I'm being silly re career/life move-I need some objective POV's (warning: long read!)

[MaggieMcT]

It's a difficult question and I understand why you are confused. The first thing I would say is not to underestimate the importance of job satisfaction. Going to work every day at a job that does not challenge, interest or reward you is not an easy thing to do, and it can be very depressing depending on your personality type. I also think it is very easy to exaggerate in our minds the degree to which living in one location versus another similar one can make us happier. We moved to Australia from Ireland 2 years ago. Clearly there are dramatic differences between the two countries and there are many things I miss about Ireland (including family) but despite all the challenges we are happier here. Why? Because Australia offers us an opportunity to do challenging, rewarding work for which we are well paid in very nice working environments, and to send our kids to great schools. We see these things as fundamental to our happiness and other things that we might prefer about Ireland as less important in the end.

My view of your situation is that it comes down to whether or not you are really serious about your new career, whether or not you are willing to make sacrifices to get into it as quickly as possibly, and whether or not you are sure that your husband will commit to and contribute to that plan.

If all those things are true, and if you can only do your new career in Cairns, then go for it! The new job is just a short term pathway to your new career.

If you are not sure about any of the above then I would not move.

 

[kathryn d]

Take the job.
If you don't like it, start working towards building your own business.

 

[Shaneelastic]

Must be a government job

 

[Kinnon Bell]

Thank you everyone for your well thought out responses, I seriously thought people would see how long my post is and would move on. I'm feeling loved

It all boils down to what is more important to you.

A more prestigious job?

A move to Cairns?

Simple choice really - but only you can make the decision.

I suspect you already know what you REALLY want to do but are looking for arguments to justify your decision. From what you say, my guess is that you really want to stay in the job you have now because of its prestige, but are having trouble countering the positive advantages of a move to Cairns and a lesser job (in your eyes).
Marg

C - Both!

If I simplify it and saw job I enjoy in Melb or average job in Cairns I would take the Cairns option any day. Also, there's a few other factors too such as I don't like the area I currently live in nor do I like the house. My daily commute is in total 3 hrs but these are things that can be fixed without a move to Cairns.

^everything said above.

Lol, LuckyOne did get it pretty spot on!

JOB (just over broke), yes you got one, as well as many millions of others.
Prestige? really? in my eye PAYG employee is all more or less the same, tho my opinions may be a little different to yours, as I see my future in property only.
The only reason I keep my JOB is to fund my properties, if I had the choice of sitting of the beach each day collecting rent vs "been a prestige PAYG employee", I think the choice is obvious

Prestige may not be the right word to use. Another way of looking at my situation is with a property analogy... How I see it I've worked hard to build my property port folio. I've researched and performed some renovations and invested a lot of my time to build it up to what it is now. I then decide to give my portfolio away and rent in a housing commission home with all the bogans.

My future is definitely property too. I just want to enjoy myself while I'm earning the cash to invest. If I didn't want the money I'd be very happy being a checkout chick.

If I was faced with being cash free and a fancy job I wouldn't need to be writing on a forum for help with that decision!

You will hate your new role in cairns and rub people the wrong way.

I say wait until the right role is available, or do your own thing in 9 months.

It's very possible that I won't enjoy myself (and equally possible that I will) but I am not the type of person to let my own personal issues affect the way I work and interact with people. It's my problem not theirs that I'm working in a job I don't enjoy so why should they suffer.

Can you PM me the name of this company so I can tell them I'm a nice person and to send me a cheque for 20K.

Whatever you decide to do DON'T RESIGN FROM THIS COMPANY!

lol, if I told you, you probably wouldn't believe me. The type of company I work for has a bit of a bad rep.

+1! I think it all comes down to happiness!

I think LoneWolf has made valid point!

Congratulations on your successes so far and lasting as long as you have in melbourne

Thanks! Yeah, I think I deserve some kind of medal or award for staying so long!

Kesse I think I spoke to you about some of your plans a few months ago. You spoke of the desire to start your own business and your current job at that time.

I fully support you moving now if you've got secure employment in Cairns. It will take some time to start the new business and even longer for it to replace your income. It's a good idea to have some cashflow in the meantime. If you're not enjoying Melbourne this just gives you an even larger imperative to move.

Make a move, get settled and get started in your new business.

Besides, I expect to be in Cairns at least twice next year. I might need a place to crash.

Yep, that was me! A little OT but the funny (annoying?) thing is that in the couple of weeks ago with the new structural changes taking place my job has changed slightly and as a result my pay has gone up nicely. Could have come in handy a couple of months ago!

I would not be moving to Cairns now to follow the self emp option. We don't have the cash reserves to do so. That's one of the reasons for waiting till Aug was being able to build up a substantial buffer as I wouldn't be able to overlap FT emp and self emp.

