With MBA degree nearly in hand, Alec Mason has stormed the job market and come away with offers from two prestigious strategic-consulting firms in the Washington, D.C., area. Mason must decide between one firm that offers a low starting salary but high annual salary increases and another with the attraction of a higher starting salary but lower yearly pay increases. The case follows an MBA student as he weighs the perks, compares the figures, and articulates the criteria that influence his decision.