Is a Career at SpaceX Worth Leaving a Stable Job for?

[planethunter]

Hello everyone…I want to get some feedback on a possible career decision looming ahead for me. I will be in-person interviewing next week at SpaceX in Hawthorne, CA for a Business IT position. I am currently employed in a stable government job (with the same title) with good benefits, good pay and have been here 7 years, so I am vested pension wise as well. I have promoted multiple times as well, and see some upcoming promotion opportunities here on the horizon as well. I also have a wife, and 2 little girls in elementary school. I live about 45 min away from Hawthorne.

If offered the position at Space X, would it be worth leaving my current stable job for it?

These are the pros and cons I see to leaving my current employer for Space X:

Pros

· Space X is an exciting company at the forefront of space technology
· I love everything astronomy and aerospace related
· Prestigious company, will look great on resume
· Coolness factor
· End users would be engineers and rocket scientists

Cons

· Have read on multiple websites that work-life balance is not good there
· I coach my daughters in their sports, and also take them to school. Not sure if this is something I will still be able to do if I go to Space X
· The pay there will be about the same as what I make here, but they augment that with stock options. There is no salary schedule with step increases
· Startup environment, somewhat stable but still its funded with Elon Musk’s money and NASA contracts. I could be let go anytime if I don't produce to their expectations.
· I am well liked and respected at my current job, and I have freedom to take vacation and other leave very easily. Not sure this would be the case at Space X.
· Interviewers I have had so far for the position seem very demanding and high-maintenance, including the hiring manager

So, do you think it is worth accepting it if offered?

Thanks!

 

[micromass]

So, do you think it is worth accepting it if offered?

Only you can decide that. But if I were in your shoes, I would not accept. The cons outweigh the pro's by a lot. In fact, the only pro you have it that "it's cool". Not enough for me.

 

[planethunter]

Only you can decide that. But if I were in your shoes, I would not accept. The cons outweigh the pro's by a lot. In fact, the only pro you have it that "it's cool". Not enough for me.

I agree with your assertion...I guess I just don't want to look back a few years from now and say that I missed this big opportunity - since it looks like Space X is set to take off success wise even more with each successful test flight

 

[e.bar.goum]

It's the classic work-to-live vs live-to-work question. It sounds like you've got a lot going on in your life outside work, that a job that really wants live-to-work types won't really appeal. And that's ok.

 

[planethunter]

Just in case anyone is interested...ended up turning down the offer...thank you all!

 

[MidgetDwarf]

Well the important thing is that you have a well paying job and college degree. Better to have a stable job that will allow income to flow into the household, than to he
Have a job that can lay you off at any moment. Sometimes we have to do what's best for our families. Would suck to have left your stable job to one that is unstable, worse case scenario, is that you are paying for a mortgage and you are let go. I know it hurts but you have little ones to think about.

 

[planethunter]

Better to have a stable job that will allow income to flow into the household, than to he
Have a job that can lay you off at any moment. Sometimes we have to do what's best for our families.

This was the defining reason. Although who knows about the stability of SpaceX moving forward, but it wasn't something I could risk my family's financial well being for...