Which job should I take???

[mickj]

Having stayed too long at a horrible job; I have just received two job offers on the same day. Trying to make sure I am making the best decision with the offers in hand. I am leaning strongly towards taking job #1

Job #1
Medical Software Field
Full time position
18 days of PTO
10 paid holidays
35 minute commute 1 way
mid 90k salary range
work from home 1-2 days a week
free soda

Job #2
Satellite Imagery Field
Contract position (possibility to become full time 6 months to 2 years later)
No paid time off
commute time 45 to 50 minutes 1 way
hourly rate that works out to be over 110k (if working year round no pto)
work from office every day

I am extremely excited to have such a hard choice, thanks for any thoughtful responses!

(my wife has health benefits through her job so medical isn't really an issue with either job)

 

[CoolChange]

+1 for #1 from me.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Hot damn, way to go! I vote the first one.

 

[obgyn65]

#1

 

[Midpack]

Benefit and pay aside, which job would you enjoy most? Not that benefits, pay, etc. don't matter - but you don't want to trade one "horrible job" for another I assume...life is to short to hate your job, so you're better off finding another. Congrats...

 

[martyb]

Number 1, hands down.

 

[comicbookgujy]

#1 sounds good. work from home a few days a week

 

[pb4uski]

First, why would you ask a bunch of retired geezers about what job to take?

But since you asked, #1 sounds better to me. Which would be the best career experience for you?

 

[mickj]

Benefit and pay aside, which job would you enjoy most? Not that benefits, pay, etc. don't matter - but you don't want to trade one "horrible job" for another I assume...life is to short to hate your job, so you're better off finding another. Congrats...

That is what makes the decision more difficult. I think I would enjoy job #2 more but job #1 is by no means a horrible job (I have a good friend who works there.)

 

[mickj]

First, why would you ask a bunch of retired geezers about what job to take?

But since you asked, #1 sounds better to me. Which would be the best career experience for you?

Both would be about the same career wise, might tie me to one industry or the other but probably not.

The geezers here are pretty smart...

 

[growing_older]

Longer commute plus "Contract position (possibility to become full time" would keep me away from #2

Unless, you only plan to work another year or two, then I might consider it because you say the work is more interesting. If it's longer term, #1 seems much more tolerable.

 

[powerplay]

#1 all the way, but this is your job so it is all about what works for you.
Good luck!

 

[inky]

#1. No paid time off would be a dealbreaker for me. With Job #2, would you be fully responsible for paying Social Security and health insurance for yourself? If so, the salary might even be less than #1.

 

[truenorth418]

Assuming you like the work and people about equally, #1.

 

[FreeAtLast]

I vote for # 1.

Only consider a contract job if you are willing to be looking for a new job in 6 months. Being between contracts with no weekly pay can quickly diminish your annual earnings. There could also be a liability issue when you are not a w2 employee. Some companies are slow to pay their suppliers and contractors.

Sometimes the treasured projects are "Cherry Picked" by the full time employees leaving the mundane work to contractors.

I was a contractor for 20+ years but had a pretty sweet with a client.
The rest of the clients paid well but the work could get ugly and hours and commute were horrible.

 

[mickj]

#1. No paid time off would be a dealbreaker for me. With Job #2, would you be fully responsible for paying Social Security and health insurance for yourself? If so, the salary might even be less than #1.

Both jobs I would be a w2 employee.

 

[SJ1_]

#1

#1 - the time off.

 

[jollystomper]

At this stage in my life I'd picked job #1 due to more perceived personal comforts - shorter commute, ability to work at home, paid time off.

However when I was younger (under 30), single, and more adventuresome, job #2 would have been more attractive from a "fun" standpoint, particularly if there was an ability to leverage it into a faster rise in salary or position over the long term.

So from my perspective it depends on how much risk you want to take from a long term career standpoint.

 

[Cooked]

#1 as long as you avoid the free soda.

 

[Katsmeow]

The only time that I can think #2 would be better is if your work timeframe was very short and you just wanted to max short term dollars.

From a quality of life standpoint #1 sounds far preferable. Of course, if you will hate 1 and love 2 then it may shake out differently.

 

[lhamo]

#1 for me. I would be very unhappy with no time off. The shorter commute and 2 days work at home arrangement are also attractive, as is the comparative stability over the contract position.

 

[donheff]

Benefit and pay aside, which job would you enjoy most? Not that benefits, pay, etc. don't matter - but you don't want to trade one "horrible job" for another I assume...life is to short to hate your job, so you're better off finding another. Congrats...

+1 Based only on the info you posted #1 jumps out as the better choice. But the work itself and the people you work for will make a huge difference in job satisfaction. Unfortunately that can be hard to evaluate from interviews.

 

[RockyMtn]

#1....the free soda clinches it.

 

[SumDay]

I have to go with #1 as well. That working at home thing is schweeeet....

And DH does a contract/consulting gig, and gets paid by the hour, with no paid time off. Even if he does decide to take UNpaid time off, it's still miserable. They simply will not leave him alone, even after he tells them he double bills them when they call him on scheduled time off. It's a PITA, truly. Our trip this summer was ruined and I told him I won't go on more trips with him unless that d*mn phone is off the whole time.

 

[Dreamer]

Congrats on receiving 2 job offers. I would go along with job #1, due to the benefits and being able to work from home 1 or 2 days per week.