Linux tech stack exposure and future prospects

[opethdisciple]

Ubuntu, Apache & AWS or Red Hat, Puppet & Jenkins

Seems like I am going to have the choice between two jobs. I have almost got one offer on the table, the recruiter said they liked me and want to make me an offer.

The other one also really like me I just need to take a technical test on Thu and the job is mine.

Now my dilemma is what set of technologies is better for your long term career prospects.

1. Is a fun, hip, young & chaotic publishing agency. I will be dealing with Ubuntu, AWS and Apache mostly. The job sounds like I will initially be moving a lot of their clients websites from other cloud providers in to AWS. There will also be opportunity to get my hands on load balancers etc as things progress as they have a lot of work to do. I think they manage about 15 big client websites. Which would be my job to manage and maintain.

It's a very cool and quirky place.

Also closer for me to travel and close to my old work colleagues.

2. This one is working for a museum type institution. Much older average age of work colleague. More mundane and ordinary. But less chaotic and has a training budget to get me up to speed sooner. Tech stack would be helping current DevOps engineer manage an estate of 90 Red Hat servers. The role will also include Puppet as that's what they use for management.

My heart says number one, but my brain is saying number 2.

Is Puppet a better skill to pick up than say AWS and Apache?

 

[dacads]

Decision is yours to make, all I can say is going with your heart won't hurt

 

[kindai]

RHEL is RHEL, its boring, repetitive and not challenging.

Id be going for No1 all day long.

 

[peterwalkley]

You don't mention pay and benefits: so I'm guessing any difference is small enough that you don't mind.

Puppet isn't a be all and end all. Assuming you are not rushed off your feet at #1, nothing is stopping you picking it up and learning it to see if it will help there - even in a small way.

As dacads said, decision is yours assuming both put an offer in writing. Trust your gut.

 

[sHo0sH]

I work in the tech recruitment world, and the skills picked up at the first role are the most in demand at the moment. Whilst the latter will still be very useful, I honestly think the former will give you a better path afterwards, especially if you're looking to contract.

 

[opethdisciple]

The money between the two will be very similar.

I have already accepted the offer from number 2 and have an interview with number 1 tomorrow. If they make me an offer I will be in a situation where I can ask one or both to offer me improved terms.

I've never done this kind of thing before and feel bad about doing it, but this is life and everyone plays these kinds of games.

I just wanted to get an idea for which jobs skill set was more higher paid in the market. So at least I could maximise my time and experience with that technology when I do eventually move on.

---

I'm actually really struggling to do nay study forthis tech test tomorrow. I've done so much work over the last month and now I have an offer in the bag... I need a break.

 

[MuvverRussia]

Go for 1.

AWS is worth having. ELBs aren't rocket science to set up though.

Job 2 is a bit more mundane. Puppet / Chef / Ansible etc can be learnt as you go along. Also - working for a museum? Screw that.

I've been on a Puppet Labs training course in a previous role. I don't use it now, but I do use AWS.

 

[dowie]

I have already accepted the offer from number 2 and have an interview with number 1 tomorrow. If they make me an offer I will be in a situation where I can ask one or both to offer me improved terms.

I've never done this kind of thing before and feel bad about doing it, but this is life and everyone plays these kinds of games.

I wouldn't do that in future, if you've accepted an offer then going back to ask for more is potentially going to annoy them. You'd have likely been much better off being upfront with them when they give you the offer or before that and saying that you're speaking to other firms too, not only might that encourage them to give you a bigger initial offer anyway but you're also not coming out with a big surprise later.

Currently you've now got one company(and potentially a recruiter) thinking everything has been signed and sorted, if you then need to go back to them to ask for more they're going to be a bit surprised, they might need to go to someone a level up from them to get approval and that person is potentially going to be annoyed as they thought the role was filled. They might well have told their other potential picks for the role that they were unsuccessful so they've got no one else lined up for it and will have to start the process again if you go elsewhere. If you'd delayed accepting the offer. instead then they could have delayed telling those candidates anything. You really could end up ****ing off your new bosses before you've even started.