[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

Originally Posted by joe1980

You might want to check with your new employer if there is any 6 month probation period! If yes, then it might be hard for you to negotiate a leave grant for more than 2 weeks during your probation.

Thanks Joe, this is one thing I told them upfront, that I will be on a 6 week holiday for marriage. Say if I join the new place from 1 July, according to law I can take 3 weeks (15 days out of 30 day quota). The rest 15 days they told, "let us see what can be done, we will try and find a suitable solution for that". Let's see what they say, as this will be an important factor for me, since all my vacation, flights etc. are planned. The honeymoon is not decided though.

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Quite simply, when i looked back at my life in a few years, i realised i shouldn't regret my decision to not take the chance when it came my way. That 'What if?' feeling can haunt you. Sometimes in life you got to take risks, which resonates in both our scenarios - moving to a new country and starting afresh.

Loyalty is good, but it should be towards the people you worked with, not necessarily the company. Remember, all the good memories and freedom/flexibility you enjoy currently with the company are tied in some way to the people you work with, as well as the existing policies.

I would love to expand further, but would like to keep professional stuff of mine off the public forum. If you want to chat, PM me. Let's have an offline discussion.

Hey Benson, thanks, your post makes sense to me, I've taken note of your views. Will PM you.

Originally Posted by basilmabraham

Move on and never burn any bridges, do not have any regrets, you never know what is awaiting you unless you take the step to move.

Thanks Basil, this is a key takeaway from all the posts on this thread.

Originally Posted by noopster

The way I see it, since you are only just getting hitched now, there is some time before you start a family etc. That's when the negatives you have listed REALLY start assuming significance. So my advice is go for the new job!

Thanks Noopster, you are right. I've got some new perspectives to look at this problem now, this family point being one.

Originally Posted by am1m

All I can say is that these days, a sense of loyalty is worth nothing. I've been privy to the decision making process and trust me, they don't know you, they don't care, most of these 'key execs' don't even have a clue about the industry they invest in, and even if your immediate manager is a good sort, there will be nothing they can do about it.

^^ That sounds like first hand experience.

Not many colleagues or managers are that immature to take an employee's leaving the company for better prospects personally. If they are, then you're better off without them anyway!

You are right.

Originally Posted by Jaggu

You have spent reasonable time in the current company and you don't owe them anything. It is just business / professional relationship and NOT personal. You are young and this is the right time to get into such roles. Go for it and the very best of wishes!

Hi Jaggu, good to hear views right from the horse's mouth.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

If the latter then stick and dig one deep well. You strike oil when we dig one deep well and not when we dig several shallow wells. Few who reach the CXO suite do so by hopping jobs. Right now you have some equity and credibility in your company. At the new place the equity-credibility gauge gets re-set to zero and you work up again to prove yourself.

Let us know what you decide and best of luck.

Thank you Narayan. When I first read you post, I did not understand what your are implying. After reading several times I realize what you are trying to convey.

Originally Posted by subraiyr

Hi Spike

I have had the good fortune of working with a multitude of professionals during my career and have come across very many of them who have had similar situations. What i tell them is this

6. As you spend more years in a single firm, complacency sets in plus the comfort factor. If you are of an ambitious nature, this will be detrimental.
7. They do not work with the principles of loyalty. As long as you have added value to the current firm, you dont owe them anything.
8. You are probably in the first stage of your career and potentially young enough to take risks and if they fail you have time to rebound. Keep that as another yardstick to measure

Very well said subraiyr, thank you, I've taken note of your views.

Spike

[AMG Power]

As I see it:

1. You are moving to a company that would have a bit more turbulence on account of different situations including UNPREDICTABLE working hours - not the ideal situation when you're stepping into marital life.

2. You would also have to establish yourself in your new company - however this may be easy given your experience and enthusiasm. You would have to form new equations with your colleagues and bosses and this may not be very easy. It's easier to do that at lower levels - the higher you go there are more dynamics at play.

3. You would also have stress from your new family life and wouldn't want to add to that because of the stress from your new job or the other way around either.

It's probably better to take the plunge a little later not when your just getting married. Ideally you should have probably done this a year ago. Right now it's better not to upset the apple cart and the downside is that you will have to wait for a few more years before you make a change.

