Which one to chose?

[Maulin Vasavada]

Hi all,

I'm in confusion. I have two opportunities and here are some details about them and what I want to do in career. I would appreciate your thoughts about this.

1. Small company (but looking strong),
Job: Development on .NET and MS Platforms. This means change in my path from Java to .NET but I would still be in development battle and learn different domain of application than Web.

Package: okay...one can live in Los Angeles with that without going too many times to pub


2. Big company
Job: Maintaining releases for huge system
No developmet at all. I donno how long I have to stay with the group before I am able to swtich to development again.

Package: Way heavier than 1st one

What I want to do down 4-5 yrs road?
------------------------------------
Be a development lead in true sense. I would like to see myself where I know what I am talking about and people have respect for my opinion and I can be a very good leader having broad exprience.

My confusion?
-------------
My heart says go with 1st, because it is a development and I think it would help me know different domain of the application which would enrich my thinking. Also, being a small company I'd get a chance to put my hands in many things and learn...

My mind says go with 2nd, because I could build some $$ for 1-2 yrs and then I MUST BE lucky to get into development again within the same or different company. I donno if I would get stuck in that job of "non-development" or not. I would learn many other things but most of them are not going to be development related stuff I guess.


Please see if you have some expriences, views...

Regards,
Maulin

[Jeroen Wenting]

maintenance IS development, just not the cutting edge glory work.

Many maintenance teams also build new extensions to their applications so you'll be writing both new code and maintaining old.

I think if you're just starting out you're extremely lucky to get a job doing new development. Most people start out in maintenance and get noticed (or just drift up).
At least that's what used to be the situation before the .com boom and it seems to revert to that now.
If it pays better, so much the better as it gives you more money to buy books about new stuff

Maintenance can be boring, but it can be very good for you as well. You get to see a lot of code both good and bad, something you can learn a lot from.
And sometimes it's highly exhillerating as well, for example when a major problem needs analysing and fixing that's costing your customers millions a day.
I started out in maintenance before moving to new development and it was well worth it.

Big companies also tend to be more stable. Small companies often either don't survive or get gobbled up. In both cases the staff (all but the most valuable in the last case) are likely to loose their jobs.

[Maulin Vasavada]

Hi Jeron,

Thanks for your thoughts. I already have 3 yrs of Java experience. So what I am worrying is if I don't get a chance to shift to development after 1 yr it would be difficult for me to get into development afterwards (this if for the release management job).

Thanks
Maulin
[ October 06, 2004: Message edited by: Maulin Vasavada ]

[Manish Hatwalne]

I have faced this dilemma few times in my career, and I have always gone with choice 1. Last year I had an offer to work for one of the best companies here, not only a big company but a very respectable company technically. I can't say I have never repented my decision, there are times whenn I wish I was working for a bigger company; but 7-8 times out of 10, I am happy with the decision I have taken.

Luckily, I am working with a brilliant boss and there's so much to learn. And moneywise, if you prove yourself, your remuneration can increase substantially in a smaller company, because they can work it out on individual basis, bigger companies have to follow processes. I feel you tend to get lost in bigger companies, but there's job security/stability and more adulation in the outside world.

I am not in a position to suggest you anything, just thought I should share whatever I have experienced. I listen to my heart, I am still young and foolhardy!

- Manish

[Maulin Vasavada]

Hi Manish,

Thank you for sharing your experience. It really helps.

I would let all of you know what I do.

Regards,
Maulin

[lusha tak]

follow ur heart...after all its all about what can make u really happy..

true! big comapnies can pay u better and offer stability...but you are also making a choice b/w short term gain and long term gain..

To me it feels choice 2 is the short term gain..

so many times u r meant to do bigger and better things...but it requires some amount of courage to take risk.. :roll:

[Maulin Vasavada]

Hi all,

Thank you very much again for your advice.

I have decide to join big company for following,
1. I need to gear up my level to see bigger systems
2. The work there would add more "breadth" to my knowledge which will help me mostly in leading development projects later
3. In the smaller company I figured that I would be again the one from whom people would like to learn (as I had a chat with the lead from the group there) and I want to learn from People. I want to be better, which can be only done if I see more skilled and experienced people around me than I be mentor.

Package was not the big factor in this 'coz otherwise I would not have to even think twice

And I told that my heart goes with 1st and mind with 2nd but that also seemed to get shuffled every 5 hrs

Well, rest is luck as you know.

Regards,
Maulin