The verdict is in...
And I've decided to take a position with IBM!
I don't know how long I spent this semester going to job fairs, having my car break down while going to job fairs, going to career counselors, applying to jobs, interviewing for jobs, second-level interviewing for jobs, deliberating over jobs, deliberating over job offers, deliberating over the economy, etc., etc., etc... But it was a lot of time. And it's finally over and done with, as is my undergraduate college career! Bout. Damn. Time. Technically, I still have one exam and that ceremony thing where you walk. Actually, you don't even walk unless you are a grad student. That's okay, so long as it doesn't last 4 years.
I decided to turn down the Vanguard position for several reasons. There were too many ways it could go wrong, and not enough ways it could work out. I was trying to position myself in an industry that I might be interested in going into ten or more years down the road (finance, investing, business). But its ludicrous to attempt to plan that far ahead. I would have handicapped myself in the short-term for benefits that may never have come. Best to play to my strengths now with a more technical position. If I want to go into another field later on, I should go back to school. And there are much better schools in the Triangle than in Charlotte.
There are many advantages with IBM, especially after having over a year of experience working with them already. I've done a lot of networking and I know there are many opportunities there if this specific one doesn't work out. Not having to move is a plus. I think I would have been lonely in Charlotte since most of my friends seem to have also left the area (not all, I know). It does stink though that I will have to drive all the way to Atlanta to see my family...assuming they ever sell their house in Charlotte.
Since I'll be in Raleigh for the foreseeable future, I'll be on the lookout for roommate opportunities. I do thoroughly enjoy living by myself, but it can get expensive.
An interesting side note, I never got an offer from Credit Suisse (formerly my #1 choice). Maybe this is why.
I don't know how long I spent this semester going to job fairs, having my car break down while going to job fairs, going to career counselors, applying to jobs, interviewing for jobs, second-level interviewing for jobs, deliberating over jobs, deliberating over job offers, deliberating over the economy, etc., etc., etc... But it was a lot of time. And it's finally over and done with, as is my undergraduate college career! Bout. Damn. Time. Technically, I still have one exam and that ceremony thing where you walk. Actually, you don't even walk unless you are a grad student. That's okay, so long as it doesn't last 4 years.
I decided to turn down the Vanguard position for several reasons. There were too many ways it could go wrong, and not enough ways it could work out. I was trying to position myself in an industry that I might be interested in going into ten or more years down the road (finance, investing, business). But its ludicrous to attempt to plan that far ahead. I would have handicapped myself in the short-term for benefits that may never have come. Best to play to my strengths now with a more technical position. If I want to go into another field later on, I should go back to school. And there are much better schools in the Triangle than in Charlotte.
There are many advantages with IBM, especially after having over a year of experience working with them already. I've done a lot of networking and I know there are many opportunities there if this specific one doesn't work out. Not having to move is a plus. I think I would have been lonely in Charlotte since most of my friends seem to have also left the area (not all, I know). It does stink though that I will have to drive all the way to Atlanta to see my family...assuming they ever sell their house in Charlotte.
Since I'll be in Raleigh for the foreseeable future, I'll be on the lookout for roommate opportunities. I do thoroughly enjoy living by myself, but it can get expensive.
An interesting side note, I never got an offer from Credit Suisse (formerly my #1 choice). Maybe this is why.