A nice dilemma to be in but...

[Pingu]

Since leaving my last place - long story cant really go into it much atm - i have been going through the interview process with various companies.

I am currently in the enviable position of having to choose between 3 different job offers.

Job 1 - huge global consulting/hardware/software company

Awesome job title - Strategic Analytical Architect
Excellent base salary and benefits package
Good career development prospects
OKish to work for but not awesome
Lots of travel


Job 2 - large consulting firm (one of the big 4)

Meh Job Title - Programme Manager
Outstanding base salary and OK ish benefits package
okish career development Opportunities
Lots of travel
interesting projects
reputation for messing people about a bit

Job3 - medium sized company but still bigish (Big fish in medium sized pond)

OK job title - Programme Delivery Lead
Good Base plus outstanding benefits package
not much career development opportunities
reputation for being v good to work for
not huge amounts of travel


for long term career Job 1 would be best but it will involve much more time away from home than the other 2. job 2 will open doors and will earn me about 20k a year more than the others, job 3 will be far less stressful but pay and opportunities to develop are far more limited...

its a REALLY nice position to be in but i cant make my mind up. Mrs Pingu and I are talking through it all at the moment but would appreciate any other input if anyone has any.

 

[8ball]

They're all bastards.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Have you considered the McDonalds option?

 

[Pingu]

They're all bastards.

well quite but i am of the opinion that being on the dole isn't really that much fun to be honest. Yeah the hours are great and the puppy snuggling opportunities are awesome but lets face it the pay really sucks and the benefits package is non existent.

 

[Pingu]

Have you considered the McDonalds option?

did that when younger. actually quite enjoyed it.

 

[8ball]

well quite but i am of the opinion that being on the dole isn't really that much fun to be honest. Yeah the hours are great and the puppy snuggling opportunities are awesome but lets face it the pay really sucks and the benefits package is non existent.

Go for the money, then. You know that's what you wanted everyone to say.

 

[Pingu]

its not though tbh. of the 3 its currently my 3rd option dont get me wrong 20k a year is a lot of money but I dont know if i could handle the environment and I am not good with being messed about

1 and 3 are the ones causing me the real dilema.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

Go for option Nº1 and enjoy the stress. It will all be worth it in the end

 

[existentialist]

You may already have done this, but...

It's easy to get overwhelmed when you set out the options in a nice logical way: too many unknowns, too many factors to take into account, etc.

At that point, I think it's often better to go for the "gut" option. Reading your list, it looks as if you already have a feeling about some of the jobs, so maybe the thing to do is to put yourself in your own shoes a bit further down the line and ask yourself "which job am I going to feel happiest in (say) 3 months down the line?"

If you can't do that, then just focus on which one "feels" right today. Leave the comparisons, salary, etc., and think about which place/interview/people gave you the best vibe.

We underestimate our ability to sense our way through options, and tend to get hung up on analytical approaches. Trust your instincts.

 

[8ball]

Go for option Nº1 and enjoy the stress. It will all be worth it in the end

IT'S A TRAP!!

 

[Greebo]

It seems to me that number 3 would pay enough for you to be able to travel in your own time, if/when you want, instead of having to go wherever you're sent. Also, being treated well at work is beyond price.

Number one seems neither the best nor worst option, to me.

Number 2 *shrug* if they've got a bad reputation for messing people around, IMHO an extra £20k a year isn't enough to compensate for the additional stress and the cost of reducing the effects of that stress.

Your life, your choice.

 

[8ball]

IMHO an extra £20k a year isn't enough to compensate for the additional stress and the cost of reducing the effects of that stress.

Bit fucked if you're stressed out on 20k or less, then.

 

[Greebo]

Bit fucked if you're stressed out on 20k or less, then.

Agreed.

 

[felixthecat]

I probably wouldn't touch 2 with a bargepole, despite the extra money. The lack of career development bugs me with 3, so if it were up to me I'd go 1.

