Ask HN: How do I pick between Microsoft and OPower?

5 points

15 years ago

I am a CS major who will be graduating in May 2012. (I would be starting full time work in Fall 2012.) I have a number of job offers, but the two I'm most interested in currently are Microsoft and OPower (http://opower.com/). I really have no idea how to pick between the two.

Microsoft - Windows Phone Team

__Pros:__

* Much higher compensation

* Working in C++ may make me a stronger coder

* I am passionate about Windows Phone

* Based on previous internship experience, I know most people there are quite smart

* Microsoft may look better on my resume (but that doesn't feel like a great reason)

* I've lived in the Seattle area my whole life, and know that I like it

__Cons:__

* C++ can be a pain to work with

* Despite being reviewed well, Windows Phone has a tiny market share

* I interned on Outlook in Summer 2010 and had a hard time socially connecting with my team

* I've lived in the Seattle area my whole life, and may want to try something new

* Push code to users every 6-12 months is slower than I'd like

* Is Microsoft stagnant?

OPower

__Pros:__

* Stock options could end up being worth a lot

* Java isn't the greatest, but it could be more fun than C++

* Push code to users every 3 weeks!

* Rapidly pivoting teams/priorities could nicely fit my desire to work on a wide range of projects

* Quarterly Hackathons

* Nice office with plenty of natural light and scooters

* Goofy, laid-back culture

* Arlington / DC could be a cool area to work

* OPower's 21st century approach to energy reporting / analytics is wonderfully refreshing after the horribly user-hostile traditional bills I get

__Cons:__

* Stock options could end up being worthless

* The interview questions were significantly easier than those at Microsoft - does that mean the quality of people is lower?

* Customers are utility companies instead of consumers, so it may be harder for me to relate

* Number of people who actually pay attention to the stuff OPower produces could be even smaller than the number of people who use Windows Phones.

Maybe if I worked at OPower, I could express my passion for the Windows Phone by continuing to develop 3rd party apps.

Both companies felt like a good culture fit - I enjoyed the people I got to meet during my on-sites.

I've interned at Microsoft and Google in the past, and I eventually want to work at a startup / maybe found my own. One friend suggested that I work at Microsoft for a bit so I can save enough cash that taking a risk on a startup is easier.

I have no idea what to do. I suspect I could be quite happy at either. I also suspect that as a new grad, I don't even know what the right questions to ask are to assess how happy I'd be at each of these places. Can you share any wisdom?