Make a Decision

[JonBoy]

Since steveny needs something to spice up the site, I thought I'd throw out a little "scenario" that I recently went through to see what most people would have done.

Setting: A small Texas town of 34K people, working a relatively high-paying job with a company for 4.5 years, #3 engineer in the division, interesting work with good benefits. Have been promoted once, am in a very stable company, and have good prospects to move up. Have a wife and two kids at home and the wife doesn't work a paying job (by my choice) so we are a single-income faimly. Closest relatives are 2.5 hours away by car, then another 10 hours by car to the next closest. No grandparents closer than 1500 miles. Cheap housing, well-established schools, and lots of potential "fun" due to racetracks, warm weather (in colder months)

The Problem: Family is too far away. We only see my parents (living in Canada) once a year, if we're lucky, and my wife sees her parents maybe three times a year (they live in California). My kids don't know their cousins or grandparents or aunts/uncles very well at all. Even visiting my sister and her family happens just three or four times a year.

The Proposed Solution: Move to Canada and start up with a new company. One particular company is very interested in me but has not yet committed. Pay would be roughly equal from a standard of living perspective, perhaps slightly less given the higher cost of living in Canada.

The Twist: A week prior to my final interview with the new company, my company offers me the Chief Engineer position for a recent acquisition in Houston. Pay jumps considerably, benefits and bonuses accordingly, and I become the youngest Chief Engineer in company history with a fast-track to senior executive management (I'd be working daily with VPs and the CEO). However, I am then farther from family and church (two major parts of my life), will be working longer hours, and have to make a two-year commitment to the job. I have to give an answer within two days.

Keep in mind, I do not even have an offer from the other company at this point, much less any idea of whether they'll cover relocation costs, incurred additional moving expenses, etc, etc...

What do you do? Do you take the Chief Engineer position with the higher salary and career opportunities and suck up the "no family" aspect for two years (at a minimum)? Or do you turn it down and hope to get an offer where you ultimately want to live?

Once a bunch of people vote, I'll tell you what path I chose and why I chose it. This is not an advice thread (I made my decision already and have committed to the path I'm on) but rather one to see what kind of decision most in here would make.

 

[DRIFTER]

Now is not the time to go looking for a job. Stick with what is working now. The job you have now seems promising with room for advancement.

Unless you have a job skill that is not affected by the economy.

 

[Hrant]

I believe you need to do a bit more of due diligence before concluding. Such as, how stable is your company? Hos stable is the acquisition and what are the projections for the future in terms of the product's viability? Did your company make this acquisition to boost revenue for potential future sale of the company? Is your company going public, is it publicly traded company ......

In this economy, a higher paying job is great if it has some prospects of being stable. But what type of severance package are they offering if things change? Usually mid to upper level management get 6 mos of severance pay with full benefits. If they want 2 years commitment from you, what are they offering in terms of severance?

I agree with your priorities re family life/church. It is a tough balance especially if the children are young. How far is Houston from where you are? If you are looking for the future with college expenses looming, etc., two years of sacrifice is not a big deal - especially if you focus on quality time when you are available; your wife being stay home mom offers a balance.

Having said this, when I had the option with out of town lucrative offers, I stayed put because of the children. Never regretted it.

 

[JonBoy]

Now is not the time to go looking for a job. Stick with what is working now. The job you have now seems promising with room for advancement.

Unless you have a job skill that is not affected by the economy.

Turning down the promotion would not affect my current job. I would merely continue in my current role indefinitely until another opportunity within the company arose or I got an offer to move elsewhere. I would not move without a written and signed job offer.

 

[gleibig]

I would save my dog. errr, wait....wrong thread. :redface:

 

[JonBoy]

I believe you need to do a bit more of due diligence before concluding. Such as, how stable is your company? Hos stable is the acquisition and what are the projections for the future in terms of the product's viability? Did your company make this acquisition to boost revenue for potential future sale of the company? Is your company going public, is it publicly traded company ......

The company I am with is 108 years old, ie, very stable. The acquisition is also very stable, though relatively young, and has excellent margins, a growing market, and plenty of talent. It was acquired during the downturn as a means of boosting our corporate bottom line for a moderate outlay of cash up front.

My current employer is already publicly traded.

