How do I weigh personal and professional considerations when deciding to relocate for a job?

October 4, 2007 11:44 AM

How do I weigh personal and professional considerations when deciding to relocate for a job?

Just got a job offer from a popular company for a salary that is twice what I make now. The down side is that it is in private industry (I'm in academia currently), and it is across the country.


The position is about data analysis, which is what I'm doing now, but the area of application is different. Also, although I'm only 24 and don't have a family, I've lived in this city for 6 years and I really don't want to relocate.

If the decision was just between two comparable jobs, I could weigh the pros and cons, evaluate the risks, and choose. Unfortunately, there is potential long term career impact, as the academic track that I'm on might be hard to get back to later. The most difficult aspect, however, is leaving behind the friends and city that I'm in right now. I can't seem to think positively of the opportunity as and can only seem to focus on the sad fact of leaving my home here.

How do others approach decisions like these?

posted by ebroil to work & money (9 comments total)

The money can buy you new friends. The old ones... that are really friends.... you'll keep those regardless.

To me, the only consideration is how strongly you feel about reentering the academic track. I bet once you get a taste of the money you'll never go back.

Yeah, there's more to it than money, but 24 is too young to be as settled as you sound. After turning 24 I moved from L.A. to Texas to Detroit and back to Texas. I would say it's a good idea to see more of the world, or at least the country.
posted by Doohickie at 11:54 AM on October 4, 2007

Academia does not pay. You will need that money for a family and yourself. I'd take that money and run with it. I'm 15 years older than you and maybe see things from a different perspective, however, YRMV.
posted by Ironmouth at 11:59 AM on October 4, 2007

i think it's pretty hard to burn all your bridges this early in your career, so i wouldn't worry about that.

but, if you like what you do and the direction your current job is taking you, and you don't mind the salary, then why move? money is wonderful to have, but money alone wouldn't tempt me away from a life i loved.

that said, you did apply for the job in the first place, right? what prompted you to do that? some part of you must surely be curious about living elsewhere. adventures are always good, and this sounds like a profitable one. do you think you'd regret not giving it a chance?

i really don't think you can make a wrong decision here. it boils down to the kind of life you want--maybe the new job will open more doors, maybe not.
posted by thinkingwoman at 12:04 PM on October 4, 2007

Take the job, work for a couple of years, then decide if you want to get a Ph.D. From what I understand (granted, I'm in a different field than you), you won't get far in academia without one.

Ten years from now you don't want to be in the same place wondering what would have happened if you had taken that job.

Besides, if you make the move and aren't happy, you can always quit and move back. Go for it!
posted by emd3737 at 12:05 PM on October 4, 2007

Where do you live and where is the new job? Those are pretty important factors that will impact a lot of answers.
posted by PFL at 1:01 PM on October 4, 2007

Two food-for-thoughty questions:

1. Why does it matter if it's a "popular" company? Would your decision or your considerations be different if the company was one that people had never heard of?

2. Are you motivated enough by money to leave behind a place that you say you really like, even if it is only a shortish-term relocation and you intend to return?

I can only speak for myself, but in my career (entirely in the corporate world, no academia), I've found that the decisions that have made me the unhappiest are the ones that I based solely on monetary factors.

If you feel that torn about leaving your hometown/friends, I wouldn't recommend it - even if you come back, it'll be different when you come back. It won't be like you never left.

One small anecdote to leave you with - I left Seattle in 2001, intending to work on the East Coast for a couple years, come back, buy a condo, and get on with my life. It's now 2007 and I spent my time back east, but now I live in Portland, OR and have no plans to leave (and this is a good thing). So don't assume that if you leave you will come back, because life doesn't always work like that. Just something to think about.
posted by pdb at 1:18 PM on October 4, 2007

Is the social life you built over the last 6 years in your current city really something you don't think you'd be able to replicate anywhere else? You were able to make friends and build a happy life over the last 6 years, so why wouldn't you be able to do the same in a new city? I'd take the money. If you're unhappy, move back.
posted by HotPatatta at 3:33 PM on October 4, 2007

I've done the same sort of thing a few times, here are some things to consider:

- Is there a good job market for your field where you are now? If so you can probably find a job that pays as much or close to as much nearer to home. Don't jump on this offer just because it's good money.

- Compare the costs of living between the two cities before you accept the job. Make sure you know (near)exactly how much more money is going to actually be going in to your pocket each month after taxes.

- You will be back to square one in terms of friends. Your social life is probably going to be sub-par for 6-months to a year unless you're real good at making friends. (There's a good number of ask mefi questions about making friends in new cities if you want to see what kind of problems people have with this, and ways to jump-start the process)

- You will spend roughly 40 hours per week at work, and roughly 60 hours a week outside of work. Make sure you have something to take up those 60 hours or you'll be miserable even if you love your job.

- Will the new town support your hobbies? For example, I moved from a town with three hockey rinks to one with six, BUT none of the rinks have stick-times at reasonable evening or weekend hours so I play a lot less hockey now despite the number of rinks in the area.

- Try to make sure you're not contract bound to stay there for a long period of time if you can avoid it. If you're miserable and you're kept in the job by a signing bonus or apartment lease you can't afford to break/payback then you'll just be twice as miserable until you can leave.

- Figure out what your commute is going to be like. You might have a 20 minute drive at 2pm in the afternoon and a two hour commute at 9am. Some metro areas just have a lot worse traffic than others.

I guess what it boils down to is doing your homework. Figure out everything you can about how this is going to change your life before you make the decision, and leave yourself a way out if you make the wrong decision. And remember, if they made you a great offer, it's because you're a great person and you can probably get another great offer if you don't take this one.
posted by hamhed at 8:53 PM on October 4, 2007

You asked "how to approach this."

I look at not just what the benefits are...but what my fears are.

You're afraid of the new job - it's different and you may not succeed
You're afraid of the new city - it's strange.
You're afraid you'll have no friends (and you won't for a little)
You're afraid for your future - you're 'giving' up academia (except your not - people go into the 'real world' all the time and come back.
You're afraid to say 'it's the money' - and selling yourself to the devil

Here's how I see it:
You're 24, and there is nothing forcing you to stay where you are (no wife/child/serious gf)
There's money involved, enough that you can really bank some of it away.
Learning a second city shows you that cities are all alike (and different), it expands your horizons.
You'll get a chance to make new friends (and learn about how people are different and the same in different cities. )
Academia will see you as more valuable with real world experience.
You'll find whatever the 'attitude' is with the popular company, it's complete different inside the real walls.
posted by filmgeek at 9:43 PM on October 4, 2007