

Ask HN: Choosing paths, what will you do? - professorTuring

I know this is a very personal decision but I would like to ask to the HN community for their thoughts. After all, more input, better decisions =)<p>I have been given the opportunity to follow the security path in a well known bank (somewhat a security project manager). This was a no-brainer for me like two weeks ago but... In my current enterprise, out of the blue, a week ago (without anyone knowing I was planning on leaving) I have been given the opportunity to change to the new &quot;Innovation&quot; team, in which we will need to go to congresses, stay up to date and provide the enterprise with input on where to move it. My current enterprise is also a well known enterprise in Europe but in the betting and gambling industry.<p>The bank offers me a better salary (around 20% more) and a well known path inside security management. On the other hand I know nothing about innovation but I believe I could be good at it, but I don&#x27;t know nothing about a path in &quot;innovation&quot; and the job market in innovation.<p>What are your two pennies? 
What do you think about this innovation career?
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facorreia
As many engineers, I'm attracted to the "innovation" aspect. I've worked on
that capacity for a number of years and it can be very rewarding, e.g.
participating in congresses, keeping up-to-date, leading proof-of-concept
projects and evangelizing.

But it has a downside that it can be frustrating because new tools, processes,
architectures, etc. are not easily applied at existing business units, for a
number of reasons, even when management and employees would like to use them.
There's a lot of inertia and hidden costs to be overcome, not to mention risks
associated with the changes.

It's not a bad job, but the security job offer sounds better, being also in a
reputable company, with better salary and clearer career path.

Even if the results of the innovation projects are successfully applied to the
existing teams and projects, and produce measurable gains, it doesn't sound
likely that any raises you'd get in the, let's say, next 2 years, would offset
the advantage of starting at 20% more in the next job as initial compensation,
with room for further progress.

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professorTuring
Thank you for your insight =)

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JSeymourATL
Take the Well Known Bank job, change is good. It looks like a promotion from a
career perspective.

Assuming the bank has it's own innovation team, befriend the people working on
those projects-- or you can champion innovation with your new colleagues.
Also, you can ask the bank for budget/time to attend relevant industry
congress events.

~~~
professorTuring
These have some good points =)

