Considering Leaving Atlanta to Florida (Alpharetta, Between: homes, job market, buy)

[maystaurus]

Hi, I need advise thank you in advance. I moved to Atlanta 6 years ago for work. I am extremely lonely and homesick. I don't have any family or friends here. I am literally living in here for work. I am an IT Architect and I'm 27, in my job, I’m usually the youngest by a long shot. I tried hanging out with some of my co-workers but the activities that they like doesn’t necessarily fit my interest. I work about 70-80 hours a week and usually higher demand on holidays which makes it extremely difficult to fly home FL. I haven’t spent any holiday season with my family during the duration of my 6 years here. I know some may say to get out and try, my job is in Alpharetta (like 30 mins North of Atlanta W/O Traffic and about an hour and 20 mins W/Traffic). By the time I get off work, I am extremely tired. I’ve tried going to a random bar like the movies, I always seem like the weird person that sits by themselves. I've tried meetup, Eventbrite, facebook and any other social hangout app out there but its just extremely difficult for me to make any friends here. I am so homesick, I find myself crying during every family event that my family host in Florida because I can never attend.

Don’t get me wrong I think Atlanta is a great city, it has provided me a great job and a great salary, but I find it's not really a city for me. Like I said, I’m only here for work, and work takes up a large chunk of my life. It’s a job worth being lonely and depressed?

I'm considering moving back to Florida but I’m scared I won’t be able to find a job or security that I’ve seen in Atlanta.

[flamadiddle]

Regardless of where you decide to live, quit working that many hours!!!!! Unless you're being paid by the hour? Occasional OT is normal, but if you're consistently asked or expected to work those hours, RUN!

Why not test the job market while remaining at your current job? Use a family member address as your home address on your resume and if asked, just tell them you're in the process of moving back home and that you do not require any relo assistance. See what you can negotiate before making a move and take some vacation time and go do interviews if required. A lot of tech companies will do phone/skype interviews if they know you're out of town.

No reason to go through life being miserable! and if you're in tech and live near a major city, finding a comparable gig should be a piece of cake.

[MrJones17]

If you do move back to FL, make sure you have a job lined up first. Don't just let your emotions take over and make the move without having a plan.

I imagine your job offers PTO? Plan a week long trip and see your family and friends in FL. It's only one state away, so I don't see why it would be that difficult to visit at least once for a holiday in 5 years of living in ATL.

Any job that has you working 75-80 hours a week is bound to make you miserable. I took a pay cut for a better work-life balance. You might want to consider this too.

[maystaurus]

Originally Posted by MrJones17

If you do move back to FL, make sure you have a job lined up first. Don't just let your emotions take over and make the move without having a plan.

I imagine your job offers PTO? Plan a week long trip and see your family and friends in FL. It's only one state away, so I don't see why it would be that difficult to visit at least once for a holiday in 5 years of living in ATL.

Any job that has you working 75-80 hours a week is bound to make you miserable. I took a pay cut for a better work-life balance. You might want to consider this too.

My job is MISERABLE!! Holidays are our busiest time of the year so from October to January its mandatory that we cant request any time off.

[Chilly Gentilly]

Originally Posted by maystaurus

My job is MISERABLE!! Holidays are our business week so from October to January its mandatory that we cant request any time off.

Yikes...you should try Veeam

[brown_dog_us]

Find a different job. Trust me. Life is meant to be lived and you can make an excellent living working reasonable hours.

Also, I'm not familiar with the Florida IT scene, but why do you think it would be tough to find a job in Tampa, Orlando, or Miami?

[maystaurus]

Originally Posted by brown_dog_us

Find a different job. Trust me. Life is meant to be lived and you can make an excellent living working reasonable hours.

Also, I'm not familiar with the Florida IT scene, but why do you think it would be tough to find a job in Tampa, Orlando, or Miami?

If I move back I looking at those 3 cities, but Atlanta is supposed to be this IT MECCA so sometimes I wonder if I'd get more growth in my career just staying here, would leaving to a city that isn't as notably known in the IT space be a good career move

[waronxmas]

What kind of sweatshop do you work in? I'm with the other poster, try finding another job first. Those kind of hours are NOT normal.

Also, do you what you think is best. Work is a very important part of life, but so are social relationships. It doesn't matter where you live, if the only thing you do is go to work and home and nothing else you will be miserable.

If you feel Atlanta is the reason for this, then by all means move and find happiness elsewhere. But seriously though, it sounds like your job sucks. Try getting a different one.

[ATLTJL]

Of course you should move back.

If you're so lonely here that you cry, that means you're really close to your family. So stop wasting time, they'll be dead someday and your nieces, nephews and whatever are growing up without you. You're also wasting your 20s by being miserable, it's supposed to be the most fun part of your life. So stop wasting time and just go where you are happy. Even if you end up underemployed for a while, who cares? Stop letting something as dumb as this job take away time that you can never buy back. Stop being miserable. Pack up your car now. Don't let another holiday go by that you are not a part of.

[cwkimbro]

I'm sorry to hear this.

You're problem isn't the city/location, it is the job; But don't be afraid to move to friends and family a part of a way to shake up your life.

I know how it feels to be in this work predicament. Although, I have a very unique array of pros and cons to my job that are a bit different.

You need to look for a new job and/or renegotiate once you are mid-way through your job hunting process. The market is great for you right now and you should be able to negotiate better or find an array of other offers easier.

It is ok for a company to say they need you more during their busy seasons. It is ok if you decide that doesn't work for you, but you should be negotiating hard for more time off during their off seasons.

Between that and getting more free time during the week are very important. You're not going to make friends by going to a bar or the movies. You need more personal time to have hobbies, exercise, get out of the house, etc... Through other activities, some of which you might not ever even thought of, you will meet other people. Once you meet people through mutual means, it will provide a good basis to casually hang out in other ways.

You're problem is you need opportunity for a private life.

But I say that cautiously... I know how hard it is to take what seems to be this relatively simple advice. I have similar barriers I've set up for myself involving work.


So take this advice with you to Florida... or at least look for another IT job here and know what you need to negotiate for. When you talk in an interview it is a common question to ask why you want or would be willing to leave your existing job. It is perfectly acceptable to say I've been working 70-80 hour works weeks and there has been no movements by the company to achieve a better work-life balance.

You're signaling (in a very good job market), that for them to get your attention you need a more standard work week.