Which job to take - fresh grad.
Hello all,
Currently facing a small dilemma. I (22F) just graduated with a degree in Computer Science and have two job offers, but I’m unsure which one is the best option.
Job 1: Software Engineer at MNC
Salary: RM 6,500
Work: WFH
Role: Customer-facing, involving debugging, troubleshooting, and reverse engineering clients' development with the company’s niche product.
Training: 6 months probation/training due to the niche tech stack
Job 2: Backend Engineer at smaller MNC
Salary: RM 4,200
Work: Office-based, 9-6 daily (KL area, so additional transportation costs and time)
Role: More hands-on work (building and developing), with Java / AWS (less niche and more in-demand tech stack)
My dilemma: On one hand, Job 1 offers a significantly higher salary and WFH flexibility, which could provide more free time and better work-life balance. However, the role is more customer-facing and involves less direct, hands-on coding and development.
On the other hand, Job 2 exposes me to in-demand technologies and offers more hands-on experience, which might benefit my career growth in the long run?? However, way lower starting salary, office hours, and added transportation costs.
I assume it could take around two years to reach RM 6,000+ if I start at RM 4,200. How important is the first salary in this case? While Job 1 may not provide the same level of coding experience, the higher starting pay could put me ahead financially.
What should I consider in making this decision?
Some questions:
How important is a higher starting salary versus exposure to in-demand skills and technologies at this stage of my career?
Would starting with a niche tech stack in Job 1 potentially limit my future opportunities compared to the broader experience in Job 2? Unless I have the discipline to learn new stuff and unskill in my free time?
How significant is the two-year timeline to match salaries if I take Job 2? Would the growth potential in Job 2 offset the initial financial gap?
Appreciate any advice, tech or non tech.
Edit: Forgot to add, personally, I much prefer Job 2. Would much rather build and develop software than be a "Customer Support Software Engineer" hence the dilemma. How important is "doing what you enjoy"? Work is work after all no?