When going for a job, have you ever taken a pay cut for better perks? Good idea??

jjs1234

So I seem to have some things on my mind here.

I could really use some input from people who have done similar or have Experience on this.


First off I am not going to list any names... or try not to.


**Have you ever taken a pay cut for better perks?**

I will list the 2 companies that I am- in my mind trying to figure this out.

It doesn't feel like a no-brainier as I seem to be quite torn between both.


COMPANY A: Is a company that is 40Miles away. (DUE to it possibly being temp I may/may not be able to get a place- therefore requiring me to drive to work, then drive more as it involved driving from point 1 to point 2 and vice/versa).

It is a job I was hired for and I start on the 18th of this month. Its an Energy company, located in Nevada. The job only goes for 40 days and has NO Benefits, and its mostly driving that will be reimbursed through another company- as I am a contractor.

Possible extension after 40 days? Possible. However I heard that the last person who did a similar job got a TEMP extension. This (in my mind) seems to be a difficult employer to actually get Direct-to-hire.

Perks: None (no benefits)
The pay is: 23$ hr.
The job: Desktop Support



COMPANY B: Is a job that is about 4 hours away from where I currently am located. I already want to move (for both jobs, as I am living with mom). This company is located in California.

This position is doing networking. This is a Cisco provider, so it does schools and businesses all over California. I get to travel to most of Norther California to do installs for Schools/large businesses.

Perks: Full-benefits (Blue-Shield is $90 a month), Profit-Sharing (although I am unsure how it works), company Credit Card, paid travel/Hotel (driving is paid at 50c a mile), paid training/tests (to advance education).
The pay is: $16/hr (and this is the part I have the most issue with- it seems low for a entry- Cisco engineer)
The Job: Entry-Level Cisco Engineer

COMPANY C: Is a interview I just had for a Hospital in Nevada- who has not gotten back to me so I really dont know how it fits in. It likely has full-benefits with a estimated ~$25/hr+



Company A starts the position in 1 week (18th). I seem to get paid more but no benefits. Company B wants me to tour their facility and wants to pay me to drive out 200 miles each way (400 miles x .50c = $200) and put me in a hotel so that I can spend most of the day with their team to see if this company is something that I want to do.



Is this a no-brainier? Company B seems to have much better perks and the added Adventure attached to it as-well... I may work 50-60 hrs per week too so overtime (x1.5 normal pay) and doubletime (x2.0 normal pay) may be regular. It just seems weird to work for a lower wage.

Can you help me out? I have never run into something like this before. It sounds like Company B is the better bargain.


Would you agree?

jjs1234

Being a contractor for so long well, has made me think about hourly as the best perk of all. I know this isnt true. As it sometimes seems to be getting harder and harder to find a company that will do right by you.

I figure most of you will see Company B being the better bargain now and overall in the long run.

srj

- What are your career goals?
- What are your salary requirements (can you live off $16/hr)?
- What job will improve your skills that are relevant to your future career goals?

Consider total compensation. The profit sharing could be significant, so I suggest you find out more about it. Maybe not something I'd ask about during an interview, but I would ask after they've extended an offer. Consider the following:

1099 vs. W2 - You will pay more in taxes if you will be 1099 at the contracting gig. You will pay SS/medicare x2 because the company isn't matching the SS/medicare contributions for you.
Health care - how much will it cost you to get on your own?
Dental - how much will it cost you to get on your own?

If you are young and interested in networking, then I would go with B. The money will come. I started as a 1099 contractor for approximately $20/hr (1099) in the Boston-area. This pay was not something that I was enthused about. This was my first IT job. I knew that I could get the skills that I needed to make more money later. I used this as an opportunity to prove myself and take on everything including improving my Linux knowledge. I was hired full-time not even a year later at approximately $42/hr (W-2). Focus on obtaining the skills and providing great service. The money will come. If it doesn't, then you'll be in a good position to move elsewhere.

TheFORCE

Perks are good to have but do not take a pay cut on a job just for the perks. Perks are what the name says, they are just incentives to lure you for the role. Look at the whole salary. Many times the perks you can use only related to your work and many times for things like 401ks or profit sharing programs you need to be vested with a company and stay there for more than 2-3 years to even get something meaningful. Also a lot of these perks you can not use them for yourself right now, 401k for example, that's for retirement, the money you put there will not affect your current lifestyle. You need to look at how much pay you will make every week or every 2 weeks excluding the perks!

Arod95

I would go with company B, but then again thats just based off my interest. I would rather work in a more networking type of role vs desktop support unless I was doing half and half at a gig. Plus I rather be permanent where leaving is only based off me (for the most part), and when I decide when I want to move on. Sure the pay cut sucks especially since I'm guessing the cost of living in California is pretty expensive, but then again you are going to be paid 50c a mile. So lets just say you drive an average of 200 miles (for work) in a week its a nice extra $100 that can go to gas. Hopefully you here something from Company C that sounds like the best of both worlds.

dsgm

Personally i would choose B

Networking
Cisco Provider
Full Benefits
Profit Sharing
Credit card
Paid travel hotel
Paid education
only bad thing is the 16/hr can you live off that in California ?

jjs1234

As it turns out, Company C is a likely candidate.

As I had mentioned it is a Hospital in Nevada, as a beginning networking role. I would venture a guess that the benefits are good as-well as the pay. So basically its a toss-up of B and C at this point.

