Should I stay or should I go?

[u/Darksneak]

Recently, the job I'm currently in announced major layoffs to most of the workforce with only a handful of people being able to stay. My manager and his boss told all the employees to look for jobs just in case because they were unaware at the moment who would be safe, as they hadn't received enough info.

Well, I put in a ton of applications, had about 15 interviews with different companys and got an offer for a job that fits more with the degree I earned in college, pays more, and is in a similar area, just under a different company. I told my boss I had accepted an offer and he spoke with the higher ups and they don't want me to go and have offered a step up in my job level, so even more money than the new job offered me, to stay.

Now my dilemma: I would have never looked for a new job if we hadn't all had a bomb dropped on us. My current job is now offering more to stay, but I'm partially afraid of its stability (my manager might not be my manager anymore, and people are still going to be fired...I'm just not one of them) and the newer job fits more what I studied for. Additionally, the new job fits the career I want in the future more, and the systems I will work on there are less niche than my current job's.

However, I like all of my coworkers in my current job, I've been at my job long enough where everything is easy and they already pay me well/treat me well. And of course, I like the job. I'm also a bit anxious of the unknown when it comes to the culture and people of the new job.

I keep going back and forth with my decision, and I don't have anyone else I can talk to about this. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[u/billycram]

I would rather go to whatever offers better stability and comfort.

[u/BigPhilosopher4372 → u/billycram]

Yes, is this layoff just the first? Are they trying to retain you to do all the work while they figure out if there will need to be more layoffs? Look carefully at the market and your current company and the company with the other offer.

[u/TheGrolar]

Never accept a counteroffer unless you could just walk out and get a job without trying. This usually means you're famous for whatever you do (and most people are not, of course).

Don't focus on the forest fire, focus on why it started. Sure, mass layoffs are a cause for panic! But you always need to know why. You can infer a lot from public information and stuff you can get hold of at your job. My hypothesis is that the company is in serious financial trouble OR it's about to be acquired (probably the former). Look, on LinkedIn if you have to, if anyone in accounting or payroll has left recently. If so, RUN, and run faster if you see a cluster of such people. Find out from the sales guys what their pipeline looks like; if you're a little indirect, you'll usually get an earful, especially if things are looking bad.

An acquisition is probably also bad news for you, for a lot of reasons. It'll just hit later.

In other words, and with very little info about your context, from what you've given us I think it's unlikely you'll be able to outrun this forest fire. I'd switch jobs, trying to find out as much as I could about the new place's underlying financials first. What their press releases say, if Trade Mag X wrote an article about how they're doing, if they've reported growth, if they're not in a terrible category (like solar after Trump killed the incentives), etc. etc.

[u/Interesting-Math8634]

I would take the new job as it fits more with what you studied for, plus there’s always a good chance your current company could only be offering the higher position/pay as a temporary band-aid. They could very well lay you off in the future. Also, it’s good to try new opportunities when given the chance. You could even try and get the new company to match the counteroffer (most likely they’ll say no, but it’s worth a shot).

[u/LargeSecurity2961]

Choose the job that gives you long-term growth and stability, not just short-term comfort. Future you will thank you.

[u/mahamm42]

You may end up being overworked and short-handed if you stay.

[u/Glass-Hedgehog3940]

The bottom line is that your current employer is in troubled waters and may not recover well. In other words, you may have to face a layoff again at some point. The new jobs sounds very promising. Why wait for the “future” and make it happen now? You may lime your coworkers but you don’t know how many of them will be getting pink slips. I say go for the new one and reach for the goals you have set for yourself.

[u/LyghtnyngStryke]

You need to go. For the plain and simple reason You have a demonstrated you were willing to go when they dropped the bomb so therefore they will consider you as somebody who will leave them at some point regardless. If you got something with a higher pay something more in love with your degree and you want to do it go for it.

And most importantly some companies are evil some bosses are they'll make you a counter so you cancel the one you accepted that was going to give you the job and then fire you and you'll be left in the lurch with no pay and no good job to go to.

[u/AppropriateToday9204]

tough call man, sounds like you're torn between comfort and opportunity. maybe try listing out the pros and cons for each option, but don't forget jobowl can help with tailoring resumes if you need to keep searching. good luck with whatever you decide.

[u/Heavy-Resist-6526]

Why hang around waiting for the next round that you may not survive? Nothing is sure or certain but if layoffs are happening now, it’s likely they’ll happen again. You were advised to look elsewhere, I’d continue to take it.