I am having the hardest (& probably best) problem - choosing between two offers - any advice?

27 Comments

1. Tamara AllenMay 16,2022 at 12:28PM UTC

   I would take the perm job rather than the contract gig. It sounds like a family is important to you and that is more stable and more money. Good luck deciding!

2. AnonymousMay 16,2022 at 12:43PM UTC

   Go with A, the Maternity leave is important and you will never know what can happen healthwise, you may have complications, your child might have complications. Another benefit is since A is entirely remote, you can be at home with your child and work except of course when you have meetings, or if your job is entirely meetings (which is a whole other thing). Having to come in 1x a week still means some kind of reliable childcare which can be expensive. Take the permanent job, even if your team members aren't the best and keep your agency informed so they can keep offer B available should A not work out, or if after having baby, you want to take a break and go back to work later.

3. AnonymousMay 16,2022 at 12:54PM UTC

   Difficult team members contribute to a miserable day to day not to mention morning dread.
   And they were probably on their best behavior. Consider your mental health and well-being.

4. AnonymousMay 16,2022 at 12:58PM UTC

   I personally think Job 1 sounds better overall. If you're wanting to start a family, the benefits are 100% better at that company. It might be a little difficult to work with the coworkers, but they could end up leaving, or maybe they were just having a bad day or don't present themselves well in an interview.

5. Jacqueline CutlerMay 16,2022 at 2:14PM UTC

   The first job sounds far better to me; much more stability, better pay, and a great maternity policy. Disengaged and rude co-workers are a negative but you didn't mention co-workers on the second.

6. SueMay 16,2022 at 2:17PM UTC

   You shouldn't judge a book by it's cover nor should you pick (or reject) a job for it's staff. People come and go, and regardless of whether they are burned out or having a bad day, you need to pick the job that is best for your needs.

   Are the jobs (work involved) basically the same?

   How about location/commute time?

   Will you need benefits that company A offers in the future?

   Do you work best in a more flexible work environment? Would you be OK in 12 months if the contract wasn't renewed (or you were not offered FT employment) and you need to start over again?

   I think these are basic questions you need to ask yourself and not rely on your impressions of people at an interview.

7. AnonymousMay 16,2022 at 2:27PM UTC

   I would suggest offer A based on what you stated. You seem to want the permanent offer rather than risk of option B. Perhaps after you are hired (and wait about 6+ months) you can make suggestions to turn the disengaged around if the manger does not get involved. This would be done on a 1 on 1 rather than group setting.

8. AnonymousMay 16,2022 at 2:52PM UTC

   Company A sounds better. The pay and benefits sound great and you already have validation about the hiring manager.

   negative co-workers can be a downer but on the plus side you are fully remote so your interactions with them may be limited. (I have similar situation in my job and I tend to limit my interactions with any difficult/ negative colleagues)

   you have less stability with contract role and no benefits like PTO.

   The problem with contract is then you will also be job hunting again within a year if no option to renew.

9. Barb HansenMay 16,2022 at 3:06PM UTC

   You can't always get a sense of someone personality during an interview. More than once in my career, I have interviewed with team members and gotten weird vibes from them, and those team members were wonderful to work with.

   There are plenty of reason why people don't do well when they are placed in the role of interviewer that have nothing to do with their personalities - they are nervous, they really don't want to do the interview, they forgot about the interview and didn't prepare any questions and now they have to wing it.

   And not for nothing:

   -In five years, assuming you get a 3% increase per year, you'll be making 92K at Company A and only 78K at Company.

   -And over that five year period, you'll have made ~60K more at Company A (excluding your stock)

   NOTE: This is back of the napkin math so don't come for me :)

10. AnonymousMay 18,2022 at 1:38PM UTC

    Like your style sis

11. Lindsey BoanMay 16,2022 at 3:20PM UTC

    Just my musings on what you shared. Take what resonates and leave what doesn't! :) Good Luck and congrats for having TWO options to consider!

    Seems like A has the growth potential to grow with a specific company with great benefits, but be wary of the culture/expectations.

    It reads as if B is a stepping stone to build experience for the next thing.

    If I don't have a preference on the above, I'd look to consider the red flags for both...

    A:

    Are these the only teammates, or are they a sampling of the team? Either way, a company typically decides to put its best foot forward with interviews. Something to consider.

    *I wouldn't write off their demeanor in the interviews because it's likely a tell of the culture, and attitudes (regardless of their origination) "infect" the whole team. Obviously, there's limited info here, so my interpretation could be completely off base, but I'll throw it out there for consideration. It sounds like everyone might be, or has been doing more of their fair share. Picking up slack, burnout, and disengagement are textbook stages of being overworked and not heard. Starts as picking up for someone else. You continue to try to do both only to realize you're doing a job for 2+ people without earning more money, and it's unsustainable long term. Depending on the unique situation, a person either says nothing or says a lot, but they go unheard. Thus the result... to not care anymore.

    ----This isn't unheard of a start-up. It's why they pay you with equity, etc. So you feel your contributions and efforts are going somewhere.

