Should I Stay or Should I Go?

“This indecision's bugging me…” (excerpt from the lyrics from 1981 hit from the Clash)

Hmmm…my horoscope for today is right on the money:

“Working on an elusive answer to a complicated question? Don't give up, it looks like you'll find it pretty soon. You may have even passed over it a couple of times.”

A few months ago, I was approached, out of the blue by on old acquaintance that has asked me to join his legal team. I was able to postpone a commitment to him at that time by simply telling him I was interested at the moment, but who knows where I would be in 6 months time. Boy, does time fly as six months is now upon me and I received the phone call from him again. I’m a firm believer that you should not close a door or burn any bridges, so I agreed to meet him to see what he had to offer.

Stupid me…I’m now faced with a decision – should I stay or should I go? Although, I’m not totally miserable where I currently am, I’m not totally happy either.

Pros of Going:

More Responsibility. Right now, I’m not much more than a glorified babysitter. I shouldn’t complain – I’m paid fairly well, but it bugs me to no end that I have to repeat the same things to the same people two and three times a day and have been doing so for over a year now. If I wanted the responsibility of more children, I would adopt them.

More Work. I cannot stand to be bored. I need to be busy. I don’t need drama, but I need excitement and this place isn’t doing it for me. Currently, my days are filled with reading e-books and blogs. I know, life is tough and most people would relish in the fact that they are paid well to twiddle their thumbs. I am not one of those people. I am living proof of the saying “idle hands are the devil’s workshop”. When not challenged with daily tasks, I become self-destructive. Once I have time to focus on my co-workers faults, they are doomed. I will manage to find fault in every one of the people around me - anything from the sound they make when they drink their coffee, to how much noise they make when typing on the keyboard or it could simply be because it’s the second Tuesday of the month.

Closer to Home. I could spare myself over one hour of commuting time each day. That’s 5 extra hours per week or 245 hours a year (10 extra days) or if I look at it in a monetary sense, I could be saving approximately an extra $30 per week in gas money or $1,470 per year. OMG – that’s enough time and money for another vacation!

An Office: I might get an office. You know those things – a room with a door! Although, I certainly will miss my life in the cubicle, stationed outside of the men’s washroom. Good times!

Opportunity for Advancement: I’m not going anywhere here – except out to lunch, so any opportunity for advancement shouldn’t be passed up lightly.

Cons of Going:

My Boss: I like my current boss a lot. He is a mentor, provides respect and is guaranteed to have my back should the need arise. I know I’m replaceable – everyone is, but I would hate to see my departure as an inconvenience to him.

Work Environment: I would be going from a cutting edge publicly traded software technology firm to a privately owned medical/pharmaceutical company. Instead of working with World of Warcraft nerds, I’d be working with Doctors and medical engineers. Hmmm – I think Doctors and medical engineers may be more socially evolved than the WOW fanatics, but not likely by much.

Dress Code: The new place doesn’t understand the concept of business casual – even on Fridays. I would have to “suit up” every day, which means I would have to go shopping for a new wardrobe. So much for my gasoline savings…

More Work: What if I have too much work? What will happen if work gets in the way of my life?

The Neutral

Job Security: Both companies offer the same amount of job security and recession survivability. There will always be a need for medical/pharmaceuticals and contrary to popular belief, the internet isn't a passing trend, so it's a win win.

Show Me the Money: Although exact $$ have not been discussed, I suspect I will be offered the same amount I am currently earning. Obviously, if they are stupid enough to come to the table with anything less than that and especially when they approached me, the decision will be an easy one. Similarly, if they show up with a boat load more, the decision would also be a lot easier to make, but I don’t suspect that will happen, so my dilemma continues.

This is the first time in my life that the answer isn’t crystal clear to me. Although I’m ultimately the one in control of my destiny, I should mention that I my career moral compass doesn’t always function properly, so I’m fearful that I may be making a move which could turn out to be the “worst one of all”.