From: Steve's Nude Memphis Blog

June 5, 2006

I've got a dilema. About a month ago I interviewed with a company who sounded fun, but was rather vague on the technology I'd be working with. They made me an offer and it was very low. So I asked for a better offer and continued to look elsewhere.

They came back with an offer that was slightly below my current salary at the Big Alabama Bank. But their benefits are much, much better and they aren't eliminating huge quantities of employees like the Big Ugly Bank is. I had no other offers and had been looking actively for awhile. So I verbally accepted the last offer, but with a great deal of reluctance. I told them I'd start Monday June 12. I wanted more time to look. They agreed I could start then.

Last week I interviewed and received an offer with a company that is crystal clear about the technology I'd be working with. They also offered me the salary I was asking for. They want me to start this week on Wednesday. I told them I would.

I have no written agreement with either company, but even so this is stressing me out. The company that I made the first agreement to work for seems like nice people and a nice environment. Their benefits are amazing. But their vagueness about the technology I'd be working on made me concerned. It isn't good for a Computer Scientist to work with antiquated technology. It hurts your career. The low salary offers made me think they are looking for someone of a lower level experience than me and will likely consider me topped out when I walk in the door. Thus, it will end up like the Big Ugly Alabama Bank that never gave me decent raises no matter what I did for them. I quickly grew to resent that.

The second company I accepted an offer for has very average benefits, but I'll be working with the very latest technology, which is good for my career. They offered me the exact salary I was asking for, which made it easy for me to say 'yes' on the spot and much harder to put them off. Also, they needed an answer as soon as possible because they needed someone to start this week. They even let me talk to another Computer Scientist who works there and he said he likes it there.

Also, the second company is about 10 minutes away from my house. The first company is about 45 minutes away, even further from home than the Big Ugly Alabama Bank.

So now I have a committment to work for 2 companies. I can only work for one. I need to call the first company and tell them I won't be coming. But I don't want to. I'm stressing over this after all these weeks of searching and stressing. I don't want to make the wrong choice, and I hate going back on my word.

When does the stress end?


posted by Memphis Steve at 11:32 AM