Need your guys' help making a decision...

[Lane Visitor]

So i know this pretty much belongs in first world problems thread in that it has to do with deciding between 2 potential job positions from different companies, but theres an ethical consideration so here goes:

 

In the last few weeks, I've had 2 recruiters from different staffing companies contact me about 2 different positions that were in my skillset and piqued my interest.

 

Job A: Fulltime 1yr long freelance, no benefits or health insur but good looking co. and requires specialized training to understand the tool I will be using as a specialist in that tool (i essentially buttered myself up to say well i have experience but not expert/pro level, while in reality ive only used the tool in a very specific circumstance. However, my higher level of understanding in the feild in general goes a major way and helping with the learning curve. It feels intuitive when i see instances and demos and i make the connections from the few scenarios ive seen but the tool goes incredibly deep as its very powerful, the position requires 1 yr of exp using it. My thought was "let me learn this, pay for the course, get certified etc" in the 1 wk transition between jobs. Long story short, company A offered me the position, knowing it was gonna be a bit of a learning curve, but still assuming id run projects in it before in my previous roles...

 

So I accepted, but only after discovering that I could take 40 hrs of courses for several hundred dollars and even as a bonus get certified etc.

 

So I quit my job w a 4 day notice knowing i need all the time to soak in the learning... And then like a nice bee sting, day later i discover the software co press release saying courses are public, etc and somewhere on a forum that i had seen earlier turned out to be incorrect. In reality, the free courses are tiny videos simply marketing the software while giving out tid bits of common general knowledge of the field in general. The actual classes/cert is absurdly expensive/unaffordable. Of course! (Already scourged the web and reached out, networked etc to see if i could pay anyome to tutor me in it, etc. No luck, its very specific. Yay. As it stands, I start on Monday.

 

Job B: Soo, in the mean time, as this was all occurring job, B recruiter had interviewed me abt a role that at first seemed iffy then turned out to be intriguing. I had a phone, and in person interview with company B which went incredibly well, seems like a great role and company. I got an email this morning askimg me to come in for the 2nd interview. Its looking reaalu positive and undeniable by the rapport and events so far with them. Of course, it doesnt promise anything as ive been in that boat before, 99% sure i was gonna get it, and it came down to me amd someome else and they got it. But im still almost sure abt this one. Will be a 3 hr meet the whole team thing... Arrgh the mystery. Back to the timeline hear, of course they want me in a day next week when im supposed to start the other job.

 

Okay, so lets really just spice things up here, cuz were only in the main course- theres dessert with cherry on top in terms of conundrum.

 

Just gonna blaze through this which I discovered progressively as the mindfuck unfolded: Ahem... Job B founder/interviewer has Job A company as a major CLIENT of theirs and knows contact I interviewed with, not sure if id take them on but who knows). When discovered, I let Job B interviewer know they are ironically the alt offer and that i accepted then said hold off--which i actually didnt say hold off-- and we laughed it off. No biggie. However, Job B co-founder/president (not my interviewer) was MY CLIENT once a yr ago on freelance work i did, delivered helpful document but accidentally emailed draft to their client. Was an oops that pres didnt like but ended up being happy with overall results, and left in good standing.. Or so i think?

 

Aaaanyway, my strategy is this: I keep tryimg soak in as much knowledge from the program via demos, videos on yt etc that exist and do my best to start Monday and learn the rest on the job for Job A, and then head to a "doctors appnt" (really Job B 2nd interview) toward end of week which ill let them know of before starting. If I get the offer... I'll... Let job A know its not the right fit for me? (Ugh) and then head to company B. I dont wanna be a job switcher / jerk but i also have to do whats best for me. Right now having quit my job, im jobless and both of these roles would be ideal pay, like really good, and seem like hard offers to come across. Of course, if I dont get job B offer then i stay with Job A, crush and learn the software ea night, and make it happen.

 

I guess i already know what im plannimg to do. My only question here is...

