I have received three job offers for a junior front end developer position but I’m struggling to make a decision so I need some advice from some experienced developers. I will give details of the companies and roles below.
In the first company, my role will be to develop websites sometimes using the PSD templates provided by the design team and sometimes by myself. I will be using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP. I will be working with a team of 3 other developers. This company employs nearly 300 people.
In the second company, my role will be more free and random. I will be working mainly alone but under a strong mentor who is willing to teach me everything. Most of my work will be front end but I will also have the opportunity to do marketing work, video creating work, graphics design, SEO, backend, SQL, Google Analytics, etc. This company employs nearly 100 people and has many subsidiaries around the world. It is a public and international company so there is also an opportunity to be needed in other countries.
The third company is a start up with 5 people currently. 3 are currently working on the software and the software will be live and available to clients in 3 months. My role will be to help them develop a clean and user friendly user interface and I’ll be mainly using React and Redux. After an interview with the CTO, I think they need someone with a bit more experience than me.
All three feel like very good opportunities for me to learn in different ways. Working at a startup for my first role may be a bit too far in my opinion so I want to know what you guys think. I am hoping someone with more experience may be able to guide me down the best path and help me understand what I should be looking for in a company and my first front end role.
If you guys have any questions about any of the companies or the roles, please ask.
First of all, congratulations! Now, you have to tell me how you did it! I can’t even get an interview!
Secondly, no I am not a senior developer. But I have PhD, and enough experience to tell you that the rapport you feel with specific person/company is way much more important than what you think.
I am a front end developer with 5 years experience, I have worked in two digital agencies in that time.
I second @dr.shreeman that the personalities of the people/team are so important and can make you feel either at ease/like they have your back, or under a lot of pressure which can make a huge difference in a day to day job. Having good communication with your employer is so important.
Where do you feel you can learn the most? Are there people you feel you can learn FROM in all or only some of these companies? Having the support to learn new things and challenge yourself is so important to me.
I would say the first company sounds like the most predictable in terms of work, perhaps the most ‘secure’. But perhaps more boring?
The second company sounds like you will regularly get things thrown at you that you may or may not need to work out for yourself. If they have been vague about the role, it probably means it will vary a lot.
Which one of those two scenarios you prefer is really down to you personally and what you want to be doing.
And if you are more keen on working in a close-knit, family environment, maybe go for the third! As long as they understand your experience level, if they expect you to do too much that could be stressful, if you feel like the success of the startup is on your shoulders!!
And of course you haven’t mentioned salary, but this is a big factor!
@dr.shreeman Creating a Portfolio is a definite must so if you want to have a look at my portfolio, you can click here. While I was interviewing, I quickly realised that interviewers were looking for someone with confidence and potential. After I was offered the job, I asked them about the other candidates and they said they liked my ability to answer their questions confidently and my honesty of what I can and can’t do without any exaggeration. They also said they wanted someone with a strong personality rather than someone who could do the job but was closed up and quiet. If I had known this before, I think I could have got a job a few months ago instead of waiting this long. Communicating well, smiling while giving answers, being positive, thinking before speaking, honesty, showing that you’re willing to work hard to get up to speed with the job requirements, etc all definitely helps you stand out in comparison to the other candidates.
I have read the two negotiation articles but I feel like I’m not in the position to negotiate, thanks to parents and social conditioning. One of these jobs will be my first front end role and I don’t want to price them away. I’m struggling to speak about salary on the phone each time the agent calls with the fear of being judged for being greedy and pricing them away. I have been offered £30,000 which is more than I could have hoped for when I first started applying. I don’t know when to bring it up, how to bring it up, and what to say. The articles are definitely helpful but this mental block is proving difficult to break down.
@sarahessex I agree with your judgement about the companies. The first company does seem predicable and it could get repetitive after a few months. The second company feels more exciting as I’ll be out of my comfort zone more often than the first and there is a great mentor who is willing to help me through any difficulties I will face. Although I am a fast learner and good under pressure, I think the third expects a bit too much from me and I’m not sure I will be able to keep up with those expectations. I may apply to work at startups in my next role whenever that may be.
The first and second are offering £30,000, and the third £32,000. What do you think?
I want to encourage you to just try one negotiation with one company. Just email them saying that you got £32,000 offer from another company, but you’d love to work with this company.
That way, if you lose one by just asking, you will know that the company may not be in your best interest. You then can go on with the best offer.
Just try one. Pretty Please?
And thanks for providing me with your portfolio link!
@dr.shreeman I told the agent I got an offer of £32000 from another company but my heart was set on this company. He said he’d speak to the director of the company and ask for the best offer possible. After a few hours, the agent said the director would sleep on it and get back to him in the morning. I got a call this morning that the director won’t improve the offer but will do a pay review after the 3 months probation is over and see whether I’m as good as they think I am. I’ll accept the offer because it is the best opportunity out of all the companies I have interviewed for and if I do a good job in the first 3 months, they’ll do a pay review.
I would not have negotiated if you had not encouraged me so thanks so much for the push. I feel confident in negotiating with other companies when I have to in the future.
