Priorities

As I cycle through the grind of the job hunt, and am starting to have to weigh options, I find myself trying to determine how I will decide if I receive multiple offers.  In talking with a career counselor, some friends and a couple of recruiters, the question that keeps circling are "what are my priorities?"

Job search websites will coach you to say one thing... to give answers that make that job seem like the idea job.

But the reality is I need to figure out what my priorities are in order to make a good decision.

So here are the factors:
- Time with my Kids: What does this have to do with a job? well, just about everything.  My ideal job would be close to home so that I spend less time in the car and more time with my girls.  Less time in the car also gives me more time at the job.  I also want a job that is flexible enough to give me a good amount of vacation and sick time so that I don't feel bad about being home with a sick kid or taking a day off to have a fun day with one of them.  I love that right now I can help get them up in the morning and that my husband and I are both home for dinner with them.
- Location: We moved to Boston area because of the vast number of opportunities in the area, however it is a city and commute times can be rough. mostly to the point above, I'd rather spend less time in the car.
- Stability: After being laid off twice now by companies that were growing, Im gunshy.  I dont know how to predict or tell this - no one internally will ever say "oh we are growing too fast" or "nah there is no way we will be successful in two years".  But I guess I will try and go with my gut.
- Growth Opportunity: This one is interesting.  I've found myself happiest at places where I can imagine or dream of my path forward.  It doesnt mean that I have to have an exact plan, but that there is room to grow and move.  I think this definitely makes smaller companies a little bit less of a fit.
- Social Environment: I've been happiest at places that I can have lunch with coworkers, that I have people I want to invite to my parties, that we take breaks for morning coffee or afternoon tea time.  I like getting to know other people around the company and having resources to connect with for social reasons.
- Benefits/Perks: I like companies that are at least trying to find fun ways to make employees feel involved/happy/engaged.  There is a lot to be said for Google's onsite acupuncture, dry cleaning, meals and yoga classes.  These aren't necessities, but other things equal, things like this that make my time at the company more enjoyable, and my life outside the company easier.
- Salary:  Honestly, this is pretty low on my list.  None of my discussions have been unreasonable, and I find myself realizing that even for 10K more I wouldnt take a job that compromises any of my other major priorities.  50K?? ok maybe, but no one has reached that high, nor do I anticipate my skillset being able to demand that.  So Salary is pretty low on my priorities.

So if I had to pick my top 3 and rank them right now?
1. Time with my Kids/Family
2. Growth Opportunity
3. Social Environment

Originally I put Stability at #3, but I realized that is so much harder to evaluate and will be very subjective, so in my engineering mind, its a hard factor to compare, and maybe was worth dropping from the list.

This may change as I talk to a few more companies, but I think this is starting to solidify and make sense to me now...