Employment update

I was informed last week that I would need to jump through a few HR-related hoops before the competing job offer I'm likely to be presented with was delivered. On Monday of this week, I was told that they were going to skip that process, and that I'd hear from them shortly. So far, I haven't received an offer, but I've been thinking about some of the Pros and Cons of going to work there, as opposed to where I am now. For those who care — or are otherwise bored enough to read through — I'm listing them below, mostly 'cause it'll clear my head.

Pros:

• Better pay - it's not clear if I'll be offered what Big Pimp has started negotiations at, but it's unlikely that I'll be offered as little as what I'm currently making (which is still more than I've made anywhere else).


• Deductions - I'm currently treated as a self-employed contractor, which usually means I end up getting hit with a major income tax payment in April of the following year.


• Benefits - for the first time ever, I'll be legitimately drawing benefits from a workplace. I drew a small cost-of-medication benefit under the last workplace's plan, before I was informed that my probationary period was not, in fact, over yet. Wow. I hated that place. Any way, it's rare that graphic designers find work with benefits, so this is good.


• Better career prospects - industrially diverse, high-end clients and genuine Design work would result in a better portfolio than primarily financial clients and mostly Production work.


• Honest-to-goodness Art Direction - the A.D. I'd be working with is personable and unpretentious, but dedicated to good work. My manager here is restricted to designing for very conservative clients, so the work is less challenging.


• Friendlier people - with the exception of the fellow I was filling in for, I was on friendly terms with all of my immediate co-workers at the competition. Here, my manager, main editor and I get along, but I wouldn't say we're friendly to one another.


• Atmosphere - the studio allows its designers to play their music, often loud enough for others to hear.


• Attire - jeans, sneakers and t-shirts seem to be perfectly acceptable work attire for the designers.


• Food choices - there are fewer options for eating out.*


• Kitchen sink - ridiculously, my current workplace doesn't have kitchen sinks. No bringing in cutlery, dishes, or drinking vessels without having to take them home to clean them!


• Less expensive - the neighbourhood I'd be in isn't as outrageously pricey as the current one is.


• More exercise - I'd often walk a leg of my transit-journey to avoid the hassle of taking the bus such a short distance.

Cons:

• Lighting - I'm currently sitting by a big, glorious window. The opposing job offer doesn't provide views to its designers.


• Location - the competing neighbourhood isn't as accessible as the one I'm currently at, or as fun to browse, but it takes about the same amount of time to get there.


• Re-settling - I've got things laid out at my current desk quite reasonably. Picking up and having to start over again isn't appealing, but a small consideration in comparison to most of the other items on this list.


• Food choices - there are fewer options for eating out.*

*This is listed as both a Pro and a Con.

Verdict: The competing offers wins out by a landslide.