"problem"
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- heavyt
so, i am in a pickle and i need some advice.
i have been working as an in-house web designer for this .com. The site is pretty big, in the top 500 or so visited sites in the world. I am the lead of the web dept.
i recently got an offer to work for a huge agency (one of the biggest/best in the USA) and i accepted it.
they offered me 12k more than i make now and the projects seem cool. I like the idea of workign ina cool place and launching a ne wsite every 6-8 weeks, rahter than once every 2-3 years.
so, i told my boss that i am leaving, all of the sudden he is offering me 32k more than i make now, and a new office.
So, what do i do?
I was leaning toward the agency because i think that i could learn a lot and put some big names on my resume. In the long-run it might be better. I am having a hard time turning down the money though....
please advise.TR1
- johndiggity0
the agency job will open more doors for you in the long run. how old are you/how much higher can you go at your go at your current company. anyway, it sounds like win/win. let the agency know about the new offer and see if they might up theirs. good luck.
- fate0
good advice, john.
- heavyt0
i am 27, and this is my first real job in web programming. I figure that the agency will open doors, but how long will it take to get another offer like this? will i be kicking myself in 2 or 3 years if i still dont make as much as my current job offers?
also, is it possible that a lot of agency workers hope to someday get an easy in-house gig that pays a lot?
what is the ideal situation?
I already told them about my counter offer, and they were like "hey, up to you, but we offered as much as we can pay already"
i know the producer, so i beleive him.TR1
- heavyt0
ps. i think that there is some room for growth at my current job, they are already talking of hiring another 2 guys to work under me.
- johndiggity0
it's not likely when you're in your 40's you'll get a similar offer for a high paying in house gig. from the company's viewpoint why pay a highly experienced, talented employee much more for a job that someone much younger and possibly equally talented to do for much less.
i'd go for the agency job for the experience, the clients, and the growth. there's not much of a future for 40-50 year old designers unless you're absolutely the shit. that's why everyone who's smart gets their own thing going at some point in their career.
the agency job will give you that hands on experience, and might expose you to some future business partners/contacts down the road. just my 2¢.
- heavyt0
yeah, good advice.
here is another x-factor; i eventually want to open my own shop. i also wanted to move to a new city at the end of 2005.
that means that no matter where i work, it will likely be for only a year.
so, i either leave with more experience, or more money.
TR1
- johndiggity0
do you have any previous agecny expereince? if not i say go with the exp. but money is always handy down the road as well. i say do what your gut says and try not to plan things out too much, they never seem to work out that way anyways.
- surfito0
it depends on what your plans are for the future.
i mean, if you want a steady income, american dream, family kids lifestyle, then stay where you are i guess.
but if you want, the whole thing of designing cool stuff, getting your name out there, making an extra 40k freelancing at night while your girlfriend complains, and become popular and stuff or whatever, then go for the agency or something like that.
i whent throught the same thing as you, of couse, on a much lowerscale, i choose the agency, so i wnet there to make less money but meet important people and have important people know who i was, and i havent seen any results yet, but thats because people here are stupid.
- jevad0
"32k more than i make now, and a new office"
bull shit!!!
- laurus0
I had an agency job in NYC. I made a lot, but I didn't like my job. I got an offer for 15k less than what I was making and decided to take it. When I told them, they offered me my boss's (who was my friend, BTW) job and a huge (and I'm talking HUGE) increase.
I took the other job. Hated it even more.
Got an offer from Amsterdam for even less. Thought: "what the hell" and took it (I had a kid by that time).
They were real assholes, and ended up paying even less than they promised, but because I was on a visa, I couldn't leave the job without leaving the country, a fact which they took advantage of— by the way, they are called IJsfontein, and they really suck. ended up finishing all my savings from the US in Holland.
I left and went back to Israel. Here I started my own studio, doing work for local and US clients. Happier than ever before, making more money and working on better projects.
so, all those seemigly at the time 'life and death' decisions mounted up to nothing much. What I did find is—whenever I ignored my instincts, I got screwed. I had an inkling about the places I didn't enjoy working for, even before I started.
I know this is not really advise, but good luck, anyways.
- rabattski0
experience is a better investment in the long run. more experience = more money in the long run.
- timajick0
The agency job is the way to go.
the "actual" value of the extra money you'd make at your current job is peanuts comapred to the "future" value your experience will be worth at this new agency.
And what would you spend your extra money on any? Probably stuff you don't really need.
Also...change is always good.
Good luck!
- heavyt0
jevad,
that's no BS. i'm serious, dude.
TR1
- spongebob0
" so, i told my boss that i am leaving, all of the sudden he is offering me 32k more than i make now, and a new office"
this means he has been underpaying you.
- toe_knee0
if you go the agency route insure your nostrels as the devils dandruff will be your staple diet.
- jamble0
I'm 28 and I wish I was offered 32k more than I was already earning.... To be honest, I'd take the money. You're still young and you've got a long time ahead you so any extra wedge you can get at the moment (you mention you're moving in a year anyway) would be useful.
Take the money, save it for your relocation and then you'll have more $$, more experience of managing staff and you've not really lost anything at your age.
Now, tell me how on earth you're earning all this money as it does seem a totally random wage rise!!!
- pooch0
take the experience.
the extra money you would make wouldn't make you all that happy, and the new office. whatever.
the experience is priceless.
and the fact that they know you turned down an extra 32K, well 20K minus the exta 12K they offered will bode well for you! starting on the right foot mate!
- shaft0
"i eventually want to open my own shop"
What do you mean by that? Are you planning to start a web-based store? I don't think agency experience is what you need here.
- heavyt0
thanks for the advice....
1. i have been gettign underpaid, after the raise, i will be gettign overpaid.
2. i mean that i would eventually like to own my own design company, with employees maybe.TR1
- abstrakt0
sometimes i wish i could be an inhouse designer for a non-design firm company. sometimes i like being a designer at an agency. if you're happy with your job and you don't dread going into work, i'd stay. you have a great career, you're obviously respected there, and you're moving up. BUT... if you plan on opening a design shop and you've never worked in a design agency environment... that's a different story. you don't open up a design shop without knowing the standard processes and day-to-day functions of a design firm.