Id want to say that B is still interesting because of the travelling to sites to install network equipment. Id imagine that most of you would say that C is the better choice. Better pay without having to work 50-60 hrs to get equivalent in overtime. C is closer to family too I must say. Its well... interesting, is the way I put it.

I think network security interests me more than R&S and Wireless but, I am a creative person. I sometimes wonder if creativity can be used in a rigid/left-hemisphere/logical career like networking.

Nothing is guaranteed for C yet. I have one more interview, however its only because the main guy couldn't join in the first interview that was done. He had a meeting. So its like a one-on-one and likely a slam-dunk. Who doesn't like me ???


Its interesting to say though. That last interview is on Monday the 18th. That same Monday that I start A. What would you likely do? I feel like I should give a week notice before I start that I cannot do the job. Which is true. The interview is at a time I would be working.

It looks like I need to make a leap of faith.

Jon_Cisco

Perks on a 16hr job won't matter much as you will likely be looking to switch jobs in another 6 months.
No perks on a 40 day contract won't matter much either as it's only 40 days.

I would take the most interesting one and make the best of it.

Mike-Mike

Not the same as your situation, but I took a paycut for better experience. I was making 45k, but wanting Networking experience so I took a job paying 41k to get in a NOC with a different company. Everyone thought I was crazy at the time, but it turned out to be the right move.

Less than 3 years later and I'm about to crack six figures.

MeanDrunkR2D2

FOr me job A is a non-starter. Very short term contracts really aren't all that appealing and I wouldn't risk missing something else better that may come up. You could go and tell them that either you aren't interested (Which is what I would do myself) and decline that, or see if they can push back the start date a couple of days.

B&C would be better choices, but C would be heads above a better position. So, go to that interview, and knock that interview out of the park. If Company B wants you to come out for an all day interview and will pay for the costs jump at it. When I got my start in IT I would routinely drive about 200 miles away for interviews on my own dime and it was worth it in the long run.

eansdad

I would go B if you have the means to move.

My situation was a little similar. I had 2 offers 1 was for $52k/yr but was an hour away and across a toll bridge. I would be lord and master over the site. The other was for $42k + $2500 signing bonus + once a year performance bonus and end of year company bonus. This is working for a local MSP doing networking/sys admin work with some project management. I took the 2nd because of the opportunity to use and learn higher level skills.

Mike-Mike

eansdad wrote: »

$42k + $2500 signing bonus

I have never had a job with a signing bonus. What kind of job was that?

TLeTourneau

I left a 6 figure contract position for a FTE position with a well known healthcare provider. It was a good choice for me.

kurosaki00

I took a paycut to work in a very network heavy environment, a lot of circuits and technologies. I did this to get experience and exposure.
2.5 yrs later, that helped me achieve one of my career goals in life (got me a job).

So if well thought, definitely it helps.

eansdad

Mike-Mike wrote: »

I have never had a job with a signing bonus. What kind of job was that?

Managed Service Provider - I was brought in to do the networking, server/domain and wireless work along with some project management and site designs for new clients. A little under paid which is why I think they offered a signing bonus since other job was offering $10k more.

over9000

I won't rehash what other people have said, but it's all about goals and experience in IT so do what will help you achieve both. If you're lacking experience, then sometimes you should take less pay to get that experience because the money will come later. Try to get as much experience as you can and specialize if you're seeking a higher salary. People want you to know a little bit of everything, but be an expert in something. Sometimes, there's the grind, i.e the helpdesk rut, but try to quickly work towards a specialization and getting the certs/experience in what you want to specialize in.

pinkydapimp

As others have said weigh the entire package. I did a high travel job for 8 years. The perks of accumulating miles and hotel points while not needing to keep a big residence was worth alot.

Also, early on, you can learn alot from traveling and working in many different environments and seeing how things are setup and what works best(also what doesn't).

Johndi

I live in California, and Company B sounds familiar. If it were me, and you were up for the challenge, I'd probably do Company B. If the Cisco networking path is what you believe you want to do, then having access to the equipment you need to learn and having paid training and testing, along with the paid travel and other paid expenses is worth a lot, especially if you may want to branch off into other areas that require expensive equipment....like voice. Yes, $16 is a pittance, however when you look at the other perks you're getting, you could value the total compensation at probably a value of $10 extra per hour more, not to mention the experience you'll get of seeing and helping to setup different environments.

Having said that, for $16/hr, you're going to be hard pressed to find someplace to live that you like.

Mike-Mike

over9000 wrote: »

If you're lacking experience, then sometimes you should take less pay to get that experience because the money will come later.

This is also something you may only have a shot at when you are younger. At this point in my life, I got a wife, kids, house, multiple cars, etc..

Even if I was willing to do take a paycut, at this point, I doubt I could afford it. I did it years ago, but that was probably my one shot.

mhnv45

Hi Firstly i wouldn't know how many dependents and debts you have to pay and how many exp you have.
IF you are still starting up and can manage dependents and other debts you should go for option B, your primary focus must be to get skilled and gain knowlege where next company will value the skills gained from working in previous company.
Option A you wouldn't learn many things and are limited. Mainly all the time go for a place you can enhance your skills because money will follow you the more unique you get,.
thank you