How to make a decision on a job offer?

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Hey everyone,

Trying to figure something out, was wondering if anyone had some input....

Well here's the background, I used to work on a trading desk, then I moved to do my MBA. Now I am being offered a pretty good job which is a bit off the path I wanted to go down; so it might not lead to a trader job in a few years. Now, I've only been looking for a job for a month or so and this job I am being offered id pretty good.

Here are my issues:

If i take the job it might hurt my resume since my prior jobs where with tier one banks such as Goldman Sachs and this is with a regional bank.

I might not be able to move to trading after-words and might get stuck in a Risk Management job for life.

The opportunity cost of taking this job, ie I am settling but I might have gotten a pure trading job in a few months.

What if I decline, then don't find a trading job, I might get stuck in a job worse than this especially that they are offering a ridiculously high salary and signing bonus for me to join them.

Another option I have is to ask for a huge increase in salary and title and if I can get these unreasonable demands I can take it.

What do you guys think?

How much do you need this job in the short term?

I have found that jobs like this, in my own experience and that of those around me, invariably lead to me quitting in frustration. This looks even worse on a resume. I'd only do it if I didn't have time to wait it out, or if I couldn't support myself in some other way if my outlook didn't improve (are you taking care of a family or a mortgage?)

I can think of worse things

@momsparky - Don't really need the job in the short run, but getting back onto trading within a tier one bank like Goldman is pretty hard.

@MidlifeAspie - I know, everyone has been telling me that there are other jobs which would make me happy & that especially for people with AS trading is probably not the best job cause it is too stressful. But I want to be on a trading desk for two reasons:
1. There is no bigger rush then when a client lifts your bid for a billion and you know that if the market turns the other direction, you'll get killed on the trade and loose your job. But if it goes in the right direction your a hero.
2. Everyone who sits on a trading desk pretends to be a horrible git... So when I don't pay attention and say something rude its completely normal... your not expected to be polite or civil to anyone. I just blend in with everyone else and I don't need to worry about if people hate me or think I'm a jerk.

Not gonna vote for you on such a personal, complex issue - do a pros/cons list - try to look at the big picture. However, I'm fairly certain that milking the job for perks is not going to make the job any better for you - it will just make it harder on you financially if you need to quit.

What I've said are just two things out of many to think about.

Wow thats so cool that you are a trader, im assuming with stocks or commodities, I always wanted to do that and i do it a bit on my own every now and then here in montreal.

My suggestion would be to weigh things out a bit. im not sure how severe you AS symptoms are. But take those in to account. If you are strictly trading stocks like a day trader on a floor your personality doesnt have as much to do with your job as your technical side. These probably gets rid alot of the stress.

The other position is probably one that many people would like to have , and one that requires more social skills and dealing with a few people. from my experience it is possible to work in a social atmosphere but as time goes on the stress gets higher and higher and people kinda gavitate away from you or they are not supporting you, this, after many years or months can some how translate in to a lose of work,

keep in mind as years go on the fast pace exciting world of trading soon becomes a bit too fast pace, so i guess you gota balance it all out, but i'd suggest flipping a coin and if you do quit where you are now id love to replace you !

Anything I was offered, I would take without question - given I have never managed to get a job and am now 30.

No worries, at least you'll be employed!You seem to be worried about events that have not yet happened, and that might not happen at all!I think that you could try to negotiate for a slightly higher salary and title, but don't press your luck - for every person who hesitates and negotiates, there are hundreds of others willing to settle on the first offer.