Decisions

[sillyliddy]

I have a job offer I need to make a decision on by Thursday. It's for a job at Microsoft with the group I was working with this summer. My other current option is Goldman Sachs. I guess I also have the option of saying no and attempting to find somewhere else to work. I'm pretty sure I could enjoy either job, and I'm looking for input. Anyone

Comments

[roach2600]

First off, congratulations! It's nice to have a decision to make.

I am biased against New York - it's an emotionally cold place. Also, the pace of life is very high. I would rather live in Seattle.

I am guessing you'll have more college friends at Microsoft, which is a bonus. Plus, flights on the west coast are cheaper than on the east coast. (Looks like flights to Omaha are a bit cheaper from NYC than Seattle from my very informal research, and Seattle doesn't seem to have direct flights while you can find one from Newark)

I like working at a software company - I have a friend (coworker) who worked at a financial services company and he's happier here due to an emphasis on code quality instead of just getting things done. Plus, it's more likely you'll be working on an externally facing tool as opposed to one that's just used inside the company.

[roach2600]

It was pretty easy to decide between IBM and Google, but I still got really nervous. I made a spreadsheet anyway, listing out cost of living, income, bonuses, benefits, locational preferences, everything remotely relevant. Even if one is a clear winner, it made me much more satisfied with my decision.

[sillyliddy]

Thanks Roach. You're keeping up the streak of being a good person to talk to when I have things to think about. I've never experienced the coldness of New York. I'd probably be more likely to think that about L.A. or someplace like that, but I've never really spent time there. I've found most places have pretty awesome people. And I could handle the high pace (I do go to CMU), I may just kill myself from stress after a few years.

Thanks for the research on flights. I'd come to about the same conclusion, though I'd forgotten about Newark. I'll definitely have more people I know at Microsoft, both people from CMU and people I worked with last summer, and that helps a lot. External vs. internal is less of an issue to me than it is to you. I just like being useful.

[queenofroses]

Congrats Dear!

I haven't been to either but I would shoot for seattle - I am kinda citied out. I think if you are a nature oriented person then then Seattle will work for you. Lot of people and lots of family style living.

In NYC I don't see that unless you leave the city...though if you love nightlife and youngin living that is NYC...

I <3 Microsoft *ducks* - and you should work for them - lots of pride goes into that company and it shows :)

[sillyliddy]

Thanks for the input. If you're citied out, I'm not sure how long I could make it. I do like nightlife, though it also tends to be my home life. I've always been one who prefers a small group of good friends to a large group of acquaintances.

And no need to duck. If I didn't like them, I wouldn't have applied.

[queenofroses]

lol - I wasn't ducking from you - I was ducking from the other folks who read your LJ :)

[melithiel]

Yeah, I pretty much agree with other people--big cities + no nature= ew. Also, which paradigm are you actually more interested in? You're not going to enjoy working, nor be a very good worker, at a place that does work that doesn't interest you. I know you'll probably say you could enjoy either, but which do you think you're more likely to stay interested in?
Also, if neither choice truly strikes your fancy, there are truly a million bajillion other jobs for a bright young thing with a good degree like you. My advisor has told me a lot of places don't start looking until January (new fiscal year for some) anyway. Don't let yourself get backed into a corner if it's not, like, a corner with a cozy chair and a bookshelf and a mug of tea. And a big salary. That was weird but you know what I mean.

[sillyliddy]

You do know me pretty well. My current opinion is, in fact, that I could enjoy either. Because I'd essentially be doing very similar jobs at either place. And the subject matter doesn't matter terribly much to me. Paradigm was a good word choice, though. Microsoft is a slow-paced, hulking giant with low maneuverability but good staying power. It's hard to get things done, but when you do they're around forever. Goldman Sachs has needs that shift every couple of months, so they handle things quickly with projects that never leave the company. There's a lot of variety in Microsoft, though. With my team, it seemed that most projects happened in reasonably short time frames and there is always something new and interesting going on. Plus, if I lost interest in that particular area, there are about a billion divisions I could move around to. For that reason alone, it's likely to keep my interest longer

[phoopie1]

How many times did you make fun of me for being a city girl last year? ;)

[sillyliddy]

Quite a few, if I remember correctly :-) And you do bring up a good point.

[puuj]

Here's what I understand from friends:
-The finance industry can be demanding and have a more formal atmosphere
-You will probably work 9-6 or later
-You will be more businesslike
-Microsoft doesn't pay as well as many others, even after cost-of-living
-You know what this is like.

I'd have singled you out as a sure bet for grad school. Anyway, if you choose neither (I bet you could still work at MS even if you didn't accept right now), I've got good money that someone like you would be a shoe-in at Yahoo. You probably know lots of people out in the California, anyway.

[puuj]

Plus if anyone else CMUish is looking for Yahoo jobs, send their resumes-thisaway.

[sillyliddy]

-I tend to appreciate more formal atmospheres.
-I did get the impression that the hours at GS could get rather longer than I would like.
-Hopefully I'd manage to be businesslike even at MS.
-None of the others I'd be interested in really want to talk to me. And pay isn't necessarily the most important factor.
-Knowing what I'm getting into (and that I like it) is a plus.

I might have singled me out for grad school, too, but I'm ready to be done with school for a while. I burned out one too many times, and I don't actually know what I'd do in grad school, unless I went for linguistics. The fact that MS offers tuition reimbursement for classes makes me happy, though.

[puuj]

It's interesting you asked, since it sounds as if your mind is made up. You're lucky that it's so simple... This is something that seems to show up all the time - people ask for an opinion, and really, deep down, they know exactly what they want to hear, they just don't feel qualified to go out and make the decision.