Undecided about accepting new job

Have recently done some interviews for a new job and have been offered it. It would mean more money, is closer to home and probably more varied work than I'm currently doing. I'm not unhappy in my current job per se but the money is just OK, the commute is pretty bad and the work is a little boring at times but at least relatively stress-free. I was very enthusiastic about the new company until I met the actual person I would have to work closely with and I took an immediate dislike to her! I tried to overcome this first impression but the longer I sat there for that interview the more and more I grew to dislike her even more. Now i'm in a dilemma whether to accept the offer. My boss seems very nice and I wonder if my impressions of this potential future colleague are perhaps all wrong. But understandably, I'm very cautious about jumping from the frying pan into the fire by accepting this new position. Should I just go with my gut feeling and turn it down?

Tough one, everything sounds good about the new job except for perhaps the most important thing. You're right, if you don't get on with your work colleagues, then the money etc. will not be worth it.

First impressions are important, but I would try and give the benefit of the doubt. See if, without accepting the job yet, there is some way you can have a follow up meeting. I don't know, some more detailed questions about how the job would work day to day.

It would be a shame to miss out on a good opportunity if you just happened to catch the person in question on a bad day.

How many others will you be working with? Will this girl be your team leader/superviser? Why was she interviewing you?

I can understand where you are coming from as something similar happened to me before. It was a guy and my first impression was that he was boring, pedantic and a bit of a nerd. He was also younger than me and would be my team leader. I would usually have no problem with that but the power trip was too much for him. I accepted the offer and after a week realised it was a mistake. I didnt make it easy for myself though as we were constantly arguing. Silly thing to do when you are still in the probationary period.

That's my fear. I'm afraid that if I by-pass my gut instinct on this one that I'll live to regret it and having had a bad experience in a previous position, it just makes me all the more wary. I am defintely more reluctant to jump these days.

If I was in your position right now I'd do my best to find out the position of the person you have a problem with. Bit difficult to do as you might be letting on you dont like them. But, if she would just be another member of the team then that makes it easier to handle them. You also have to consider that this person who you dont know could potentially be holding you back in your career without her even doing anything. I think you'll have to do more research on the job in order to make your decision.

one way of looking at it though is that if you could tolerate the situation for say a year with your new colleague (that is of course, if there is a "situation", you may find that she is actually alright to get along with day to day and have been fretting over nothing) you will be on a higher wage, and closer to home, so that in a year's time- or however long you can stick it - if it transpires that you can't abide the job any longer, you can negotiate a better wage again with your next employer as you have this higher wage to springboard from.

If you were enthusiastic about the company to start with, maybe see if you can get on with your job without having to deal too much with this woman, I could easily go the whole day wihout having to say a word to my co-workers if i wanted, even though there is one at each elbow!

Maybe you thought this job was so perfect, that you began looking for negatives and may have found some that werent there? Sometimes people try find excuses not to do things when they should be looking for reasons to do them.
I hope it all works out well for you anyway. Good luck.

I am in a similar situation. Working in a team of 5 at the moment, great boss, two other super colleagues and one idiot. He is sneaky and unhelpful and bugs me. The very first time he met me, the first three questions he asked where I was living, if I had bought there and how much I had paid for it!!! My impression of him has continued to worsen as the months have gone on. However I now make no effort with him and am quite rude to him - not at all in my nature. I speak to him only when I have to and never indulge in any chit chat. If we are ever stuck sitting next to each other at lunch (which I strenuously try to avoid), I just do not engage him. I suppose what I am saying is that it is difficult at the start but it does depend on how you deal with it. Overall I am very happy in my job thanks to the nature of the work, my super boss and am delighted I started here in spite of the idiot.

Art said:

I am in a similar situation. Working in a team of 5 at the moment, great boss, two other super colleagues and one idiot. He is sneaky and unhelpful and bugs me. The very first time he met me, the first three questions he asked where I was living, if I had bought there and how much I had paid for it!!! My impression of him has continued to worsen as the months have gone on. However I now make no effort with him and am quite rude to him - not at all in my nature. I speak to him only when I have to and never indulge in any chit chat. If we are ever stuck sitting next to each other at lunch (which I strenuously try to avoid), I just do not engage him. I suppose what I am saying is that it is difficult at the start but it does depend on how you deal with it. Overall I am very happy in my job thanks to the nature of the work, my super boss and am delighted I started here in spite of the idiot.

Click to expand...

Ok, dont take this the wrong way but are you male or female? The reason I ask is that his attitude to you could depend on whether he is attracted to you or not. If he IS attracted to you, then its probably his shyness.

rkeane said:

Ok, dont take this the wrong way but are you male or female? The reason I ask is that his attitude to you could depend on whether he is attracted to you or not. If he IS attracted to you, then its probably his shyness.

Click to expand...

Don't think so.... I am male and he is married - poor wifey..