Let’s get WAAAAAAAY ahead of ourselves here for a moment.
There is a very interesting dilemma on the horizon that, with any luck, could be playing itself out in the next couple of weeks.
Last night, I was cruising the internet job sites and found a couple of local jobs that speak to my experience.
If I am being honest, I would say that both jobs are a major step back in what used to be called my career.
The good news here is that both jobs are local.
That means that my kids stay in their same school and activities, my wife keeps her current job and our life returns to somewhat of what it used to be before getting laid off.
I’m sure both local jobs pay MUCH less than the job I had here before, but I'm sure we would find a way to make it work.
Scenario #2 is a lot more complicated.
There is a lead on a job -- which is just that at the moment, a lead on a job -- but if it plays out, it would be a SIGNIFICANT step up.
Then again, based on my current employment status, just about anything would be a significant step up.
As for this new job lead, next week I am scheduled to meet with the President of a very established company... ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTRY.
Now don’t get me wrong, I am not afraid to relocate, and I have plenty of practice of doing it.
As a kid, we moved a half-dozen times or more, living on both sides of this great nation.
In fact, I ended up going to four different high schools in three different cities on two different coasts.
As an adult, I moved West to East, 3,000 miles away, then seven years later, moved East back to West, then five years later, we moved again.
Personally, I have enjoyed all of the changes and opportunities to meet new people, but sometimes the NEW people didn’t enjoy meeting me.
Like my first day of 10th grade at my New Jersey High School when this California kid accidentally walked into the girl’s locker room. I was looking for the gym, but made a wrong turn... and a wrong first impression.
Somehow I survived.
I think it was Sophocles or Dylan who once said that history is usually our best guide and in my case, I feel like all this talk about moving is dejavu all over again.
When I was nine, my dad took a job, a good job, so that we could return to the city where we used to live. In doing so, he left the opportunity of his lifetime.
That new job for him was a VERY good one, in a city that we definitely loved, but as fate would have it, less than three years later, he was unemployed, through no fault of his own.
That sounds familiar.
He regretted that move for 22 years, until a massive heart attack claimed his life.
I’m certainly not implying that the two events are related, but now as an unemployed adult with three children, I have a much better understanding of what that decision must’ve done to him.
Looking back, I know for a fact that my mom and I pressured him, not intentionally, to take the “lesser” job so that we could get back to our hometown, a decision that I wish I could take back.
My wife and kids have made it clear that they are willing to move wherever it would take to make me happy and I know that’s the truth.
But IF there is a way to stay where we are at, that would be their choice number one.
Like I said, we are WAY too early in this new game, to make any decisions, but in the end the choice may come down to staying here in a job or moving across the country for a career.
I know how my dad would vote.
3 comments:
Good luck in whatever you decide to do should you have to decide between a local and "other side of the country" job. Tough choise to make but better than having no choice to make at all
Even though you tried to mitigate it with a disclaimer, your putdown of honest hard work "mowing lawns" shows a subtle bigotry in that area. I'm a college grad and mensa member. Guess what I do for a living? I was unemployed in the recession of '91 and got disgusted at relying on the kindness of strangers for for job in management. I started my own business to create a job for myself and liked it so much I stayed with it. 18 years later I drive a luxury car, a nice truck, own a house with a beautiful view on 2 acres, have no debts, plenty of cash, work 9 months a year, travel all winter, and oh yeah, I still have a secure job despite the downturn. Think about how you subconciously disparage hard work, maybe there's an (unconventional) solution for your own problem there somewhere. If you can put aside what your peers and family would think about it, of course.
To Mr. or Mrs. Anonymous...
I meant no disrespect to landscapers, lawn mowers or anybody else who works their rear end off to make a living.
It was a poor attempt at making light of my working situation.
I apologize for being insensitive and appreciate your feedback.
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