I've been offered jobs as a test manager with both IBM (UK) and Atos Origin - very similar salaries and benefits packages.Which would be the best choice? I am not keen on huge travelling and prefer a company that has a lot of potential roles in London/M4 corridor.

No brainerAtos little work in London / m4 they are reliant on Dwp Newcastle and Nhs Leeds Other odds and ends but travel guaranteedIbm have much more general stuff including a large busy office in southbank unlike the ghost town Atos haveIbm also bigger deals more variety and better ongoing prospects remember Atos lost the gov data a few years back and not a good repCrowning glory do you want to be a IBM'er or Atos'er all your life :-)

Thanks - helpful reply.

I would definitely go for Atos. Atos has very solid senior management team, nice posh office in Triton Square London- plenty of Public Sector work in London. UKBA is a huge client in London, the Olympics and recently won a big contract with Investment firm Nomura.Atos has a better work -life balance and you will have less pressure to sell even if you have a non sales role compared to IBM. IBM (UK) has too many sales type of people with poor pragmatic, experienced technical ppl.

When I asked Atos about where my first project would be they just acted like the three wise monkeys. IBM offered more money so I went for them. But now IBM are now wanting to send me over to Scotland - a really sh*t surprise!! The word 'rock' and 'hard place' come to mind.

Marcus - as an external observer, Atos' presence as an employer in the UK market has pretty much dried up in the last years. Haven't seen them on this board, at careers fairs or the like for quite a number of years. IBM by contrast appear to have been recruiting like a firm with ambition. I'd certainly want to probe Atos to satisfy myself they've turned a corner before choosing them over IBM. So think you've made the right call, even if that first assignment is now in Scotland!2p

Marcus,You will probably be really miffed when you read this, but I am being genuine in my feedback. You’ve been posting a lot on this forum all of a sudden, and to be honest quite a few of the posts suggest that a) you have some very "fixed" ideas, b) you’re not “long in the tooth” in consultancy.Bottom line – are you sure you really want to work in the MC industry? Lots of people are attracted to it (the money, the glamour!) but quickly find out that the travel is a pain. Normally people put up with the travel because it’s the only way to get the sort of work they want. Test management (and I’m not being an MBA-snob here) is something that you can do without having to work as a consultant (and travel as a result).That rock and a hard place is likely to be a permanent position. If you think differently, then you’ve been misled.I've no reason at all to believe you are good at your job, but you ARE bridling at things which are VERY normal in the MC world. Honest advice – get yourself a job with any one of the IT firms in the Reading, Bracknell, Basingstoke triangle.

sorry - clearly meant no reasont to believe you are anything other than good at your job

"Marcus,You will probably be really miffed when you read this, but I am being genuine in my feedback.You’ve been posting a lot on this forum all of a sudden, and to be honest quite a few of the posts suggest that a) you have some very "fixed" ideas, b) you’re not “long in the tooth” in consultancy.Bottom line – are you sure you really want to work in the MC industry? Lots of people are attracted to it (the money, the glamour!) but quickly find out that the travel is a pain. Normally people put up with the travel because it’s the only way to get the sort of work they want. Test management (and I’m not being an MBA-snob here) is something that you can do without having to work as a consultant (and travel as a result).That rock and a hard place is likely to be a permanent position. If you think differently, then you’ve been misled.I've no reason at all to believe you are good at your job, but you ARE bridling at things which are VERY normal in the MC world. Honest advice – get yourself a job with any one of the IT firms in the Reading, Bracknell, Basingstoke triangle. "I've worked in IT for 17 years, through a mix of end users and IT services companies. The reason I have been looking for roles is because my previous end-user government employer has decided to make me redundant (thanks to Mr Cameron) and I needed a new job. In my field at least the vast majority of opportunities is with IT services consultancies. There aren't many software house or end-user opportunities out there, and I guess that the current economic climate, together with the relentless march of outsourcing has caused this. The future of IT jobs seems clearly to be in the direction of IT consultancy, with the big players likely to survive and the smaller ones being taken over and cut down to size.As for the travel, I am aware of the business necessity, though you would have though that the resource managers would have an ounce of common sense when allocating staff to projects. Or maybe not.