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Posted: **Wed Apr 02, 2025 6:42 pm**

Hi all,

I'm lucky enough to have two in-house offers (after a year of applying aggressively and getting rejected), and I would love input on which offer folks thing is better in terms of training, growth, future marketability, prestige, etc.

Offer 1:
Associate GC role at small- to mid-cap NYSE company (telcom industry - so steady but somewhat in decline)
Smaller team - I'd be doing mostly transactions, capm, and other corporate stuff (credit agmts etc), as well as some commercial contracting
Pay = 210k, 50k cash bonus, and $60k RSUs

Offer 2:
Counsel (or some other random non-impressive title like that) at Fortune 10 O&G company (so volatile, but currently in an up cycle)
Large team - I'd be mostly doing commercial contracting initially (but subject to change)
Pay = $240k, no cash bonus, pension that i roughly value at $30k per year, and RSUs in the $25-50k range (but this sounds much more discretionary and variable than the RSUs in Offer 1)

This is a new world to me so appreciate any thoughts.

Posted: **Thu Apr 03, 2025 7:10 pm**

I would value the ability to learn new things and grow your role over time. In-house positions generally value breadth of experience over depth. So given the culture and structure of both legal teams, which one do you think will allow you the freedom to sculpt your career the way you want? Also, just note that a company in decline will usually mean less opportunities to get new experiences.

Posted: **Mon Apr 07, 2025 9:47 am**

Anonymous User wrote: ↑
Wed Apr 02, 2025 6:42 pm
Hi all,

I'm lucky enough to have two in-house offers (after a year of applying aggressively and getting rejected), and I would love input on which offer folks thing is better in terms of training, growth, future marketability, prestige, etc.

Offer 1:
Associate GC role at small- to mid-cap NYSE company (telcom industry - so steady but somewhat in decline)
Smaller team - I'd be doing mostly transactions, capm, and other corporate stuff (credit agmts etc), as well as some commercial contracting
Pay = 210k, 50k cash bonus, and $60k RSUs

Offer 2:
Counsel (or some other random non-impressive title like that) at Fortune 10 O&G company (so volatile, but currently in an up cycle)
Large team - I'd be mostly doing commercial contracting initially (but subject to change)
Pay = $240k, no cash bonus, pension that i roughly value at $30k per year, and RSUs in the $25-50k range (but this sounds much more discretionary and variable than the RSUs in Offer 1)

This is a new world to me so appreciate any thoughts.

Based on the package, offer 2 sounds like Exxon. If so, I'd give a lot of thought to how you fit in the culture. It's the sort of place with a lot of lifers, but have to do a lot of internal networking and be willing to be a "company man" to succeed. If your boss says they'd like you to move to Abu Dhabi for a few years, it can be a career limiting move to say "no."

Oil and gas is very much not on a upcycle right now. Crude prices are way down from a year or two ago and most large-cap companies have announced layoffs in the 10-20% range, with probably more to come if the pricing environment does not improve (and latest uptick in OPEC production does not bode well). The upside is if you make it through the downcycles, oil and gas can be very rewarding on the upcycle. However, Exxon's scale means both the down and upside is dampened a bit relative to others in the industry.

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