Topic: Career Dilemma

Hey Guys....

This might be too off topic but I need to make a big decision and this is a great place to discuss the dilemma I'm in. Also, this is a longish post. Sorry about that  big_smile

I am currently a permanent employee at an animation studio working on an animated film that is being outsourced by a major US studio. I joined the studio as a fresher about 2 years back, so my pay is lower than the average pay at the studio and won't be incremented anytime soon. The project I'm working on is of high quality but it's not offering any creative challenges and so my learning curve has gone flat.

A friend of mine has opened up a small animation studio and he's asking me to come on-board as an animator and also to be a junior lead of the team. He's offered to pay more than my current salary. But the project he's got lined up is a TV series of pretty low quality and needs to be delivered at a much faster rate. It would be creatively challenging and much more taxing too. But it's not a long term thing and if he doesn't acquire another project, the studio might shut down.

I hope that makes the 2 scenarios clear. Any piece of advice regarding which option I could choose would be of great help to me. Some of you might have faced similar crossroads too. How did you deal with them?

Thanks in advance!!

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Re: Career Dilemma

More responsability and more risk/reward? All else being equal, I say take the new job. Your ability to absorb such risks gets less as you grow older, so now's the best time in your life for this, and it'll be harder to talk yourself into similar things later in life, especially if you get into the habit of passing on those things now.

(UTC-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada)

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Re: Career Dilemma

"I'm so glad I didn't take that chance to do more creative and challenging work." -No One

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Re: Career Dilemma

/\ All of that

And worse case scenario you have to look for work again in a couple months. Well join the club. It's what we do.

ZangrethorDigital.ca

Re: Career Dilemma

The risk here seems pretty minimal actually. If the new studio closes or demands too many late nights, you should still be able to go back to the previous studio, now with more variety of experience and probably get more money and more challenging work from them, right?

Warning: I'm probably rewriting this post as you read it.

Zarban's House of Commentaries

Re: Career Dilemma

Besides, if the place does shut it's doors, then you've got two things to put on your resume / in your portfolio instead of just one.

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Re: Career Dilemma

Zarban wrote:

The risk here seems pretty minimal actually. If the new studio closes or demands too many late nights, you should still be able to go back to the previous studio, now with more variety of experience and probably get more money and more challenging work from them, right?

You're right Zarban.

Looks like I need to start preparing my resignation letter. Thanks guys for your thoughts. I wasn't thinking this way at first but I agree with what everyone said.

Feels freeing to finally make a choice!  smile

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Re: Career Dilemma

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/6268/sarnah.jpg

Teague Chrystie

I have a tendency to fix your typos.

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Re: Career Dilemma

That's a good idea, Teague...

rdsarna, send me your driver's license. I'm going to be checking in on you. If you're still at that old job in a month, I'm going to kill you.

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Re: Career Dilemma

Hey Teague, that's racist!

Hahaha....just kidding. It's effing hilarious.

Squiggly_p, I already accepted the new job offer!  smile

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