Ha, no worries! You're welcome anytime. And on calm days we can take you out on the boat to some dive sites too.

In addition to what Pete said, I'm familiar with your current job and your future self-employed one from previous chats.

The self-employed one is fairly easy to fit in with existing employment, at least at the beginning, til it's income overtakes what you're earning from the day job. I plan to do very similar

If you'll be happier in a warmer location, and who wouldn't, I'd be moving at the first opportunity ensuring I knew I had enough behind me to survive. I came to Perth from Adelaide as soon as an opportunity presented itself.

Yep, I reckon they compliment each other nicely but I won't be able to do both at the same time as it would be a massive conflict of interest. Maybe there's still hope for my checkout chick career yet while I'm starting out.

I'd be ecstatic with a warm location, or one where's there's not 4 seasons in one day.

I was going to write a reply, but then I noticed that skater wrote it for me.

This is EXACTLY what I was going to write. Thanks skater .

Yep, I reckon Skater got it pretty spot on too.

It's a difficult question and I understand why you are confused. The first thing I would say is not to underestimate the importance of job satisfaction. Going to work every day at a job that does not challenge, interest or reward you is not an easy thing to do, and it can be very depressing depending on your personality type. I also think it is very easy to exaggerate in our minds the degree to which living in one location versus another similar one can make us happier. We moved to Australia from Ireland 2 years ago. Clearly there are dramatic differences between the two countries and there are many things I miss about Ireland (including family) but despite all the challenges we are happier here. Why? Because Australia offers us an opportunity to do challenging, rewarding work for which we are well paid in very nice working environments, and to send our kids to great schools. We see these things as fundamental to our happiness and other things that we might prefer about Ireland as less important in the end.

My view of your situation is that it comes down to whether or not you are really serious about your new career, whether or not you are willing to make sacrifices to get into it as quickly as possibly, and whether or not you are sure that your husband will commit to and contribute to that plan.

If all those things are true, and if you can only do your new career in Cairns, then go for it! The new job is just a short term pathway to your new career.

If you are not sure about any of the above then I would not move.

Your second sentence is what I'm afraid of. I've been in a job like that before. While I would say I didn't get depressed it wasn't good for my mental well being. I think though, as long as I have other options I should be ok.

Congrats on the big move, that would have been even more challenging moving from one country to the other. Good on you for stepping outside of your comfort zone and taking the plunge.

I am 100% serious about the self emp option as I see that as my long term career option. It's something I would enjoy and something I would like to think I would be good at which goes a long way to building a successful business. I can start here in Melb but I would rather not as I don't want to start getting established here then have to do it all again in Carins. Starting from scratch once is enough for me!

My husband just goes along with the flow. If I had left things up to him he'd still be living at his mum's house. He's not driven at all so happy for me to take the lead.

Take the job.
If you don't like it, start working towards building your own business.

Short and sweet and fitting.

 

[Kinnon Bell]

Must be a government job

Nope.

(and some other characters for the sake of it)

 

[weg]

lol, if I told you, you probably wouldn't believe me. The type of company I work for has a bit of a bad rep.

You work for a union?

 

[Elke]

Sometimes it's good to have a job that's not your passion

Hi Kesse
Thanks for sharing.

From what you've written, it sounds to me like all the ingredients for a (financially) safe and successful future are there: you have a meal ticket (the job), passion (your own future self employment) and a destination, Cairns.

I venture to suggest that sometimes it's actually good to have a day job that is NOT your passion and your delight. because though you do it well and with integrity, you leave it at the end of the day and still have time and energy for whatever is your passion.

IMHO You don't need 'prestige' bec you've ticked that box with your Melb job, now you are onto your next dream, and this is your meal ticket. If any colleagues or even yourself has doubts about prestige, the 'cool' factor is that you are chasing a dream (how many execs are brave enough to do that) in a measured way, plus, being an ex-Melb girl myself, the mere fact of you going to live in Cairns is so cool that you got your prestige right there, you are walking right on out of the rainy city

Right now I feel for you because you are so in the thick of your corporate world that to descend into the quagmire of several levels down from a Level 5 is a horrifying thought.

However, when you do move to Cairns, would you REALLY want an all-consuming high prestige role? then you'd never have time/energy to do your REAL passion which is your 'self-employed job'. And if you stay on in Melb, you'll never know how it could have turned out. Plus who knows, maybe the team will be so great up north that it makes up for the pleb nature of the work. Regardless of the work, the whole attitude of Cairns is going to be more laid back anyway than Melb, so what's an issue in Melb may just not exist in C.

Your situation reminds me of friends who in rainy Melbourne autumn, the DH got retrenched and the next day the partner got offered a massive promotion - in Tahiti!! They came out to dinner all long faced and saying how they were going to turn it down bec they'd just bought a house in Melb and it was too risky to go to Tahiti etc. Everyone unanimously stared in disbelief and said: "Hello?? Rainy cold melbourne, redundnacy, GFC, you just got free tickets to 3 years in Tahiti??? U can rent out the house!" And they never looked back. 4 years later they are still loving it.

Last story: I remind myself whenever I've had a job (or aspects of) that I didn't enjoy: when I lived in Paris I got chatting regularly to the man who swept the street in front of our appartment. He had been sweeping with a broom and emptying bins for....24 years. He had a family at home in Algeria and in all that time he'd lived in a tiny studio room, sent all his money home. BUT in Algeria he had a magical palace-like home, complete with whitewashed villas, palm trees, pools and a very happy family. I think of this and am moved every time I think of him methodically sweeping the streets being ignored or looked down upon, and never complaining and I respected him deeply. The relevance to your situation being: if you can somehow reframe the irks of the potential job with thinking how it will be a means to you getting your own family dreams fulfilled, then is it worth the dreary days ? That's something only you can measure, but good luck in it all. It is a very exciting prospect !!!

Elke

 

[Elke]

Hi again Kesse, I didn't see your last page where you responded to all of the posts so I didn't get the whole picture. But if you can, glean 'positive energy' from my post and congrats on working so hard!

 

[geoffw]

Maybe some of the negative energy from the job downgrade can be replaced with positive energy from more time at home with hubby, lower rent, better able to involve yourself in activities you really enjoy.

With an extra three hours a day perhaps some study or something could give you something else to drive towards?

 

[Tonibell]

Work hard, develop good skills and experience, maximise your earnings, build your assets - then move to the tropical paradise and enjoy the lifesyle. It rarely works if you do it the other way around.

It doesn't sound like you have completed the hard yards yet.

 

[Kinnon Bell]

You work for a union?

Lol, nope.

Hi Kesse
Thanks for sharing.

From what you've written, it sounds to me like all the ingredients for a (financially) safe and successful future are there: you have a meal ticket (the job), passion (your own future self employment) and a destination, Cairns.

I venture to suggest that sometimes it's actually good to have a day job that is NOT your passion and your delight. because though you do it well and with integrity, you leave it at the end of the day and still have time and energy for whatever is your passion.

IMHO You don't need 'prestige' bec you've ticked that box with your Melb job, now you are onto your next dream, and this is your meal ticket. If any colleagues or even yourself has doubts about prestige, the 'cool' factor is that you are chasing a dream (how many execs are brave enough to do that) in a measured way, plus, being an ex-Melb girl myself, the mere fact of you going to live in Cairns is so cool that you got your prestige right there, you are walking right on out of the rainy city

Right now I feel for you because you are so in the thick of your corporate world that to descend into the quagmire of several levels down from a Level 5 is a horrifying thought.

However, when you do move to Cairns, would you REALLY want an all-consuming high prestige role? then you'd never have time/energy to do your REAL passion which is your 'self-employed job'. And if you stay on in Melb, you'll never know how it could have turned out. Plus who knows, maybe the team will be so great up north that it makes up for the pleb nature of the work. Regardless of the work, the whole attitude of Cairns is going to be more laid back anyway than Melb, so what's an issue in Melb may just not exist in C.

Your situation reminds me of friends who in rainy Melbourne autumn, the DH got retrenched and the next day the partner got offered a massive promotion - in Tahiti!! They came out to dinner all long faced and saying how they were going to turn it down bec they'd just bought a house in Melb and it was too risky to go to Tahiti etc. Everyone unanimously stared in disbelief and said: "Hello?? Rainy cold melbourne, redundnacy, GFC, you just got free tickets to 3 years in Tahiti??? U can rent out the house!" And they never looked back. 4 years later they are still loving it.

Last story: I remind myself whenever I've had a job (or aspects of) that I didn't enjoy: when I lived in Paris I got chatting regularly to the man who swept the street in front of our appartment. He had been sweeping with a broom and emptying bins for....24 years. He had a family at home in Algeria and in all that time he'd lived in a tiny studio room, sent all his money home. BUT in Algeria he had a magical palace-like home, complete with whitewashed villas, palm trees, pools and a very happy family. I think of this and am moved every time I think of him methodically sweeping the streets being ignored or looked down upon, and never complaining and I respected him deeply. The relevance to your situation being: if you can somehow reframe the irks of the potential job with thinking how it will be a means to you getting your own family dreams fulfilled, then is it worth the dreary days ? That's something only you can measure, but good luck in it all. It is a very exciting prospect !!!

Elke

Hi again Kesse, I didn't see your last page where you responded to all of the posts so I didn't get the whole picture. But if you can, glean 'positive energy' from my post and congrats on working so hard!

