Need some career advice. Am i making the right move?
Currently working fully remote and earning above minimum. This year, I received a high performance rating, pero nadisappoint ako sa salary increase. Hindi ko talaga naramdaman na tugma siya sa contributions ko this year. So, inentertain ko yung invitation from another company and eventually received an offer.
I brought up my concerns to my current employer and explained how dissatisfied I was with the increase. They were understanding and said they wanted to keep me, pero limited yung magagawa nila right now because the company is currently being acquired by a well-known digital bank. May additional benefits naman daw na expected once the acquisition pushes through, pero hindi pa nila kayang i-disclose because of restrictions from the soon-to-be parent company.
To put things into perspective, if they increased my salary right now, parang pang-samgyup lang for 3 people max yung dagdag lol hahaha
Yung external offer naman is pretty solid. After negotiations, I was able to get around a 26% increase from my current basic salary, plus several allowances. Kinompute ko rin realistically yung gas, parking, at iba pang gastos kapag onsite. Even after factoring everything in, around ₱6,000 pa rin yung lamang ko monthly. Malinis na yan after expenses.
Ang pahirap lang sa decision is that the new company isn't exactly a gamble either. Highly recognized siya and consistently ranked among the Top 10 Best Places to Work. Ironically, yung company naman na mag-a-acquire sa current employer ko kasama rin sa workplace rankings, pero usually lower. So this isn't really a choice between a great company and an unknown one. It’s more a choice between two reputable companies, where one offers a clearer opportunity today while the other carries potential upside that hasn't fully materialized yet.
The new role itself is also attractive. May good growth opportunities, exposure to new challenges, and long-term benefits like retirement plans and other perks that become more valuable over time.
Ang biggest sacrifice talaga is giving up my fully remote setup. Kailangan ko nang mag-onsite and let go of the flexibility and convenience na nasanay na ako over the years plus those occasional power naps during the day lol 😂. Pero ang twist, sinabi rin sa amin na once the acquisition pushes through, magiging hybrid setup na rin eventually yung current company, so staying doesn't necessarily mean permanent WFH forever.
Isa pang factor is that I genuinely love my current team and company culture. Parang nahanap ko na yung mga taong gusto kong katrabaho. Masaya ako sa team and that’s honestly not something easy to replace. At the same time, acquisitions always come with uncertainty. While there may be better benefits down the line, wala talagang clear timeline and no guarantee yet kung ano mismo yung magiging changes. If may possibility na ma-layoff kami etc.
So ngayon, torn ako between staying with a team and culture I genuinely enjoy while hoping the acquisition brings positive changes, or taking an opportunity that already offers better compensation, career growth, and a clearer path forward.
Kayo ba, if you were in my position, what would you do? Stay and wait for the potential upside of the acquisition, or take the opportunity that's already in front of you?
Would really appreciate hearing from people who've experienced something similar 🙏