30M here working in the 3d printing industry in the midwest USA. I have had an initial interview for two companies and would like some advice on which to choose, should they offer me the position.
Job 1: Design engineer position at a start-up style company that is smallish (~80 employees) for now but expected to grow. The role is more technical and more in line with my experience. I would likely be working longer hours than standard and while the salary/benefits likely wouldn’t be that high, my current low cost of living city would make it great. They are open to me working fully remote. This would also be good because my family is located in the northeast and visiting them/working remote would be easy.
Job 2: Application engineer at a much larger and well-known company in the northeast. The role seems technical but also business-development oriented. I expect the hours would be standard. The pay is good for where I am now, but would be mid-range for this high cost of living city that I would have to relocate to. I could try and negotiate hard for a higher starting salary but not sure how much I could get away with. Moving away from friends would suck but moving closer to family would be nice.
Please let me know what you think!
17 comments
I like option 1:)
Remote work has a benefit that few realize until you get the opportunity to do it. I’d go with #1. Smaller companies also will probably have you wear more hat, definitely learning opportunities. I’m sure if you’re interested in biz dev, there will be opportunities for you to do that. Plus, being at a start up like company allows you to contribute to the culture of the organization, which most people don’t take into consideration, but will definitely be a point of pride when you’re older even if you’ve left the company.
>Startup Style
You probably know this, but that phrase or “20 year old startup” or “startup mentality” tends to mean “super late nights and get ready to lose some weekends.”
Not always, but often, in my experience.
Doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing, but do browse Glassdoor reviews / connect on LinkedIn so you’re aware of what you may be walking into. Certainly are exceptions and sometimes you can get options at a true startup which can be lucrative.
Job 2.
Most of startups do not make it. Cash in the bank is what you are looking for. Source: got fucked by 2, one in the most epic way. Made bank on another 3 but treated that as “Pay me”
I would lean towards Job 1. Moving is a pain in the ass and housing is getting crazy expensive now. I’ve been doing work-from-home for the past 5 years and it has been amazing.
Does option 1 give you equity? Do you have family + kids? I think those are two important questions to ask.
I have a 10-month old and am looking for new jobs because I’m moving to a HCOL city. One place I’m interviewing is a startup which would come with a good raise + some decent equity but also, as has been pointed out in other threads, who knows what will really happen with the company and is that a risk I want to take when I have a child I need to care for.
The other options I’m looking at are a agency and a fortune 500 both of which are really stable, but no equity. But, right now it seems like those would be the way to go because I want some stability.
Think through those things too if they apply.
Job 2. Current salary often drives future salary. Being where you can walk across the street and make 25% more every couple of years is a huge advantage compared to moving to a new city to increase earnings. Moving cities is stressful. More so if family is part of your life. Life can be more than decades of grinding long hours for money. Nothing wrong with grinding and side hustles though once you reach a glide path to retirement then certainly you can benefit from a better work/life balance. Stress kills. Good luck on your interviews!
Job 2. But I’m more of zoo guy than a jungle guy.
Depending on how much lower overall the second one is, I’d go with #2 all day. You mention being remote so you can see your family but if you’re working all the damn time, it doesn’t matter if it’s remote or not.
If there is a massive pay different due to COL then I can maybe understand but job 1 sounds like it’s a burn out type job. As long as both salaries are comfortable to live with, take the second.
Do try and negotiate with them too and be hones. Just say, I have another offer that is more and is work from home. I would like to work here but can you do X or Y (whatever you decide that is).
Now that I’m in a comfortable spot pay wise, the focus on 40 hours and that’s it is most important to me. I want my damn free time
Personally, it’d be #1 for me. Remote work is awesome, no commute, get to hang with my cats while I program. Plus it’s a technical position, which I prefer.
#2 sounds like more of a sales position, which is fine if you’re an extrovert. Personally couldn’t do it. Also I find it difficult to get things done quickly in Big Corpo environments, which is frustrating.
Imagine what you want your life to be 10 years from now – your job title, your salary, your relationship status etc. Frame your decision to be a springboard to get to those goals. You’re doing yourself a disservice by focusing on the short term benefits that aren’t even a guarantee.
Don’t move to the northeast unless your paybump is 30-40% above what you’d get in Job 1. Unless by northeast you mean like upstate NY or western MA or Maine.
I would go hard at Job 2 to provide some kind of relocation assistance – make them find you a place to live and move you.
Startups – lots of fun, lots of work, lots of uncertainty. Meh for me (old), but if you’re young and hungry, it’s crazy exciting to grow like fuck.
A few other things to think about that others haven’t mentioned yet:
* How long do you plan on staying at this job, and does that affect your decision in any way?
* What’s the career progression/likelihood of salary increases or promotions like at each job?
* If the second company is a well-known company, does having job 2 on your cv significantly increase your chances of landing a better job in future compared to job 1?
Go with the company with the standard hours and jump in a few years. Most startups fail.
I am where I am today because of my experience with smaller companies. I have worked for many big corps, but I was challenged to learn grow and be better in a smaller company. More hands on. But I. The end, do what your gut tells you. I can give you meditation around the root and third chakra and that will helps if u r into mindfulness practice 🙂 😇🙏
I’d go with the option 2, if they are a big company, maybe in the future you could have a better salary, also is safer than option 1, if you’re young and you can take some risks, you have some savings or you family is wealthy maybe option 1 is better, because of you’ll have more freedom, but if you want to settle down and maybe start thinking about having a family in the near future, I’d go with 2