Ask HN: Should I accept an at will job offer with a pay increase I feel pretty uneasy about the "at-will" thing, I'm in a pretty comfortable spot right now and it'd be a shame to leave my current job for a 25% pay increase only to lose my job for something out of my control. What do you guys think? |
Here's the questions I think you should ask yourself:
1. How likely am I to lose the new job? Is the employer stable (both financially and also in the sense of making rational decisions)? And related: how much more stable is your current job, really?
2. If I were to lose the new job, how hard will it be to find another one, and how similar/appealing will the new job be? If you're in a hot market and getting constant recruiter outreach, or if your current company would be happy to have you come back, then risk is low.
In addition, of course, you should balance the full package of alternatives; not just salary, but also career direction, personal growth, happiness, etc.
I'm not a lawyer, &c &c, but it's probably smart to deal with all employer/employee relationships where you don't have a contract addressing the issue as if it was at-will.