How do I handle this job situation? Update post #38

[TinknBellesMom]

What about offering to stay at your current salon if they match the pay/benefits? That way they have the option of keeping you or letting you move on.

 

[disneystacy]

They why did you apply for the other job?

You have now put yourself into a situation where you will be burning a bridge at one of the salons. That is not good to do.

I waited almost 4 weeks for the other job to come through, I needed a job and the second salon job came up. If I didn't continue looking and the first salon never called I would have nothing. Nothing in this job market is a guarantee.

"A bird in hand is better than 2 in a bush"

 

[disneystacy]

What about offering to stay at your current salon if they match the pay/benefits? That way they have the option of keeping you or letting you move on.

I doubt that would happen and I wouldn't expect them to give me a increase.
It is approx a 4.00 per hour increase if I am offered the job at the 1st salon. I would hope that the second salon is paying me what they can afford to pay someone, not to get me for cheap.

 

[disneystacy]

She didn't have any commitment to the other salon - they just had her resume. I used to work in HR and was responsible for hiring - many times, new hires quit, because they got another offer. They owed us nothing - if we couldn't match the pay of the better offer, they left (I hired security guards - lots of turnover).

Correct, they just had my resume, no commitment to hire me was given.

 

[Heidict]

Well, first -- when you applied at the second salon and got offered the job, did you tell them you had a previous commitment to another place and that if they decided to hire you, you would feel obligated to fulfill your existing commitment?

(LadyZolt)

How did she have another commitment? She put in a resume. People put multiple resumes in to business when they are looking for a job. They are under no obligation to tell another business who they applied with. I can just imagine the look on HR if you told them all the other places you applied.

They why did you apply for the other job?

You have now put yourself into a situation where you will be burning a bridge at one of the salons. That is not good to do.

Most people apply at more then one place when looking for a job. It would be pretty stupid, and amazingly time consuming to apply at one place and then wait a few weeks for a response before apply to another place.

OP, go for the interview. You certainly having nothing to lose by doing that. If you get the new job, give a decent amount of notice to your second job. You are under no obligation to stay with them any certain amount of time. These things happen all the time and I'm sure the first job will be just fine and the salon won't go under without you there.

 

[JR6ooo4]

I would want some sort of guarantee at the new place. what if you leave the first one and the second one lets you go in a week?

Mikeeee

 

[It'sWDW4me]

I would want some sort of guarantee at the new place. what if you leave the first one and the second one lets you go in a week?

Mikeeee

Ah, but in this economy there is no guarantee. Just ask the 200+ people who've been laid off by my employer this year! She may not get the new job and still be let go in a week from the job she did take.

 

[CathrynRose]

Well, first -- when you applied at the second salon and got offered the job, did you tell them you had a previous commitment to another place and that if they decided to hire you, you would feel obligated to fulfill your existing commitment?

I completely disagree. I have never told anyone I interviewed with that I had been on any other interviews, and if by chance they called me, I'd be leaving their company, and taking the new job.

I don't know any one who would do that!

I would not tell either of the other. If you get the new job, give the other place 2 weeks notice. Tell them you were offered a position that you applied for prior to them and the pay/benefits were more of what you were looking for. Be gracious! I'm not really sure how youd handle the new place, as I'm sure eventually theyd find out. If it comes up, don't lie! Be honest.

I don't think there'd be anything to handle at the new place, either. Job's in most state are "at will" - they can get rid of you "at will" and you can leave "at will".

This is a tough economy. People are job bouncing a lot. They come in, stay a few months, and continue to interview until they get what they're looking for. This shouldn't be a surprise to most.



Money talks. I'd go with the higher paying job. Especially if it's exactly the same position.

 

[disneystacy]

Ah, but in this economy there is no guarantee. Just ask the 200+ people who've been laid off by my employer this year! She may not get the new job and still be let go in a week from the job she did take.

Exactly.....before I even knew about the salon jobs, I was hired by a Real Estate agency. They offered a great salary and flexible hours. After about a 2 weeks, they started cutting my hours after two closing fell through (nothing to do with me), then they basically said they couldn't afford to pay me anymore as business was slowing down....um ok...why did you bother hiring someone? The owners live in my neighborhood and I heard through the grapevine that they wanted to hire me back in the spring...um sorry, not happening....crazy times.

 

[CathrynRose]

They why did you apply for the other job?

You have now put yourself into a situation where you will be burning a bridge at one of the salons. That is not good to do.

Because to simply hand your resume over to someone and wait weeks, would be absurd to do.

What's all the hubbub? Go to the second interview and if they hire you, tell them you need to give your current employer two weeks. Then give your two week notice to the other employer, explaining you received an offer with more money/benefits and move along.

Enjoy your new gig!

 

[Shyvioletisme]

I agree with a lot of people here. Go in for the interview, if they offer you the job and the pay is better/what you were expecting, take the job. Let them know that you had to take a job in the meantime and that you will start after you have worked out your last time at the old job. Put in your notice at the old salon and just let them know that you got an offer for a job that worked better for your family and that is it. You are under no obligation to tell them more.

 

[Mickey's Minion]

I find it way more offensive to leave after three or four months than to just cut the ties now.

Why string the salon along, letting them train you, gaining experience when you have every intention of leaving in a few months? That is not fair to the company.

To repay the expense of hiring someone, it generally takes about three months of the employee working. In this case, though, they may not have expended much money and so wouldn't be out that much. But I'm saying if the OP took the job, then surely the pay scale was acceptable to her and since the salon that hired her did it in good faith, she should likewise consider their needs as she makes this decision. Perhaps she should ask them how much time they would need to replace her and give them that much, be it one day or three months. I think if she approaches it in a professional way and is willing to give them the time they need, all three parties will be satisfied in the long run.

