Head Hunted!

Axe_meister

Had a contact from an ex colleague via LinkedIn asking what I am doing this week and suggested meeting for Lunch.
So meet up in London to what I thought was purely a social meet up and wham, he wants me to to help build up a cloud services offering for one of the big 5 consulting companies.
Am quite taken back to be honest, but do I take it. To be honest my current pre-sales role is quite cushy, not a stretch in any imagination, but boy this could be a make or break situation, but work life balance could suffer.

fields5069

Speaking from personal experience, I would go for it. I'm at a stage where money and experience > work life balance, and currently I am in a cushy job just treading water and looking for an opportunity.

TTony

Axe_meister said:

he wants me to to help build up a cloud services offering for one of the big 5 consulting companies.

Always pleasing to be asked to join something exciting - so congratulations!

As a sense check ...

• How definite is his deal with "one of the big 5" (I thought they were the big4, which means I probably know who #5 is!).  
• If you'd be leaving a job, you need to know that his deal with them is watertight, and for a decent duration,
  
• Would you be getting a wage, or is there profit share / bonuses on top?  As you say, your work/life balance could be in for a major rebalancing.
• What is he offering that's persuaded "one of the big 5" to go with him - and to buy a service that doesn't currently exist - rather than playing it safe by  taking a deal from an existing provider?    You'll never compete with the scale/service-level/price available from AWS or Azure.

[edit - don't mean for you to answer any of those questions here, just make sure that you've answered them in your own head!!]

roundthebend

@Axe_meister ;
You need to think hard about the work life balance, and maybe negotiate on any points that could sway it for you. It's a perfect opportunity to have a good open conversation with a potential new employer. If they don't respond favourably, you'll have found out cheaply that it's not worth the risk.

Personally, I like new challenges at work, they keep me interested. And I've found that even if one stretch doesn't work out well, it helps you for the next one. Better than getting too comfortable.

Axe_meister

He is a director in at one of these big 5/4. 
This is all about services around SAP in a public/private cloud setting (despite what AWS say, public cloud is not always the answer). 
So I will be working for him. Customers will be fortune 500. 

RandallFlagg

How do the benefits packages compare, including pension, life assurance, healthcare etc. (if provided). What's your evaluation of future job security in existing role and the new one? You say he wants to help you build an offering, so is he bidding for a contract or has he won it?

Be objective, practical and negotiate

Axe_meister

Not gotten to package stage yet. But he flew in to see me as we worked together in the past oddly enough I gave him quite a hard time on the failings of the cloud we where offering at the time.

TTony

Axe_meister said:

He is a director in at one of these big 5/4. 
This is all about services around SAP in a public/private cloud setting (despite what AWS say, public cloud is not always the answer). 
So I will be working for him. Customers will be fortune 500. 

That's sounding a whole lot safer for you!

Working in a big 5/4 is a bit of a greasy pole.  Most people want to make Partner (because that's where the money is), and they'll trade their life - and the lives of their colleagues - to get there.  Long days, lots of travel, lots of deadlines. 

But, the training/grounding is excellent, which will open more doors for future career options, and the basic pay isn't bad.

Axe_meister

I'd be at Snr manager Level.

hywelg

Nearly 20 years ago I was head hunted to go back to my previous career (mining engineer, rock mechanics specialist) at a very decent salary,  well over double what I was earning at the time. I would have had to put my business on hold for a few years and be prepared to work long hours in a very macho environment which demanded dedication and priority over anything personal. I put work life balance first and turned it down and do not regret it, money, provided you have just enough, isn't everything. As it turned out my business is doing well enough to employ my youngest son full time and allow me to gradually take a back seat. I doubt that would have happened had I chased the money. 

CarpeDiem

Axe_meister said:

Not gotten to package stage yet. But he flew in to see me as we worked together in the past oddly enough I gave him quite a hard time on the failings of the cloud we where offering at the time.

It's possible that your grilling is one of the reasons he wants you. It's likely to require sacrificing your personal life for work, but balanced by the personal development and rewards. If you don't do it now, you may not get the opportunity again. Only you can make the decision that will work best for you, and the earlier responses/questions posed by others in this stream should help you decide. Good luck.

57Deluxe

be wary if the person requesting your head is called Salome...

Fretwired

Up to you but work life balance counts for a lot. You only live once and the stress and pressure of big IT projects are rarely outweighed by the remuneration. The best thing I did was walk away from the IT sector and setup my own business in 1999. Sure I could earn more cash but I'm a lot happier. I spent 10 years in airports flying to the next opportunity/crisis .. big projects always go pear-shaped at some point.

axisus

If I was happy in a job and it was cushy, good work/home balance and paid 'enough' I would stick with it. I've been in the same great job for 28 years, in that time I can count around 5 colleagues who jumped ship and REALLY regretted it. Just my opinion, I'm 'Mr safe path' but then I do have 4 kids to feed and clothe.

stickyfiddle

I'm assuming I know which firm it is by virtue of the description of "Big 5" rather than "Big 4" :P

I'm in one of the "Big 4" doing infrastructure projects - feel free to PM me. Work life balance can be shit, pay is unspectacular (considering the workload and level of responsibility), and travel can be BRUTAL depending on the role (he says, 12 hours from his 59th flight of the year...). BUT when it's good it's really rewarding and it does give you major CV points that can open doors you otherwise wouldn't get a shot at. I've learnt and grown in competence and capability about 20 times as much in 3.5yrs here as I did in 4.5yrs at my last place.

If he's come to you you probably also have quite a decent hand in pay negotiation, which is well worth pushing hard on. I have it on good authority that one of my bosses (Director level) got a better package than entry level Partners when he joined..

Sassafras

Make sure you get a decent company car.

MtB

You have nothing to lose at this stage. Go along with the interview process and haggle hard on the package - work up the figures and then add 25%. But sound and be confident in your discussions.

A change of job and new challenge might well do you for 5 years, but it could be the difference between slogging along in a comfortable job 'til you're in your mid 60's, or being able to retire in your mid to late 50's.

Axe_meister

Well I am being flown out to Germany business class and being put up in a swanky hotel for next round of interviews and to meet customers.