Need advice on a job offer

[TangoJuliet]

Hello everyone....I was hoping I could get some advice on a life changing move I am about to make.

Here is a brief story of my life.

I been working for a private company the past 4+ years. We are contracted out by the US government. About 2 years into the job I felt that I was capable enough of doing the government side of the job so I went back to school to get certified.

I graduated in May and was offered the government job but in Atlanta. I currently live in New York....I just got married 3 weeks ago and purchased a home a little over a month ago. The job offer came much quicker then anyone expected. Usually it takes anywhere from 8 months to 2 years. I figured that I would be able to continue at my current job for a little while longer...and get comfortable being married and living in my new place. We just purchased new furniture, made some repairs to the home and really dont feel like moving right now.

If I turn down the government offer then I can never be hired again. Oh, and my start date is September 28, 2006....so there is no time to think about it. I would have to put my 2 weeks notice into my current job and then put my home up for rent/sale.

My wife is a school teacher in a private school here in NY. She will probably move down to GA in December well after the school year has started down there...so it might be hard to find a job.

Currently I make $69,000 with a max of about $75,000
If I take the government job I will start at $31,500 but the max will be $89,000 without overtime. It is based on performance and how much I can learn. I cannot go into details at this time but the max can be achieved in about 2-5 years.

What would you do? Keep in mind that I have to be trained for 3 months by the government in a different state....then I'd be able to move to Atlanta. I would not be able to see my wife for those 3 months I am being trained. While I am in the other state my pay will be $8/hr....barely enough to get by let along support a wife and the house. We have enough in our savings however to cover the reduced pay for those 3 months.

Thanks!

 

[KingGheedora]

Why can'tyou ever be hired again if you turn it down? Seriously, tell them your situation, they may reconsider or consider you in the future. It doesn't make sense.

You can't go now from having two people bringing in probably 100K+, to one person bringing in 31K for who knows how long.

 

[TangoJuliet]

Originally posted by: KingGheedora
Why can'tyou ever be hired again if you turn it down? Seriously, tell them your situation, they may reconsider or consider you in the future. It doesn't make sense.

You can't go now from having two people bringing in probably 100K+, to one person bringing in 31K for who knows how long.

once the offer is turned down i cannot be hired again. i dont make up the rules and the government doesnt bend them.

our household income is about 101,000. if we move it would be reduced to 31,500 assuming my wife doesnt get a job. however we would be living in the south where things are much cheaper. i can get a bedroom apt for around $600-700 there. My current mortgage is $2000/m.

 

[DaveSimmons]

It sounds like you should be talking this over with your wife rather than us, but anyway:

You must really want this government job since you went back to school for it and are willing to take a massive pay cut for the first couple of years.

It's up to the two of you whether your happiness in getting the job you want is worth the short-term disruptions.

 

[TangoJuliet]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
It sounds like you should be talking this over with your wife rather than us, but anyway:

You must really want this government job since you went back to school for it and are willing to take a massive pay cut for the first couple of years.

It's up to the two of you whether your happiness in getting the job you want is worth the short-term disruptions.

we talked about it all day yesterday (the day the offer was made)....yes, i really wanted the job as I spent the last 2 years going back to school for it. a couple of my friends I went to college with had majors that allowed them to get the job after school. they waited around 2 years after school just to get the job.....so that was my thinking....wait about 2 years....but they offered it to me only 3 months out of school.

we are both torn about what to do. we both think it would be in our best interest financially to make the move to atlanta but we dont want to leave our families, friends to something unknown. we are comfortable and happy where we are but we will continue to struggle where we are if we dont move.

i also dont want to regret not taking the job in 20 years...

 

[miniMUNCH]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
It sounds like you should be talking this over with your wife rather than us, but anyway:

You must really want this government job since you went back to school for it and are willing to take a massive pay cut for the first couple of years.

It's up to the two of you whether your happiness in getting the job you want is worth the short-term disruptions.

