How good is a $126k offer for FortWorth?
App dev, niche platform, 8 yrs exp, this is a yearlong contract role thru a consulting company for a financial services client, so not a lot of benefits. TC = $126,500 TX, so no state income taxes but it's a step down from my current $158k role (low cost of living area with a 5.75% flat tax) but difficult to find consulting roles in my area, so inclined towards this offer. But concerned if I'd ever be able to go back to my current range. Current job sucks donkey balls and this is the best I can seem to find in the market.
What is the niche platform?
a relatively obscure vendor product, not a fancy technology by any means.
126K is a lot for Fort Worth, you will live like a king there. Not very exciting area unless you are into rodeo. But lots of hot easy girls who would be impressed with your job.
lol, what worries me is my current salary, so it's like a $13k loss in net pay for the year. Makes me think if I should suck it up a little bit longer and stay in the current role.
Depends... real estate in Frisco beat SFO any day.. Also, 126k is lowball. Try for 150-175k.
Consider leaving TX
Along the east coast right now, but offer in TX. For someone like me is there a place in Bay Area or the like: Decent coder, mostly in msft stack, but not someone who jerks off to tree traversal problems, not even close (tried but not finding it interesting after school) but lots of domain knowledge and exp in different client settings in finance, retail, shipping etc. Fast learner and creative problem solver. Attentive to details and very interested in strategy. Bachelor's in CS. If there's a place how/where should I start? Any pointers much appreciated!
If your job / career perspective depends, doesn’t it make the algorithm interesting by necessity?
You can live pretty well in DFW for that kind of money.
DFW is probably a good fit for you actually. There are lots of engineering roles in random large corporations. You can make more money in Austin, but COL is higher and it will be more competitive.
Benefits don’t matter if you have a wife who has benefits. Lol.
Or if you have friend with benefits
Lol, single here, so don't have the benefit of benefitting from another beneficiary...
Why only contacting positions?
Personal preference, hate full time positions (get anxious during performance review period, politics etc), you also always tend to keep an eye out for another job. Full time usually means guards down. So anything other than FAANG (one day!), prefer contracts. Had contract to hire offers from a couple of (lamo) companies during my stint and refused. Downside = do the same thing forever, no career progression.
Take it.