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Alright, this is something I have been trying to decide for months now. I might as well post it here and see if you guys have any insight I am missing. Basically, I have to decided what to do after I graduate this May. Here are the options:
1. Continue to work where I work now. They have offered me a full time job with a standard salary for the field. The advantages are that I would be doing something cool (cell phone development, specifically for Windows 8/Metro phones). The disadvantages are that the company is fairly small and it's a little far from where I would like to live. (Where I want to live is the Denver area, which is where most of my family is)
2. Take a different job offer for another company in the Denver area. The salary is the same as the first job. I am a little concerned I may not be doing what I want to at this job, specifically, software development. Since this company doesn't do software as their core product, unlike company 1, I am concerned I will be doing more IT (information technology) and less CS (computer science). I like the science aspect of computer science and I am afraid I may turn more into an IT person rather than a software developer at this position. (IT people normally work with databases and other information specific technologies. They can also be software developers, but it's less likely) However, the location of this company is great and they offer a lot of vacation days.
3. Go to graduate school. Where I go to school now has offered me complete funding (including room and board) for going to graduate school in computer science. It's an assistantship, which means I help professors teach class in exchange for the funding. The advantage of this is being able to actually get involved in research, which is what I really want to do. It's also basically free graduate degree. The downside is that I will be poor and I am somewhat afraid it may set my career back a few years if I don't get involved in industry right away. Additionally, I need to be sure that if I make this decision, it's because I really want to do something more scientific and not just that I am avoiding a "real job".
So what do you all think? It's a decision I am having a hard time with and I have been anguishing over it for months. It really comes down to money, location, free time, and what I want to do with my career, which are a ton of variables. I would like to not be poor anymore and also have more free time to work on personal projects. Going to grad school results in more poor college student life and not very much free time to work on personal stuff, but it is the more scientific direction I'd like to take my career. Working at the first company would allow me to do cool development, but it's not where I want to live. Working at company 2 is not what I want to do in computer science, but it is where I want to live.
Give me your opinion on the matter. I realize no one can make the decision besides me, but I'd like to hear what other people would do.
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First, even if you do end up doing the whole 'poor college student' life a little longer, you could always think that this is for the best and in the end you will be happier because you will have the last laugh and have more money and more options.
Second, Even though you may not live where you'd like or if the company is a bit small, you are still doing what you love! And being famous probably isn't all that it's cracked up to be, i mean you'd be so busy! And that also mean less time to see your family, friends and such.
So to me, those are the top two. But after kind of reviewing it, now i honestly think that graduate school may be a smart route. You'd end up with more money, more options, you said you'd be able to research more. Aaaaand why on earth would you pass up a FREEEEEE offer to graduate school?!?!?! It's screaming "PICK ME PICK ME~!!!"
...So i guess in the end i think that option 3 appeals more to me...but that's me, like if i were you i'd choose that....
Of course, if I work for a few years, I can always go back to grad school. Luckily, whatever choice I make, it is pretty easy to change.
By the sounds of it, you won't be working while at grad school...or won't be able to pick up a job because of all the grad work and projects you'll have. Though it's great that you'll get an extra bit of...time in education, and stuff paid for you, it might end up dampening your chances to get a job later - though you seem pretty competent at getting work. I dunno, you might get forced down a line of work you never wanted to do, which could also happen.
Plus, are they paying for your fooooood? That should be a big decision, hah.
I guess the first job is further away from Denver since you noted it's outside the area you want to live, but I think when you decide about jobs, you should do what makes you happy, because you're going to be working it for quite a while. Even if the company is small, if the company gets more and more revenue with you working there, or whatnot, then at least that makes you look good. You have to build yourself up somewhere small to get a better job, unless you know, you're some bleeding programming genius who can code a graphics engine that makes turnips appear in your brain (or whatever) in your sleep.
I' take the first job over the second, cause it's a job, and i don't think you can be picky with jobs. Least in this climate. I mean, the fact you already have a job is pretty good, and in your area of study as well.
But then you could say that it's good to get more work in with the job, rather than do grad school. At least then you can have more experience in the working environment. I mean, that's what employers want, right? I dunno, i think it may look nice on your CV, but you'd miss out on experience.
But good luck :3 x
One nice advantage is that I am in the one field that hasn't died in the economic recession. Computers are always growing, so computer science has pretty good job security. I don't seem to have a hard time finding work for some reason, but I certainly don't want to be arrogant about my job prospects. I do know others who can't find work, even in technology, so that is something to consider.
I suppose the only real advantage of grad school over work isn't it looking nice on my resume, but allowing me to get into research and do something more along the lines of scientific computing. Of course, I can always work for a few years and then go back.
Plus, I would really like more free time to finally fix the god-awful code on DNAdopts. xD
Being someone who doesn't necessarily plan ahead for the future like a boss, I would probably not have the best advice. : P
...And that's how Equestria was made.