    ----I'd ask that hiring manager why THEY work there and what makes them like the job/company. Perhaps be upfront with your concerns without throwing any one person under the bus?

    B:

    The benefits are abysmal. Hard. Stop. If benefits are imperative for your current situation, say no. I see that you're looking to have your first baby in 1-2 years, which means getting pregnant soon-ish. Even if everything goes perfectly fine during conception and pregnancy, you need benefits (again...hard stop.)

    If you can move forward without having this type of security, these are great brands to work on and for. They will give you "clout" for having worked on them.

    *Ask yourself though...You say both have great work-life balance, but that seems suspect if there's no PTO with option B...

12. AnonymousMay 16,2022 at 3:26PM UTC

    Only you know your personal priorities and goals long term. This is a highly personal decision that wouldn't make sense to provide guidance on. A pros & cons list on both jobs and your gut. No one on social media board can really know what fits

13. AnonymousMay 16,2022 at 3:50PM UTC

    One thing you could do if you feel comfortable is to speak with the hiring manager and say something to the effect that you are very interested, really impressed with the work and company, and then ask about morale with a gentle question about the team. Maybe "I noticed a few of the team members were a bit stressed during the interviews, were they working on a big project?" or something similar to gauge if that's the company culture. Start ups and young companies usually always ask a lot from their employees - that's typically why the pay and benefits are above market. There's always a trade off. Good luck on your decision!

14. Julie HumbirdMay 16,2022 at 6:44PM UTC

    Lots of excellent advise here. I would take Offer A and still keep my sights on making Google happen. Its disappointing there is no 401K match option. Microsoft matches 50% and our medical/dental is free along with an HSA they help fund for out of pocket costs.

15. AnonymousMay 18,2022 at 1:36PM UTC

    Wow

16. AnonymousMay 16,2022 at 11:01PM UTC

    I hope the company Ateammates didn't dislike you too bad. It will be extreme hard to start a new job when folks don't like you.

17. AnonymousMay 17,2022 at 12:47AM UTC

    Having a job comes down to one thing, having STABILITY. Let’s face it, our work is our stability more than what some would want to admit. Narrow your decision down to that. And as I read with nuance it’s seems Company A has more stability/longevity than the other. Plus it’s pros outweighs its cons ?

18. Sabrina CortesMay 17,2022 at 2:17AM UTC

    Whenever I'm faced with a big decision like that, I write out the pros and cons. Some things to consider besides income and benefits are -- corporate values, company culture, what you gleaned from your interviews, and how your interviewers came across to you? How well did they answer your questions? How did you feel about them during the interview?

    These are just a few to get you started.

    Best of luck to you and CONGRATULATIONS!!

19. RobynMay 17,2022 at 3:50PM UTC

    Do you want to be a contractor or have the stability of FTE?

20. JJMay 17,2022 at 7:08PM UTC

    Tech is bracing for a slowdown so whichever company is set up to sustain a recession would be my ideal, if job security is a priority.

21. Maegan, Nike Sales Rep & Career CoachMay 17,2022 at 7:54PM UTC

    I don't think either one would be the "wrong" decision here. If you want to get into Google as your dream company, the second option would be a great opportunity to network and make connections and learn more about the company.

22. AnonymousMay 18,2022 at 12:24AM UTC

    Throwing a few spins on the question. Managers leave, what would the work environment be like at either company if that happened? Would you want to work there?

    Would you be working directly with those teammates and do you want to do so?

    Future work opportunities: Does having Google's name on your resume make you lean towards that company? Is there opportunity to work for Google afterwards?

    Do you want stability or to be joining the company during its early years with hopes of growth potential?

    While your debating your decision, ask yourself what you want. You're in the driver's seat so pick the one you want to go the distance with or lease for the name recognition.

23. AnonymousMay 18,2022 at 6:03PM UTC

    Love the analogy - thank you! - OP

24. Erin A.May 18,2022 at 4:46PM UTC

    If having a child in 1-2 years is your priority, then choose A. If making connections and possibly setting yourself up for employment at your dream company is more important (and you're prepared to be where you are right now again in a year), go for B. I will also add that things like infertility/trouble conceiving do happen, so in those cases, time off and health insurance are really important. I think it's really about your priorities at this point.

25. AnonymousMay 18,2022 at 6:03PM UTC

    very low, under 4% - OP

26. AnonymousMay 18,2022 at 6:57PM UTC

    Thank you all so much for your thoughts!
    I'm moving forward with Company A for stability! With how many tech layoffs are happening left and right, and contractors first to go, I want to make sure I'm as set up for success & stability as possible! - OP

27. AnonymousMay 18,2022 at 9:59PM UTC

    B is a challenge being a contract gig with no PTO but that's what I lean towards. You'll be happy that you took on a role with a second big name place. It's all about clout. With the resume you're building you shouldn't have a problem finding a stable long-term job after this.

    I know that a lot of people on here are supporting A but you've described a pretty crappy group of people at that place. How long are you really going to stay there anyway if three separate people are acting like that? You need a better long-term option.