Looking for some career advice :)

[SandiR]

For my DH, not me. We have a situation and I don't know what to tell him.

Here it is:

DH has worked in construction for close to 20 years. He always liked his job, but it can sporadic. Sometimes there's work, sometimes he's laid off. It's tough. So, about a year and a half ago, he took a leave from his union and started doing something completely different but very stable. Well, he hated it and wanted to go back to his trade - even though he knew that he was going back to instability. So, he made some phone calls and after a couple of months he got a call from a shop owner to work for him, but the guy said "I can't make you any promises for the long-term, but I have some work for now." Okay, so my DH quit the other job and started with this guy a few days ago. We were a bit apprehensive because my DH heard some things about him being a little shady in the way he operates and somebody told him right off the bat that another guy they recently hired might get laid off soon. But all things considered, my DH is happy to be back in his trade.

That brings us to yesterday. DH gets a call back from another union shop he contacted a couple of weeks ago. This shop has a great reputation for stability. The guys that get hired there tend to stay there for 10, 15, 20 years or more. He told the guy that he just started working with another shop a few days ago, but the owner wants to meet with him anyway. If he is offered a job with this other company and takes it, he'd probably be burning a bridge with the shop that just hired him. If he turns it down, he's risking giving up stability in favor of instability - which is the exact reason he thought he had to leave his trade a couple of years ago. But there are no guarantees either way.

I don't know what right answer is. What would you do if you were him?

 

[vrajewski10513]

If they're both within his trade you definitely go for the stability. If this company has a good reputation of stability then burning bridges with the instable workplace shouldn't be an issue... He just needs to realize taht if it doesnt workout at the new place he wont be able to go back to the place considered "shady"..

 

[lovemygoofy]

I would be meeting with the other guy ASAP. I do not link my name and work with shady people and probably would not have taken the other job in the first place.

 

[littlejimmy]

he takes the job that he feels best about and that helps his situation the best. he is honest with the current employer. any employer worth working for will understand. to me its a no brainer. and if this burns bridges, then the current employer wasn't worth working for anyway.

 

[wishesuponastar]

You say the guy he is working for now has a reputation for being shady. I would take the opportunity to work for the more reliable shop. Please update us what your DH decides.

 

[morgan98]

I think your husband needs to do what is best and go for the shop with the reputation for stability. By using the word "shady" for his new employer, I do not get the feeling you or your husband have the "warm fuzzies" over the current situation.

He just needs to remain professional and offer notice that is customary in the industry and keep repeating having to leave for an opportunity that better fits his needs.

 

[ronandannette]

In relation to "shady" guy - the overarching principle is that whatever he'll do with you he'll do to you if it becomes to his advantage. I'd find it impossible to work for somebody whose ethics I couldn't respect. If it were my DH he'd be at the union shop trying to hire on immediately. In fact, my DH quit his job on Monday (renovation design and sales) because some unfavourable practices came to light and he just couldn't see himself signing any new customers on knowing what he knew. This is incredibly scary for us as he has no other immediate prospects but at the end of the day it was really the only decision to be made. Also, in your situation, if the only thing holding your DH back from making the move is the fear of having his current boss be disgruntled, that definitely wouldn't hold me back, especially if it's an issue of ethics. In fact I'd be very straight with the guy about why I was going and burn that bridge myself.

 

[lucky978]

Whenever DH or myself have decisions like this to make it has all come down to "what is best for the family". Sounds to me like it would be best to go with the stable job that is for the more ethical company. My guess is that the "shady" guy wouldn't think twice about dropping your husband if it was in his best interest. Your husband should think the same way.

 

[SandiR]

Thanks for the advice. We are definitely leaning towards his accepting a job with the other shop if it's offered. It just scares me for him to burn bridges with this shop in an industry where people tend to have to look for work all the time. Also, it would meaning quitting two jobs in the same month - after never quitting a job before in his adult life. But, I agree that at this point in our lives, stability means more than anything.

 

[BadgerGirl84]

I'd go for the other shop, definitely. I hope it works out for your DH and he gets an offer.