My boss asked me not to surprise him - what does that mean?

[mikester]

doink

[azasadny]

Don't "surprise" him, give him at least 2 weeks notice.

[coolngroovy]

Maybe he meant.......dont jump out of my bedroom closet with a rose clenched in your teeth?

[masraum]

He doesnt want you to quit,but since you don't have poece of mind... leave if you get a good opportunity. They won't hold off on laying you off if it's inconvenient to you. Don't worry about quitting being convenient for them.

[widgeon13]

Leave ASAP IMO, if you look for a counter offer you will be around for about six months, everyone can be replaced especially if you back them against the wall.

[MRM]

I think that is boss-speak for "Trust me enough to let me help you plan because I see things you don't but I can't help position you for what I have in mind for you if you give your notice without some advanced warning."

I would quite frankly tell him your concerns and options and ask if he has a better idea for you than to take option b, or whatever it is you're thinking about. I don't think this is too much trust to place in a boss. It's in his interest for you to succeed. What's the worst he can do to you if he gets offended by the idea of you looking around? Put you on the short list for a layoff?

[924slover]

Originally Posted by mikester

Should I stay or should I go?

so what you're saying is if you stay there will be trouble
and if you leave there will be double???

[lendaddy]

It means "Please leave, but give me a little notice".

[sammyg2]

I've walked away from very good jobs and people told me I was crazy, but I fell into better ones right away.
the job market is tough for most but not for all.

If you have experience, skills, and specialized knowledge that is in demand you should be shopping yourself around.

[KaptKaos]

In all honesty, you know you don't owe them anything.

They've put you in a position to have to look around and worry about your family.

You can talk to him, but you need to take care of you and yours.

[red-beard]

Mike,

Shut up and take the other position. You already know eventually that your head will be on the block, due to the outsourcing.

Your boss is being a jerk. The company created a bad situation. They layed off, others looked and found work, and they weren't prepared for those people to leave, yet. He can't afford to lose you right now. But that doesn't make it secure. Unless you force him to sign some sort of retainer agreement, where you have a minimum of a 1 year contract, with a major penalty if they lay you off sooner, like one year of pay.

You know what you need, which is stability, for your famlily and for your santity. You are not in a stable situation. Fix it.

[lendaddy]

Originally Posted by red-beard

Mike,

Shut up and take the other position. You already know eventually that your head will be on the block, due to the outsourcing.

Your boss is being a jerk. The company created a bad situation. They layed off, others looked and found work, and they weren't prepared for those people to leave, yet. He can't afford to lose you right now. But that doesn't make it secure. Unless you force him to sign some sort of retainer agreement, where you have a minimum of a 1 year contract, with a major penalty if they lay you off sooner, like one year of pay.

You know what you need, which is stability, for your famlily and for your santity. You are not in a stable situation. Fix it.

If I had responded like an adult it would have sounded like this

[83-911SC cab]

I do not know exactly what to say here but...let me see if I can muddle through it.

I feel the days of staying put in one job for life are long over..It used to be you would be rewarded for staying with the company. You were given the opportunity to move up through the ranks.. Not so much anymore..

As far as job hopping, I would think that as long as the potential employer sees on your resume that you are improving your job position whenever you change jobs then it would not be so bad.. Just do not keep going from company to company doing the same exact job.

I remember hearing somewhere that the way to move up the corporate ladder today, was to job hop as you call it..

Lets face it, we see younger and younger people getting higher positions everyday because of education and job experience (from jumping jobs)..

You have to look out for you and your family,, in todays economy no one else will.. Your boss is looking out for his.

Oh by the way I am just some blue collar worker schlepping his way through life as a Firefighter.. so I have to stay put..

Good luck with your decision.
Gregg

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Never EVER give your boss the remotest HINT of the fact that you are a "flight risk".

You owe him nothing. You owe the company nothing.

Just be professional.

[s_morrison57]

red-beard, you hit the nail with the hammer there, totally agree, Mike sorry for the indicision in your life but if you have a place to go then go, don't surprise the boss, just don't moon him on the way out. Onward and upward Mikester! One door closes and another one always opens.

[Amail]

Tell him you've got another offer you're considering, and as a counter you'd consider an employment contract for three years with guaranteed increases of COLA+5% every year. Tailor that number to suit your needs.

Right now a guaranteed job looks pretty attractive.

[widgeon13]

Originally Posted by Amail

Tell him you've got another offer you're considering, and as a counter you'd consider an employment contract for three years with guaranteed increases of COLA+5% every year. Tailor that number to suit your needs.

Right now a guaranteed job looks pretty attractive.

Why not just jump off a bridge. I doubt any company HR dept is going to sign a contract these days and forget about a guaranteed 5% especially if the company has already said the person is on the fence. The idea is intriguing but I would see it as employment suicide.

Doesn't sound to me like mikester is in the strongest negotiating position.

[Amail]

The point is he has another offer now and his current position is precarious. He stands to lose little by negotiating, but perhaps much to gain.

Mike, did I misunderstand? Do you not have another offer with lots of opportunity?

[spyderman]

I left a large tech company 1.5 years ago. My job was secure there, but I was going to have to move. Floated my resume and got a bite. Went from technical to management. I sat down with my old manager, and he said we'd like to keep you, but thank you for giving us notice and time to off load you.

Left the company and 11 months later was laid off by my new company. First call I made was to my old manager. He brought me back gave me a 28% raise, and a promotion from my old position. I still had to move, but the company paid for it.

Long story short. You know your manager best. If he is a good guy/ straight shooter, then let him know. He may offer you something better, or help you ease out gracefully. He also may be a great contact if things ever go south. If he is a dick, give him two weeks notice.

[widgeon13]

Interesting view but I respectfully disagree. Staying w/ a company for an approx 7% annual increase knowing that you have put a gun to their head in not a move to win friends and influence your boss. Unless you are indispensable and have dirty pics of the boss's wife, I'd be gone in two weeks.

I will be interested in how this all pans out.

Having personally been responsible for employment decisions for approx 25 years with my company, I never liked to have a gun put to my head and never continued employment with an individual who tried to negotiate more money or benefits vs another employment offer. I always wished them well and sent them on their way.

Mikester needs to look out for himself first and from my perspective that's moving on to an employer that wants his services. That also leaves his record clean to return to his former employer under good terms if the opportunity presents itself.