Help Me Choose a Job
I've been offered three different jobs so I am a bit overwhelmed. I have to make some decisions.
That's great news! Would you like some advice?
Absolutely. First off, I've got a [vocab word=job offer]job offer[/vocab] from a large company. It's a [vocab word=civil engineer]Civil Engineering[/vocab] Manager position in New York City. The annual [vocab word=salary]salary[/vocab] is $120,000, and it's the highest in the three job offers I'm getting.
"highest" is a superlative adjective. You can tell from the "-est" ending. Other job offers have lower annual salaries.
It's a lot of money and the job position sounds pretty challenging and impressive. But remember, New York City is a lot more expensive than Seattle. The [vocab word=average]average[/vocab] [vocab word=rent]rent[/vocab] in NYC is $4000.
"more expensive" is a comparative adjective. "Expensive" has 3 syllables (ex, pen, sive), so we put "more" in front of it to make a comparative adjective.
Yeah, I know. The second offer is here in Seattle. The salary is somewhat lower. They are offering only $85,000 per year, but it's a Senior Civil Engineer position, which is one [vocab word=rank]rank[/vocab] higher than my current position.
Note the comparative adjective + "than" + object pattern ("which is one rank higher than my current position").
If you take this job, you won't have to [vocab word=relocate]relocate[/vocab]. Plus, Seattle is a much more affordable city than NYC.
We use "much" or "many" before a comparative adjective to make it stronger.
True. The third offer is an Assistant Civil Engineer position in Chicago. The pay is the lowest: only $78,000 a year, but they are giving me a signing bonus of $10,000.
A "signing bonus" is money that you get when you accept the job offer.
Also note, you always need "the" in front of a superlative adjective ("lowest" in this sentence).
Do they give you any [vocab word=relocation]relocation[/vocab] [vocab word=assistance]assistance[/vocab]?
A "relocation assistance" is money that the company gives you to help you move to a new city.
The company in NYC is not giving any relocation assistance, but I can get up to $1000 in relocation assistance from the company in Chicago.
Which city do you like to live in, Chicago or NYC? Or, would you [vocab word=rather]rather[/vocab] stay in Seattle?
"Rather" in this sentence means "prefer". So, the question is asking if you would prefer to stay in Seattle.
NYC is an exciting city, and Chicago is so lovely. But, I'll have to say goodbye to all my friends in Seattle if I take one of these jobs.
How about the [vocab word=perk]perks[/vocab]?
A "perk" is something good that you get from a job position, other than money. A company car, free lunch, and paid vacation time are all examples of perks.
The first job offers a company car, phone, training, and [vocab word=guaranteed]guaranteed[/vocab] bonuses. Seattle's offer provides [vocab word=flexible]flexible[/vocab] hours and health programs. Chicago's offer includes [vocab word=mentor]mentoring[/vocab] programs and free lunch.
"Flexible hour" means you can choose your working hours to some extent. Some people might choose to work between 10 am - 4 pm and 6 pm - 8 pm, for example.
So, the first offer is more [vocab word=materially]materially[/vocab] rewarding, but the other two seem to focus more on employee growth and [vocab word=work-life balance]work-life balance[/vocab].
I guess you can say that.
What about the insurance? Which company gives you the most comprehensive [vocab word=insurance coverage]insurance coverage[/vocab]?
In US, there is no public health insurance for most people. Usually, a company gives health insurance to its employees. So, health insurance is one of the most important aspect in choosing a job.
The NYC and Chicago offers provide health, dental, and [vocab word=vision]vision[/vocab] insurance, [vocab word=while]while[/vocab] the Seattle offer only gives medical coverage.
"while" is a conjunction used to compare two different situations. It illustrates how the insurance coverage provided by NYC and Chicago companies are different from the insurance provided by the Seattle company.
So, the insurance packages from NYC and Chicago are a lot more comprehensive compared to the package that the Seattle company is offering.
We put "a lot" in front of a comparative adjective ("more comprehensive") to make it stronger.
To [vocab word=summarize]summarize[/vocab], the company in NYC offers the highest salary. The offers in both NYC and Chicago include better insurance coverage than the Seattle offer. The NYC position is a management role, while the other two are not.
The Seattle offer is a [vocab word=senior]senior[/vocab] position, and it emphasizes work-life balance. Also, you won't have to relocate to a new city. The cost of living is lower in Seattle than in NYC.
"The cost of living is lower in Seattle than in NYC." - the comparison is between "in Seattle" and "in NYC". That's why the word "than" is followed by "in NYC", not just "NYC".
That pretty much [vocab word=sum up]sums it up[/vocab].
Well, if you are [vocab word=ambitious]ambitious[/vocab], go for the NYC position. A management position can really help you climb up the [vocab word=corporate ladder]corporate ladder[/vocab].
To "climb up the corporate ladder" means to be promoted to higher and higher positions. E.g. Manager, Senior Manager, Vice-president, and maybe even President.
On the other hand, if you value your work-life balance or if you are looking to start a family, the Seattle position might be a better fit. It gives you life [vocab word=stability]stability[/vocab] and you can still rely on support from family and friends when you have a child.
If something is a "better fit", it means it is good for your particular situation. If you want to have a wife and a baby, the Seattle position will be better for you (according to Victoria).
Wow, it's very insightful. I appreciate the advice. I'm leaning toward the job in NYC now.
To "lean toward the job in NYC" means you think the job in NYC is better and you are thinking of choosing it.
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