Reckless Abandon

Reckless Abandon

A job interview today.  To be sure, I'm still employed by my current company.  Also to be sure, I don't make a considerable lot and what I'm aiming for is akin to a very large raise.  Calculated in year terms, at best it would take between four and seven years to get to the point I'm aiming for with this job.  Sure, compound interest and compound raises of 3-5% are great, but one big kick towards the goal is good.  And the goal is simple: more money. 

Call me greedy and I just don't care.  I find that the people laying claims of greed have two agendas: 1) they make considerably more to you and can't see why you would want to leave, or 2) they make considerably less than you and are jealous.  I'll reiterate this statement again: I'm a Christian, and I believe in the new covenant.  If I get paid more, then that is God working in my life and I need to give more.  It's all God's money anyways, and I'm just a steward of that money.

Biblical ideas aside, the goal was talking about interviewing for a job while you are still employed and your employer doesn't know you are interviewing.  The job is with a major company at a major location in town, and sounds pretty good. 

But what do you do?  There's always a few questions that you need to answer well or you are shot.  The big question is: why are you applying for a job with company X while still working for company Y?  And that question has to have the correct answer or the rest of it doesn't matter.  If you say "I hate my boss", you've messed up and need to go find another interview.  But if you do hate your boss and translate that into something saying corporate policy prevents professional growth, then you sound like a go-getter and not a scumbag. 

But my second question is...  do you give your current job the opportunity to counter the offer?  Or do you just give a notice and bounce?  That is a question I have no idea what the answer is.  Part of me says you always have to give your current company the chance to counter.  Part of me says if you're company really cared about you they would have already offered you more money.  I guess it narrows down to why you are applying for a new job in the first place.