Job decision: What would you do?

[GTaudiophile]

I am 50/50 right now on this decision, so I'll ask ATOT for more opinions.

Here's my situation:

In September, I will have been at Georgia Tech for 3 years. I am a MGT major. After this summer I will only have 30 hours left to complete to graduate. I am also a co-op student who has only worked 2 work rotations out of the 4 needed to receive the co-op degree. My previous employer was Delta Air Lines. I loved my job there, and they loved me, but I've been forced out of the company because of budget cuts in my department/a decrease in the allowable headcount in combination with their hiring freeze.

I have two options now:

1) I drop the co-op program, and go to school two more consecutive semesters and gradate in the Spring (I am currently on my second consecutive school semester without a break). An advantage of this option is that I can continue to bid for a job at Delta as if I were still an employee. Unfortunately, there is a good chance that they will still have a hiring freeze next Spring when I am ready to graduate. If I decide to do Option #2, I'll lose that ability to bid for a job as an insider.

2) I go to work for a small, local company that has already given me a job offer. (When I say local, they are a 10-minute walk from my apartment.) They have agreed to match Delta's pay. Working for them in the Fall and next Summer would allow me to get the co-op degree and allow me to stay in college longer. If I decide to do this option, I'd graduate in Fall 2002. Maybe the job market will be better next Fall compared to next Spring? The only possible disadvantage to this option is that the company might not be able to challenge me as much as I'd like, meaning I could end up being bored on the job. This option of course would also allow me to add another experience to my resume.

So, Option #1 or Option #2?

 

[GasX]

Option 2.

The problem with #1 is that it limits you to trying to work for Delta. Granted the insider status is an advantage to getting a job at Delta, but it cartainly doesn't help anywhere else. You also said that they might have a hiring freeze in which case you are screwed....

my 2 cents...

 

[BruinEd03]

Option 2: If you can get another job already that matches Delta's pay...you can certainly get another one too...not to mention that extra coop degree will help you.

-Ed

 

[StageLeft]

I would have to be in your shoes to really make an educated opinion, but I think that given what you've written I'd say #2. Finish your degree but if you can get a job in the meantime then it doesn't matter if degree takes a while.

 

[ucdnam]

Option 2. A guarenteed job is better than none. There's no guarentee the job outlook will improve.

 

[rangeLife]

I'd go with option 2 as well. If you've never worked at a small company you may find that you like it better. Plus, if you ever want to work at another small company, this would be good to have on a resume. And it lets you stay in college longer, which means you can oggle college women for another whole year.

 

[csiro]

Option #1. Best stick with a job you'll like. By next spring, Delta will probably lift the hiring freeze.

 

[Stark]

#2.

 

[StageLeft]

I'm no expert but I don't think by next spring the economy is going to be where we want it...

 

[GTaudiophile]

All the information I have tells me that Delta will not have lifted its hiring freeze by Spring. There is Option #3...try this job out, and if I don't like it, quit, then graduate in Summer 2002, ready to work in August instead of May.

 

[goog]

Option #2

 

[montanafan]

#2 Unless you're saying that choosing option #1 means that you won't have to work at all the rest of the time you're in school. If that's the case, there's a real advantage to being able to enjoy college without working.

 

[mithrandir2001]

#2: Big companies have a tendency to stunt careers...unless you are hand-picked as a management fast-tracker. Small is better.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I've decided to take Option #2. They've selected me to coordinate their marketing efforts and manage their web presence. I need the break from school, and since I'll be working on campus, I'm not really going anywhere. Option #1 would allow me to graduate ahead of schedule, whereas Option #2 will allow me to graduate on schedule. I know I'll lose the ability to bid for a job at Delta, but I know a lot of people there who respect and like me. I know that will be good for something if and when I apply there for a full-time position.