Need Advice...
 

So, I've been at my present job for 3 1/2 years and am very secure and have a great supervisory position, making good money. I bought a house 2 years ago. All of a sudden, a great opportunity to supervise an entire dept. and make more money has come up in New Orleans. I have an interview tomorrow but I'm pretty sure I will be offered the job just from our phone conversations. So, my question is this, what would you do? NOLA is about 3 hours away - away from friends, family, etc., cost of living is a little more and I know very little about where to live. However, it is a great opportunity for me to move to a bigger firm and get into a city that has great venues and things going on all the time. I'm torn. If I decide to go, it will be a whirlwind for a couple months as I get ready to move, but I don't want to let a good thing slip by. Of course, I could be counting by chickens before they hatch as they say...Thoughts?

That is a really hard decision to make.

At this point perhaps you could make a pro/con list? The pros and cons or staying versus living etc.

If you want to move up in your profession, can you eventually do that at your current place of employment or is leaving the only way to move up?

Three hours isn't horribly far away - but it would still be hard :nod: Good luck - and let us kknow what happens :)

This is one of the major cons - I really can't move up where I am. I have been very lucky to move up very quickly and have kind of hit a plateau.

Thanks for the advice.

By the way, I got your email and my reply was sent back for some reason, but I've got you down. Thanks.

Keep your current house as a rental if you can. That way if things don't work out you've got something to fall back on. I also wouldn't try to manage it as a rental property myself. Have a property management company manange it for you. Shop around and see who will give you the best deal. They usually want 5-10% of the monthly rent to do this for you. You can also cash out some equity for a down payment on a house in NOLA or you can rent for a while if you are unsure how it's gonna go. Either way, you still get the tax write off for the interest paid on your mortgage(s).
Good luck to you. :)

Umm...I never sent an email :shrug: :)

But yeah - that is definitely a major con if you eventually want to move up in your job - that's definitely something to consider...what are you leaning towards right now?

Should I stay or should I go??
 

wow - that is weird, I'll have to check my email and make sure but I'm almost positive it was you...maybe I dreamed it. lol

I'm leaning towards going to NOLA if they offer.

I totally agree. I'm 25 and have pretty much paid my way through college and life since I was 18 and I'm pretty good at making wise choices, not counting my Circuit City charge card :) - and I'm really feeling like this could be the start of a great thing and secretly I'm excited, but I don't want to get my hopes up just yet. I guess it all hinges on how tomorrow goes.

I love NOLA and lived there for many years. It is a fun city when you want it to be and you can also be quiet there and just enjoy the beauty.

As for work, you have to go where the chance for advancement is the greatest. I would also, as mentioned, rent your present house out - even if the monthly rent amount does not cover the whole cost of the house and everyone's situation should be assessed by a professional, you probably will make that back in tax deductions and the appreciated value of the house when you do sell it in the future. Plus, like Goldie said, you will have the option of moving back if things do not work out.

Best of Luck - and if you do move to NOLA - we MUST have cocktails the next time I am there, which is about every other month :cool:

YAY! that would be so much fun. I think this job would be like a total kick in the arse for my career - I feel like Heather Locklear on Melrose Place! ha. Thanks for the advice, it really helps and I appreciate it. Question - I have no clue where is safe/cheapest to live? I'd be working on Lafayette Street. I was looking at the Woodward Apts and they look really nice but are just barely out of what I'd like to pay, I can if I have to but I'd like to start out somewhere cheaper first given I'm not sure about other expenses.

I'll keep you guys updated.

OMG - the Woodward was a GREAT building when I lived there - very chi chi!!!!!!! Note - there are lots of those warehouse apts. in that area. If you get the job (fingers crossed :cool: ) - PM me and if you want I can give you some tips! I know a lot about NOLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good deal. Thanks again - and we must do drinks, my treat, if everything works out. (Fingers, toes, eyes crossed) :)

Well it's not like you're leaving the state. You are 3 hrs away from where you're at now? Not too bad. It's more money...and not only that but you'll have more responsibility which is always good. Then again, money isnt everything so if you truly dont want to leave your comfort zone, then stay where you're at. Sounds as if you're in some sort of sales, and as they say in that business, if you're not moving up you're moving backwards.

Hi,

I was about to ask your age, etc...but I see that you are only 25! If you get offered the job...MOVE! The only thing I could add would be to ask if they will cover your moving expenses. I assume they will, but sometimes you need to make sure. My husband's company pays a moving stipend, but my bil's company take's care of the works! Everything from calling the movers to helping make living arrangements in the new town. They even pay your rent/house payment for 6 months while waiting for your old house to sell!

I agree that you should keep the house you have now if at all possible since this is where your family is. You will certainly want someone to manage your property and the manager should properly screen and check references of your renters. That's important! Good luck with the interview! :woohoo:

Thanks for the advice. I'm actually a paralegal currently supervising about 7 other paralegals - and in the legal field it's rare that a paralegal really moves up. This position would be managing an entire mass tort dept., which is a huge thing in our world.

thanks for the advice. I will ask them tomorrow about covering the expenses, but I doubt they plan on doing that, although one thing is that they called me knowing that I live 3 hours away - maybe they will take that into consideration. thanks for the good wishes.

Did you read the thread on the Rumours board about our biggest Fleetwood Mac regrets? Most of them were about things we DIDN'T do not about things we did.

Gail

I didn't, but that pretty much describes a lot of the anxiety I have. I don't want to make the wrong decision, but I don't want to look back in 5-10 years and wonder where I'd be had I moved. Thanks for your thoughts.

thanks Hill - I've thought about living in Metairie or somewhere similar. Lots of things running through my head.

What you just said right there is an indicator of what you need to do then. Don't NOT do something because you're anxious or scared about it, especially if you feel you might wonder about it or regret it down the road. I'm only 25 and there are tons of things I wish I had done to change where I'm at now. Hindsight is a beeyotch.

If you have no room for advancement in your current company, I would definitely go for it. As stressful as it is, I usually view change as a positive thing. You will begin a new chapter in your life. In my personal experience I have never learned or gained anything from playing it safe. It is all about taking chances, which can be very scary, but also very exciting.

Everything you say about this job and your new location sounds phenomenal to me. I say go for it. It sounds like that is what you want but you are a little scared which is normal. But, feel the fear and do it anyway! And I swear I am not saying this so I'll have someone to visit in Nawluns. ;)

ha! if everything works out, you'll always have a place to stay. we'll hit prada and louis vuitton and party it up on bourbon.

No suh! Sounds like a dream. :D I was there once but during Mardi Gras so I want to go again at a time when it is a little bit easier to get around the city.

sounds good - I'll keep you updated and promise not to stay in the queer bars the ENTIRE time. HA

Before you can make this decision you need a strong sense of the new company. Do you like the people there? Have you met many of them? Will your opinions be valued? Is morale high? These things are huge factors to me - relationships can make or break a job, especially when you're new to a city.

- Jake

Very true. I have met one of the named partners and she is very sweet - as far as the firm goes, never really met anyone else to get an idea as to how they operate, etc. I guess I'll get that tomorrow. One good thing is that they represent 2 clients I specifically represent now so I have great relationships with those and understand their extranets...what are the odds of that?!