Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution
You stay with Markham Studios.
The extra money and the better benefits would be exactly the relief that
you need, but the atmosphere in the other office really worries you. You're
very happy where you are, and you have friends here that you look forward
to working with.
After careful consideration, you decide to talk to your supervisor at Markham
Studios to get his opinion on the matter, since he is also a good friend to
you. During the conversation, you find out that as soon as you finish this
project that you are working on, there is another large one lined up for the
studio.
Your supervisor asks if you would consider staying if he could increase
your pay. He can't offer better benefits because the company doesn't
have them in place. But the salary that he offers takes that into consideration
-- it's better than the other studio's offer.
The increased salary, combined with the friendships and atmosphere that
you have at Markham Studios, is enough to make you decide to stay with them.
And when you call the other company to tell them your decision, they seem
understanding.
A few months later, you hear that the other studio is closing, and you
know you made the right decision. The reason the other studio closed was because
it couldn't keep enough people on staff to run their operations.
"I was once asked to join an office across town at another studio, and
the salary and job security initially looked better than what I currently
had," says Victor Sagerquist, a music copyist in Los Angeles. "I discussed
it with my employer, who made a counteroffer to keep me in the fold. I accepted
the counteroffer and stayed where I was.
"Initially I was happy with the decision, but I won't know if it was
the right decision until I am too old to work. Things change constantly in
the business, and if you try to chase the changes you get left behind."