I work in France as a permanent employee (CDI) for a IT contracting firm. I had a contract at a stock exchange that will expire this month, meaning that I won't have a contract starting April 2026. My contracting firm found me another contract, with a start date in mid-April. In parallel, I have interviewed with another contracting company that will increase my earning to 68,000 euros per year (I earn 60000 euros). Is it better at this point to switch companies; knowing that: - I have already a contract at my current company. - I won't probably be positioned on a contract at my new company as i have a mandatory 3 month notice period. - In the new company, I might have the possibility to take a tech lead role, and they have a mandatory AI tech training. something we must demand (if granted at all) at my current company. - I've been working for my IT contracting agency for 8 years; - I might have reached my salary cap (60k senior people; they seek to hire for 45-55k on linkedin)

Sonar Pro

Vote: Leave. 3 month notice, will bill to the end

Option **A** (Leave with 3-month notice, billing to the end) is the strongest choice, balancing financial security, career growth, and French labor protections while minimizing risk. **Salary and growth potential favor switching.** The new company offers 68k euros (13% raise from 60k), aligning with senior IT roles in France (e.g., software architects 51k-100k)[5]. Current firm shows stagnation: 60k cap for seniors, hiring at 45-55k on LinkedIn, after 8 years' loyalty. New role promises tech lead opportunity and mandatory AI training—valuable for advancement, hard to secure at current firm. **No immediate income gap.** Current contract ends this month (March 2026), but firm secured mid-April placement. 3-month notice (standard for CDI) runs ~April-June, fully billable to current client, bridging to new contract seamlessly. New firm accepts this delay. **Risks of other options outweigh benefits.** **B (Stay)** traps you in a capped, stagnant role with limited training/upside. **C (Quit Now!)** is reckless—loses billable notice pay and risks unemployment gaps, violating CDI protections. **Negotiation leverage exists.** Use offer to push current firm for counter (e.g., raise/review post-probation)[1][2], but evidence suggests low odds given salary signals. Switching secures immediate gains without burning bridges after professional notice.

Kimi K2.5

Vote: Leave. 3 month notice, will bill to the end

After 8 years, you have clearly hit a glass ceiling at your current firm—their LinkedIn ads show they hire seniors for 45-55k, so you are already above their target range with no room for growth. The 13% salary jump (€8k/year) and the Tech Lead progression are compelling enough to justify the transition, but the mandatory AI training is the critical differentiator; it future-proofs your career in a way that your current employer, which only grants training on request, cannot match. Serving your 3-month notice period is standard for French CDI contracts and is financially manageable. During this period, your current employer must pay your salary either through your existing contract's end or via 'intercontrat' status (bench time), while your new employer can plan your integration knowing your availability date. This eliminates the risk of a total income gap. Staying (Option B) locks you into stagnant compensation and limited vertical growth after nearly a decade of service. Quitting immediately (Option C) is legally and financially reckless in the French market, as you would forfeit notice period pay and potentially owe damages. Option A is the only strategic choice that balances immediate financial security with long-term career acceleration.

Claude Opus 4.6

Vote: Leave. 3 month notice, will bill to the end

This is a clear case where leaving with proper notice is the right move, and here's why: **Salary ceiling is real.** You've been at the same company for 8 years and are at 60k. The fact that they're hiring seniors on LinkedIn at 45-55k strongly suggests you're already at or above their internal cap. Getting meaningful raises from here will be nearly impossible. The new company offers 68k immediately — that's a 13% bump, which compounds over your career. **Career growth matters more than short-term comfort.** The new company offers a potential tech lead role and mandatory AI training. In the current IT market, AI skills are becoming table stakes. Your current employer makes you fight for training that should be standard. This signals a fundamental difference in how these two companies invest in their people. **The 3-month notice period actually works in your favor here.** You have a contract lined up at your current company starting mid-April. You can work that contract during your notice period, meaning you'll be billing and productive — not sitting on the bench. Your current employer won't lose money on you, and you leave on good terms. This is the professional, French-labor-law-compliant way to handle the transition. **8 years of loyalty hasn't been reciprocated.** If after 8 years you're capped at 60k with no clear path to tech lead and limited training investment, the company has shown you what they value. Loyalty in ESN/consulting firms in France rarely pays off the way it does in end-client companies. **Option C (Quit Now) is reckless** — you'd lose your notice period pay and potentially burn bridges. Option B (Stay) means accepting stagnation. Option A is the measured, strategic choice: resign formally, serve your 3-month notice while billing on the new contract, and transition cleanly to better pay and better opportunities.

DeepSeek V3.2

Vote: Leave. 3 month notice, will bill to the end

The 8,000 euro salary increase (13% raise) and opportunity for a tech lead role with AI training represent significant career growth that your current company likely cannot match, given its apparent salary cap and hiring range. While there is a 3-month notice period, professional handling of this transition minimizes risk and preserves relationships. Your current company has a contract ready for mid-April, but staying means forgoing a substantial salary boost and potential advancement. The new role offers clear progression, whereas your current position shows signs of stagnation after 8 years. Option C (quit immediately) is unprofessional and could harm your reputation and legal standing. Option B (stay) sacrifices long-term growth for short-term security. Option A allows you to pursue the better opportunity while fulfilling your contractual obligations professionally.

Final Summary

The AI Roundtable reached an immediate and unanimous verdict: it is time to move on. Every model, from Sonar Pro to Claude Opus 4.6, agreed that after eight years of service, the user had hit a definitive 'glass ceiling' where loyalty was no longer being rewarded with market-rate growth.

All 4 models agreed on "Leave. 3 month notice, will bill to the end" after discussion

Strongest Arguments

• Leave. 3 month notice, will bill to the end: The current firm's LinkedIn ads seeking seniors at 45-55k prove a hard salary cap exists; switching to 68k with guaranteed AI training and a tech lead path is the only way to avoid professional stagnation.