Pretty much exactly what he said... if it is what you AND your wife really want the short term hassle and temporary drop in income are probably completely worth it.

 

[imported_KuJaX]

I guess it depends if you really truly feel this government job would be a better fit for you personally. Not just money-wise, but lifestyle, enjoyability, etc. You should also primarly talk to your wife about this decision, as I agree, this will change your life. Regardless, everything will pan out just fine as long as you aren't a ding dong

 

[TXHokie]

Looking back, I tend to regret the things I didn't do more than the things I did. Sounds like you really like the goverment job so if your wife is ok and back you up, I'd go for it. The good things don't come easy.
(To be fair my wife and I left our comfort zone from an expensive city where our family were to go south where standard of living is cheaper to start family on our own - never regretted it. Cheaper living allow my wife to be stay at home mom with just me working)

 

[TangoJuliet]

Originally posted by: TXHokie
Looking back, I tend to regret the things I didn't do more than the things I did. Sounds like you really like the goverment job so if your wife is ok and back you up, I'd go for it. The good things don't come easy.
(To be fair my wife and I left our comfort zone from an expensive city where our family were to go south where standard of living is cheaper to start family on our own - never regretted it. Cheaper living allow my wife to be stay at home mom with just me working)

the thing is I dont think my wife wants to move. she has a lot of friends up here as well as her job. she said she would support the move as it would benefit both of us in the future but i dont think she will be happy.

 

[KLin]

Personally, I wouldn't take a 38,000 dollar paycut to make an extra 15k in 2-5 years. I'd hold out for something better.

 

[doze]

Take the job. You never have to worry about job security and you will actually be able to retire at the normal age. Cost of living in Atlants isn't bad and from your description it sounds like the pay is crappy at first to make sure they don't waste time with people who don't really want the job.

What is the job?

 

[TangoJuliet]

Originally posted by: doze
Take the job. You never have to worry about job security and you will actually be able to retire at the normal age. Cost of living in Atlants isn't bad and from your description it sounds like the pay is crappy at first to make sure they don't waste time with people who don't really want the job.

What is the job?

i am not at liberty to discuss what the job is sorry.

also found out that my training is not 3 months but 4. my wife also is not eligible for my benefits while I am in training.

we still cannot make up our minds. we want to move because it will benefit us in the long term. but we are both very comfortable where we are now. we dont want to leave our family and friends but in the long term we may be forced to move because we cant afford to live in NY any longer.

 

[fbrdphreak]

What long term growth does your current job have? Any growth in the same current industry with other companies?

How much more do you want this new job over the current one?

Personally I would stay put. If you're happy with NY and current job, you're set there for a while. Just work on getting yourself advanced in your current industry and go from there.

But then again I'm not one who takes much unnecessary risk, even for a potential gain; esp when you have it pretty well set like you do now.

 

[AbsolutZero]

We could help if we at least had the basic type of work you'd be doing. I work for the Federal Gov't and moved my family out of their comfort zone from the midwest to to Atlanta. The cost of living is the same if not higher, but the community we live in is outstanding and its right next to the office. Job security is a plus being Federal, plus it seems to be more fair with regard to who gets the promotion and who doesn't compared with the private sector. Looking back, my wife and I are happy we moved.

 

[TangoJuliet]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
What long term growth does your current job have? Any growth in the same current industry with other companies?

How much more do you want this new job over the current one?

Personally I would stay put. If you're happy with NY and current job, you're set there for a while. Just work on getting yourself advanced in your current industry and go from there.

But then again I'm not one who takes much unnecessary risk, even for a potential gain; esp when you have it pretty well set like you do now.

For my current job - there is potential for advancement. There are 5 positions above me - 4 of them are taken by people who are in their mid career. Unless they leave or get fired it would be atleast 15 years or so before I can get their jobs. We have a main office in Annapolis, VA which I am sure I can get a management position if I am sucessful at the job I just applied for. Managers also get $3000/yr in tuition re-embursement so if I wanted to go back to school to get my MBA they would pay for most of it (assuming I can take it slow).

