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

[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.

[sillyliddy]

I think you pretty accurately described what was going on. Though I really was considering Goldman Sachs, I think I had probably already decided on Microsoft. But it's a huge decision, and getting alternate views is generally useful.