• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
programming forums Java Mobile Certification Databases Caching Books Engineering Micro Controllers OS Languages Paradigms IDEs Build Tools Frameworks Application Servers Open Source This Site Careers Other Pie Elite all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
Marshals:
  • Campbell Ritchie
  • Jeanne Boyarsky
  • Ron McLeod
  • Paul Clapham
  • Liutauras Vilda
Sheriffs:
  • paul wheaton
  • Rob Spoor
  • Devaka Cooray
Saloon Keepers:
  • Stephan van Hulst
  • Tim Holloway
  • Carey Brown
  • Frits Walraven
  • Tim Moores
Bartenders:
  • Mikalai Zaikin

which offer???

 
lowercase baba
Posts: 13089
67
Chrome Java Linux
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
After being out of work for about 6 weeks, today i got two offers. neither is java.

Company A: 27,000 total employees, about 650 in IT. Mostly C++, some Perl, and potential for doing some java. big company, lots of potential to move from project to project, but they don't like you to move teams more often than every two years. Healthcare industry. they talked about lots of training.

Company B: about 350 total employess, around 30 in IT. It would be working on MS Axapta (which i think is being renamed something else???), their ERM software package. the company is about to do a first phase rollout, with 4 more phases planned. Industrial sales. Monthly performance reviews, theoretically to guide your carreer path.

Company B will probably offer about $5k less than company A, but have a bonus program that would make up about 1/2 that difference.

any thoughts?
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 287
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I'm very wary of bonuses as they tend to be unreliable in terms of compensation. Sort of a "don't count your chickens before they hatch".

Company A likely has more stability though they also sound more flexible. They also seem to have, from your description, the most options to offer you even with their restrictions.

Company B would make me pretty wary.
 
Greenhorn
Posts: 25
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Bonuses shouldn't be considered as part of what you will make per year, per hour and so on and so forth. Sometimes if you work hard, you get a bonus..

But many times a company might struggle financially, not bankrupt or anything, but maybe the revenue isn't what they might have expected. Many times it has nothing to do with IT, but since it is a down year, your bonuses are cut back or cut altogether.

Sometimes the bonus process is more political than based on success or hard work. And many times people in IT aren't exactly the the ones networking with non IT people.

So take it for what it is, and if you do get a great bonus, then great.. But don't expect to always get it... You aren't a sales person or marketing person depending on commission and bonuses, at least you shouldn't be.

It used to be worse back when companies offered more stock options in lieu of larger salaries.. Yeah and when the stocks or company crashed, you were screwed.

But at the end of the day, don't consider an extra $5k or whatever bonus on top of salary as part of your quoted salary . Cause you never know if you'll ever see that bonus.
 
Author
Posts: 6055
8
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Fred, what are your objectives in your career and for your next job? What are you looking for in terms of role? Work? Culture? Pay? Hours? Training? Job stability? Technology?

Do you have to take one of these two jobs?

--Mark
 
Sheriff
Posts: 9109
12
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
If I had to choose between the two, from your description, I would probably choose the first. Healthcare industries are not likely to fail financially, although some are struggling. Training sounds good to me. (Not crazy about the C++ part). I'm not familiar with MS Axapta. Is that the name of the software package? What kind of work would it be? Help desk? "Personalizing" the package for customers? Writing the software? Do the other 4 rollouts depend on the success of the first rollout that hasn't happened yet?
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 2596
Android Firefox Browser Ubuntu
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Everything you have discussed so far seems to suggest company A - any particular reason why you want to consider B?

- Manish
 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 904
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hi Fred,

the other posters have given some good feedback.

you mention that:
Company B will probably offer about $5k less than company A

When considering the differnet offers (i.e. pay), you should ask yourself
1) if you would be able to provide for yourself/your family with the pay
that, for instance company B offers
2) and is their offer acceptable considering your qualifications?

I dont know where you are on "the pay scale", but a difference in ca.
$420 /month doesn't sound like alot in my ears. In other words, if I were
you I wouldn't let the size of the paycheck be the deciding factor in this
case (assuming both offers are enough for you to pay the morgage, ect.)

/Svend Rost
[ September 21, 2006: Message edited by: Svend Rost ]
 
fred rosenberger
lowercase baba
Posts: 13089
67
Chrome Java Linux
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I'm weary of working for a large company. i'm afraid of just becoming a cog in the machine - completly replaceable, nobody really knows who you are...

I don't know that i want to do c++... it's been about 5 years since i've done any.

the Axapta product is a ERM software package, i think along the lines of SAP. MS is putting a huge effort into developing and promoting it. apparatnly it has a much larger customer base in Europe than the U.S. (3000 installs vs. 300).

some of the things I like about the smaller company is that

a) it's smaller
b) i got a better vibe with the people. not that i felt uncomfortable with the first company's people. I just felt more comfortable with the second's.
c) working on some new product could be a lot of fun

also, i don't think i said this but company B has been around for over 50 years - they're not some recent startup. Several people made a point of telling me how devoted they are to technology in the company.

and, i am still waiting for the official offer, so at this point it's an academic discussion.

thanks for the advice!
 
Squanch that. And squanch this tiny ad:
a bit of art, as a gift, the permaculture playing cards
https://gardener-gift.com
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic