My current employer is closing their doors. I've got one maybe two more paychecks coming. Without even looking, I received a new job offer. Sounds great, it's basically the same job at the same pay. Part of me says jump at it; this economy is no time to be unemployed. The other part of me says it's just the same job at the same pay. I'd really like to do something new, push myself, make more money. Neither the job I have now nor the offer is super exciting, just a regular software dev work in non-sexy industries. I have some bucks in the bank so I don't need a job immediately, but I will eventually. I was planning to take some time off, enjoy the summer, and work on some new skills. I want to get into mobile apps, that's the future, plus it's fun, exciting and sexy. Game theory holds that I should reject the first x number of offers, then take the next one that is better than the best rejected offer. I'm really leaning towards rolling the dice, I've always been a dreamer.
My advice is to look for a boss that you will really click with. If you find that, every thing else that you want will follow. I had a boss like that and I took the job. Thirty days later he was dead from a heart attack. Then I got another job......................................................................etc etc etc.
Mobile APPS? You need something really good and incredible to stand out, With 250,000 apps in the APP store and 70,000 with the android platform its going to be extremely tough to get something going that people would pay for. The statistics for APP use are very interesting, from what I have read free apps are used once or twice as 20% use the app the next day, paid for apps only 30% use the app the day after they buy it. ONLY 1-5% of apps downloaded turn into long term users. I can vouch for some of those statistics, I have an Iphone and do download apps, about 99.8% of the ones I downloaded have been free, I have bought maybe 4-6 apps in the last 2 years. I refuse to buy an APP unless I need it like the last once I purchased a year ago, I do use it at least 1-5 times a day. Most of my other apps I will open here and there but the statistics do ring true that even though there are tens of thousands of apps everywhere, only few get the attention. As for the new job they offered you without you even going out to look, you should take it and run, I know people looking months for jobs, sending out dozens of resumes a week with little or no feedback, not taking the job is a foolish move in this economy where millions are struggling to find something.
Take the new gig and do a crappy job. Get fired in a couple weeks and collect unemployment for the summer. It's the American way.
The idea is to create some app, any app, something silly that can capture the attention of the masses long enough to get some good download stats. Free of course, for maximum exposure. Use that to springboard my resume to the top of the pile of an actual company that makes apps as a business model. Twice upon a time I have been a small business owner and I do not like it. Managing people, trying to figure out how to meet payroll, making business critical decisions every day. Too much headache, too little personal reward. I am destined to work for others, but I see no reason that means I must be miserable and poor.
I am being laid off, I will be eligible for unemployment as soon as I get my pink slip. I don't need even need to burn a bridge. A summer off has great appeal. How many weeks of unemployment can I get these days?