Potential job offer advice

alexander77

I have two job offers that i recieved yesteryday, one job offer is for a technical support specialist that is paying around 60K at a friends job which is a relaxed work enviroment. The other job is an offer to work in a security operations center monitoring IDS for around 55K...both jobs are a paygrade up from what I am doing now but the technical support job I know will be easier and flexible. I know the SOC offers more opportunity to advance though into the higher levels of IT...which job sounds more enticing?

Khaos1911

Which sounds more enticing to you, Alex? Are you interested in Security? Working with IDS's and deciphering logs? Both sound like really good opportunities, but this decision ultimately comes down to what you are most interested in doing as a career.

cyberguypr

Two things you must consider:
1) Which is going to bring you closer to your goals
2) Benefits

Those two make a great difference.

alexander77

The technical support position offers better benefits, but the SOC brings me closer to my goals to eventually get into IT security. im leaning towards the soc position due to that.

pramin

I vote for the SOC position. Specialities are usually better than generalities.

TomkoTech

Is there any opportunities at your buddies place for security work? I define opportunities as the position being available. If they do security at all then you in theory will have the opportunity to make the transition.

Do either offer reimbursements for training/schooling or certifications? Will either offer you time while at work to do training?

Where I am at currently I would take the technical support position. I would be looking at updating/adding to my certifications and the relaxed atmosphere would more than likely be more conducive to that. Better pay/benefits, and working with a friend would go a long way while you gained more experience.

ande0255

I'd vote SOC as well, I've passed up some network job opportunities early in my career for better pay, and that set me behind on breaking into a networking career by years. I'd highly suggest not letting changes at getting experience in your ideal career slip by brother!

alexander77

That's what I was worried about, letting it slip by and regretting it years down the road. I went to a few interviews and it seems to me that being on a help desk currently holds me back from junior soc positions. I've had quite a few managers tell me they are looking for somebody with more operations or security experience.

My buddies job is with the state government and most of the security positions are government staff. My friends position is a contractor so in my experience that means I might have to kiss around to get in the government first to even get to the security roles. The contractor is offering benefits on day 1 and paid certifications.

I'm trying to look at the long term potential of making more money and it seems like security operations might get me there sooner. The Soc does also offer to pay for certification and since the state is moving towards continuous monitoring the manager said they might need more guys to certify systems across other agencies. The only downsides I see is the slightly further commute and waiting 2 months to start receiving benefits.

ande0255

Yeah man, when I took my non-network job rather than the network position, I did it so I could afford a slightly higher rent and live in a nicer part of town, but that doomed me to help desk jobs as a CCNA for years until it expired. If you see an opportunity for your career path I highly suggest you take it, you don't know when you will ever get another.

Gorby

I had to make a similar choice just recently between choosing an IA position and a desktop support position that paid well. I'd say choose the position that better suits your career, in my case I believe the information security position would get me further in my goals. I made the mistake of staying with higher paying desktop support positions in the past and actually wished I made the jump earlier.