Problem Solving
GDRC (n.d) argues that problem solving process involves six steps that include problem definition, problem analysis, generating possible solutions, analyzing the solution(s), choosing the best solution(s) and planning the next course of action. I will adopt the six steps in order to resolve my problem.
My problem is to decide the best alternative of growing my income. I enrolled for a Bachelor’s degree with a view of increasing my chance of a promotion. Now that I am writing my final exam, I have received an offer from a competitor that leaves me in a dilemma. I am facing a dilemma of choosing between either staying with my current employer where I have worked for the past 11 years and hope I will get a promotion once I complete my Bachelor’s degree, or take up a new job offer from a competitor that comes with a salary increase of $15,000 per year.
Problem analysis
There are pros and cons to each option. If I stay at the current job, I will be able to complete my Bachelor’s degree, get my tuition reimbursed. I have incurred a significant amount on my tuition expenses and I was motivated by the fact that my employer will reimburse the money once I complete the Bachelor’s degree. In addition, I am optimistic that completing my Bachelor’s degree will increase my chances of being promoted. On the downside, I am not certain as to when I will receive my promotion.
On the other hand, the new job offer has attractive benefits such as a $15,000 increase in annual salary, car allowance, and relocating allowance. On the downside, the new job is out of state and even though the company is providing relocation expense, I will be leaving many of my friends behind. All the supervisors in the new company have master’s degree and this means I will have to complete my bachelors and then continue with my masters, and since the new company does not offer tuition reimbursement, it means I will have to cover the tuition expenses from my pocket. I must therefore balance between the tuition expenses against the rise in my income.
Generating possible solutions
I have two possible solutions to solving my problem that include:
Approaching my current employer for a raise in my income
Take up the offer from the competitor and relocate
Analyzing the solutions
If I approach my current employer for a raise, they are not likely to match the salary increase the new company has promised. Most likely, my employer will take between one and two years before they consider me for a promotion. By this time, I suppose that in my other job I will be eligible for further promotion and my income may have risen much higher from what the current raise of $15,000 per year that the competitor has already offered. I will also be midway my Masters.
I am not certain about how much raise I will receive from my current employer once I get the promotion but I would estimate a salary raise of $10,000 per year. A raise of $10,000 after two years does not seem attractive when compared to the raise of $15,000 the competitor is offering. In addition, there is uncertainty as to when I will get the promotion, and the amount of raise that will come with the promotion.
On the other hand, taking the new job from the competitor will mean that I have to relocate. In addition, I will have to enroll for a master’s degree to be at par with my peers. When I relocate, I will incur significant travel expenses when I am visiting family and friends. Enrolling for masters will definitely take a toll on my finances and Masters will definitely cost more than the annual salary raise of $15,000. However, the tuition expenses are one off expenses and once I am done with my masters, I will be able to command even higher salaries. Commuting and tuition expenses will offset part of the $15,000 per year salary increase. However, the new job is likely to present me with further growth opportunities. The new job will give me a new experience of working out of state and expand my professional network. An expanded professional network will provide me with more opportunities for career growth and influence.
Selecting the best solution
After weighing the pros and cons of either staying with my current employer or taking up a new job offer from the competitors, I have decided to take up the competitors offer. The new position will increase my income by $15,000 and even though I will incur significant commuting and tuition expenses, I believe, my income will grow faster than my expenses. I will aim at minimizing my commuting allowances by reducing the number of times I visit and making use of technological applications such as Skype, Whatsapp and other medium of communication to ensure I only commute for essential travel such as during major holidays and celebrations. The tuition expenses on my masters represent a one off cost instead of a recurrent cost, and once I am able to cover my tuition expenses I need not worry about their recurrence.
The job will also provide me with an opportunity of expanding my professional network. At this point in my career, I am looking to expand my professional network and build my reputation in the industry. I believe a job out of the sate provides me with a perfect opportunity to make new contacts in a different state, something that I will not be able to do if I choose to stay with my current employer. I will remain in touch with my current contacts as I build new ones.
Planning the next course of action
Now that I have decided to accept the offer made by the competitor, I will first inform my family members of my decision to relocate before giving a formal acceptance to the competitor and tendering my resignation to my employer. Once I obtain the blessings of my family, I will verbally discuss with my supervisor of my intention to resign in the next one day. The verbal discussion will be a precursor to my resignation letter that I will write when my supervisor has released me from my obligations. I will give my current employer two-weeks notice during which time I will collaborate with my replacement to teach them all that is expected of them in the role I play.
Once I am through serving my two-week notice, I will request my new employer to grant a two-week leave in order to arrange for my relocation. In the two-week duration, I intend to spend between three and five days relocating and the rest of the time I will spend on learning the new town. This will ensure that I have sufficient time to prepare myself so that I am able to hit the ground running once I report to my new job.
Using the proposed six-step approach to problem solving helps me to be able to critically evaluate my problem of increasing my income and resolving which is the best alternative of growing my income between either staying with my current employer or accepting the competitors offer. I believe I have reached at a rational decision after critically examining all the pros and cons of each alternative.
Reference list
The Problem Solving Process. (n.d.). Retrieved March 05, 2016, from
http://www.gdrc.org/decision/problem-solve.html
