Right now, I'm at a company which I don't really like working for and I don't enjoy the things I do here. My title is technically called "Software Engineer" but since this is a very very small company, I wear many hats including but not limited to taking tech support calls, moving boxes, cleaning and vacuuming the office, etc. Ha don't laugh! I didn't get a B.S. in Computer Science for the bs I do here (I graduated 1.5 years ago). Basically I don't really program anymore and continuing to stay here is asking for career suicide. Besides, the salary is worse than atrocious.

Having said that, I was elated when I got called in for an interview at Advanced Acoustic Concepts (http://www.aactech.com) for a "Test Engineer" position. I initially didn't relish in the idea of having to test other peoples' work but it definitely would be better than the things I do in my current job. The only concern I had was the fact that I'd rather program and develop rather than test and so I was worried this would steer me in the wrong direction career-wise. They eventually offered me the job last Thursday (3/4) and told me to get back to them with a decision this Wednesday (3/10). I called them around 4PM today (3/8) to let them know I wanted to accept.

Thirty minutes later, I get a call from Northrup Grumman - Integrated Systems (http://www.is.northropgrumman.com/index.html) asking me if I wanted to come in for an interview. I go almost 2 years without getting a single interview offer and now I get them 2 weeks apart? lol not that I'm complaining at all but it's highly irregular. The problem is, Northrup is a bigger and well known company and everything else being equal, I'd rather work for them. But I've already accepted the first offer.

I was like "ehh what the heck" and told Northrup I would come in for an interview anyway and they said they would call me back to make an appointment. Now, I obviously do not want to call up Advanced Acoustic Concepts and renege on my offer since Northrup isn't a guarantee just yet. IFF I pass the interviews at Northrup and they also offer me a position there, would it be of poor taste for me to "quit" my new job (after just lasting a week or two) at Advanced Acoustic Concepts to accept Northrup's offer? Has anyone been down this path of having to decide between a rock and a hard place? I don't want to burn bridges if I don't have to but Northrup is simply a better company to work for. I'm trying to see what would be better for my career - quit my newly started job to move to a better company and risk burning bridges and get my name blacklisted (probably wouldn't be) OR cut my losses and just stay at my new job being happy in the knowledge that I'm actually doing something worthwhile and not worry about having to vacuum the floors lol.

What would you guys do if you had this quandary? TIA.

 

Push back your start date at Advanced Acoustics and go into Northrup with the attitude of...I need a commitment today, if you want me, the decision will be made here and now. Schedule these things to your liking, you are in the driver's seat right now that you have the choice of the litter.

Check out Northrup for sure if you think it is the better choice, you may be pissed at yourself if you don't and you wind up not liking the Advanced Acoustics job.

Best of Luck, let us know how it goes!!!

 

What are the $$$ differances???

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 2002S2K
Push back your start date at Advanced Acoustics and go into Northrup with the attitude of...I need a commitment today, if you want me, the decision will be made here and now.

 

I know what the annual salary of the first offer is already and I'm assuming the second one will be around that amount as well. The salary isn't my first priority as I'm thinking they'll be close enough. The big question is which company will be better for the career path.

 

SiDriver,

Be careful here. You did make a verbal agreement with AAC. Having worked as a project leader for a software engineering company, there was nothing more frustrating for me and my project manager than having new employees take positions with us to only hold themselves over till they landed a new job a month or two later. That is a good way to get blackballed in the industry, especially if the industry is small (you'd be amazed how word gets around about certain people). It costs money and time to find new employess and train them and it screws up project schedules when people leave.

It looks like the two companies are in a similar industry. I'd say put in some time with AAC. You'd probably learn a hell of a lot working with their stuff. Make it clear to your employer that you'd like to move into a development role over time. If they are any good, they will work with you to plan out a career path (I'm talking 4 to 5 years here as that seems to be the average time put in at a high tech company these days). Maybe apply to Northrup again in a few years. If you have industry experience, they will fight tooth and nail for you and probably pay better than average money. And you haven't burned any bridges, which is critical.

At a minimum, you can't start the job, then quit a few weeks later. You have to tell them right now if you don't want it. Same goes for Northrup if you decide to stick it out with AAC.

Chris.

 

I have worked for Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems and now im with Northrup Grumman, and I wouldnt change NG for a small company, to think about it, I wouldnt change NG for anything, they are great!

 

Thanks for the posts guys - they are helpful. Man, the sensible, no-risk side of me tells me to just stick it out with AAC yet all else tells me to do otherwise. I'll go in for the interviews for the heck of it and see what happens. If I don't get the job at Northrup, then I'll feel much better knowing that I did all I could and the only option is AAC and I won't be thinking "what if...". If I do get it, at least I could think about it a bit more.

Both of you guys have good points.

 

SiDriver,

NY is an "at will" state, meaning that AAC can terminate your employment at any time...including before you start. A "verbal contract" is not binding.

But the more important thing to remember is that right now you owe AAC **NOTHING**. You have not cost them a dime, they have nada invested in you.

Go ahead and start at AAC if you have to, but GO FOR THE NG POSITION!!! Hello??? You could be working for a tiny company testing other people's code, or you could be working for a mammoth government contractor doing what you love to do! GO FOR IT!

If you have to resign after a week, do it. That is what the free market is all about! But DO NOT IGNORE the AAC opportunity...because an interview is just an interview, it is not an offer.

Good luck!

 

Shoot the moon at NG. Since you already have secured a job at AAC you are in postion to call the shots with NG. If you have to bail out on AAC in a few weeks, so what. Do you want to sacrifice the many years of future career you could have over maybe pissing off a few guys you have known for a week?