At the end of the day, all of what is mentioned here are just opinions none of which may happen and you could be just plain lucky with the new job. But if you want to play conservative which is what you should be doing considering your current situation as others are also going to be affected by your decisions in life then the short answer is no.

[joe1980]

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

Thanks Joe, this is one thing I told them upfront, that I will be on a 6 week holiday for marriage. Say if I join the new place from 1 July, according to law I can take 3 weeks (15 days out of 30 day quota). The rest 15 days they told, "let us see what can be done, we will try and find a suitable solution for that". Let's see what they say, as this will be an important factor for me, since all my vacation, flights etc. are planned. The honeymoon is not decided though.

It again depends on when you join the company! If you join them by 1st of Jan, your logic applies. If you join them say by March for example, then you are not entitled to 30 days this year with your new employer but just 25 days. The remaining 5 days would have been the liability of your old employer. So it it always pro rata! Roughly it is 2.5 days of holidays a month pro rata! You might want to check this!

[selfdrive]

Spike, what a wonderful dilemma to have. Being in a position to choose. Firstly, pat yourself on the back for all the hard work that you put in to get here. As you mentioned, when to shift gears? Well, it depends how long you want to be in the lower gear or upshift or downshift

Sometimes we overcomplicate things by bringing in too many factors. If you would like to keep it simple, I have a different approach to follow. When one has an option to take a different route, I would do it. Perhaps a little like doing that roadtrip while we can.

If at a later stage you find the need to retrace your steps, you can do so. But the new path may not be available later. In other words, if you ever regret something later; better to regret doing something than regret not doing something else.

Best wishes as always for your future.

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

Originally Posted by AMG Power

2. You would also have to establish yourself in your new company - however this may be easy given your experience and enthusiasm. You would have to form new equations with your colleagues and bosses and this may not be very easy. It's easier to do that at lower levels - the higher you go there are more dynamics at play.

Agree fully.

Ideally you should have probably done this a year ago. Right now it's better not to upset the apple cart and the downside is that you will have to wait for a few more years before you make a change.

One year before, and one year after for this role was/is beyond my control. Yes, now there are more dynamics at play, which I also need to consider.

Originally Posted by joe1980

It again depends on when you join the company! If you join them by 1st of Jan, your logic applies. If you join them say by March for example, then you are not entitled to 30 days this year with your new employer but just 25 days. The remaining 5 days would have been the liability of your old employer. So it it always pro rata! Roughly it is 2.5 days of holidays a month pro rata! You might want to check this!

Yes yes, it is 2.5 Days per Month on a pro rata basis. This is known and discussed with them upfront.

Originally Posted by selfdrive

Spike, what a wonderful dilemma to have. Being in a position to choose. Firstly, pat yourself on the back for all the hard work that you put in to get here. As you mentioned, when to shift gears? Well, it depends how long you want to be in the lower gear or upshift or downshift

Thanks Selfdrive, lol, you are telling about Upshift or Downshift to someone, who has written his Thesis on Shift Strategies for Automotive Transmissions

In other words, if you ever regret something later; better to regret doing something than regret not doing something else.

If this plan backfires, I've back up plans, as well as a contingency plan, but better to play safe, right?

Spike

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

If this plan backfires, I've back up plans, as well as a contingency plan, but better to play safe, right?

Spike

You have evaluated your risk mitigation plans, which means you have a fail-safe. I don't think there is much more you need to do, other than take the final call on what your priorities are.

[Samurai]

Spike, looks like you have already received very good advice from many members. So let me address something different.

IIRC, you have close to a decade worth of experience. That is enough for you to figure out what kind of professional you are. Most professionals fall into two categories:

1) You need to be given a goal, and you go ahead and do it. You are only responsible for the performance, but not for the decisions.
2) You decide on the goal, and you go ahead and do it. Here you are responsible for both your decisions and the performance.

If you are in the 1st category, it is preferable to work in a mature company with well defined processes and career road map. This path has limited risk. But if you are in the 2nd category, you will feel stifled in such a company. Then you are better off in companies with limited processes, no defined career road maps, where anything can happen in the next few months. Independent thinkers and decision makers thrive in such environments, although it carries much higher career risk. Here, you get to define your career path.

