Deciding between two job offers...

[Farmer]

What are the opportunities for growth in the two companies.

If the $87K job is with a startup that will IPO in 2 years and net you a few hundred thousand in stock option, will the 6-figure job is one in an established company with a structured promotion regimen, I would take the lower paying job.

I.e., salary not only dimension.

 

[Cogman]

What are the opportunities for growth in the two companies.

If the $87K job is with a startup that will IPO in 2 years and net you a few hundred thousand in stock option, will the 6-figure job is one in an established company with a structured promotion regimen, I would take the lower paying job.

I.e., salary not only dimension.

Still though, having a job that pays well means that when looking for a new job you have the ability to negotiate a higher wage.

 

[CalvinHobbes]

All excellent advice, thanks so much for the comments.

@Farmer:
Company #1 is actually relatively new < 6 years in business so that part is a little scary. The 2nd company has been around 31 years which is definitely something I considered.

@wantedSpidy
Cost of living is the same, I won't be moving for either job. Both are within 20 miles of where I live (outside of Washington DC)

@IndyColtsFan Job #2 is Windows System Engineer. Seems like there is good room for growth and room for advancement.

 

[gophins72]

If it were me, i'd go with the newer business with the extra money and experience. But I find older companies extremely stifling and filled with "lifers", in the negative context of the term.

 

[MotF Bane]

5k I would pick the one I would have more fun with

10k and it would be a good debate

For 20k? I'll complain about my underlings in my new car.

 

[classy]

All excellent advice, thanks so much for the comments.

@Farmer:
Company #1 is actually relatively new < 6 years in business so that part is a little scary. The 2nd company has been around 31 years which is definitely something I considered.

@wantedSpidy
Cost of living is the same, I won't be moving for either job. Both are within 20 miles of where I live (outside of Washington DC)

@IndyColtsFan Job #2 is Windows System Engineer. Seems like there is good room for growth and room for advancement.

That's tough. What exactly would you be doing at company #1?

 

[PingSpike]

At that rate, I'd probably take whatever job set me up for more opportunities later. That is to say, are there more Windows System Engineer jobs around than IT Manager positions? If this were a 30K versus 53K that's totally different...but 87K versus 110K. By the time I got done paying the higher state and federal income tax rates on the extra money and paying the extra on property taxes due the income sensitivity provision in my state I'm not sure how much of that 23K I'd actually see.

I certainly would not be hurting with either of those salaries.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

At that rate, I'd probably take whatever job set me up for more opportunities later. That is to say, are there more Windows System Engineer jobs around than IT Manager positions? If this were a 30K versus 53K that's totally different...but 87K versus 110K. By the time I got done paying the higher state and federal income tax rates on the extra money and paying the extra on property taxes due the income sensitivity provision in my state I'm not sure how much of that 23K I'd actually see.

I certainly would not be hurting with either of those salaries.

There are many more opportunities available as Windows System Admins and that salary is an excellent salary for that position (even figuring the COL in DC), but I'd still take the management job if I were him because those jobs are much harder to come by and when they do come up, they always require experience. Taking that job and getting experience under the belt would set him up for higher paying management jobs.