When faced with challenges or decisions that I am having trouble making, my course of action is usually to decide what is the "right thing to do".  If I can determine what I think is truly the right thing to do, I can not have regrets because I know I have done what I think is the honest, upstanding thing.  I am having trouble with a business decision and wanted some advice.

I was recencely offered and accepted (last week) a position in a firm that I have been doing some contract work for.  I do like the firm.  There are some issues with personalities and practices, but overall it is a nice place to work - on a scale of 1-10 I would give it an 8.  The compensation is generous and staff are treated properly and respectfully.  I have recently been assigned to the least-friendly team and have not had an opportunity to work with them yet, but I am guessing it will be, although less "friendly" still professional and a reasonably flexible environment.  However, I understand the work generated by this team is not all that challenging and I will probably not learn a lot in this position.  All and all a good job though and nothing serious to complain about.

Conicidentally, on Friday of this past week I was contacted by an old acquantance who is opening another firm and would like me to come and work there.  That would offer more room for advancement and the terms are equal to what I am currently making.  The difference really is that this team leader is more compatable with me and frankly he is a lot of fun to work with.  He has a better sense of humour and I would like to have an opportunity to work with him.  As I said, the new team at my current firm is less than friendly.  Also, the work is somewhat different and would be more challenging at this new office.

So, I am having trouble deciding between the two.  My incling is that I would rather go to the new firm and see if there are more challenges and learning to be had.  Also, I just think it will be fun to work there.  However, it has only been a week since I agreed to stay at the current firm and I feel like I am being unprofessional if I back out so quickly.  If the terms were different, or there was an obvious reason, I would not have so much trouble.  To go to them now and say, actually I changed my mind, just seems unproffessional and I do not want to put them in a bind because they are a great place to work and have been good to me.

Any suggestions?  Do you think I will be burning a bridge if I leave this firm only one week after accepting the job?  There is opportunity within my industry to return to different firms so I would like to keep everyone happy.  Impossible of course.

Suggestions on how to deal with this?  If I do leave my current firm how can I explain that I changed my mind but really do not have a good reason other than I might like the team better - that sounds somewhat insulting.  If I say I am concerned the work will not be challenging I should have considered that before accepting in the first place.

Any input is apprecited. thank you!

 

you are leaving Firm A is because the people might be nicer at Firm B.

That seems like a bad reason in this economic climate despite your assurance that there is opportunity within your sector. And it doesn't sound very professional...you know that.

Look at it this way. You might actually learn something about team building if you stay with Firm A. If the opportunities to move within your sector are still there in 6 months to a year, move over to Firm B then.

As far as I am concerned, you only have one life to live. Live it the way you want to.

Sometimes we get caught up in disappointing other people. If you leave they will have to survive. The only person you are really important to is yourself. Do what you feel is right in your heart and have no regrets.

That's a difficult position to be in. I think though when it comes to these things, you have to do what is best for you - what is best for your career and what would make you happiest. If you did transition, there are some things you can do to make it as easy as possible for them, provide as much notice as you can, offer to work a bit at the old company for a while when your schedule permits. Your reasons could simple be that it's a really good career move and you were not expecting it to come up at this time. Really, you can't time these things, sometimes you have to grab the opportunity when it comes up. It would be easier for the company for you to leave now, rather than later when you're more settled with them.

All that being said, is the new company really better. The grass always looks greener. Is it a secure role, do you know the work environment and people there, have you worked with this acquaintance before (people can be different sometimes at work). Gather the information to make an informed decision. I would also write out the pro and cons of each.

Although I agree with most of what the others have said and Mary had some good advice, I'm more inclined to say just go for the new job. If you stay with the current one you're only going to end up resenting it and wondering if things would have been different for you if only you'd accepted that offer job offer.

In other jobs I've held new hires have been offered bigger and better jobs on their first day or during their first week and have moved on to the new position. You will generally find that this period is still part of the training period and when you talk to your boss they'll probably let you leave right away instead of a typical 2 weeks notice of quitting. They don't want to waste their time and money continuing to train someone in a job who is going to leave them.  

In this day and age employee loyalty is a thing of the past. I read somewhere that 80% of employees would leave their company in a second if they got a better offer. Don't worry about the current employer. They might muddle along for a bit until they find a replacement for you but they'll get by.

Just talk to your boss and tell her you made a mistake and the new job is not working out for you and ask if they want 2 weeks notice or if they prefer you leave immediately.

Good luck to you!

From what I understand... you've already worked contract (term jobs) with 1st company. They're ok, but not your 'cup of tea'... good pay, but basically boring & not so friendly... and its 'contract' - meaning it will end, not a permanent job.   2nd job - offers comparable pay... but also challenges, not boring & friendlier.  The way I see job 1 - if its still contract or 'term'... you've given them one week. You know each other, but its still a 'new' job. The reverse would be - if they didn't know you and hired you, they can legally (and ethically) fire you for no reason within the first 30-90 days due to 'probationary' period in contract.  You can also quit for 'no reason' in the first 30-90 days without it being reflected in terms of references. One week in, make it a quick clean cut & go to new company.  With one week - you didn't marry the first company making a lifelong commitment! - they only hire on 'contract' so they don't expect a long term commitment from you. As long as you're not trading company secrets or pulling current company's clients with you to 2nd company - I can't think of any reason to stay with 1st company.