Two offers, not sure which one to go with, any advice?

I am 22, recently got laid off from my previous job about three weeks ago. I was working for IBM though a sub contracting company doing desktop support. I was making 18 an hour and pretty happy there, however I was looking at other opportunities before I got laid off and had two interviews. At this point both companies have pretty much made me offers but I am having a really hard time deciding on which one to go with. Both of these companies are located in Boston, so the commute is pretty much the same.

Company #1
Is for a desktop support position in a small company (170 users), 80% of the users are onsite, 20% will be supported remotely. I have had two interviews with them, they want to bring me in for a third and final one on Monday, but they have already offered me 40k a year with benefits. This is not a huge pay increase from my previous job, but it is a permanent position and salary is better than hourly. I would also get more experience here than my old job since it is a smaller company.

Company #2
For a helpdesk support position, supporting different client sites, remotely. The catch with this job is they want to bring me in for a two week contract (pay me $25 an hour) to see if I am right for the job, then if they decide I am I will go permanent, and the salary, so I have been told will be 45k, but I was also told this by company #1 at first. This company also plans to have me on the helpdesk for about a year while they train me to eventually become a junior consultant who travels to different client sites for onsite support. I am not sure if I am huge about this, I really don’t like supporting people strictly over the phone, I like to be able to go to their desk, and I don’t really want to be driving to different client sites every few weeks either. The upside is it would be good experience and I would have room to move up within the company.

My main problem is Company #2 is paying more, but it is a gamble, if they don’t like me after two weeks then I am out a job again and will be kicking myself for not going with the other job, where company #1 has no “trial period” so it is better peace of mind. Company #2 also seems like it may be better long term career wise, but I think I would be happier at Company #1, the environment seemed relaxed, and the responsibilities are very similar to my old job, but let you get your hands on more stuff, and again helpdesk just turns me off, I hate sitting a desk all day, I like to be able to get up and go see the users if I want to. What I may try to do is work the two weeks at company #2, see how I like it and see if they want to hire me, then make my decision, I just hope the other company is willing to wait two weeks. Any advice for me? What would you do?

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

SrAtechie

That's a tough predicament you've got there! Being a defense contractor, I went through the same thing. I was let go in January by my company (cost cutting) and didn't get any bites for a few months. But just as suddenly I was inundated with 5 offers all at once, all with similar benefits and pay. I ultimately decided to choose the job I'm in now because there was a lot of opportunity to learn a lot more here than the others offered (as the others were for established NOCs vs. the one I'm in which is just starting up) and a lot of upward mobility as things become established. This job actually pays the least of the 5 offers, weighing in at almost $15k less than the highest paying offer did, but I figured I'm young enough that I'd probably be able to make up the difference and then some when this contract finishes up and I'll have a nice set of bullets to add to my resume. So if money isn't really the object, I'd go with the one that gives you more opportunity to grow your IT IQ imho.

binarysoul

You may consider going with the first company (and I believe you are leaning there). If I were you, I would steer clear from helpdesk jobs unless you really have to. Some employers don't consider helpdesk as real IT while helpdesk folks are some of the most talented ppl out there!

So, if I were you I would take the first job. Either way, when you get your job, bring some
e-donoughts , i.e. electronic donoughts

EdTheLad

If i were you i would probably except them both, try delay the first one for 3 or 4 weeks, get the $25 dollars an hour and then say it wasn't right for you. The second company just seem a little tight with their 3 weeks routine, if their like this know i cant imagine how bad they will get later.

blargoe

Knowing what I know now I would definately go with the first job.

The "pros" of the second job are a little more money and potential to move up in the company. Well at this point in your career (i.e., very early) you shouldn't let a couple thousand less per year deter you from taking a "sure thing". Trust me, if you do your job well and have the aptitude, the money will come sooner than later.

You also have "better experience since it's a smaller company" in company 1 vs. "future potential to move up" in company 2. When I see this, I see an immediate resume and experience building job that could be used to jump into your next position (#1) vs. taking a step down the ladder for a year and then doing work I don't like as much but having a possibility to move up in the company later on (#2).

Being able to move up in a company doesn't mean as much as it used to, as long as you're moving up somewhere.

sprkymrk

Take the first job and don't look back.

Matt_Smi

blargoe wrote:

Knowing what I know now I would definitely go with the first job.

The "pros" of the second job are a little more money and potential to move up in the company. Well at this point in your career (i.e., very early) you shouldn't let a couple thousand less per year deter you from taking a "sure thing". Trust me, if you do your job well and have the aptitude, the money will come sooner than later.

You also have "better experience since it's a smaller company" in company 1 vs. "future potential to move up" in company 2. When I see this, I see an immediate resume and experience building job that could be used to jump into your next position (#1) vs. taking a step down the ladder for a year and then doing work I don't like as much but having a possibility to move up in the company later on (#2).

Being able to move up in a company doesn't mean as much as it used to, as long as you're moving up somewhere.

Thanks for the input guys, you definitely reinforced what I was pretty much thinking. In a way helpdesk would be a step down, since usually you move from that to desktop support. Company #1 would be like a lateral move with the chance to learn more than I could at my old company. Being so young money defiantly is no huge to me, I am still living at home so 40k is still pretty damn good for someone in my situation. And good point about moving up, it does not have to be in one company, I could work company #1 for a few years then have a pretty solid resume going with a total of 3 years IT experience and 3 different jobs. Lets just hope everything goes good on Monday, I am sure it will but I will report back. I could still try company #2, but I don’t think I want to waste mine or their time and go though the stress and hassle of it. I would rather just start my new job fresh in a week or so, and enjoy the rest of my time off.

blackmage439

Your first job had a very impressive pay rate to begin with! You're 22, and making $18 an hour! Not many people can say that, as far as I'm aware... I just recently got a desktop support position, and it pays a lot less than that...

