Fishing for some experienced advice

[georryan]

Ok...so I now officially have not one, but two job offers.

Job 1:
Just outside of Sacramento
I'd be near my family
I get good retirement but no benefits
The job is very dynamic and really fun
The majority of my friends have left town so socially there is a con there(that can be fixed, though)

Job 2:
Near LA
It would be a new place (which is kind of exciting)
I have a LOT of friends there
I get good retirement AND benefits package (not free, but very cheap: 5-10 bucks)
The job won't be that exciting (oracle database work without much sunlight or face to face people interaction)


Which would you choose? I land on either side of a coin here. A job I really like, or tons of friends from high school or college that I've met through time. The pay rate is basically the same.

The more I think about it I pretty much know what I'm going to do, but I want to know what you guys think.

[Yukonart]

Depends on how much you'd see your family anyway. . . . but I'd say Job 2.

You're young (I think) and friendships are a very powerful thing. You can network with everyone down in SoCal and maybe even find a better job after being a DBA for a while at Oracle. It's an amazing company to work for (one of my cousins works there in the Bay area) and you can always move around once your foot's in the door.

And if you don't yet have a girlfriend, having tons of friends in SoCal is a great way to stumble upon the future "Mrs. Georryan"

[ciper]

Job 1 no question

Southern Caliornia is the toilet bowl, especially near LA YUCK. Im glad I moved away. Im trying so hard to get my bother and mom out (high desert).

I still feel that northern CA and southern CA are two very different states

[georryan]

I wouldn't be working at Oricle, just with an oricle database.

[THAWA]

The majority of my friends have left town so socially there is a con there(that can be fixed, though)

In all honesty though I'd go with the job here. I'd rather have a job I like and Have to pay extra for medical and other crap, than something I don't really care for but have benefits. Also bloo dis thicker than water. How much would medical, dental, and whatever else the other job offers you be per month?

[Yukonart]

I wouldn't be working at Oricle, just with an oricle database.

Oh. . . okay.

At any rate, if the benefits are better at job #2 anyway, and retirement is also good. . . it's a better job from the business angle. From the social angle, it sounds like a no-brainer.

[ciper]

No job is permanent (obviously if he is looking for another), You want to be stuck in southern california?

[georryan]

well job 1 I could see as a long time thing. The company is going somewere fast.

Job 2 is a job that I definately don't see myself at long term. It would be ok to work at and I'd have fun outside of work, but even with the benefits (were I'm only paying 5-10 bucks for each of the coverages) wouldn't job enjoyment be a big factor. I'd think so.

I guess part of the delima is that in some ways, if I take job 1 I see myself here for a long time. Job 2 basically is only a stepping stone.

I graduated college in June and have been doing odd jobs and contract work until now.

Southern California is also a place I'd rather not lay down my roots too deep. It isn't the place I want to end up long term. I could do it for a couple years, though. I guess I'd have to find a wife that didn't mind moving, also.

[THAWA]

I hear ya on that sactown is boring, I want to eventually end up in one of three places, canada, the bay area, or colorado.

[georryan]

Thawa:
I hear ya on that sactown is boring, I want to eventually end up in one of three places, canada, the bay area, or colorado.

LOL, that is quite the range of locations.

[ciper]

Why cant job 1 be a stable more exciting stepping stone? The farther you get from the bay area the worse off you will be.

[evolutionmovement]

I've had jobs I hate and now I just want to fix cars. I like it and I don't care about possibly less pay. I don't like waking up and wishing I didn't (I'm a sissy - imagine being something like a coal miner). Plus I agree about SoCal being a toilet - I wouldn't want to marry a girl from there personally. To me friends aren't too important unless they have breasts, but I'm close to my family so I'd take the 1st job. What price can you put on stress anyway? You'll need the benefits for the problems being bored can cause. I wouldn't worry about benefits unless you have a family or get sick a lot. 401K is nice, but you've got time. Just my .02.

Steve

[FG!!]

fun jobs attract fun people to make friends with. job #1.

[TireIron]

well i agree that its good to have a job you like, but benefits are always the way to go. health insurance is very very very expensive if you have to pay for it yourself and it would really kill your pay. if you made the same amount at each job the one with the benifits would take home a lot more then the one without. i went from a job that payed 90% health to a job the payed 50% health with a 2$ an hour pay increase and i take home less then the first job. if the pay at job 1 is more then enough to cover the added expense of health insurance and it seems like there will be good job stability then go there, otherwise id say go job 2 because being without health insurance should not even be a thought for you when you have the opportunity to have it, you never know when an accident will happen and youll need insurance because you certainly dont want to see the hospital bill without it.

[Legacy777]

yeah I'd go with benefits.....life has a way of being pretty f'd up and it's nice to know you're going to be able to take care of yourself.

[ciper]

Forget the benefits. Just dont get sick or hurt.