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

That makes no sense.

As a hiring manager, that would just infuriate me. I am going to have to spend the money to rehire a person, whether they leave after 2 weeks or 3-4 months. Why would I want to continue to put money into an employee that is planning to quit in a few months?

No, I would rather they just quit as soon as they know the job is not a good fit. That way, I can hire somebody more suited and have that 3-4 months to groom them, rather than grooming an employee that is intending to leave.

 

[snookiedoodles]

I would not tell either of the other. If you get the new job, give the other place 2 weeks notice. Tell them you were offered a position that you applied for prior to them and the pay/benefits were more of what you were looking for. Be gracious! I'm not really sure how youd handle the new place, as I'm sure eventually theyd find out. If it comes up, don't lie! Be honest.

This sounds like the best idea.

 

[Carly_Roach]

I would not tell either of the other. If you get the new job, give the other place 2 weeks notice. Tell them you were offered a position that you applied for prior to them and the pay/benefits were more of what you were looking for. Be gracious! I'm not really sure how youd handle the new place, as I'm sure eventually theyd find out. If it comes up, don't lie! Be honest.

I agree with this post. You don't owe anything to the salon you took the job from except an honest days work for an honest days pay. I am assuming you don't have a contract, which means you can leave at any time, and they can fire you at any time. I would give them one to two weeks notice, depending on how soon you want to start working for the new salon. The new job doesn't need to know anything, but if it comes up later you will just tell them that you really wanted to work for them..they will not be angry that you chose them over the other.

Again, you don't owe the salon anything, certainly not by staying in a position that you don't want just out of some kind of obligation. You did not have an obligation to let them know that you had a resume some where else. If you wait 3 or 4 months the other job will be gone. Loyalty is nice, but it doesn't pay the bills. This kind of thing is done all the time. Of course you should be gracious and thank them for the opportunity, but you have had another offer that is best suited for your needs. Period.

And I agree with you both. I don't know if the OP is in an "at-will" state, but since employers wouldn't give two thoughts about letting someone go on a moment's notice, the road goes both ways.

Work for the highest bidder.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I waited almost 4 weeks for the other job to come through, I needed a job and the second salon job came up. If I didn't continue looking and the first salon never called I would have nothing. Nothing in this job market is a guarantee.

"A bird in hand is better than 2 in a bush"

You are doing nothing wrong!

Unless you are in a contracted position with stipulations in your contract that prohibit what you are doing, then there is nothing wrong with your ethics.

FWIW, I quit a retail job to work at DVC-Vero Beach. I had to take something to get away from the job I had and while it wasn't my dream pay or dream job, it was a good filler. In the meantime, my resume was being floated in the company that my DH, then DF, worked for. Sometimes it takes time to hire people. I "applied" prior to leaving my retail position, and worked at Vero Beach for 2-3 months. I finally got called in for an interview and then the person who I would be working with had a heart attack and there was a further delay in my hiring, but I finally was. I gave DVC my 2 weeks even after working there for such a short time and all was fine.

In fact, they asked me what it would take to make me stay, but the pay I would get at the new job was outside of all the salary ranges of all the areas and it was much closer to home.

In any case--employers owe nothing but professionalism to their employer and it is cusotmary in this culture for a basic position to provide 2 weeks notice.

And if they want to keep you, they will ask what it will take to make you stay.

You've done nothing wrong or unprofessional. You may have just delayed when you can start the new job since you are currently employed and it would be bad to walk out on an employer so you can start the new job immediately.

 

[Disney Doll]

Well, first -- when you applied at the second salon and got offered the job, did you tell them you had a previous commitment to another place and that if they decided to hire you, you would feel obligated to fulfill your existing commitment?

If the answer to that is "yes" that you were totally forthcoming with them, then if you should get offered the job at the original salon, you should take it and tell the other place "thank you kindly and I am sorry I must honor my previous commitment."

If the answer to that is "no" and you took the job at the second place without telling them about the first place, then I think you have an obligation to that second salon. You knew the pay scale when you agreed to it and it was good enough for you to take it, even though the other place might pay more. The salon that hired you did nothing wrong. If you didn't tell them you might be going to another place, I feel that you have a duty to them to work there at least three or four months and then respectfully resign, giving two weeks' notice and explaining something like "while I enjoyed the experience, I don't believe I am the best fit for your organization, so I am resigning to allow you the opportunity to find a better suited person to fill this position."

Good luck with whatever happens!

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

What she said.

 

[VickiVM]

I concur with most of the posters - take the job you wanted in the first place.

And please don't take this the wrong way, but unemployment is way up...the salon you currently work for will find someone quickly to fill your shoes. Be professional and honest and give two weeks notice. Give 100% in those last two weeks and they won't question your integrity.

Believe me, this stuff happens all the time...Every unemployed person should be so lucky to have choices of jobs

 

[disneystacy]

Update:

I went in to see the manager of the first salon. She seemed really overwhelmed, but she won't need someone to start until after the holidays, so she will have time to "train me". I was trained to work the computer in a day at the other salon and it is a very similar system. But ok.
I told her the hours I was available and for her to feel free to call me when she was ready. We did not discuss how many hours nor salary. No point.

I happily went to my other job.

She may call or she may not call. Either way I still have a job.

In a week I will let my stylist know that I took another salon job, but if they are still interested to give me a call when they are ready. I feel I have to do this because I am suppose to see my stylist next week for color and I need to cancel since I can get my hair done for free at the work salon.

Thanks for everyones help.