In an odd position (job offer's) need opinions

Good morning Techexam's,

I am in an awkward position right now, on monday I will be starting a new position (Hybrid Sys admin). Technically I will be attending a meeting and then working from home a couple of days until the contract and all gets settled and I can get access to buildings, etc. This position I know a lot of the employee's already because I previously worked with them.

The previous contract that I left (because of a lost re bid and in need a more technical role) is trying to get me back doing a more technical role (for the whole enterprise) for 90k (100% insurance covered by the company for employee's only not sure on dependents). 10 k more base salary annually than the hybrid SA position and the Hybrid SA position pays 85% of me and my wife's insurance). They contacted me with these news last night right before I went to the movies (apparently they spoke to the team that really liked me and the team was upset that my resume did not get to them). I was told that this position would be a technical position and I was sent a generic job req number for me to apply to (these people won the contract and its still in a transition phase). I was kind of shocked by the generic job req number when there is a job req for the same position (trying to get more info on that from the team but so far no luck). The hiring manager stated to me it's the same role, just that this is what they are doing with the transition so I stated I was ok with it.

Now I don't want to burn bridges or anything but I'm conflicted (Again) on which job to really take, the one with more money or the new position? First position is a 3 year contract, second position is a 5 year contract.

EDIT

One I'm way to nice so I would feel that I'm totally screwing one over (probably the first position more because it's a new small company and he was trying to obtain me for a month now).

Double EDIT

Ok, I Guess this was not a good topic to post =(

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Comments

NotHackingYou

Which one offers the work you want to do? Which one would you do for free?

higherho

CarlSaiyed wrote: »

Which one offers the work you want to do? Which one would you do for free?

You know I never thought of it like this (well the second question). Its difficult to be honest. One is with a Macfee e-policy orchestrator suite product, web sense, and patching systems. IDS / HIPS, local firewall, Anti virus, etc type role for all.

The second position is a SA position controlling 5 racks of equipment, multiple SANs, windows, linux, virtualization and "big-data" architectures.

Both positions excite me, the second position is just me doing it (I can see this being stressful at times with all that I'm handling) where the first one is on a team (though for a whole enterprise).

I'm curious what would be more valuable / marketable when I jump from public sector to private sector? My short-term goals is go pay off my car ASAP, my VISA, and focus on saving for a home. The first one would maintain my high level clerance once it gets renewed. I never made this much money before so I'm curious if the 10k would be pretty noticeable? (I guess that is a stupid question lol)

Guh

sieff

If you committed to the job that pays less already than I'd follow through with the commitment.

NotHackingYou

If you make 30k then a 10k pay change is very significant. It's more easily absorbed into an 80k pay rate. However, no matter how much you make, 10k is 10k. 10k /52 = $192/week or 768/month.

If you make 90k you make 1730/wk or 6920/month. At 80k, you make 1538/wk or 6153/month. So the question to you is this - when your gross pay is 6153/month, would another $768 in that check be a big difference to you. Furthermore, if that additional money is a big difference, is it worth what the other job requires versus what the new gig requires? Is it worth the potential bridge burning of quitting the new job that you feel you have already committed to? Check out paycheckcity.com and see what your net will be with both jobs. You can also calculate for the medical insurance premium deduction as well.

Ultimately the biggest factor should be the job you want to do.

You will need to decide if the extra money is important and if accepting the new position justifies the potential implications with the company at which you already accepted a position.

The second one sounds more deeply technical but the one that will be the most valuable to you is the one you want to do. Being passionate about what you do and generally liking the place you work at can have a very positive effect on your career.

Edited to add: Which position more closely fits with your long term career goals?

higherho

@sieff

That is true, right now I'm still waiting on some processes to go through but you are correct.

@carlsayied

Thank you for the breakdown. Are you stating the second position (not the SA one) is more deeply technical? Or the SA one?

My long term goals is going down a Path of Servers + Networking but still having the ability to branch off into either or as a speciality (meaning I will get my CCNA and MCITP:SA and then choose which from there to specialize in, networking or servers). Right now if I choose to go with the 90k position it sounds like I will be more focused on Network intrusion / protect where the other has me controlling my own back end networking equipment (Sans, routers, switches) along side with Windows / linux servers. Part of me feel that the first position which focuses on HBSS / Macfee product isn't as marketable as the Hybrid SA position. The long term I want to be in a architect / lead role. Overall I want to be as marketable / valuable as I can be.

Health cost with the Hybrid SA company would be 65 a check (for me and my wife)
Health cost with the 90k position would be at least 125 to 145 a check

EDIT

Just got off the phone with the Hybrid SA boss, I think I'm going to stick with this position. Going to be some things I need to learn like Hadoop and linux (red hat) but I think going that route will make me more marketable in the long term.