Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have an employment conundrum. Let me explain some background information. I work as a healthcare professional and it is commonplace for practitioners to work multiple part-time positions early in there careers. About five months ago, I lost my primary income earning position, a part-time position. Although it was not due to my performance, it was still a mental blow. About three weeks later, I found another part-time position in an area about 80 miles away. My long-term girlfriend had recently graduated from law school. We had been arguing back and forth for about 6 months about what geographic location we would move to after she graduated. A couple of weeks after I accepted my new position, she decided to take a job in a market 3 hours away. This occurred despite me telling her this a poor job market for myself. I had taken the new job mainly as a compromise as was in an area that would provide both of us with opportunities. Having struggled to find quality work for years where she was attending law school and having recently committed to a new job, I the relationship reached a breaking point and dissolved.
After the break up, I moved in with a friend. I have been making an 80 mile commute three times per week for the past four months as I have no desire to move to the area of my new job with my girlfriend out of the picture. However, I have struggled greatly in my early career to find a good position in my career. I actually really enjoy the new job and the people I work with. However, the job is in a somewhat rural area and I am a newly single professional in my upper 20s. I have always wanted to move to a big city, but I compromised my interests to accommodate my girlfriend.
Over the past four months, I have researched moving to several other areas which make more sense for me as a single young professional. In one of the markets, two of my best friends that I have known since high school are living and job opportunities are plentiful in my field. I have since received a job offer in this area which seems like it has tremendous potential in the heart of a big city.
The tough decision I have to make is whether to stay at a job where I fit in but my personal life will suffer vs. taking a risk and pursuing a position which could be both personally and professionally rewarding.
The pros and cons are as follows:
Current Position:
Pros: stable part-time position, it is a good fit for me, low cost of living in the area, leaving after a short stint could damage my reputation
Cons: no friends or family nearby, in an economically depressed rural area with few people similar to me, no personal connection to the area, modest-low paying position, I have difficulty feeling mentally committing to the area or job
New Job Offer position:
Pros: Has great potential to be a good fit for me, higher income earning potential, in a big city where I have wanted to live, strong market for my profession with an abundance of opportunities, great friends nearby, change of pace, fresh start to my life, opportunity to improve myself, abundance of single young profesionals, abundance of activities
Cons: high cost of living, stress of moving to a new geographic area and the associated culture shock, risk of the new position not working out as well as my current position
The other confounding factor is I do not have a lot of confidence in myself after a couple of positions early in my career did not pan out. It has made my resume look questionable. However, I knew these positions were not a great fit but I accepted them in order to keep myself in the same area as my girlfriend.
I like not having to worry about the stability of my current job but I will still have to work another part-time job closer to it. The new job is in an area with an abundance of opportunities but nothing would seem secure initially.
I know this was a lot of writing but I have never had such a tough decision to make, especially when coping with the end of a long-term relationship.
Take the new job in the city of your dreams. Don't burn your bridges at the old job when you resign. They will totally understand you moving to the big city for a full time job. Maybe they would take you back at the old job if the new city didn't work out if they had an opening at the time. Sounds like it would be better for you mentally- to have the old job as a possible back up plan.
But you really won't need it (the backup plan) - since the new city has so many opportunities in your field.
Your move sounds very exciting to me. Don't make it stressful - enjoy it. It's fun to move to a new city. Explore new places to eat and shop. Find neat areas of town. Explore things to do on weekends. It's going to be awesome for you.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
