Returning to ex-employer?

Socajam

I would stick to what you told them and don't budge
If they are really in a pickle, they will either return to you or keep employing people who do not have the skills to do the job.
You are in the driving seat and have a skill that they need, don't sell yourself short.

MrBrindle

Socajam wrote: »

I would stick to what you told them and don't budge
If they are really in a pickle, they will either return to you or keep employing people who do not have the skills to do the job.
You are in the driving seat and have a skill that they need, don't sell yourself short.

I'm not planning on budging! I would have quite happily done it part time at a decent rate.

They won't come back to me though. I know what they are like. A number of ex-employee's have returned there, but very rarely after being chased up. They almost expect ex-employee's to return.

shortcrust

MrBrindle wrote: »

Yes, that's fair enough. However I wasn't disgruntled and frustrated until the whole issue with the payrise / lack of promotion began.

snilloct1957 wrote: »

OP only became disgruntled after the company passed him over for promotion, for which he seemed particularly suited. They wanted him in a position to benefit the company, but no reward for his hard work and loyalty. I would hold out for more money, the company will come to its senses eventually.

I'm not suggesting it's the OP's fault or that they weren't justified in feeling the way they did. However, that doesn't change the fact that paying 4k to get someone fresh and enthusiastic might seem like a better option than paying 2k to persuade someone who's no longer happy with the company to stay. In this case it turns out they were wrong!

ThemeOne

They sound like a lovely lot I must say - the kind of employer that never seems to learn from their mistakes.

If I was in your shoes and they get back in touch again I think I might find I was "too busy" to help them out.

TBagpuss

It sounds likeyou offered them a very reasonable compromise and they didn't want it.

Enjoy the feeling of knowing you were right to lave, and that they now know how good you were (even if they are not prepared to pay for that expertise!)

MrBrindle

Thanks for the replies.

Since my last e-mail they have advertised for a temporary designer. It will be interesting to see who they employ.

I don't know why, maybe because it's brought back a lot of old feelings, but this has really p*ssed me off and upset me. It's quite insulting they thought they could just use me for their own advantage. I should have not entertained the idea in the first place.

snilloct1957

MrBrindle wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

Since my last e-mail they have advertised for a temporary designer. It will be interesting to see who they employ.

I don't know why, maybe because it's brought back a lot of old feelings, but this has really p*ssed me off and upset me. It's quite insulting they thought they could just use me for their own advantage. I should have not entertained the idea in the first place.

Do you know what salary/remuneration they are offering? How does it compare to what they were prepared to pay you?

kiddy_guy

The reality is though you offered them a rate and they didn't want to pay you what you're worth.

Don't feel annoyed. Feel happy that you've avoided having to go back to them knowing they don't value you.

You could have gone back and been 2 years down the line if it became FT and realise that they won't pay you what you're worth. And you'd have wasted 2 years.

buglawton

I'd lay a bet that the new employee is going to flake out completely off the job. There's a distinct change of balance happening between producers and traders (managers), this is a typical symptom. I'm seeing similar things happening elsewhere in the employment market.

MrBrindle

Hi all, for those that replied to this thread a few months ago, there's been another development. My old employer never filled the role, and have advertised for the position this week - albeit a 3month contract with a possibility of becoming permanent. Same time, I've been contacted by someone in the company asking if I am still interested in coming back - I message them since asking if they still required someone to keep myself in contention.

Basically since I turned them down, I've been actually thinking if returning there would be a better option for me. The money will be a bit better if I return there, and I will have less of a commute than where I am now (I currently work for my brother and his partners' business).

I've become a bit disgruntled working with family tbh, and there have been incidents where lines have become blurred and communication poor. There's also an expectancy to do extra 'because your family', which is fine, but not when it gets in the way of family life. When I started working for my brother it was agreed that I could work a few days from home due to the extra commute, but this has turned into 5 days a week in the workplace now. It is partly my fault because I suffered a period of depression and anxiety between December - April this year and I was struggling to get work done at home (and at work tbh). They grew frustrated with me and decided it was best I actually worked full time in the workplace. I've pretty much recovered now, and although better, they're refusing to let me return to working a few days from home because they think that fuelled my depression. I don't blame them for feeling that way, but one of the main reasons I came to work here was the advantage of working from home, meaning a better work-life balance. My current commute is 50 mins, while my old employer was 30 mins. So as things stand now, my work-life balance has become worse!

There's pro's and con's to both jobs, but I'm finding it extremely difficult to think of what to do. Maybe I should do an actual pro's and con's, but I feel like I can't leave my current job with family because I'd be letting them down, and although there's occasional animosity in the business, actually leaving might create long term animosity.