Too Cool For School

[Jake]

don't burn yourself out too hard trying to climb the ladder early on.  that's not to say don't work hard - but if you're being asked to work overtime be sure you're getting properly compensated for it.  don't let your boss push you around outside reasonable bounds of your job expectations.  i've experienced what happens to your body if you push too hard for too long and the stress is not fun.

I'm a huge fan of work/life balance and have always been adamant that I am working to live, not living to work. Some do not share that mindset and that's okay. It's good to realize that people have different motivations - I do not aspire to be the one leading the company, working 60+ hour weeks, making an assload of money. My quality of life and ability to get out and do fun stuff matter a lot more.

Anything beyond about 45 hours a week (consistently, some weeks can go long for legit reasons) is a job I'm not interested in. AOL and CEB were both pretty good in that regard, and Slalom has been a guaranteed 40-no-more-no-less atmosphere, since we only write our SOWs (statements of work) with our clients at a billing rate of 40 hours per week.

Going along with what I just said - remember that your compensation involves SO MUCH more than just your salary. Things to consider when talking compensation include bonuses (annual? quarterly? how much?), healthcare options, PTO (paid time off) and company holidays. Ask what the typical hours are for the position you are considering - not so much a "how many per week" but more of a "so what's the typical day like for [role] here?". That should give you a decent expectation of when to show up and how late people stay. Ask to see the list of company holidays and learn how much PTO you earn. Many jobs will start you off with X days of PTO, and you earn more the longer you stay. I had a lot of PTO at CEB but was miserable when I left - 30+ days of time off don't matter when you dread the days you have to go in. I get 18 at Slalom but have much more flexibility in how I bill my time. Remember you are interviewing THEM as much as they are interviewing you. 

And going along with ^ that, you will probably not get to negotiate any of that when you get your first job or two. But regardless, if you are considering a few opportunities, it is absolutely worth asking just so you know everything beyond salary.