 

Am I being an asshole by potentially starting Job A and leaving after a week if i get the other offer? Its contract work so theyre not bringing me on as a salaried employee, so i imagine while it may a fuck over, its not a terrible bridge burning fuck over right? And also, should i worry about it fucking things up with them being a client of Job B? Also will Job Bs president eventually remember me and be like this dude who accidentilly did that email cringe thing and then reconsider after im already hired? Lol the questions THE QUESTIONS.

 

Anyone?

[Ivan Ooze]

i'd definatly take job C: become a priest and then maybe leave after a week and become job D: pornstar

[Lane Visitor]

i'd definatly take job C: become a priest and then maybe leave after a week and become job D: pornstar

 

LOL

 

yeah jobby job job job. man, if we could all just live comfortably off of our music / art / passions full time. 

[cichlisuite]

If the Job B president already gave a green light for your hiring, the email-oops wasn't that big of a deal (it depends what level of NDA you violated) he maybe doesn't mind and he will keep a close eye on you. If he forgot about it (which I doubt - usually these guys have high attention to detail) and someone reminds him later, what really can you do about it?

 

Regarding training for the tool... is that software or some kind of machine? If it's highly specific, as you stated, the manufacturer must have some sort of in-house training departments which could be payed to some extent by the Employer A. In my second-hand experience on this, higher position corporate jobs are willing to pay for this kind of training, and it's a matter of communication (provided your level of expertise is very sought after). But probably harder to bargain with a one-year contract. Do you see any prospect of continuing working for them or it's just a one-time project?

 

About being an asshole, could you recommend someone you trust to fill in?

[Lane Visitor]

If the Job B president already gave a green light for your hiring, the email-oops wasn't that big of a deal (it depends what level of NDA you violated) he maybe doesn't mind and he will keep a close eye on you. If he forgot about it (which I doubt - usually these guys have high attention to detail) and someone reminds him later, what really can you do about it?

 

Regarding training for the tool... is that software or some kind of machine? If it's highly specific, as you stated, the manufacturer must have some sort of in-house training departments which could be payed to some extent by the Employer A. In my second-hand experience on this, higher position corporate jobs are willing to pay for this kind of training, and it's a matter of communication (provided your level of expertise is very sought after). But probably harder to bargain with a one-year contract. Do you see any prospect of continuing working for them or it's just a one-time project?

 

About being an asshole, could you recommend someone you trust to fill in?

 

So actually ive yet to meet with president for job B. (and its not a green light to hire, just a second interview green light.) ive met and interviewed with the founder though whose just as high up if not higher. im assuming the 2nd interview will be with the pres in addition to the rest of the team, so if they show up, it will either be a bit of an awkward moment if the pres remembers my name (since we didnt actually meet in person, and it was a quick 2-3 day project like over a year ago arranged via phone), or an oh yeah thats right moment, and no big deal, or they dont remember at all. im likely making the email thing into a issue when its a non issue (wasnt an nda thing-  i literally just submitted my final draft of the outline / document in plain text format lol to the companies client directly instead of to the company pres first, (where they would have prob proofed it, put into template, and get a deliverable to them personally), but it was directed to the pres' name with info saying what i did etc and its ready for client blah blah. 

 

It's software for job a, (ironically id be using it a bit for job b too so the demos im watching will be helpful to an extent either way). yeah i mean there could be training, it was such a vague interview and very short and was over the phone only. so i dont have much personal rapport/info with them. im pretty much in the dark as far as sustainability of job a because of a lot of this, but id feel silly for at least not trying to give it a go. obviously i feel much more confident and prepared for job b as it fits my expertise the most. kinda feel bad for how it might play out, will be meeting with job a recruiter tomorrow to fill out paperwork, hang and meet in person prior to starting. but im telling myself i should not feel bad, whichever way i go/try, because its my livelihood, im the one without a job right now as it stands, and if i think one of the opportunities will be more sustainable and more do-able for me skillset and if that one ends up being offered i shouldn't feel bad about jumping ship. 

 

good idea re: recommendations, though ive searched many online areas and my own network and no one i know has used it in these instances.