Anyhoo, since I enjoy the on-site user support over help desk any day, I would go with the first job. But that's just my personal bias.

sthomas

I would take the first job as well.

Pash

Darby offering to right hook people? It must be his 1000th post that is making him feel all rambo

I say go with whatever you will gain more experience from, I was in a simular situation myself before i got my current job. Interviewed for two jobs, got job offer from both of them. One was for ISP business customer DNS support, the other (my current job) to do a bit of everything and then some. I have no regrets even though the first job i interviewed for was like 5 minutes from my house, this 1hr30mins.

Good luck!

snadam

could've sworn I posted earlier. Either way, Ill give you the jist of it:

being in the same age group (few years older than you), I would take the job that offers more stability (#1). IF youre anything like me; you most likely have a car payment house/appartment payment, utilities, maybe student loans, perhaps even a wedding to pay for. Knowing that I can have a steady job to pay these debts off would make more sense to me.

so, Id take job #1 for stability purposes

good luck with your choice!!!

Mishra

Not a lot of people think about this but when you are in a job where you travel a lot, you really don't get to learn much. If you are at a company where you sit in 1 office the entire day then you have that whole day to learn things.

Thats why in my experience, system admins/network admins are ALWAYS better than consultants.

Mishra

blackmage439 wrote:

Your first job had a very impressive pay rate to begin with! You're 22, and making $18 an hour! Not many people can say that, as far as I'm aware... I just recently got a desktop support position, and it pays a lot less than that...

Anyhoo, since I enjoy the on-site user support over help desk any day, I would go with the first job. But that's just my personal bias.

It is in Boston. Big cost of living there.

Pash

Mishra wrote:

Not a lot of people think about this but when you are in a job where you travel a lot, you really don't get to learn much. If you are at a company where you sit in 1 office the entire day then you have that whole day to learn things.

Thats why in my experience, system admins/network admins are ALWAYS better than consultants.

It depends at what you are doing I guess. Whenever I am out of the office im at a new customer site, setting up firewalls, patching networks in. Or im onsite providing support for excisting customers. If you are getting hands-on experience then this is the most important thing.

snadam

Matt_Smi wrote:

Well I had the third interview with company #1 on Monday, heard back from them Tuesday, they officially made me the offer (for 40k a year) and I accepted it! I will be starting with them the first week in June. It took me four weeks to get a new job after getting laid off, I think that’s pretty good. And it’s a step up to, no more working for a subcontracting company on contract positions that “may” go perm. I was hoping for my next job to pay a little bit more (45k), but for being 22 and only having a year experience on me I really cannot complain. Also their annual bonus (raise) plan seems to be pretty decent, it says that your target bonus will be 10% of your base salary, so after two years I could be making 48k, that’s not too bad. All and all I am excited to start the new position and happy that I was not out of work long. If anyone is interested in the company this is their website http://www.enernoc.com/

congrats on the new job man! I hope our advice helped

blargoe

Great news.

plettner

Matt_Smi wrote:

Well I had the third interview with company #1 on Monday, heard back from them Tuesday, they officially made me the offer (for 40k a year) and I accepted it! I will be starting with them the first week in June. It took me four weeks to get a new job after getting laid off, I think that’s pretty good. And it’s a step up to, no more working for a subcontracting company on contract positions that “may” go perm. I was hoping for my next job to pay a little bit more (45k), but for being 22 and only having a year experience on me I really cannot complain. Also their annual bonus (raise) plan seems to be pretty decent, it says that your target bonus will be 10% of your base salary, so after two years I could be making 48k, that’s not too bad. All and all I am excited to start the new position and happy that I was not out of work long. If anyone is interested in the company this is their website http://www.enernoc.com/

Well done. I see the company has a lot of positions vacant. Plenty of room to move up the food chain.

Good luck with it all.

Matt_Smi

Well after my first week I can say I am very happy with my decision, normally the first week at a new job is kinda rough, but this was the best one I have ever had! Working at a small company is great, I already know a lot of the people and everyone is pretty laid back and cool, I already feel somewhat at home. We just finished setting up the new NOC this week and its state of the art, lots of great technology to work with and learn. I am also already right into things, doing tickets, building machines, working on new images, ect. I can tell I am going to learn a ton at this job, with all I am going to be getting my hands on here I will be able to add a page on my resume just for this job!

charliepaul

blackmage439 wrote:

Anyhoo, since I enjoy the on-site user support over help desk any day, I would go with the first job. But that's just my personal bias.

What's the difference between the two?

Tesl

Matt_Smi wrote:

Well I had the third interview with company #1 on Monday, heard back from them Tuesday, they officially made me the offer (for 40k a year) and I accepted it! I will be starting with them the first week in June. It took me four weeks to get a new job after getting laid off, I think that’s pretty good. And it’s a step up to, no more working for a subcontracting company on contract positions that “may” go perm. I was hoping for my next job to pay a little bit more (45k), but for being 22 and only having a year experience on me I really cannot complain. Also their annual bonus (raise) plan seems to be pretty decent, it says that your target bonus will be 10% of your base salary, so after two years I could be making 48k, that’s not too bad. All and all I am excited to start the new position and happy that I was not out of work long. If anyone is interested in the company this is their website http://www.enernoc.com/

Actually after two years it would be 48,400 - but close enough :P

Had it been me I would have said to Company #1 that I was really interested in working there, but I had been offered another job for $50k. You said they originally said it was paying around $45k, so I'd have agreed to take the job on the spot for that much.

If they said no, I'd have gone home to think it over for a couple of days, then accepted it anyway.

But since you have already missed that chance, never mind. Sounds like you have landed a good opportunity, so good luck with it.