Since you would know your category by now, keep the above culture match in mind when you make the leap.

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

I don't think there is much more you need to do, other than take the final call on what your priorities are.

Yes, let's see, will keep you updated.

Originally Posted by Samurai

Spike, looks like you have already received very good advice from many members. So let me address something different.

Samurai, you have a very interesting view on such topics. I've noticed this from your posts on the career advice & employability of IT graduates thread.

IIRC, you have close to a decade worth of experience.

Almost, yes.

1) You need to be given a goal, and you go ahead and do it. You are only responsible for the performance, but not for the decisions.

When I started my first job, I was in this category. Although I had all the freedom from my superior (Dhabhar Sir), but the working methodology there was more of this type.

2) You decide on the goal, and you go ahead and do it. Here you are responsible for both your decisions and the performance.

My current job is 50% Type 1 and 50% Type 2. The new role has much smaller hierarchies and hence "theoretically" lesser decision-making process / time.

But if you are in the 2nd category, you will feel stifled in such a company.

I think I'm a mixture of both these categories , predominantly category 2. In my current role, 'sometimes' I feel being stifled, because of the processes and the way these German's work. I've seen them discussing 15-20 Minutes on petty topics like "Finding a Parking" . This way of thinking is sometimes reflected in their working methodology as well. This I think I cannot escape, as long as I work in Germany because they work like this only.

Then you are better off in companies with limited processes, no defined career road maps, where anything can happen in the next few months. Independent thinkers and decision makers thrive in such environments, although it carries much higher career risk. Here, you get to define your career path.

The potential new employer falls into this category.

Since you would know your category by now, keep the above culture match in mind when you make the leap.

Thanks for this interesting point of view.

Spike

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

I think I'm a mixture of both these categories , predominantly category

Most people are mix of two categories. But the question is which category defines you more. I am 25% first category, and 75% second category, which is why I mostly worked in small companies where I have lots of decision power and high risk. I couldn't stand working in corporate after my initial years.

People who are 100% 2nd category are very rare, those are the ones who drop out of college and start companies, like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, etc.

[Jomz]

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

I work as a Calibration Specialist at a big German company in Germany. Recently I got an offer with another big German OEM who specialize in niche Cars and are closely involved in Motorsport / F1 scene. My current job involves testing and calibration of some premium cars for a German OEM, but this new one is in a different league altogether (Sports Cars).

From one calibration engineer to another :-

Keep moving. I've worked in Engine calibration in 3 different OEMs( including one German one) +1 one in India and my wife works closely with Calibration in another OEM

The calibration procedures are different in company to company, the more projects in different companies you work on, the more tools as well as strategies you get exposed to.

I see that personal growth and Inclusion are faster in American companies. But job security is very sketchy in American companies.

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

I think I'm a mixture of both these categories , predominantly category 2. In my current role, 'sometimes' I feel being stifled, because of the processes and the way these German's work. I've seen them discussing 15-20 Minutes on petty topics like "Finding a Parking" . This way of thinking is sometimes reflected in their working methodology as well. This I think I cannot escape, as long as I work in Germany because they work like this only.

Exactly, that why I left the German OEM. I feel with you. Try an American OEM, maybe Ford in Aachen. You may be surprised.

[earthian]

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

So my question to the members here, what would you if you were in my situation? What are the other factors you consider before changing a job / company? When do you think is the right time to "shift gears" in your CAReer?

So what did you decide? I am sure the members who have given advise would like to know. It would also be a great help to others who are in a similar dilemma.

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

Originally Posted by earthian

So what did you decide? I am sure the members who have given advise would like to know. It would also be a great help to others who are in a similar dilemma.

Sorry, I didn't update this thread, thanks to all the members here, who shared very important and interesting viewpoints, there is one comment which really hit me.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Maybe at this point you don't know - is it to grow up the technical individual contributor route or is it to grow up the management leadership route and end up in the CXO suite. If it is the former then maybe a richer experience could help - not a surety but a possibility. If the latter then stick and dig one deep well. You strike oil when we dig one deep well and not when we dig several shallow wells.

And then I decided to wait, and not jump now.

But the other option was A Magnificently Good one to resist, let's see what comes up in the future.

Spike