Tough Decision

[StarBob]

So I got called by a headhunter looking for a web developer in a city about an hour away from me. I've been working at my current job for 11 months now and I've gained a lot of experience... and my goal was - sometime early next year - leverage that experience to get a better (higher paying) job.

Well if I was hired for this job, I would be making a good bit more money, which would be fantastic, but there are a lot of drawbacks. Breaking this apartment lease would cost me money. The guy said they may help me with that, but even then I'd be screwing my room mate over. Also, I'd be moving to a place where I basically don't know anyone. Another thing that concerns me is that it's working with languages and software I'm not familiar with.

I think that I should stick with my original plan even though I may not get another opportunity to move somewhere so (relatively) close. Of course, I don't even know if I'd even get the job. If they're looking for someone with actual working experience with what they're using, I'm not it. Plus once I'm past a year of experience I think that it will help a lot in finding a well paying job.

Bleh... just wanted to type it really. I'm not sure if I'm willing to change my mind on it. I may just let him submit my resume and see what happens but not take it if I'm offered. That way, in the future, if they're looking for another programmer they'll have already sought to hire me. Who knows if that would even work but yeah.

Career decisions are tough when you actually have career decisions to make. It seems like not long ago I didn't have any actual decisions, just taking what came first. I guess at a time like this I should consider myself lucky to even have a job. Anyone else have crap like this goin on?

 

[Solaris]

Sounds to me like you have a chance to grow and develop your career and life and you're pussying out.

Go for it dude.

 

[ramsfan]

Grow your career while your single, once you have a family its a lot harder.

 

[<RJMC>]

if you have a headhutner on you why not call the police?

 

[AKIRA]

What languages are you using and what are they using?

 

[Druckles]

It may be worth sitting out your current job for a bit longer. If you were headhunted once, it sounds like you shouldn't find getting a new job too much of a problem. Not spending that long at a company tends to show lack of commitment.

On the other hand, working with stuff you don't know is one way (often the best) to increase your repertoire. Don't bother making any decisions until you know for sure if they want you.

 

[Ennui]

I'd say go for it man. More money = win. Also they will very potentially pay for your time in learning the new languages / software if they end up hiring you. I'd say give it a shot and interview with them or whatever, but don't burn any bridges back home lest they don't hire you.

 

[lefty]

Go ahead and submit your resume, see if they interview you, and look at your options when you know for sure what they are. If they want someone who already knows the program, you're off the hook. If they'll pay you to train, I'd say consider it. If you feel bad about your roomie, how would commuting work for you?

 

[Druckles]

Also, talk to your flatmate.

 

[MFL]

Kill your flatmate, steal his identity, change his hours so you can work both jobs, start taking ridiculous amounts of amphetamines, commute back and forth in your new dual life.

 

[Barnz]

a talking bear

 

[Dynasty]

Personally I would go for it. It sounds like morality is holding you back.

Diversity and experience is everything. Once youve got a few years of work behind you, you will forget what degree you got and so will any company that you send a CV to.

Dont forget, just because you get the interview, and have the interview, and then get an offer, DOESNT MEAN YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT. If anything, you're in a great position to haggle for some things seeing as you, well, havent got much to lose.

My dad got headhunted once. Its great to know that a company was looking for you apparently, so because they wanted him they asked what they could add to sweeten the deal as it were.

So, for 3 years living abroad, 2 of which we didnt pay taxes as we werent in the UK for over 1 year (standard tax law), the company paid for all our groceries, once a week. Why? Because my dad just asked. We only went shopping once a week as a result, saving hundreds or thousands a year.

And dont worry about what people will think. The interview shouldn't affect your current job in any way. Hell, they dont even need to know you went on one really.

 

[StardogChampion]

Go for it. Are you and your roomate supposed to live together forever or something? One of you has to leave sometime. Give him enough notice and he'll find someone easily.

Although, you should just sell templates (especially WP ones) and not have to work 9-5 like I do...

 

[StarBob]

This is what I like about HL2.net you get a fairly good balance of completely crazy and legitimate advice.

I'm going to go ahead and update my resume and send it to the guy. At the worst, they never call me and I go on without any issues. If anything, I get a phone interview and I'll be able to ask things I want to know about the job. I like what my current job has turned in to... though there are some drawbacks. Waiting the 8 months wouldn't be the worst thing... and I'd possibly be able to save a little money to make the whole move easier. I just moved in here like 4 months ago and moving again would just be annoying.

I still haven't decided, but I think I'll at least test the waters... which is basically what I said before.

 

[63]

I'd say if it's guaranteed FT work, consider it, but don't go for a contract.

 

[Cancer]

Sounds to me like you have a chance to grow and develop your career and life and you're pussying out.

Go for it dude.

Agreed, OP needs more pussy in his life and by accepting this job opportunity he will successfully get more by increasing his personal income and improving his stance as a man.

 

[No Limit]

An hour commute does suck but is also very doable.

What I don't get is why they want you to relocate when you don't understand the technologies they are working with.

 

[RakuraiTenjin]

Don't base any part of your decision on whether or not it screws over your roommate. F*ckem. Sounds harsh but that's life.

 

[StarBob]

An hour commute does suck but is also very doable.

What I don't get is why they want you to relocate when you don't understand the technologies they are working with.

It's not that I don't understand it, it's one of those things you're pretty much not goign to find someone with experience. It's a proprietary software from a company and to use it and create the web pages they want, they suggest Perl, HTML and Javascript. I use HTML and Javascript quite a bit, but Perl I've honestly never used. I'm an ASP.Net and VB kinda guy - both hot commodities outside of this area.

That considered, this experience wouldn't be entirely useful. Putting proprietary software on your resume doesn't say much. Regardless, I'm working on my resume.

 

[PvtRyan]

Perl?

If you put a million monkeys at a million keyboards, one of them will eventually write a Java program.

The rest of them will write Perl programs.

 

[StarBob]

I can't even say I've seen anything written in Perl. It's crazy because I've seen pretty much everything else except maybe Fortran. I've actually programmed in Pascal and COBOL. I don't even know if it's actually in Perl but I'm gonna check out the software and see if I can even work with it.

 

[Druckles]

Writing Perl's easy. Reading Perl isn't.

 

[No Limit]

Lol, you guys never seen perl? How cute.

Perl is great, it introduced me to web programming in 1998. It is a total bitch to work with but if you worked with ASP I'm sure you'll manage. If I had to guess (and Im totally guessing here) the company uses formail and nothing more, that's why they want PERL experiance. No company these days would use a PERL program I would think.

So it seems like you'll be great for the job since it will all come natural to you. But it also sounds like that job might not be a real career builder since they are trying to hire PERL programmers. Without knowing more about your current job and the experiance you are gaining there I can't really comment.

 

[Druckles]

Nope. No-one's seen Perl, here.