Re: Turning down an offer you can't refuse

["Elna Tymes" <etymes -at- lts -dot- com>]

Bruce Byfield wrote:

> I have a very pleasant problem that I'd appreciate some advice on.
>
> I've been working on contract with a startup company for six months,
> telecommuting. The company is sound, even in the present market
> downturn. It's interesting and responsible work, the pay is
> first-rate, and the team is outstanding, both in terms of experience
> and co-operation.  I'm talking serious dream job here.
>
> Now that the company is expanding, I'm starting to receive friendly,
> but persistent pressure to move and be at the office full-time. The
> move would include very generous stock options and a major pay
> increase.

This is the same Bruce Byfield who has been sprinkling "I'm so happy!" notices
all over this board for the last few months, right?  The one who says he gets to
work at home, travels on the company dime (and gets to bring his wife along),
and enjoys the company of movers and shakers in this business, right?  The same
one who only last week, I believe, was commenting about how great it is to be a
contractor?

Welcome to the unstable world of contracting, Bruce! <g>  Commitments made
yesterday may be no good today, and who knows about tomorrow?  The only security
about contracting is that it WILL make your life interesting.  And the only way
to handle all of that insecurity and still stay sane is to adopt a version of
Carpe Diem as your private mantra.

What you have to do is what we've been doing every time some Today's Wonder
offers us a dream job: pay attention to the reason you got into contracting in
the first place.  For us, it's the money, first and foremost.  Other factors are
secondary.  We can't spend respect or exposure to new technology buying
Christmas presents or trips to Hawaii.  But folding green works just fine in
that respect.  And our experience is that Today's Wonder will become Tomorrow's
Nightmare in due time, even with the most careful due diligence.  People and
markets change.

Tempting as the offer may be, what's important to you?  Keeping your family
where it is?  Lots of telecommuting? Constant variation in projects? People like
nationally syndicated LA Times (and CBS computer specialist) Larry Magid have
managed to stay independent and stay in Silicon Valley by becoming a tireless
marketer and picking offers that are consistent with staying in the same
geographic area.  Most of us who have chosen to stay independent (that is, not
an employee of anyone else's company) and stay in the same area have learned
that there's a fair amount of marketing involved in order to do that.  So you
choose what's important and do what it takes to be true to that.

Elna Tymes
Los Trancos Systems


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