In this economy, a higher paying job is great if it has some prospects of being stable. But what type of severance package are they offering if things change? Usually mid to upper level management get 6 mos of severance pay with full benefits. If they want 2 years commitment from you, what are they offering in terms of severance?

If things change, I would probably step back to my old position or make a lateral move to the main branch of the company. I would not need to worry about severance as they tend to just move people around if things don't work out.

I agree with your priorities re family life/church. It is a tough balance especially if the children are young. How far is Houston from where you are? If you are looking for the future with college expenses looming, etc., two years of sacrifice is not a big deal - especially if you focus on quality time when you are available; your wife being stay home mom offers a balance.

Having said this, when I had the option with out of town lucrative offers, I stayed put because of the children. Never regretted it.

Houston is two hours from where I live currently. My current employer would move my family and I to Houston at their expense, so my family (wife and kids) would be with me the whole time I was working there. I would merely have longer hours and also be a lot farther away from family that is within driving distance. There would not really be a possible future in Canada, however.

 

[bambbrose]

I was in a very similar situation recently.

When I finished school I had made a great impression on my company, so they put me on the fast track to be VP of Engineering when the current VP retired (he is 68). Pay was great for the area but work was hard and company wasn't the most healthy.

The second option was to be the #2 engineer at a plant 1800 miles away for a completely different company in a completely different field. Pay was significantly more but no family, no friends, etc. Plus side is this company is extremely healthy, no debt company wide, sales growth even in 08-09, etc.

I ended up picking the healthier company as I see job security as the most important factor at this time. I'm actually packing up the moving truck as we speak:smile:

I also wanted to add that your poll results are going to be significantly skewed due to the wording of the question/answers. Maybe a career as a pollster?:biggrin:

 

[Matt_337]

Stay in Houston Jon and get another S2000 to start tracking with the Lonestar S2kca guys :biggrin:

 

[docjohn]

If you are young and money is more important than closeness to Canada go to houston.Besides there are two airports near houston:wink: In this economy people must reset thier work expectations,you have an oportunity to advance...take it.moving to a new company puts you in unchartered waters .You have no idea what the personal agendas of those ahead of you are....

 

[JonBoy]

Stay in Houston Jon and get another S2000 to start tracking with the Lonestar S2kca guys :biggrin:

That's actually a big perk. Immediate access to racetracks, especially since my Dad would love to spend some time down here in the summer with his racecars.

 

[JonBoy]

If you are young and money is more important than closeness to Canada go to houston.Besides there are two airports near houston:wink: In this economy people must reset thier work expectations,you have an oportunity to advance...take it.moving to a new company puts you in unchartered waters .You have no idea what the personal agendas of those ahead of you are....

The opportunity for growth with the new company is equally good, just not necessarily as immediate because I wouldn't have a "reputation" there yet. So my growth could be slightly set back (in terms of timing), primarily due to lack of time with the company. However, the position and group I would be with are headed towards substantial gains with increasing responsibility for me. The potential position is very much a forward-looking one with plenty of opportunity to jump up the corporate ladder.

Personal agendas don't bother me much. I move ahead by making my bosses look good, regardless of what they think of me. However, I have yet to have an idiot for a boss.

 

[Hrant]

That's actually a big perk. Immediate access to racetracks, especially since my Dad would love to spend some time down here in the summer with his racecars.

You just made your decision! Anytime you have such opportunity with your parents that is priceless bonding. That is why at times I take my children to the track with me :tongue:

 

[kookoo4nsx]

Stay with your company. Job satisfaction is soooooooooooooo low for 90+% of all employees. You like your job and obviously MANAGEMENT LIKES YOU! Don't screw up your career.

Also with the raise you can afford to fly your parents down at least twice a year.

One time I almost traded in my NSX for a porsche cabrio. It looked sexy, was fast and "new" I was blinded by the newness of it. Now that I look back, I will never ever be that stupid again.

My industry is full of people that jump around from company to company. All in all most admit they should have just stayed where they trained. (stockbroker)

 

[JonBoy]

You just made your decision! Anytime you have such opportunity with your parents that is priceless bonding. That is why at times I take my children to the track with me :tongue:

If I got the job in Canada, I'd have immediate access to my dad and his racecars and we could race regularly through the summer. He offered me one of his cars to ice race in the winter if I want, as well, plus full access to the same car for road racing in the summer (actual racing, not just HPDEs).

