D_Rabbit wrote:BOOM!!!!
Got the job offer today! I figured I would be a nice guy and go to my current employer with this information to see if they would like to counteroffer in the slightest. That was worthless! I tell you, there is no such thing as company loyalty anymore. I basically got the response of, well, it was nice to have you here. Good luck! NOTHING! How about an offer of a slight raise! The idea of a counter offer was to tell me that there is a lot of opportunity to move up with them so I should stay for that........ um....... NO! As much as I like opportunity to be promoted I will take my chances for that with a company 50x the size of my current one and a heft increase in pay.
Oh well! Talked to another coworker of mine today about the opportunity and his sister works for the company I will be going to and she loves it there. Needless to say...... I will be taking my talents to Nationwide! My boy Peyton has already reached out to me to welcome me to the team.
Can't wait to start the next chapter! And the first paycheck
Congrats on the new job, hope it is rewarding for you.
I do have to comment on what you said, and please take this as observational, not critical. I've hired lots of people over the years, and I see this every now and then. It's an interesting perspective, and 180 degrees from mine. Doesn't mean you're wrong and I'm right, or you're right and I'm wrong, it's just a different perspective.
You went to your current employer and told them you were leaving for a job with a competitor, then questioned company loyalty? From my perspective, as someone that's worked in a few companies and hired many people, you have it backwards. When you interviewed with a competitor, you were the one not displaying loyalty (your term, not mine, I never use that term). There is nothing wrong with going to your employer, at the right time (say during a performance review) and discussing your worth to the company, and bringing up that you think you might be worth more than you're being compensated for. But, once you open the door to leaving by interviewing and receiving a competitor's job offer, you've demonstrated to your employer that you aren't loyal to them (again, your term, not mine).
I would be the first to say that the concept of loyalty to a company is a concept that went away long ago, as well as loyalty to employees. But saying that they should be loyal to you when you've already received a job offer from a competitor is backwards.
I have a personal policy that if an employee comes to me in the scenario that you described, they leave immediately. I probably would have been quicker and "colder" than the treatment you got - i.e. there's the door, go out it now, as in you have 5 minutes to clean out your desk while security or HR watches you do it. To me, that's a line that once crossed is done. I've seen people convinced to stay just leave in the future anyway.
As an employer and manager of people, my responsibility is to keep my employees happy, motivated, excited about the company and their careers. If someone interviews and receives an offer from a competitor, I've failed. If I've failed then I need to figure out why, and adjust if necessary. But the employee goes.
One other observation. You posted that in Jan 2013 you changed jobs/company. Then in April 2014 (approx), then in September 2015 (I assume you started looking sooner). Again, as an employer, I'd see that on your resume' and it would raise flags in my mind - why is he changing jobs so often? Is it chasing money? Is money his only motivator? I realize, because you posted it, that one of the changes was due to your wife getting a new job and you having to move. That's fine. But this current job lasted less than 1 1/2 years. And you grew dissatisfied (or were approached and agreed to pursue a new job) in less than that time. Why? What was missing in your current job? Money? You're missing the bigger picture. Money is a PIECE of the equation. Quality of life, opportunity to be challenged in the job, and be promoted for more responsibility, co-workers, managers, etc. I once took a job that paid a LOWER salary than I was making prior to get some of that.
Years ago I switched jobs for a bigger salary (and a move). I didn't look into the company culture at all. Big mistake. Owners treated employees like dirt. Senior team was awful, some incompetent. Within a few months I was not real happy. Within a year I was ready to leave, and interviewing. There was someone in the company that saw I was unhappy, and saw why. I didn't get the job, and went to work the morning after learning that. There was a special meeting called, at which they told us that my bosses boss had left. I was elated, as his style and quality of management were a big factor in my unhappiness. Later that week, that someone called me into their office and told me I was being given a new role, bridging two areas in the company that didn't get along, with the charter to fix that. 3 months later, the company reorganized exactly in the manner my area was structured. At the same time, the exec (who had been made President) called me in and said "I (not we) want you to stay. I know you haven't yet bought a house, so here's what I'm willing to do for you". I hadn't ASKED for anything. He wrote a number down on a piece of paper and said "buy a house and this is yours". I bought a house within 30 days and stayed for 3 more years until he left and everyone tied to him was let go including me. He had LOYALTY to me. I had LOYALTY to him. Neither of us had loyalty to the owners who treated people like dirt and ultimately drove the company into a worthless entity that was sold for nearly zero.
I've changed jobs more than you have. Nothing wrong with changing jobs. But saying the company should woo you to keep you after you've shown you are ready to leave? That's backwards from my perspective.
I hope this new role gives you what you're looking for in the long term from a position, and fills more than the money void. And again, great success in it.
