3 ms·

Ask HN: Confused with career.

7 points by myrnm 15y ago

Hello, I have got 2 job offers, First is Java Engineer and other is Web Front End Engineer. Salaries vary marginally. I want to know which job will help me to take my career to next level. While both the companies are having $100mn plus revenue. I am unable to decide which one i should opt. Thank You.

dotcoma 15y ago
I would be unable, too, if I didn't know (you don't tell us) my strengths and what I want to do...
iqster 15y ago
Agreed ... more info is necessary. Everything else being equal, I would recommend you go for the front-end job. This will be more challenging (debugging with Eclipse != debugging across browser variations), more fun (Javascript and JQuery), and will likely be more relevant if you ever join or do a startup. IMHO, Java is a stagnant language. The last time I had looked at Java seriously was around 2001-2003. I started a job at a Java-heavy place last year, and was shocked at how little the language has changed. If you want a career as a corporate programmer, the Java job might be the way to go. FYI .. in my current job, I code rails when some of my colleagues code Servlets .. and then the are shocked when I am over 10 times faster than them. Also, I recommend PG's book Hackers and Painters, which has some better reasons why Java is not a great language (I think he called it an evolutionary dead-end). Also, I was at an Oracle-Java presentation a short while ago, where they claimed that new Java releases will become a lot more frequent (I seem to recall a major revision every 2 years, with minor releases every year). I think this will actually hasten the demise of the language. Edit: I just want to mention ... I would not pick a job based on the technology. Rather, I would do so on the quality of people, and the domain of the problem/work. SERIOUSLY!!!
- myrnm 15y ago
  Currently i am a hobbyist web developer. JAVA is a new concept for me, but Java based company will provide me additional training with JAVA. But i am concerned that javascript opportunities are limited???
hansy 15y ago
What about the job environments? Which one do you feel more comfortable working in? Even if there were a right or wrong answer regarding which position will launch your "career to [the] next level", you could still flounder in one place if you are generally unhappy with your coworkers, your bosses, the company policies/structure, location, etc.
sebg 15y ago
Think about what you would learn at both companies and whether that would help you get to where you want to go. Also, which team do you like more. The best work experiences I have had were due to the friendliness and quality of the team.
atarian 15y ago
It's not the technology that matters it's what the company offers to you to help you grow (classes, training, good team, etc).

7 points by myrnm 15y ago

dotcoma 15y ago

I would be unable, too, if I didn't know (you don't tell us) my strengths and what I want to do...

iqster 15y ago

Agreed ... more info is necessary. Everything else being equal, I would recommend you go for the front-end job. This will be more challenging (debugging with Eclipse != debugging across browser variations), more fun (Javascript and JQuery), and will likely be more relevant if you ever join or do a startup. IMHO, Java is a stagnant language. The last time I had looked at Java seriously was around 2001-2003. I started a job at a Java-heavy place last year, and was shocked at how little the language has changed. If you want a career as a corporate programmer, the Java job might be the way to go. FYI .. in my current job, I code rails when some of my colleagues code Servlets .. and then the are shocked when I am over 10 times faster than them. Also, I recommend PG's book Hackers and Painters, which has some better reasons why Java is not a great language (I think he called it an evolutionary dead-end). Also, I was at an Oracle-Java presentation a short while ago, where they claimed that new Java releases will become a lot more frequent (I seem to recall a major revision every 2 years, with minor releases every year). I think this will actually hasten the demise of the language. Edit: I just want to mention ... I would not pick a job based on the technology. Rather, I would do so on the quality of people, and the domain of the problem/work. SERIOUSLY!!!

myrnm 15y ago
Currently i am a hobbyist web developer. JAVA is a new concept for me, but Java based company will provide me additional training with JAVA. But i am concerned that javascript opportunities are limited???

hansy 15y ago

What about the job environments? Which one do you feel more comfortable working in? Even if there were a right or wrong answer regarding which position will launch your "career to [the] next level", you could still flounder in one place if you are generally unhappy with your coworkers, your bosses, the company policies/structure, location, etc.

sebg 15y ago

Think about what you would learn at both companies and whether that would help you get to where you want to go. Also, which team do you like more. The best work experiences I have had were due to the friendliness and quality of the team.

atarian 15y ago

It's not the technology that matters it's what the company offers to you to help you grow (classes, training, good team, etc).