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Your First Analysis

Let’s walk through a complete ReasonKit analysis step by step.

The Scenario

You’ve received a job offer. It pays 20% more than your current role, but requires relocating to a new city. You’re not sure whether to accept.

Running the Analysis

rk-core think "I received a job offer with 20% more salary but requires relocating to a new city. Should I take it?" --profile balanced

Understanding the Output

1. GigaThink: Exploring Perspectives

GIGATHINK: 10 Perspectives

1. FINANCIAL: 20% raise minus cost of living difference
2. CAREER: Is this a career accelerator or lateral move?
3. MANAGER: Who will you report to? Track record?
4. COMPANY: Growing, stable, or declining?
5. PERSONAL: How does your partner/family feel about relocating?
6. SOCIAL: What are you leaving behind? Friends, community?
7. RISK: What if this doesn't work out? Can you return?
8. OPPORTUNITY: Is this your best option or just the one in front of you?
9. TIMING: Is now the right time in your life for a major move?
10. GUT: When you imagine accepting, do you feel excited or anxious?

What to notice: GigaThink forces you to consider angles you might have missed while focused on the salary number.

2. LaserLogic: Checking Reasoning

LASERLOGIC: Hidden Assumptions

FLAW 1: "20% more salary = better"
→ Cost of living not factored in
→ $100K in Kansas City ≠ $100K in San Francisco

FLAW 2: "More money = happier"
→ Beyond $75K, correlation with happiness flattens
→ Other factors matter more at higher incomes

FLAW 3: "This opportunity won't come again"
→ Scarcity mindset may be causing rushed decision
→ Similar opportunities likely to arise

What to notice: LaserLogic catches the mental shortcuts you might have accepted uncritically.

3. BedRock: First Principles

BEDROCK: What Actually Matters

CORE QUESTION: Is this move aligned with your 5-year goals?

THE 80/20:
• Career growth potential (not just current salary)
• Quality of life in new location
• Reversibility if it doesn't work out

SIMPLIFIED DECISION FRAMEWORK:
If the role accelerates your career AND quality of life is acceptable
→ Strong yes

If it's a lateral move OR quality of life significantly worse
→ Probably no

What to notice: BedRock cuts through complexity to the essential question.

4. ProofGuard: Verifying Claims

PROOFGUARD: Fact Check

VERIFIED: Cost of living varies dramatically by city
→ San Francisco is 80% more expensive than national average
→ Your 20% raise might be a pay cut in real terms

VERIFIED: Job hopper stigma is decreasing
→ Average tenure is now 4.1 years (BLS, 2024)
→ Leaving after 1-2 years is increasingly common

TO VERIFY: Company's actual growth trajectory
→ Check their funding, revenue, layoff history
→ Ask for specific growth numbers in interview

What to notice: ProofGuard identifies claims worth verifying before deciding.

5. BrutalHonesty: Uncomfortable Truths

BRUTALHONESTY: Reality Check

UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH 1:
You're probably overweighting the salary because it's quantifiable.
The harder-to-measure factors (manager quality, work-life balance)
often matter more for happiness.

UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH 2:
Relocating is harder than you think.
Building new social connections takes years.
Most people underestimate the loneliness of a new city.

UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH 3:
You might be running FROM something, not TO something.
Is there something about your current situation you're avoiding?

HONEST QUESTIONS:
• If the salary were the same, would you still want this move?
• Have you talked to people who work there (not recruiters)?
• What's your plan if this doesn't work out after 1 year?

What to notice: BrutalHonesty asks the questions you’ve been avoiding.

What to Do Next

Based on this analysis, you might:

  1. Gather more information

    • Calculate real cost-of-living adjusted salary
    • Talk to people who work at the company
    • Visit the new city before deciding

  2. Ask better questions

    • Why is this role open? Growth or replacement?
    • What does the career path look like?
    • What’s the team turnover like?

  3. Negotiate better

    • Armed with cost-of-living data, negotiate higher
    • Ask for relocation assistance
    • Negotiate a trial period if possible

  4. Make a decision framework

    • What would make this an obvious yes?
    • What would make this an obvious no?
    • Set a deadline to decide

Tips for Future Analyses

  1. Be specific — “Job offer” is better than “career question”

  2. Include context — Mention key constraints (timeline, family, etc.)

  3. Use appropriate profile — Major decisions deserve --deep or --paranoid

  4. Focus on BrutalHonesty — It’s usually the most valuable section

  5. Action the insights — Analysis is only useful if it changes behavior

Next Steps