Treasonous Traitor (for k8)

This is a stretch, but I think I may have unconsciously stolen the idea of posting songs on my blog from Katie, so I had to come up with something.

In a comment to a previous post, Katie said, "i'd like to hear more about this changing jobs thing as i'm sort of looking to do the same thing. after almost 6 years in one place-i feel like a traitor."

A little history.
Once there was this company that made a decent product but could never sell it. We weren't exactly Arrested Development but we were adding value and pleasing a small set of customers. Then there was another company who did something similar and was also struggling. They purchased my company and somehow that made their struggle less of a struggle (they don't have a lot of expenses and the added revenue from our customers worked out well for them). At that point all of my stock options, that I'd hung many life dreams on, made this great swishing sound as they went down the toilet. The job market isn't so bad out here but I think the new company thought they were doing a select few employees a favor by letting them keep their job without any pay raises or replacement stocks. In fact, and I hate to brag--except for on Tuesdays and look at what day it is--they decided they wouldn't buy the company if I wasn't going to stay. I hate looking for work so I agreed to this staying, and truly honestly intended on staying. I also made it clear up front that I thought I should be getting some replacement stock but I was given the "we'll see how the CEO feels about my value in a year" song and dance. This is a boring song and dance that wasn't making me very thrilled to sing and hop around the floor (partner had bad breather perhaps).

Then a few months later my boss, who wasn't graced with the privilege of staying for less pay (like I was, and by less pay I mean minus my stock options I use to hold near and dear (yes like a teddy bear)) called me up and said he wanted me to come be the lead developer on a new project he was working on and, oh by the way, we'll pay you whatever you want. This presented a moral dilemma for me, I certainly would like to get paid whatever I want but I'd made a promise about sticking around. Everyone I talked to said, "leave." So maybe I was feeling like a traitor. But I hadn't gone looking for a job and what kind of fool passes up chests overflowing with gold (or even silver)? Not this type of fool apparently; I do other foolish things instead. Anyway it did take me quite a while to decide to make the move. What it came down to was the money and the fact that I'd be working on a product that would really help people. As a last ditch effort to stay where I was I told them I wanted more money than I thought they would agree to but then they did. Even then I wrote a long drawn out letter to my boss explaining how things happened and how I really did enjoy working with him and I thought the company was doing well but life happens. And I offered to give him two months notice so he could find a replacement and I could train them for a month. This is actually where I learned the most. They were VERY grateful for my "generosity." I found they understood the financial and personal decision and they were just happy that I was making the exit as pain free for them as possible. They said I was welcome back anytime, and I was eventually able to walk away feeling quite good about myself, the old company and the new company.

I'm starting to get bored with my post again.

Here's the thing people told me: it's business. When the company feels they're done with you they won't hesitate to get rid of you. And really if you're doubting how much you want to be at a place perhaps it ends up being better for both sides if you make a graceful exit. They can get someone new who is eager beaver (though probably not nearly as talented and charming as Katie) and you can move onto another job where you will razzle and dazzle the eyes right out of your new employer. That being said, I still have a hint of guilt about leaving the old job, but in a month it will feel like THE right answer. Unless it's a Jupiter month, then heaven knows how we'll feel.