I am an IS consultant with a 700-employee systems-integration firm where there seems to be job security, but advancemen
t is slow. I have the opportunity to do some hard-core consulting work for 50% more money than I make now, but the position may not last long. Should I choose the riskier path, earning experience and money in the short term, or the more stable path, where the rewards come more slowly?
A: Before making your decision, our experts say, you need to answer some questions about where you want your career to go.
"One of the things you have to ask yourself is whether you want to own your own business and operate as an independent contractor," says Greg Selker, a VP and principal with Christian & Timbers, an IS recruiting firm in Cleveland. "You need to commit to the idea of running a business. If you think you can do it, then do it."
You should consider your future job prospects with your company as opposed to what they'll be if you make the switch, says M. Victor Janulaitis, CEO of Positive Support Review, an IT management consult- ing firm in Santa Monica, Calif. "With no risk, there's no rewa
rd," he says. "The economics say that in six months, you'll have earned as much as if you stayed with your existing employer for the next year. At the end of six months, could you find a job in six months, and how much more experience and income will you have?"
Demand for your skills is another factor to consider, notes Esther Roditti, a computer and IT labor lawyer in New York. "If your area of specialization is in high demand, the riskier path becomes less risky," she says. But make sure that you haven't signed any nondisclosure or noncompetition agreements before making a move, Roditti adds.
There is no wrong choice, according to Paul Daversa, president and CEO of Resource Systems Group, a technology executive search firm in Stamford, Conn. However, he notes, "systems integration is a hot area and will be for some time. It will leverage your skills, and you can easily move for a 20% to 30% pay increase in this market, without having to live the unstable lifestyle of a consultant."
Q: A colle
ague recently left our company and now makes about 25% more money at his new job. My annual evaluation is coming up, but the 3% raise won't cut it. How can I ask for more money without putting forth a "Give me more money or I'll leave" attitude?
A: Don't be hung up on your colleague's big raise, say our experts. Instead, it's time to find out what people in similar jobs are making, then decide whether it's worth the effort to make a move.
"It's possible to do a compensation survey by polling colleagues, executive search professionals, and staffing personnel to determine your market value," says Beverly Lieberman, president of Halbrecht Lieberman Associates, an executive search firm in Stamford. But she also recommends looking at considerations beyond money. "If the company does a good job keeping its people professionally challenged and current, then the standard raise shouldn't be viewed as a negative."
Daversa says packaging yourself while indicating that you need more money is importan
t. "The general theme you want to install is `Anxious to stay; ready to go,'" he says. "It's less what you say than how you say it," he adds. "You should approach this as one of those `Help me stay here'
conversations."
But Daversa also recommends exploring other opportunities because, "you're a stronger candidate, especially internally to your present company, when other companies are interested in you."
In a career quandary? Send your questions to
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I am an IS consultant with a 700-employee systems-integration firm where there seems to be job security, but advancemen
t is slow. I have the opportunity to do some hard-core consulting work for 50% more money than I make now, but the position may not last long. Should I choose the riskier path, earning experience and money in the short term, or the more stable path, where the rewards come more slowly?