 

[JonBoy]

Stay with your company. Job satisfaction is soooooooooooooo low for 90+% of all employees. You like your job and obviously MANAGEMENT LIKES YOU! Don't screw up your career.

Also with the raise you can afford to fly your parents down at least twice a year.

One time I almost traded in my NSX for a porsche cabrio. It looked sexy, was fast and "new" I was blinded by the newness of it. Now that I look back, I will never ever be that stupid again.

My industry is full of people that jump around from company to company. All in all most admit they should have just stayed where they trained. (stockbroker)

Good point. The bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

However, seeing my parents and other family only a few times a year is not exactly what we're looking for. The big reason to move to Canada would be to have constant, immediate access to family. It's tough having a birthday for my daughter and not having anyone from our family there.

However, you're saying job satisfaction takes priority above overall family happiness. Is that fair to my family?

 

[Vega$ NSX]

Pop quiz hotshot, eh? It's really aboooot this, oh yah, eh? Do you really want to be known as Canadian, doncha know, eh?

 

[jaybird]

I'd go with the promotion. Tough and uncertain economic environment out there, and likely to stay sluggish for awhile. Fast-tracking upward at a company you like, with a pay raise sounds good.

When I was a little kid, our relatives were on the East Coast, and we were in L.A. But every year, at a minimum, my Dad took us across country to see the relatives - you could do the same.

Sounds like a great opportunity - not many of them around lately...! Keep us apprised of your decision, and good luck :smile: Jay

 

[JonBoy]

Pop quiz hotshot, eh? It's really aboooot this, oh yah, eh? Do you really want to be known as Canadian, doncha know, eh?

I am Canadian (to borrow the phrase from Molson). I don't say "eh", though. I did say "aboot", according to friends in Louisiana, but I think that's died away a bit.

 

[Matt_337]

"No worries"

 

[JonBoy]

I'd go with the promotion. Tough and uncertain economic environment out there, and likely to stay sluggish for awhile. Fast-tracking upward at a company you like, with a pay raise sounds good.

When I was a little kid, our relatives were on the East Coast, and we were in L.A. But every year, at a minimum, my Dad took us across country to see the relatives - you could do the same.

Sounds like a great opportunity - not many of them around lately...! Keep us apprised of your decision, and good luck :smile: Jay

Playing devil's advocate, would having interest from another company in the midst of this tough economy not also point to some demand for my services? Would it reduce some of that uncertainty, in your opinion?

Enjoying a company but never being able to move back to family seems to be a conflict of two significant priorities. That's the real question: do you pick the immediate promotion with excellent prospects or do you take a risk on choosing family and trust for another job in your preferred location in the near future with the other company?

 

[UnhuZ]

Hi,

I voted for the possibility of the new job (or at least, no 2 year obligation period)

i don't think money is everything in life, and there are things far more important and unvaluable.... like family and friends .... as long as i have enough to live well with no problems, i don't see the need to make some sacrifices to earn more.

Nuno

 

[robr]

I would stay put. Use the extra $$ to visit the family more often. And you haven't even mentioned trading TX weather for Canadian weather . At least you can drive the NSX year round right now.

 

[JonBoy]

I would stay put. Use the extra $$ to visit the family more often. And you haven't even mentioned trading TX weather for Canadian weather . At least you can drive the NSX year round right now.

I only get two weeks of vacation with my current job. I would probably get the same if I switched jobs. Kind of tough to do any sort of lengthy visit more than once a year.

The possibility of flying them in to see us is real, of course, but it doesn't do much in day-to-day living.

Canadian weather is certainly less car-friendly than in Texas. That said, I do love ice hockey and skiing so the winter isn't that bad. I'd call it "even" in terms of enjoyment, though I don't think I'd buy a convertible if I lived up there.

 

[LoveNSXs]

Well, as strange as I may be (and poo on me for being like this), I really don't feel THAT close to my family and don't feel it necessary to see them that often, hence, my choice of taking the promotion. Call me selfish, but I'm about improving myself.

when will you reveal your choice to us? :smile:

 

[JonBoy]

I'll reveal it when we've kind of run out of responses. I'd imagine a day or two, at most. I want to give people a chance to weigh in with their suggestion.