Trying to decide whether to take this job offer or not.....

I happen to be in the unique position of already being employed but also having another job offer on the table. I was actually interviewing for two separate positions and my first choice fell through. It was a great position for a Security Administrator at 1 billion dollar mining company that is 8 miles from my home. They ended up going with the in-house candidate and said we were equal and when all else is equal they go with the internal candidate.

Anyway, so I was shocked yesterday when I found this out and I only have an offer from my second choice and I am torn and not sure if I should take it. They are a SMB of about 250 employees mostly based out of the DC Metro area and they deal with governement/DoD contracts. They also work with satellites as I found out through the interview process and said I would need some formal training on satellite internet technology. Doesn't exactly make me jump for joy but sounds ok.

I went out to visit their facility and meet face to face with their team this past week and it looked more like an outpost. They had a tiny datacenter and lots of staging areas for equipment to go "into the field" but I didn't really see where I would be sitting. The office could really use some work to be a full-time office but I think they are building the staff up after neglecting it for a while.

All the staff on January 1st are going to be brand new from the receptionist to the network engineer to myself. They said there will be some travel but I can't really decipher how much.

They are offering me an 8k raise right now but I am thinking of pushing for an addition 5k in salary. They do offer 20 PTO compared to my 15 PTO I have right now. So on paper they sound better for sure. They said I could attend a CCNP boot camp on their dime and also get me Secret or Top Secret clearance.

Overall, they do seem like a better opportunity but I guess my concern is the ol phrase, "The devil you know is sometimes better than the devil you don't know." I have never worked for a DoD contractor before so I am not sure of how the environment is?

Any thoughts, comments or suggestions?

My wife seems to think I should just take it, get the training and bounce again to something ever better in a year or so.

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Comments

tpatt100

If you can use it to advance then go for it

MrAgent

Take it. The clearance alone is worth it. Youll be open to MANY more opportunities after having that clearance.

ehnde

They said I could attend a CCNP boot camp on their dime and also get me Secret or Top Secret clearance.

Based on this I'd take the pay rate they were offering (it's a raise, right?). Within 3 years you'll be worth alot more. Education and clearance = win.

ibcritn

I was placed into a very similar situation. Raise + Clearance / (Role Change) so mine was an easy choice since I was working more directly with my passion. I can say having moved to DoD/federal work things are A LOT slower/less stressful. I get off every other friday and i don't get calls every night at 3am to respond to a server issue....this is just my experience though.

Armor149

Take it, the security clearance alone is worth it.

ScottFern

Well, I think the answer is overwhelmingly clear. I am not currently happy with my role for a few reasons, not being able to get real training is one of them, so I look at this jump with a little bit of faith as I am not sure what to expect on a daily basis. I will soon find out though!

I guess I am really ignorant as to how much getting clearance matters? I always thought being in the DC Metro area it was huge or in So Cal but in the Midwest?

higherho

ibcritn wrote: »

I was placed into a very similar situation. Raise + Clearance / (Role Change) so mine was an easy choice since I was working more directly with my passion. I can say having moved to DoD/federal work things are A LOT slower/less stressful. I get off every other friday and i don't get calls every night at 3am to respond to a server issue....this is just my experience though.

I wish this was the case for me. I'm always busy at my job (DOD / DISA) but different agencies / sites are set up differently and with more or less assets.

xenodamus

ScottFern wrote: »

I always thought being in the DC Metro area it was huge or in So Cal but in the Midwest?

I've always thought the same way. While browsing open positions I see one every now and then that asks for clearance, but the vast majority don't here in MS.

I read this yesterday but didn't respond because of that. I can't really speak as to the value of the clearance because I'm not in a heavy DoD/Gov't job region.

Hypntick

xenodamus wrote: »

I've always thought the same way. While browsing open positions I see one every now and then that asks for clearance, but the vast majority don't here in MS.

I read this yesterday but didn't respond because of that. I can't really speak as to the value of the clearance because I'm not in a heavy DoD/Gov't job region.

Even if you don't go into a DoD Gov't type job just having that current clearance on your resume will help. Why? Because apparently the gov't trusts you enough to give it to you. That usually means you're a dependable person, that's the type of thing they want.

byten

I am envious! What a great opportunity...
One day I hope to have gotten 1 network admin position...I would take one for free if I could (that's why during my time off I have been working on all these certs. When I see a job where they are wanting the person to pick up more training and an additional knowledge area (like the satellites) which will make you even more versitile, I think --definately an offer that adds to your dossier...

joshmadakor

MrAgent wrote: »

Take it. The clearance alone is worth it. Youll be open to MANY more opportunities after having that clearance.

This.

Also, may I ask what the salary offered vs your credentials and current salary are? I'm just curious because I want to get into DoD/Clearance work in the next couple of years. Of course you don't have to say.

p.s. grats, what a nice opportunity.

ScottFern

Well, I turned the offer down. I think overall it deviated to far from what I wanted to be doing. I wouldn't stay there probably for more than one year and I don't want to get labeled a job hopper. Not to mention I am not interested in working with satellites especially in the Midwest.

It felt like the position was mostly satellite based and Cisco work was something that came along with it. Not to mention the whole office was new so I had no idea if it would of worked out with those people since there was no clear senior technical engineer.

I am hedging my bets and hoping I get a similar offer to the one I didn't get in 2011. Hopefully hiring picks up this coming Spring.