Google no, Yahoo yes, Microsoft yes

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Sep 29, 2004
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Wherre would you work for MS?

If it's not silicon valley, the cost of living thing might actually be true.
 

rgwalt

Diamond Member
Apr 22, 2000
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If you don't want to sell the condo and you'll have to rent it and put money with the rent to keep it, then it does not make ANY sense at all to take $20K a year less and move to Seattle. The only reason to do this is if the MS job was significantly better or more attractive in terms of what you would be doing, work environment, etc. If you want to return to CA then don't leave in the first place.

Also, check out as many cost of living comparison calculators as possible. I was offered a job in Cali and compared it to living in Indiana (where I am currently) and Chicago (where I want to ideally be), and I determined that there is quite a spread depending on what calculator you go with. I found some that estimated that Cali was 2.0 times more expensive as Indiana, and others that said it was only 1.2 times as expensive. Try different calculators to get a range of answers. Ultimately, 1/3 to 1/2 of your salary could be spent in rent, so you should seriously look at what your mortgage is in Cali versus what rent/mortgage would be in Seattle. Other factors (utilities, gasoline, food, etc) will cause living in Cali to be higher, but not as much as rent. Is the difference in rent/mortgage in the two places more than $20K a year? That is, is it more than $1600 a month cheaper to rent/buy a place in Seattle of similar or better quality than your place in Cali? If so, the MS offer is better. If not, the Cali offer is better.

Final thing to consider... Base salary is always the most important part of an offer. MS might have great benefits, but starting at a lower base salary limits the ceiling on the max salary you are likely to make in the future. Having a higher base salary means that you will have higher incremental raises in the future.

All this said, I would stay in Cali if I were in your shoes. Maybe you could talk Yahoo or someone else into a nicer bonus since they don't have to pay for your move.

R
 

JEDIYoda

Lifer
Jul 13, 2005
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Originally posted by: shuttleboi
I've received offers from Yahoo, Microsoft, Cisco, and some mid-tier companies to do software engineering. Google said no. I'm in silicon valley.

here is some information for those of you looking at Google. They have an insane number of candidates coming in, so they can be ultra picky. Let me give you a tangible example: For Google and Yahoo, I had 5 interviewers each onsite. For both, I think I messed up on maybe 1.25 of the interviewers. Yahoo said yes. Google said no.

I'm having a hard time deciding between Microsoft and Yahoo (and the other Silicon Valley mid-tiers). MS is offering $84K with 10% bonus. The Silicon Valley companies are offering on the order of $105K and varying bonuses. The MS guy said the difference is in "cost of living," but I call bullshit.

What to do?

The cost of living in Silicon Valley is the worse in the country. In this case the MS guy was not BSing you at all!!

 

777php

Diamond Member
Jul 17, 2001
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I work at Yahoo! and its a great place to work, what group would you be working for and what would your official title be?

You'll be joining just in time for our year-end holiday party which is awesome. Last year it took place at the San Mateo convention center and Earth Wind and Fire played for about an hour and a half.

I can answer any specific questions you may have as well.

 

shuttleboi

Senior member
Jul 5, 2004
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Originally posted by: 777php
I work at Yahoo! and its a great place to work, what group would you be working for and what would your official title be?

You'll be joining just in time for our year-end holiday party which is awesome. Last year it took place at the San Mateo convention center and Earth Wind and Fire played for about an hour and a half.

I can answer any specific questions you may have as well.


Great. I sent you a private message.
 

shuttleboi

Senior member
Jul 5, 2004
669
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Yahoo is offering $110K. MSFT is offering $95K (there is no state income tax in WA, whereas it is 9% here in CA). Bonuses are similar, job functions are similar.

Man, this is the toughest decision I've ever made.
 

TXHokie

Platinum Member
Nov 16, 1999
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I have a friend with PhD in CS and started with $90k in Dallas and that was 4 yrs ago. Do a salary comparison vs CA or WA and you will cry. I guess you're going after the name.
 

NorthRiver

Golden Member
May 6, 2002
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I would take the MS job and the 95K. Seattle can be expensive in places, but you're going to get more bang for your buck.
 

oogabooga

Diamond Member
Jan 14, 2003
7,806
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good luck with your decision, i wish i could say i feel for you with it being the toughest, but if the toughest decision I have to make is something like this, i'll conside myself quite fortunate ;)

I'd go with the company that people like working for more since they seem even in every other regard (for the most part). But it looks like you're leaning towards staying in CA and well... yahoo is here ;)
 

shuttleboi

Senior member
Jul 5, 2004
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Update: I think I am leaning towards Yahoo. In the end, Microsoft has just a slight edge over Yahoo in terms of the technology and the bad-ass factor, but the effort to rent out my condo and move my junk up there outweighs it. Certainly if it were Microsoft vs. McDonalds, I'd say Microsoft, but Yahoo is neck-and-neck with MS (fighting to be second to Google, apparently).
 

mrSHEiK124

Lifer
Mar 6, 2004
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I have a questione, please don't call me stupid.

Just what exactly do all you guys do? You all work at IBM, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Google, but what did you study in college, how long did it take, and what did it entail?

<--- Stupid HS senior who is currently being prodded by parents towards "OMG BE A DOCTOR", which really doesn't sound too appealing. I think I might enjoy being an MD, but damn, I love my computars.
 

mrSHEiK124

Lifer
Mar 6, 2004
11,491
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Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124
I have a questione, please don't call me stupid.

Just what exactly do all you guys do? You all work at IBM, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Google, but what did you study in college, how long did it take, and what did it entail?

<--- Stupid HS senior who is currently being prodded by parents towards "OMG BE A DOCTOR", which really doesn't sound too appealing. I think I might enjoy being an MD, but damn, I love my computars.

I'm guessing that was the wrong question to ask...
 

shuttleboi

Senior member
Jul 5, 2004
669
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I don't know about others here, but I majored in Computer Science in undergrad and graduate school. Take a look at the Computer Science degree requirements at your favourite college.