Which work environment would you prefer?

[child of wonder]

Assuming the pay and benefits were roughly equal, which work environment would you prefer?

Option 1 is a very successful company, despite these economic times, and is growing rapidly. You work on a team with 5 other people all sharing similar duties. The company has extremely strict compliance and security guidelines. The work you do is mostly outside your area of expertise and not very fulfilling. For the most part, you feel like a cog in a machine, a drone, working on tasks such as trouble tickets, folder permissions, etc. The people are friendly there but you find it hard to fit in or relate to them. The company offers a career ladder by starting as a "Level 1" then on to a "Level 2" and so on.

Option 2 is a reasonably successful company, again, despite these economic times and is also growing through acquisitions. You work as a team of 1 although will need to train 1 or 2 others to back you up if you're gone. However, the work you do is creative, fun, and challenging and leaves you with a great sense of accomplishment, not to mention it being an area of extreme interest. The company atmosphere is very loose and relaxed. Unfortunately, your direct boss is manipulative and has a definitive bias towards a vendor you commonly work with. Everyone else you get along with very well and a couple you'd consider friends. The company does not offer a career ladder and advancement would sporadic via title changes or someone quitting above you.


Cliffs:

Which would you prefer?
Option 1 -- Stronger company, more security, but monotonous, unsatisfying, and uninteresting work.
Option 2 -- Very satisfying work, very loose atmosphere, problematic boss, and no clear advancement path.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: child of wonder
Assuming the pay and benefits were roughly equal, which work environment would you prefer?

Option 1 is a very successful company, despite these economic times, and is growing rapidly. You work on a team with 5 other people all sharing similar duties. The company has extremely strict compliance and security guidelines. The work you do is mostly outside your area of expertise and not very fulfilling. For the most part, you feel like a cog in a machine, a drone, working on tasks such as trouble tickets, folder permissions, etc. The people are friendly there but you find it hard to fit in or relate to them. The company offers a career ladder by starting as a "Level 1" then on to a "Level 2" and so on.

Option 2 is a reasonably successful company, again, despite these economic times and is also growing through acquisitions. You work as a team of 1 although will need to train 1 or 2 others to back you up if you're gone. However, the work you do is creative, fun, and challenging and leaves you with a great sense of accomplishment, not to mention it being an area of extreme interest. The company atmosphere is very loose and relaxed. Unfortunately, your direct boss is manipulative and has a definitive bias towards a vendor you commonly work with. Everyone else you get along with very well and a couple you'd consider friends. The company does not offer a career ladder and advancement would sporadic via title changes or someone quitting above you.


Cliffs:

Which would you prefer?
Option 1 -- Stronger company, more security, but monotonous, unsatisfying, and uninteresting work.
Option 2 -- Very satisfying work, very loose atmosphere, problematic boss, and no clear advancement path.

The bold part of option 1 would be a deal killer for me. I like being challenged but I don't like doing work that is well outside my area of expertise. I don't feel like I add value to the company, which results in me feeling guilty and worried all the time.

On option 2, I absolutely despise working for bad bosses. I would stay but work to get under a new boss as quickly as possible.

[edit] Damn, it is my day for thread jacking. OP is child of wonder.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Option 2 FTW! Life is too short to spend as much time as we do working, doing something you don't like. Push for a vendor qualification process and hold the vendor in question to the letter.

 

[olds]

2
Bosses come and go.

 

[Chaotic42]

Two

 

[imported_Imp]

Probably two. There's no guarantee that the boss in option one will be any good.

 

[JS80]

how is 1 remotely even a comparison to 2?

 

[child of wonder]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
2
Bosses come and go.

Boss is #2 has been there 10 years. He was one of three people to start the IT department.

 

[Bulk Beef]

Be a worker bee - it's the American dream.

 

[child of wonder]

Originally posted by: JS80
how is 1 remotely even a comparison to 2?

In #1's favor, the environment is such where vendors are held accountable which is good. The boss is nice overall and surprisingly competent.

However, in Option 1, the company has a strict way of doing things and any straying outside those lines is discouraged.

To clarify a bit more, Option 1 is a Windows shop and I'm a Linux/VMware guy. Option 2 has a lot of Novell (eDirectory and Groupwise) but that's handled by others. Responsibilities in Option 2 are maintain Blade center, FC SAN, VMware environment, and all VMs and physical servers. You get to build out the infrastructure since it's in its infant stages.

Option 1 is nice because you'd get to learn something new (AD, Exchange) but exposure to Linux is nil, VMware is minimal except to update ESX/VC (many of VMware's other benefits are ignored because they don't trust the technology), and many duties include writing backup reports, setting up FTP accounts, managing folder permissions, handling trouble tickets, copying and pasting code releases, and other monotonous tasks. Not to mention Option 1 has an on call rotation whereas Option 2 only has any real activity 8-5pm, and Option 1 requires almost weekly late nights back to work (12:30-4:30am on Weds is the only maint window) and although comp time is given, the late nights still pull one away from the family more.

I hate to make Option 2 sound like a bed of roses though. The boss can be quite conniving. Executives at Option 2 are complete idiots who micro-manage everything.

Least of all, Option 2 is a former employer whom you quit 2 months ago for Option 1.

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
2
Bosses come and go.

not as often as the people who work for them.

option 1 would be my pick... I'm perfectly fine working a boring job and getting my personal satisfaction in on my own time.