I have just turned down a job offer - read below -?

I work for a smallish company in a branch where I am assistant branch manager. I started as a driver but in 2003 was asked to work in the office due to my computer and office knowledge; I was not financially better off as I had to give up the van I used to go home in and had to work every other Saturday which I had not had to do before. Pay rises have not really happened. Now they have asked me to become manager at another branch requiring an additional 2 hours a day to get there but with use of a van again and no Saturdays AND AT AN UNCHANGED PAY RATE. I initially said I would do it but changed my mind after overnight consideration because I felt that it was an insult; I would be worse off in my pay packet by 6 hours per month (2xSaturday morning) but better off by having the van so no travelling expenses and less car maintenance. That would of course have been subject to tax on the value of this "benefit".

Was I right to turn this down?

Cari, it is two hours a day extra travelling, 1 hour each way

Your bosses obviously don't value you. If the employment rate in your area is not bad, you should hang on to your job, but start looking (ostentatiously, so they will KNOW you are looking) at other employment opportunities. If they think they will lose you and your hard work plus expertise, they might have an incentive to give you an incentive to stay.
Plus, if you find a better job and your bosses DON'T match the wage rate your new position would offer, you could go ahead and take the new job with few qualms, except missing your current co-workers.

Only you can tell but if you got that 'gut' feeling, it's usually right. Good luck though.

always go with your instict dude - ALWAYS

if it puts you in a position you dont want to be in then dont do it!!

we work to live - we are there for such a long time that we need to be as happy as possible in our roles!

i say yeah you defo did the right thing - no look forward and find and do want you want to!

good luck

fs

Have you even asked for a raise? I would have spoken up. If you have though, and they said no, they YES you were definetly right to turn it down. Companies are just money hungry nowadays. They dont care about anyone but themselves.

Write down the pros & cons, wait another 24 hours, then make your decision.
Good luck

the commuting time would suck.. but you have your van and no saturdays.. what's more important to you?? does working saturday bother you? if not.. then sure keep the old job.. if your having guilty feelings for turning the job down maybe you need to rethink... if you feel empowered because you turned it down then you did the right thing.

Right off the bat, I'd say you made the right decision. However if I were you I would definately ask for a raise. Your company knows your work & dedication or you would not have been offered the position.
You must go with your gut feeling, as only you know what's best for you. If you can get a raise you should take the position.
Best of luck in whatever you decide.

I would have tried to negotiate before turning it down. Why not go and speak to them now; it might not be too late.

Ask for a raise - point out that not only should a Branch Manager command a higher salary than an Assistan Branch Manager, but that you have been with the company for x number of years and you have never had a payrise, and yet clearly they think well of you or you wouldn't have been offered this job.

Although to me, it would not be just about the money when you say that it would require an additional two hours a day to get there. That's a long time - I'm not sure that I'd be prepared to travel that much more, even with an increase in pay. Not only are you losing ten hours per week out of your free time, but you'll come home exhausted after having done all that travelling.

I think only you can answer this, because its really down to how you feel and what you want... a few ways to think about it though:

* How much is it worth having access to a van again? And, how much would you value your saturdays? - do they equate to a pay rise?

* Is an extra two hours commute a lot to you (it certainly would be to me, but some people aren't that bothered)?

* How different would your days be? More satisfying? More stressful? Then same as they are now?

* In the more long-term - how much of a benefit would it be to take a mangers job? On paper it sounds good. If your company didn't sort itself out is there scope to go to another one, with you skills and managerial experience?

It sounds to me like you certainly did the right thing in not accepting their offer outright. It clearly has enough negatives for you to think twice about it, and a gut instincts are useful at times like this.

But it also reads like you are a valued employee - but perhaps one they take advantage of. Do you know what salaries other managers are on? Not just in your company - but in others like it? It sounds like they might be on more than you.

Rather than simply limiting yourself to "yes I will take it" or "no I don't want it" answers - I would negotiate, assuming you think its worth it. Given the extra travel and responsibility, think of a salary you consider fair, along with whatever other benefits, up it a bit, and go back to them with that. You don't have anything to lose and it certainly sounds like they want you! People forget that there is a lot of room for negotiation with job offers.

Always follow your instinct, just like one person above said already.

I was once in the same situation and i decided to see what i could get elsewhere with the skills and the knowledge i had acquired and found out the was another world out there open to me and the financial rewards were more than promising.After securing a job elsewhere ,i resigned and i was invited to have a chat with the regional manager who after much discussion with him matched the salary i was offered and i ended up staying.I am talking almost 5k more here.i guess the moral of the story is,sometimes companies wont stretch the potential salary they can give you until they think they might loose you and sometimes it might be time for you to move on.Good luck