DD graduated a couple of years ago in ChemE, and subsequently got a job in Silicon Valley in the Bio Pharm industry working for a start up, after two years in San Francisco she has had enough of California. Weather and traffic being the primary issues.
Started to apply for positions in Colorado, gets an offer from a well known engineering consulting firm, but at a 20% pay cut. Fair enough, cost of living makes it a wash.
Tells the CEO she is out and is heading to Colorado with a new job, which she just accepted. CEO counters with you can maintain salary, telecommute on the project she is working (she is the engineering lead) until finished although she would have to travel back from time to time. She would also be able to start a new office with another employee (CS type) in Denver.
Stay with startup and risks associated (including standing up new office) or go with well established consulting firm?
You are asking if she should renege on an offer she has already accepted in Colorado to telecommute to her current job? Did she actually accept the new job or was it just an offer?
With the start-up she would get to stay until the project is finished? Is there a timeline for the project, and after that project is wrapped up would she leave or would she be kept on to grow the Colorado office? Or would they let her go after the project is done?
Is the work at the consulting firm substantially different from what she does now, and is this a career change she’s excited about? If so, she should go with the new job.
She shouldn’t stay at a job just because she feels guilty for leaving if it’s not what she wants. She should make this choice based on where she wants her career to progress and the best choices to facilitate that. Think about the growth potential with either option.
On the other hand, if she loves the start up and is excited about the opportunity to work remotely and build the new office, then it’s possible (but still bad) to renege on an accepted job offer… Especially if she hasn’t put into motion the downstream HR stuff like relocation and payroll.
All good questions which she is currently contemplating. Personally I believe that your own office (with one other person) provides more opportunity but there is the dilemma of having accepted a position (even though it’s never binding).
Your daughter is not in an uncommon situation, many companies make counter offers after a resignation. It sounds like the remote, start a new office may be the better opportunity. Downside is reneging on an offer will likely close the door at that employer for a long time. Not ideal to reneg on accepted offers, but again, not uncommon.
Also, if the CO office doesn’t work out for the startup, they may ask her to come back to SF. At that point, the door would be closed with the established local office, and maybe others in the area, because of reneging on offer. Unless she really doesn’t feel excited about the new company, it sounds to me wiser to move to it now, rather than take the chance that the startup plan (which seems totally based on her actions, not something that had been in the works) doesn’t pan out