
Ask HN: Leaving a critical project for a better job (more money). Wise? - throwawayjob
Background: I'm currently working on a critical project at a tech company. The work is good but the salary is less than satisfactory/comparable (I didn't really negotiate - my mistake + personal reasons). I've a job offer from another company that's willing to pay me 30-40K more than what I currently earn. My manager (who knows nothing about the offer) told me that I'll only get a 10K bump after my level-up (which happens in the next month or two) - typical company "policy"...And even if I negotiate, there's noway they will match a 30-40K bump (fact, not a rumor from grapevine).<p>So, is it wise (or rude? - bridges will be broken) to leave a critical project (that will go live in the next 3-4 months) for a way better salaried job given that the current company would never match a huge salary bump from the offering company? Is it wrong to be selfish and not think about the greater good of the team/project/company?<p>Also, the offering company prefers that I join within a month or two and they can't wait for more than 3 months because otherwise I'd have seen my product go live and then switch jobs.<p>Would love to get/hear some advice/opinions. TIA.
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Sander_Marechal
I'd switch. You're not indispensable. If you were, your current company would
match the offer. If you want to be considerate to your current employer then
just give him plenty of notice (i.e. don't wait until the last possible moment
to hand over your resignation letter but do it as early as possible). That way
they have more time to find a replacement and you have more time to transfer
your knowledge to the other people.

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throwawayjob
Touche. I'd give them a month notice and see how that pans out. Good thinking
herein. Thanks!

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brudgers
There are companies which will have a security guard escort you to the door
the day you give notice, and there are others which will want to retain some
of your services on contract after you leave.

The amount of notice given should be appropriate to the circumstances.

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pasbesoin
_Is it wrong to be selfish and not think about the greater good of the
team/project/company?_

Primary, or highest ranking, responsibility for this is the company's (and so
management's), not yours.

If they are significantly underpaying you, that's a risk that they chose to
take on.

If no people will die, planes fall out of the sky, etc., I'd say that,
speaking generally, one should be able to leave with a fairly clean
conscience, barring any obligations of more personal connections ( _true_ ,
mutual connections -- not e.g. propaganda about "our marvelous environment").

That said, I know nothing about your personal circumstances. So, it remains
your call.

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dholowiski
Having left several jobs I can tell you, they will survive without you, no
matter what you think. Unless you are a founder or a shareholder, all you have
is the loyalty your employer has carefully cultivated. I don't think you have
any moral or ethical obligation. It might not even make them mad when you
leave - if they're doing their job properly then they've already prepared for
the possibility of losing an 'indispensable' employee.

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cdvonstinkpot
Follow the money, but give plenty of notice. Congratulations on getting such a
great offer, too. Good luck!

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velus
Almost always go for the higher offer. As odd as it sounds, company value the
higher paid person more, it's almost a rationalization on the part of the
company.

One more thing: never accept counter offers from your current employer.

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ayers
Do you have past experiences or reasons to share for your view on never
accepting a counter offer?

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kls
Common wisdom is that it creates a bad environment, but I think it has a lot
to do with your personality type, I have accepted counter offers before and it
has been fine, but I am a pretty open and honest person, people know where
they stand with me and they know that I will take a significantly higher
compensation package if all other things are equal. I usually lay that out in
the initial interview, I tell my potential employer that I expect to be
compensated at market rate, and to remain compensated at market rate, that I
will occasionally check the market to verify and that I will always give them
first right of refusal should I find a discrepancy. I think educating people
on how to maintain your loyalty has a lot to do with how the situation turns
out.

On a slightly tangential note, when I worked for other companies, I was
generally regarded as a loyal employee, all things being equal I would rather
stay with a company I know, as there are a lot of unknowns in switching
companies, I was always upfront about this fact, but I was also upfront about
a large discrepancy in compensation being a factor that could compromise that
loyalty. Giving people the tools to maintain loyalty helps employers clearly
see what they need to do to maintain personnel.

