which job should I take?

[hewitcm]

I have received my N+ in February and finished A+ in December. For over three months now, I have been working at a manufacturing facility as a contractor helping with the IT work, my first full-time IT job. I was initially offered a two month contract and was told they'd make a decision on whether or not to keep me permanently after that. Two months ended and they told me we'll make a decision after another two month contract. There is currently only one person in IT for a plant of over 200 people, so I think they need someone.

I had a job interview today for a very similar position. My current job is over 45 minutes away. This place would be less than 20 miles which would be a plus. The pay would be the same initially, but my recruiter said the last person received a slight raise after the first month and was offered a permanent position after three.

Should I take the new job if it is offered to me? The interview went very well. I like my current job very much, but I do not want to have to be looking for a job in a month even though I do think that they would want to keep me. And I do hate the long commute. I figure that if my current job hires me perm, that I'd make more money since the recruiters are not taking out a huge cut anymore. Is this right? I would like some advice and opinions on what I should do and if there are other things I should consider.

I test for the CCENT in a couple weeks after only a month of studying. I think that I could have the CCNA by the end of summer possibly. Basically, I would want a higher paying job after that, so I don't really expect to be a current position forever anyway.

 

[Lexluethar]

How recruiters get paid depends on the firm. I went through a recruiter for my job and i'm paid just as much as everyone else. The firm i went through gets paid a flat rate at hire, so that cost isn't taken out of my pay. The firm you are going through may be different.

Personally i would go for the permanent position, contract work is great to get experience, but having a steady income that you know will be there month after month is priceless.

 

[Sheepykins]

agreed with lex, the contract work is probably more higher risk - which is obvious as they didnt give you a fulltime position, just extended your contract another 2 months.

Being closer to work is an absolute godsend, i used to go an hour and a half from work there and back everyday, then i moved 5 minutes down the road and OMFG.... i just felt so much better every day

 

[office politics]

dont forget to factor in additional benefits of FT employment. health / life benefits, time off, training, retirement, possibility of an annual bonus.

 

[hewitcm]

The new job is also contract to hire. But they did offer a full-time position to the last person after the first three months, and he turned it down because something better came along.

It does make me suspicious that my current job didn't hire me after my first two months like they said they would. It was a company that was sold to a new company. They brought me on to help with all of the transitions of buying a new company. So, after everything gets settled, I do feel like they might not see the need for me anymore.

Anyway, I was offered the job this afternoon for the position that I interviewed for this morning. I even got a slight pay increase, so that helped make the decision a little easier. It's an initial three month contract-to-hire, but I definitely think they need the help and will keep me after seeing that I am capable. Either way, I plan on having a CCNA soon and think opportunities will be available for me. After three more months, I'll have over six months experience, a degree, and several certs. The hurdle of lack of experience will no longer be valid. Thank God, because being turned down for positions that I knew I could easily handle was very annoying.

While I was there, I saw how much they paid to bring on another contractor from my same company to help out for just one week. The recruiting company made almost half of what the company was paying to bring on a contractor! They would save so much money if they just bought me out and paid me directly. But oh well..

 

[Lexluethar]

Ya that's the stupid thing about IT, it requires experience for most any job. Which is silly because some of the jobs out on the market most people could accomplish if they had any clue about computers. That's why contract isn't bad at first b/c it's gets you that experience.

Good for you, sounds like you made the right choice.