Ok peeps, here is my debate. I have been able to move up the ranks in my current place of employment and currently enjoy pretty good benefits with about 3 weeks of vacation plus holidays. I am currenntly discussing a potential opportunity with a new employer. This company is even bigger and to the best of my knowledge, the benefits are very comparable. However, I would have to give up my seniority and I would have to start back at 2 weeks of vacation. I truly think this would be a lateral move and obviosuly trying to get a salary increase, but what’s bugging me is the fact that I am not fully familiar with the company structure and future carreer paths and having to give up vacation time. Any words of wisdom?
Sounds to me like you don’t have enough info yet. To make a good decision, you need to know more about the new company, the career opportunities (can you move further in the new company than the old), the benefits, etc. Personally, I wouldn’t make this type of move without all that info. Then again, I’m in the Navy, and there aren’t many opportunities for “lateral moves” in this career field.
Can you go for an interview and interview them while they interview you? I think you need to ask them the questions you asked here. Otherwise, you’ll never know.
When it comes time to talk offers with them, if they don’t meet what you have currently, I’d negotiate an equal amount of vacay time and some kind of a review period, at the end of which you could be re-evaluated for a promotion (more seniority) and a raise, if your performance warrants it.
If I were you I would be asking more questions related to structure and career path. Making a lateral move isn’t really a bad thing if the move opens up new avenues for growth.
If you ask the hiring manager where can I go from here and in what time frames and s/he gives you a vague answer I’d take that as you’ll either have to be a super star and make another move within the company to get where you’d like to be, or there isn’t any career path. Vague could be something, like “You can make your own path” Or “we reward our best people with new opportunities.” Which may be true, but it’s also saying that as of the day you ask that question, there is no thought out plan or career path for the position you are interviewing for.
Having interviewed people for just that kind of role, I’ve listened to co-workers use those types of answers with people when they don’t want to come out and say there is no career path per se.
As for your vacation concerns, I don’t see why asking for the week you’ve earned is out of the question. If it’s a lateral move why would you give up a weeks vacation, especially if you haven’t asked for it. Just negotiate with tact, if it’s a big deal for them they’ll say no, hopefully with tact as well. They will be willing to give up a week to get you, instead of starting all over again. It’s a pain in the ass to interview people and it takes a lot of time and money to do it.
