Could use some advice regarding these job offers

pert

Background:
I live in a small town of about 60k pop. I graduated last year from a tech school that is part of the Cisco academy. While going to school I worked help desk doing level 1 support for 18months. Then I got a job doing second level support as an intern there. 90% of my direct experience is non networking related support. Though I do call manager administration and assisted Network team with Cisco refresh projects for phones and switches.

I've worked at this company for 18months as well, still an intern. The company is medium sized, but the IT dept is not large. There hasnt been any openings since I've started. Between semesters at school I got my A+ & N+. After I graduated I finished the CCNA and am taking my CCNP tests now. My primary ambition is to be a Network Engineer and there is nothing I want more.

Situation:
I have a great reputation at my current company. They broke the rules to keep me on because I've done a great job. Internships are supposed to end at 8months one way or the other, but positions here just dont seem to open up in IT.

They are going to be opening up a Network Engineer position, its supposed to go up July 1st for internal candidates. I would be the frontrunner for this position and I dont think there is anyone else internally who is interested and qualified (though I could be wrong). Its also possible that it may not go up by July 1st. If it doesn't, they will need to resubmit it under the new IT company that is going to be formed on July 2nd, which would take months...and could possibly never happen.

So while waiting around on this I've been applying elsewhere. I've got 2 job offers, so this is the situation:

Option #1 is a Network Engineer spot I would need to relocate to a different state for. They are in a small town, smaller than where I live now. I've heard the company isnt great when it comes to pay, promotions, etc. I would also be pretty lonely here with no friends or family. However, this is a great opportunity, they got a lot of tech and it's pure cisco networking. I need to decide on this one by June 15th

Option #2 is a Help Desk position at a networking company in my town. It is networking related, but its help desk. The pay is ok, but nothing special. I'm not really sure what the prospects are of me getting promoted there. I assume better than average, but I don't know that for a fact. I would need to decide by May 25th.

Option #3 is wait at my current job for the Network Engineer position. Which isn't guaranteed to me or guaranteed to open up by July 1st (or at all), but each of these is more than likely. It would pay quite a bit more than the other options and I really like the people and company I work at.
Really like the people I work with here and the culture is great too.

I don't know what to do. All these options have serious drawbacks. I'm scared if I turn down the 1st engineer job the one at my current company may fall through and I'll be screwed. I don't have any direct work experience with networking and its almost impossible to prove you have skills or know how through a resume. The biggest reason I got the 2 offers I did is because they conducted thorough tech interviews on each which I did well on.

What do you guys think? I could use some advice, don't really have anyone else to ask. I wanna be a network engineer, but I don't want to move. If it comes to that either or I am willing to move though. Give me some advice please.

lordy

Those kind of decisions are always difficult but don't be afraid to make a choice.

The engineer position at your current company that is supposed to show up sound pretty weird. If there is restructuring going on on July 2nd I don't see how they would want to hire/promote someone the day before that. I personally wouldn't put a dime on that. Do they pay you decently for your internship?

Option #1 sounds nice but is not a good move from my perspective. I was in a similar situation about 5 years ago (insecure job, being offered a higher position way out of town) and it was a really bad move. They might not intentionally abuse it but if you relocate somewhere for a new company you kind of hold stakes in them. They know that you will probably want to avoid moving again anytime soon so you are, from my point of view, in a very dependent position. Not good.

Option #2 for me would depend on the pay. If they make you a good offer, why not go for it? If you are willing to play a game you could use their offer to convince your current employer to promote you instead of loosing you. That of course includes some kind of gambling.

Option #3 would be no option for me. Waiting and, more or less, hoping that a position opens up isn't real career planning.

In your position I would go for #2 if it, at least, pays 10% more than #3. Otherwise I would stick with #3 and look for more options.

Best of luck to you!