Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
My life may be making a big change very shortly. I have been half-heartedly looking for a new job for a little over a year now. I throw out a few resumes every couple of weeks, just seeing what kind of nibbles I get. I love the job I currently have, I just need to make more money. Not because I need to buy a lot of stuff, but because I pay a little over $900 a month in child support, and it's killing me.
So, last week I got two nibbles. I followed up on one, interviewed with them on Friday, and found out today they want to make me an offer. It would be a nice change of pace. A larger company then I'm currently at, but still not a fortune 500 where you can get lost in the masses. I would be the number 3 guy in a team of 9, specializing in Information Security, incidence response and all security training. Stuff I love to do.
On my way to that interview on Friday I received email from the CEO of the other company, asking me what my salary range was. I sent him my range, and he replied that he would like to talk to me this week. I will have a phone interview with him either this afternoon or tomorrow. I'm waiting to hear back from him on the exact time.
The second job would be just as much fun for me. This company does risk assessment's, flying all over the country, spending 3-5 days with a company, depending on the size of the company, going over their policies, doing after-hours walk throughs to see if they can uncover any potential violations of those policies, and then they finish up with a couple of days of penetration testing. Again, all stuff I enjoy doing.
The problem with the first job is it doesn't pay much more than I make now. But it has room to grow, whereas baring any significant expansion of the company, I am as high as I can go in my current position. But the area it is in has a higher cost of living. But once I'm there, it'll be easier to find something else in the area that could possibly pay even more.
But if the second job makes an offer, it's in an area that costs about the same as where I'm at, and it pays at least $5k more then I currently make, possibly even more. Which is exactly what I need.
The other consideration is my children. I currently live about an hour from them, so it's easy to see them. But their mother is dating someone from another state, and there is a good possibility that they may end up marrying and they'll be moving about 5 hours away. If I have to travel 5 or 6 hours to see them, it's just as easy to travel 12. Life is just entirely too complicated.
Finally we have my girlfriend. If I take job #1, I'll be about 3 1/2 hours from her. If I take job #2, I'll still be many hours from her, but I'll be able to afford to see her more often then I do now. And she's not going to stay where she's at forever, so moving all they way there for just a few years may be nice in the short term, but will it be better for us in the long term? I don't know. Do you? I wish you did, because it would make these decisions a lot easier.
So, one way or the other, I may be moving in the next couple of weeks. I just don't know if I'll be moving to the other end of the state I'm currently in, or possibly moving 12 hours away, to start a completely new life.
Update: Just as I was about to post this, I received email from the CEO of job #2. My phone interview is in 2 1/2 hours. Wish me luck, because it would be a great job.
Update #2: Well, job number one called and made me an offer. Lower then I can really afford to move for, but still respectable. I spoke with job #2, and there are some legal issues about whether I can even continue speaking with them or not, as they are a subsidiary of a company that we do business with and it's just a big mess. I won't even know if I can legally continue speaking with them until the middle of next week, and I have to give the first job and answer by Monday.
Here's the problem. The money isn't great, but the position is. It's the work I want to do, in the area in which I want to live, and it would give me great experience from which to move to the next job. Or to even climb the ladder there. But is it worth the short term discomfort of being very tight on money for the long term gain? That's what I need to figure out.
So, last week I got two nibbles. I followed up on one, interviewed with them on Friday, and found out today they want to make me an offer. It would be a nice change of pace. A larger company then I'm currently at, but still not a fortune 500 where you can get lost in the masses. I would be the number 3 guy in a team of 9, specializing in Information Security, incidence response and all security training. Stuff I love to do.
On my way to that interview on Friday I received email from the CEO of the other company, asking me what my salary range was. I sent him my range, and he replied that he would like to talk to me this week. I will have a phone interview with him either this afternoon or tomorrow. I'm waiting to hear back from him on the exact time.
The second job would be just as much fun for me. This company does risk assessment's, flying all over the country, spending 3-5 days with a company, depending on the size of the company, going over their policies, doing after-hours walk throughs to see if they can uncover any potential violations of those policies, and then they finish up with a couple of days of penetration testing. Again, all stuff I enjoy doing.
The problem with the first job is it doesn't pay much more than I make now. But it has room to grow, whereas baring any significant expansion of the company, I am as high as I can go in my current position. But the area it is in has a higher cost of living. But once I'm there, it'll be easier to find something else in the area that could possibly pay even more.
But if the second job makes an offer, it's in an area that costs about the same as where I'm at, and it pays at least $5k more then I currently make, possibly even more. Which is exactly what I need.
The other consideration is my children. I currently live about an hour from them, so it's easy to see them. But their mother is dating someone from another state, and there is a good possibility that they may end up marrying and they'll be moving about 5 hours away. If I have to travel 5 or 6 hours to see them, it's just as easy to travel 12. Life is just entirely too complicated.
Finally we have my girlfriend. If I take job #1, I'll be about 3 1/2 hours from her. If I take job #2, I'll still be many hours from her, but I'll be able to afford to see her more often then I do now. And she's not going to stay where she's at forever, so moving all they way there for just a few years may be nice in the short term, but will it be better for us in the long term? I don't know. Do you? I wish you did, because it would make these decisions a lot easier.
So, one way or the other, I may be moving in the next couple of weeks. I just don't know if I'll be moving to the other end of the state I'm currently in, or possibly moving 12 hours away, to start a completely new life.
Update: Just as I was about to post this, I received email from the CEO of job #2. My phone interview is in 2 1/2 hours. Wish me luck, because it would be a great job.
Update #2: Well, job number one called and made me an offer. Lower then I can really afford to move for, but still respectable. I spoke with job #2, and there are some legal issues about whether I can even continue speaking with them or not, as they are a subsidiary of a company that we do business with and it's just a big mess. I won't even know if I can legally continue speaking with them until the middle of next week, and I have to give the first job and answer by Monday.
Here's the problem. The money isn't great, but the position is. It's the work I want to do, in the area in which I want to live, and it would give me great experience from which to move to the next job. Or to even climb the ladder there. But is it worth the short term discomfort of being very tight on money for the long term gain? That's what I need to figure out.
Labels: all about me
Geez, Frank, I'm getting stressed out reading this. Life sure is complicated isn't it? Or do some of us just make it that way?
What does your gf say about it? And how far away from her are you right now? I'd lean towards saying don't move too far away from your girls, but you're right if they're moving anyway. . .traveling is traveling.
Well, hey, clearly I don't have the answers but good luck! :-)
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Anonymous |
12:40 PM