CCNA and demand $18/hr if you want. But do things in the right order.
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@dengelhardt said:
If you want a CCNA, get it on your own. It will be worth more to you then. In all our conversations I have not heard you talk networks, so I am not sure why you are looking at that now.
I didn't get that part as well. If they are looking for a CCNA I'd think they'd want more network support experience as well
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@thanksajdotcom said:
@scottalanmiller said:
Now I'm not saying to give up on the management track, that might make sense for you. But don't hard negotiate for it, you have no leverage. Build your Staples resume first. You have EZTech Expert experience in your grasp. Don't waste the opportunity. Become the Expert, gain experience, gain leverage. Start getting training or whatever so that becoming the manager is the next obvious step. Talk to the big manager, tell him you want the Expert Job, with $11.25, not $11 flat, and you want to start grooming for the entry level management position and want to be ready to be seriously considered when the time is right.
Don't give ultimatums, no one has more to lose here than you do.
You bring up some good points Scott. The ET Expert role IS a keyholder position, which would be perfect grooming for sales manager. I'd have pretty much all the same training. Also, after 4 days this week of working one job, another, or both, I have realized I can't do two or more jobs again. Last time I did it for 3-4 months and it burned me out. I have enough going on in my life that I need to focus on one job and just kick ass at it.
I can do the two jobs for about 5 weeks. April 11th, the current Expert's last day, is a Saturday, and the last day of a shift of mine, as my current shifts are Tues-Sat. So that works out. I think that's what I'll do.
I think that that is a good, safe, conservative choice that Staples will be happy with. Leverage this to make the management position a natural growth step if you want, that might be a perfect way to go. But now that they know it is something that you are interested in, let them bring the idea to you when the time comes. Now you can groom yourself as the stable, reasonable, responsible "almost" manager while the other guy digs his own hole over time.
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@thecreativeone91 said:
@dengelhardt said:
If you want a CCNA, get it on your own. It will be worth more to you then. In all our conversations I have not heard you talk networks, so I am not sure why you are looking at that now.
I didn't get that part as well. If they are looking for a CCNA I'd think they'd want more network support experience as well
That's where I fear that the six months at super low pay is a kind of probation where he is not an FTE (not sure what he would be) and they just want to see if he is CCNA material. That makes it that much riskier and scary.
