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July 7, 2004

Arglebargle ()

by fluffy at 8:46 AM
It's pretty obvious that I have the job if I want it. But I have only four hours to make a decision whether I want it or not. (Yes, I do need to decide.)

I just got this email:

Just a quick email to give you some precisions about the position.

Your initial work would focus on our videogame project for the upcoming Nintendo DS system: understanding the hardware and developing the program. The position will then move on to other projects for different platforms like cellphones, DS, PSP, PS2 or else.

The salary for this position would be $50,000 plus $5,000 bonus. The bonus would be attributed according to your performance. You would get a health insurance plan which is a standard complete one, it also includes a dental plan.

In order to facilitate your relocation, we would pay for your hotel room until you find your own place (the number of days is limited). On the other hand you would have to take care of your relocation.

Concerning the IP and the work outside the office, you would be able to work on whatever you want as long as it doesn't affect your capacity at the office and it is not related to any activity of Guillemot, Inc. Those issues would be detailed in the final contract.

I'll see you at 3pm to talk about it.

I'm way too tired and cranky to make a clear decision right now. Part of me wants to hold out for something better (because I know I could do much better, salary-wise) but on the other hand I've spent so long trying to find anything, and I think I love New York.

I could always take the job and then if it doesn't work out I find something better around here. It's not like they'll have paid for relocation anyway, so I'd be out the same amount either way.

Still, like, $50k ($55k max) is horrible in NYC. The bottom 25th percentile for software engineers is $65k.

I think I just need some more sleep before I can make a decision. I'm way too cranky right now.

Comments

#2977 07/07/2004 08:06 am
Very Happy / Sad I guess.
#2978 Skywise (unregistered) 07/07/2004 09:14 am 50k?!
Your Federal Tax on that would be about $9000
http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/article/0,,id=109877,00.html

Your State Income Tax would be about 5% (I'm kinda guessing here) or $2500
http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/ind_inc.html

So your take home is 38500 or 3208/month.

Hmm... assuming you can get an apartment for about $1000/month and you won't need a car. That's not TOO bad. (Not great, but its liveable)

If you're going to walk away from the job because of the salary, show them the stats you have for the low end of software salaries and ask for $65k. Then, if they balk, let them talk you down to $60k. If they won't negotiate with you in good faith on that, consider that as part of how they'll treat you AFTER you get hired.
#2979 07/07/2004 09:23 am Salary
It's a lot easier to hold out for what your worth once you've spent six months on the job proving your worth.
#2980 07/07/2004 09:49 am Is it me...
Or did the terms of you working on your own stuff ( IP ) slightly change.
#2981 07/07/2004 10:15 am
skywise: yeah, that's what I was thinking. And of course there's room for improvement later.

ucblockhead: Yeah.

devtrash: I don't think so. Seems like the same terms as what we'd discussed yesterday. I was only paraphrasing in the last post about this.
#2982 Ali (unregistered) 07/07/2004 10:19 am What choice??
It's your dream career, and an industry in!

Hellfire, salary comes *later*! Take it! o O
#2984 TheoEsc (unregistered) 07/07/2004 11:00 am Take it!
As ucblockhead says, once you've been in there 6 months you can always ask for a raise.

Plus with relevant commercial experience you'll be in a much better position to skip out and find something better.

I'd say go for it!