Can't decide between two jobs: Intel vs. Police Department (Portland: home, employment)

[misfitmarie]

I am torn between two completely different opportunities and struggling to come to a decision on which one to take. In fact, I am desperate for advice/help/experiences... anything you can throw at me! I apologize in advance if this post does not belong here; however, if I end up taking the Intel position, I will be relocating to the Hillsboro, Oregon area (I currently live in Vancouver, WA).

Some background (that may or may not be important): I am a female in my late twenties with a AAS degree in IT. Technology has always been a fascination of mine; however, I am open to any best opportunity to expand my skill set and advance my career. ***both opportunities pay about the same, Intel paying slightly more (roughly 1-2k) after state income tax deductions...

PRIVATE VS. GOVERNMENT jobs... They are completely different. In fact, I don't know how they could be any more opposite of each other.

Offer #1: Technician at Intel
- Great benefits
- Compressed work schedule (rotating 3 and 4 day weekends, 12-hour shifts)
- Possibility to continue my education (tuition reimbursement in the future)
- My significant other works for an organization within Intel, on the other side of the campus, so carpooling would be a great option (we would have the same schedule without having to actually work together)
- Would eventually relocate to the Hillsboro area
- Longer weekends/more time for short road trips, errands, etc.

Concerns include... cyclical layoffs and long days (could be great but I have never worked a 12-hour shift before). I am also at the age/point in my relationship where marriage and future family plans have been a topic of discussion. I am concerned with how a compressed schedule might affect my ability to raise a couple children in the future?

Offer #2: Clerk for the police department
- Union-based senority-based, 24/7 department with varying shift options
- Pension-based retirement planning, decent PTO (although I think Intel offers more, including a sabbatical after four or seven years depending on which you pick)
- 5 days/week, 40 hours/week
- Great medical, vision, and dental
- Extremely close to current residence
- Will not have to pay Oregon state income tax while being a WA resident

Concerns include... repetitive, sometimes mundane, administrative/clerical tasks. I would be giving up long weekends for a consistent 5-day schedule. There is an income cap of roughly 50k, after which point I would need to be either 1.) promoted or 2.) change positions within the city ***although this job may open doors for more higher paying government positions outside of the police department

So, I am faced with a major decision. I don't think either choice would be "wrong" per say, but I also think that is the very reason why this decision has been so difficult for me.

Feel free to ask any questions... share your own thoughts and experiences. I am at the age where I am wanting to find my best jumping off point for my lifelong career goals, even though I have no inclination as to what those actually are. What do you feel would be most beneficial, and why?

This decision process has been extremely stressful for me, and I am so grateful for any feedback you can provide. Thank you so much!

[annoyingcherry]

Congratulations, looks like you've got some great choices. I would go with the job that has better security, but that's only because I've never had anything to fall back on. Probably would take more chances if I had a trust fund or a spouse with a good job.

[gray horse]

Intel is going to look better on your resume if you wish to pursue a career in tech. Congrats!!!

[Larry Caldwell]

Any job in high tech is a temp job. If you choose Intel, be prepared to take the money and run. Don't give credence to any "pie in the sky" promises about what they will do in the future, because you won't be there.

[CAjerseychick]

I worked 12 hr shifts for 7 years- loved that compressed schedule- of course, we had great benefits so I took off 5 months when my child was born and also had my husbands schedule flexed to compliment mine- and we raised our baby fine- I breast fed for 3 years, actually ...
my 12s were 11:30am to 12am...

[leastprime]

Take the Gov job. More mobility. They take of their own.
Intel will be laying off thousands but they will hire outside of their slated layoff pool? Think about it.
YMMV.

[misfitmarie]

It appears we're pretty torn down the middle - haha! I guess it's not such a silly thing then that this has been such a difficult decision for me. I'm giving myself the next couple days to decide. Thank you everyone, for your comments!

[PNW-type-gal]

Originally Posted by misfitmarie

It appears we're pretty torn down the middle - haha! I guess it's not such a silly thing then that this has been such a difficult decision for me. I'm giving myself the next couple days to decide. Thank you everyone, for your comments!

Neither job offers a lot of upward promotion - sure there are levels of wafer fab operator, as well as level of police clerk, but not really much of a step beyond. To continue in either field, you'd need to step up education - or leave the field entirely.

High tech is MUCH more prone to business-cycle layoff. Sure, a lot of government jobs at the city, county, state level are being cut back, but mostly through hiring freezes rather than actual layoffs. Having worked in high tech and coped with the yo-yo layoffs, I'd never go back.The job with the city or county is generally a more "sure" thing. Not always great pay, but reasonable benefits.

Look at this this way - you have two job offers in two different fields, where you will be learning new skills. If, for some reason, you should decide to relocate, which job will have taught you skills that you can relocate with?

I'd say the police clerk skills would be the most portable set of skills, to any medium- to large-sized town. A job at a wafer fab means staying in large cities - Portland, Seattle, Bay Area, LA area, Phoenix area in the west.

[pnwguy2]

My advice...what job will make you happier, despite all you have put out there. That is your answer.

[harrishawke]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

Any job in high tech is a temp job. If you choose Intel, be prepared to take the money and run. Don't give credence to any "pie in the sky" promises about what they will do in the future, because you won't be there.

I agree strongly what Larry said. Even at the software engineer levels, many people don't stick around for more than 3-5 years. Either the project is finished, they jump, or the company is involved in a merger and people get laid off. Intel just laid off 12,000 jobs this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if they laid more next . Also the compressed work week sucks as you have to work a day on the weekend, and come home late during the weekdays. With the gov't jobs, you have first dibs on other public employment opportunities when they come around. It's also very hard to get into gov't because of the competitiveness. If you sense there is upward mobility at the police dept, I would seriously consider that first. I feel that a technicians are a dime a dozen and incredibly replaceable. So if you value job security, I wouldn't pick that, or take it with the idea of moving to a technical level gov't position as soon as you can

Intel, cutting 12,000 jobs, tries to bend the company without breaking it | OregonLive.com