But its not up to me, its up to you!

 

[ddraig]

no 3

 

[lizzieloo]

3, distance to travel is always my first consideration because no matter the prestige, the prospects etc, when it comes down to it my life trumps all that, spending lots of time travelling eats up your life.

 

[8ball]

3, distance to travel is always my first consideration because no matter the prestige, the prospects etc, when it comes down to it my life trumps all that, spending lots of time travelling eats up your life.

Definitely. Even if you never leave the office an extra hour travelling there and an extra hour back amounts to a 20% pay cut before travelling costs in my book.

 

[Thaw]

Architect and Programme Manager/Lead sound like very different roles. I reckon being architect would be more interesting as you would probably get to show some more imagination and creativity and so something useful but the other 2 will be politics and meetings. I'd take #1. But #2 probably better if you want to be a Boss. Where is the travel to? There's a big difference between a few days a week in Paris or commuting to Reading every day.

Can you name names? I've been to talk to IBM, E&Y, Wipro, and PWc in the last couple of years.

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

I'd go for number 1 but then that might because of the rather enigmatically described benefits package. The pragmatic side of me would be tempted to go for number two for a couple oof years, saving the extra money for my retirement or mid-life crisis

 

[19sixtysix]

No 3 and enjoy a life away from work.

 

[Manter]

Is the reputation of number 2 justified? I was told about my employer the other day, working for them was apparently a whole bunch of things. None if which I've encountered in seven years.....

 

[Puddy_Tat]

a) does 'reputation for messing people about' mean that they tend to hire and fire rapidly / when they feel like it? in which case, is the higher pay worth it for what may be a less secure job? will other offers be there if they do turf you out (or you decide you can't stand working for them) within a few months? (don't expect a detailed answer to that on here)

if that doesn't help you decide, then ask all of them what their policy is on taking dogs to work with you and use that as the casting vote.

 

[crustychick]

Job 2 I'd say. more money, interesting projects, good opportunities. what's not to like! and more time at home that with Job 1. getting stuck/fewer opportunities puts me off Job 3.

who says they mess people around? and in what way?

 

[8ball]

I'm quite interested by the idea that the job title is important. I'd heard of this but wasn't sure to what degree people really considered it to matter, but then I'm not much of a 'career' person.

 

[Pingu]

I'm quite interested by the idea that the job title is important. I'd heard of this but wasn't sure to what degree people really considered it to matter, but then I'm not much of a 'career' person.

ordinarily i would agree wrt job title but in this case its one of the distinguishing bits. I am career minded still and to have Strategic Analytical Architect for xxxxx on my CV would be a big help in years to come when/if i decide to move on. It shouldnt really matter .. but it does

 

[8ball]

ordinarily i would agree wrt job title but in this case its one of the distinguishing bits. I am career minded still and to have Strategic Analytical Architect for xxxxx on my CV would be a big help in years to come when/if i decide to move on. It shouldnt really matter .. but it does

Is that because you've already caught the 'Programme Delivery Lead' and 'Programme Manager' pokemons?

 

[Cribynkle]

I'd go for 3 but I'm all about the work/life balance. From titles job 1 sounds better though - more like you'll be doing the work rather than managing others.

 

[geminisnake]

I'd go 3, Mylo will love you more for it

 

[Boudicca]

It really depends what stage you are in your career and life.

But I'm going to vote for number 2, mostly because you say 'interesting projects'. I worked for a while for a company that paid well, but hired and fired a lot - if you know you are good at what you do, then you just pocket the money while it's available and get another job when it stops.

 

[purenarcotic]

3, distance to travel is always my first consideration because no matter the prestige, the prospects etc, when it comes down to it my life trumps all that, spending lots of time travelling eats up your life.

This, I think I'd be happier having slightly less good opportunities but knowing I can spend most of the time going home to my OH and my cat at the end of the working day.