I am also 27 years old and getting the experience as well as putting it on my resume is priceless. I think if I was able to stay a manager at my company for 5 years I would have enough saved up and enough experience to get another job within the industry.

I dont like NY....but i do like that my family and friends are here. I also do not like my job but think I would like it more as a manager.

 

[TangoJuliet]

Originally posted by: AbsolutZero
We could help if we at least had the basic type of work you'd be doing. I work for the Federal Gov't and moved my family out of their comfort zone from the midwest to to Atlanta. The cost of living is the same if not higher, but the community we live in is outstanding and its right next to the office. Job security is a plus being Federal, plus it seems to be more fair with regard to who gets the promotion and who doesn't compared with the private sector. Looking back, my wife and I are happy we moved.

It has to do with the FAA and TSA. Cant go into any more details then that - and no I am not a baggage screener or air marshall.

 

[TangoJuliet]

little update

there were 4 managment positions open in which 10 people including myself applied for

I was not selected. However they offered the job to 3 people that have been with the company for 15+ years and 1 guy that has been with the company for 6 months. They claimed he had an amazing interview. Me and him basically have the same background but I have an extra degree and been with the company longer. This decision by our manangement to hire someone with basically no experience over 6 other people has gotten other employees enraged. I personally dont have anything against the employee that got hired yet I do feel a little bitter towards the company. Not sure why they would hire someone they dont know anything about then someone they have seen for the past 5 years. It just makes me not want to go the extra mile any more.

Also found out that they were offered $79,500/yr with a max of $102,000 and that 2 of the people that were offered the position will decline the offer. I still have a shot at the job but I'm not sure if I still want it if I'm basically 2nd fiddle.

 

[yllus]

I sure as hell wouldn't drop from $69,000 to $31,500 if the max is only $89,000. You want to lose out on at least $35,000 for the possibility of making another $15,000 later on?

 

[TangoJuliet]

the only reason I am considering it is because of the job security/benefits as well as the cost of living in ATL will be less then NY

 

[yllus]

Yeah, I thought about that as soon as I hit the button to post. Cost of living could make a major difference.

 

[icefhishin]

i say take the job and the $8 a hour during training, the real benefit of the new job is time away from the wife!!!

hell, i would go work for burger king if they payed me $8 an hour and moved me away from the wife.

 

[thepd7]

Originally posted by: yllus
Yeah, I thought about that as soon as I hit the button to post. Cost of living could make a major difference.

HUGE difference! If I made $100k in NY it would be less than if I made $50k here in Texas. I am sure atlanta is similar if not cheaper since I at least do live in a well populated area (North Dallas). If I moved to the outskirts it would be even cheaper.

 

[ebaycj]

Originally posted by: KLin
Personally, I wouldn't take a 38,000 dollar paycut to make an extra 15k in 2-5 years. I'd hold out for something better.

TRUE THAT !

Figure it this way: 69000 with a 5% raise every year = 75000 in 1.5 years.

That means that you have 1.5 years to find a new job with a base salary over 75000 and similar salary overhead (90k), before you start losing out due to your salary cap.

That should be easy in New York.

 

[TangoJuliet]

NY job salary would start between $69,000-79,500 and max out at $102,000

The Atlanta job would start at $31,500 and max out at $89,000

The Atlanta job would increase to about $51,000 after 2 years then go to $64,000 after 3 and then up to the max at around 4-5 years.

Even though it does seem like a huge paycut the cost of living really puts both jobs almost even.

Renting a apt in atlanta would cost around $600-700/m while my condo in NY is $2000/m. We would be saving some money there by doing that and then when my salary gets up to speed we can buy something.

I just dont know what to do at this point.....but I do feel a little burned by not getting the 1st offer....makes me what to take the job and shove it up their asses.