Job offers and rejection angst (oh woe is me)
In all my working career I have never before turned down a job offer, and it is a very strange feeling to do so today.
For weeks I have been waiting for an exciting Oxford start-up/spin-out, who gave me a conditional job offer, to be in the position to offer me the position unconditionally. Unfortunately the condition was that their Venture Capital funding had to come through, so it was all somewhat out of my hands. Then last week I was offered another job, at Diamond Light Source, and that's when the hard decisions began.
I knew that I would love both jobs and could easily very passionate about either, but other than that they really were were chalk and cheese.
One is a huge research establishment, the other an embryonic start-up. One would mean learning Java & Python, the other would be getting me back into C++. One would provide a variety of projects and experiments with scientists from around the world, the other working with a single fantastic product in a very small, close knit team of engineers & Doctors. One would mean commuting down the A34 to the Rurherford Appleton Labs near Didcot, the other just out to the Science Park near Littlemore. Wages were roughly the same, but one included the option of joining the excellent Research Council pension scheme, while the other offered the possibility of future share options.
All in all, it was very difficult to compare the two. My heart tugged me towards the start-up, my head towards Diamond. Then I saw the contracts and realised it was going to be my gut that made the final decision. The start-up's contracts was the most legalistic and restrictive I've ever seen. I can understand why it's written like that but I like plain English and it sent my stomach churning over the problems I had at a previous job in a company beholden to Vultures. That company was killed not once, but twice, first by faceless VC's stringing us along so they could get more for less and then by a so called business 'Angel' who foisted on us his incompetent South African friend as Managing Director.
So this morning, after signing on for hopefully the last time, I went to see the start-up and told them my decision in person. I thought it was the least I could do and they were disappointed but understanding. We had a long chat and they told me how they were going to avoid the sort of problems I'd seen with VCs in the past, but ultimately we both wished each other all the best and I believe we all meant it.
Anyway, enough of my angst about having had to turn someone down.
If anyone out there is looking for a new challenge, and fancies working on software for an amazing 3d volumetric camera and integrated wound management system, working with C++, Qt and SQL, I'd be happy to chat to you about it and put you in contact. I really want them to find someone good, and I know that my pool of friends has a lot of talent in it, so I'm not afraid to pimp out the position to anyone who will listen. I think it is a fantastic opportunity for someone, just not me right now. *8')
Hugs,
For weeks I have been waiting for an exciting Oxford start-up/spin-out, who gave me a conditional job offer, to be in the position to offer me the position unconditionally. Unfortunately the condition was that their Venture Capital funding had to come through, so it was all somewhat out of my hands. Then last week I was offered another job, at Diamond Light Source, and that's when the hard decisions began.
I knew that I would love both jobs and could easily very passionate about either, but other than that they really were were chalk and cheese.
One is a huge research establishment, the other an embryonic start-up. One would mean learning Java & Python, the other would be getting me back into C++. One would provide a variety of projects and experiments with scientists from around the world, the other working with a single fantastic product in a very small, close knit team of engineers & Doctors. One would mean commuting down the A34 to the Rurherford Appleton Labs near Didcot, the other just out to the Science Park near Littlemore. Wages were roughly the same, but one included the option of joining the excellent Research Council pension scheme, while the other offered the possibility of future share options.
All in all, it was very difficult to compare the two. My heart tugged me towards the start-up, my head towards Diamond. Then I saw the contracts and realised it was going to be my gut that made the final decision. The start-up's contracts was the most legalistic and restrictive I've ever seen. I can understand why it's written like that but I like plain English and it sent my stomach churning over the problems I had at a previous job in a company beholden to Vultures. That company was killed not once, but twice, first by faceless VC's stringing us along so they could get more for less and then by a so called business 'Angel' who foisted on us his incompetent South African friend as Managing Director.
So this morning, after signing on for hopefully the last time, I went to see the start-up and told them my decision in person. I thought it was the least I could do and they were disappointed but understanding. We had a long chat and they told me how they were going to avoid the sort of problems I'd seen with VCs in the past, but ultimately we both wished each other all the best and I believe we all meant it.
Anyway, enough of my angst about having had to turn someone down.
If anyone out there is looking for a new challenge, and fancies working on software for an amazing 3d volumetric camera and integrated wound management system, working with C++, Qt and SQL, I'd be happy to chat to you about it and put you in contact. I really want them to find someone good, and I know that my pool of friends has a lot of talent in it, so I'm not afraid to pimp out the position to anyone who will listen. I think it is a fantastic opportunity for someone, just not me right now. *8')
Hugs,