Should I take a job at IBM or Lockheed Martin?

Context, I am a recent college graduate and initially had a hard time finding a job. To my surprise I received a job at Lockheed Martin at an entry level position. I also, just got a call back from an interview I did with IBM a while back. For reference, my job position for IBM is as a "package consultant" for SAP/Oracle basically supply chain software (im not exactly sure) and the Lockheed Martin job is a supply chain role as well actually working with the manufacturing.

Here are the major complications, IBM job I can work from wherever I want, but would include a fair bit of travel, at this point in my life, I do not mind the travel at least I think, let me know if I should. I also have a situation where I could stay at home and bank my money as I do not mind working and living at home for at least a little while.
Lockheed Martin job requires me to move to a completely different state (from East Coast to Texas) halfway across the country. I have a great long term girlfriend, friends, and a family where I am now, they are all supportive of whatever I want to do but I don't love the idea of isolating myself from them like I have done with my previous experience working over the summer in another state. Lockheed Martin from my understanding has better benefits like fridays off? things like that. I could travel weekends often to see everyone, but it would feel not as natural and stress free as of course living near everybody.

I suppose I want obviously job security and to open as many high paying opportunities as possible for myself down the line in my life, that's the goal. I like the idea of defense contracting, but don't want to romanticize it so much I lose sight of more important things like my loved ones. I also have a background in defense subcontracting so I got a small amount of exposure to it (probably what got me the jobs)
I want to stay ambitious and take risks and not let my fear make my decisions for me. I only get one life, and I am having an impossible time weighing between two great offers and simply don't have enough information about which one would likely be the most benefit for me in the long-term.

hoping I can get some unbiased career advice here.

Posted Mar 14, 2026, 12:23 AM UTC

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