I am about to graduate from college with a Masters in computer science. I have a couple of offers that I am considering and to me, the biggest difference between the two jobs comes down to one thing – how important is it for a recent grad to be part of a team of software engineers? Will it help me grow more in terms of a career in software engineering? Will it help me become better software engineer since I can get guidance from the experienced engineers?
The first offer is with a small telecom company. I've been interning here for a while and love the people I work with. Also, this is where I live currently and so there is no relocation required. The problem is that I'm pretty much the only software engineer here. Everyone else is either network engineers or system integrators. My goal is to have a career in software development and I am concerned about my opportunity for growth. Mainly, I've been creating internal tools and writing scripts for managing networks. My director says he plans on expanding our software team eventually. Also, not having a software engg team means that stack overflow is pretty much my mentor, not that that's a bad thing.
The second offer is actually with a top tech company. Pluses with this offer is that I will be part of a team of software engineers and hope that I will have the opportunity to learn a lot from them. I'm not really sure if that's what will happen since I've never worked in a software engg team outside of college. Cons of this job are:
- have to relocate more than 1600 miles away
- northwest, so not exactly pleasant weather year round. I'm from Texas
- I liked the manager and the other interviewers but no guarantee that I will like the team
- pay including benefits are somewhat lower than at small company
What do you think? Please help me out. Thanks.
Best Answer
I will describe my experience, may be it's helpful, may be not. I had a similar choice and I elected to join the larger organization - in this case a reputable investment bank.
Their graduate program was second to none (IMHO), and I learn a lot at the early stages of my career working in large (and small) teams, and had opportunities to experience lots of different areas of the organization. Pretty soon, got bored of being just a small cog in a giant system, and wanted out.
Now I work for a smaller organization with only a few software developers, but I'm at that point in my career where I am in the driving seat rather than being guided. And for a smaller organization that is perfect, no need for training, no need for additional time to get to grips with technologies, I am here because of my experience.
The point I'm making is that, at such an early stage in your career, you need the time and guidance to develop - which you may not have at the smaller institution. Once you have sufficient experience, the world is your oyster...
At the same time I understand your dilemma, better the devil you know... ;) However take the plunge, try something new... you may enjoy it...