I've been searching for a new job for over 3 months now, and I finally have two offers on the table, but neither feels quite right. I'm currently an SDE with 1.3 years of experience. The first offer is from a big4 company through a staffing agency. The pay is ₹4.8 lpa, and it's supposed to be an 18-month contract role. However, there's been a lot of confusion about the nature of the job. Initially, I was told it would be 80% support work and 20% development, but then the recruiter said it’s actually a development role. They mentioned that after 18 months, I could be absorbed as a permanent employee, and even possibly made full-time right away. However, I still haven’t received an official offer letter despite asking multiple times, and all discussions have been informal, mainly over WhatsApp. This whole situation has left me feeling uneasy, especially when the recruiter warned me that backing out could blacklist me from the company in the future. The second offer is from a startup, which is a bit concerning for me since I've had bad experiences with startups in the past. This role starts as an intern with a stipend of ₹12k per month for the first 4 months, after which I could potentially convert to full-time based on my performance, with a full-time salary of around ₹3.2 lpa. This is actually lower than my previous compensation, but the role seems more aligned with software development. I'm torn between the two options. The big4 offer comes with a strong brand name and a confirmed salary, but the lack of clarity and the contract nature raises red flags. On the other hand, the startup role seems more suitable for my skills, but it would mean a significant pay cut and starting as an intern despite my experience. I'm worried about making the wrong choice since I've already been out of work for a while.