Help! I’m trying to choose between two offers. One is with Microsoft Federal as an Azure Senior Consultant. Base comp $155, signing bonus $20k, signing stock (vested at 25% a year) $35k, full benefits package as an employee. The competing offer is with CareFirst as a Solution Architect (working with a wide variety of cloud and on prem technologies). Contract role - very basic benefits - 3 weeks PTO and 8 Federal Holidays. $108 hourly, which works out to about $224k a year. Microsoft CareFirst BCBS
Microsoft. Better brand name and chances of growth internally and with other tech companies. Also more stability
Remind me again, contractor means you get a 1099 and you pay self-employment tax, right? If so, that in itself will make your comp about the same but without the stability and benefit of working for MSFT.
But you will not get visibility being a contractor
I hated my days at Carefirst but I wasn't a contractor or made that much dough
Don't do anything related to Federal for the next 4 years
Is there not a RBI/CBI (commission) component? What level? What's your annual stock award? Considering that Microsoft benefits are great, and add in that annual stock grant, even without any income from commissions the gap isn't that wide. I would take the Microsoft offer 10 times out of 10, there does get to a point where a grand or two a month pre-tax doesn't really impact quality of life, and there's a ton more stability at Microsoft. Even if you don't retire here, the name is worth a lot more on your resume if/when the time comes to move on.
How many YOE ?
13
Without a doubt, take the MS role. Future you will thank you