newmie

exactly! many people dont realize in big companies there are (relatively) very few people that matter. rest are just cogs in the machine. doesnt mean you can grow up from being a cog, but what you say is true.

B wants me badly. My skill set is very niche. B needs me to propel them forward and in a different scenario, thats a great situation to be in. But I am very hesitant of how motivated B is to transform to the next level.

personal growth would be challenging to attain at B because the culture is sure to throw hurdles in the way.

B = 150K base + options (not yet awarded)

commute is not an issue in this case. thanks for bringing it up though

Agree on the travel part. I am fine with 25% travel. I think its a good balance. Plus, if you want to climb the leadership/management ladder, cant escape travel much.

I assure you its not hypothetical.

You would be wrong to assume large companies beat every other offer. Large companies rarely beat other offers. Even Google does not do it unless you are a rock star.

Also I never pitched them against each other ... I dont see that as a professional behavior, I negotiate separately. But I agree I did not do a good job of negotiating with A, maybe I was starstruck

what about long term career prospects? Having A on resume is a huge+

true, but swimming against the tide can either pay off really well or bite you really hard

yes, this is what is drawing me to A. But it also involves 75% travel compared to 20-25% at B.

EDIT: I typed 7% earlier instead of 75