Wow Elke, some great insights there, thanks for taking the time to respond. You've really hit home with your comments about being in the thick of it now and not having the time or energy for anything else other than my job.

Before we moved down here I had an easy undemanding retail job that I didn't particularly like but it didn't ask anything more of me other than turning up to work and serving customers. I look at my life outside of work back then and it's 10x better back then compared to what it is now. I was fit and healthy gymming twice a day, quite a few kilos lighter than what I am now, I had a lot more time on my hands and I had hobbies. I used to make jewellery and do photography. I had energy and time to do things of a weekend and rarely stayed at home. My life in Melbourne is the complete opposite. For the first 12 months down here I seriously took up photography and was doing it professionally where I was doing weddings, events, band gigs, portraitures etc etc. It eventually got too much working full time and doing the photography full time too so for the sake of property investing I gave up the photography and focused on my work. I have since sold all my professional photography gear and what saddens me is I don't really miss it. I don't have the time or inclination to take photos for fun. That makes me sad and I hope in Cairns I start to feel inspired again because that was such a big part of my life I really enjoyed. I loved escaping to nature and trying to take the perfect shot.

Maybe some of the negative energy from the job downgrade can be replaced with positive energy from more time at home with hubby, lower rent, better able to involve yourself in activities you really enjoy.

With an extra three hours a day perhaps some study or something could give you something else to drive towards?

True. I'm a big pros and cons list maker and there's not many cons for the immediate move to Cairns. There seems to be a lot more positives to the negatives it's just the weighting I've given to each (I not only do pros and cons but I also give them a score to tally up at the end... )

More time with my husband, pfft, yeah right.... Our new home is on/near the water and he's obsessed with his boat and fishing so I'll see even less of him than what I do now. Especially if he gets eaten by a croc! (Note to self: need to up husbands life insurance policy )

My extra time would be spent getting fit and healthy again and working towards my self emp option.

Work hard, develop good skills and experience, maximise your earnings, build your assets - then move to the tropical paradise and enjoy the lifesyle. It rarely works if you do it the other way around.

It doesn't sound like you have completed the hard yards yet.

I feel like I've done that already - 4 years ago I held a retail job, lucky to earn $30k p/a, had no assets and no real skills. Then moving down here I found my 'calling' - gained some skills and built myself up along the way personally and professionally. I now have the beginnings of a decent property portfolio that will still be built upon and a job that I am proud of and still a feel a little like I don't belong where I am.

Yes, I could still do more hard yards and climb even further but at what cost?



I received some wise words via email which reminded me that myself and my job are not mutually exclusive. I am still 'me' without it.

On the upside we could potentially have some stamp duty savings - the stamp duty paid was for an investment and if we don't rent it out it will save us about $8k in stamp duty.

 

[Angel]

Hi, if you don't take the job offer in Cairns, can I please have it?

 

[geoffw]

Hi, if you don't take the job offer in Cairns, can I please have it?

You're already an angel. You don't expect to go to Heaven as well?

 

[Oscar]

I think you (and others) have talked yourself into it.

But as only one other poster has mentioned, never underestimate the satisfaction and pleasure derived from doing well in a great job, and the rewards, financial and otherwise, you and husband can enjoy from your current employment.

I handle this personally by flying back to my "dream location" and going crazy there for a couple of weeks and get it all out my system, then go back to the real world where I can add most value. It's worked well for me for 10 years. No place is perfect and we often over play how better things could be somewhere else, and underplay our current state situation.

 

[Kinnon Bell]

Hi, if you don't take the job offer in Cairns, can I please have it?

Ha, sure. I'll put in a good word for you!

I think you (and others) have talked yourself into it.

But as only one other poster has mentioned, never underestimate the satisfaction and pleasure derived from doing well in a great job, and the rewards, financial and otherwise, you and husband can enjoy from your current employment.

I handle this personally by flying back to my "dream location" and going crazy there for a couple of weeks and get it all out my system, then go back to the real world where I can add most value. It's worked well for me for 10 years. No place is perfect and we often over play how better things could be somewhere else, and underplay our current state situation.

Very true, is that a bad thing though? And also very true with the job satisfaction. I thrive on job satisfaction, but I invest too much of myself into my job, maybe I don't need to in Cairns. Without having worked the position yet (only similar) I don't think I will get very much satisfaction out of the role, there will be a little, but not much. It's also difficult coming in new to an already established team and gaining respect and working up form there. With my self emp option I think (hope) there will be a lot of job satisfaction there. Not only with the job itself but also the perks that being self emp has to offer. I know it won't be all rainbows and unicorns but I have a fair idea of what it will be like.

I am also afraid that I'm glorifying Cairns and what it has to offer. But I won't know if I don't give it a go. I know what Melbourne has to offer and I know that as soon as I set foot here when we first moved I was ready to leave. I'm a country kid at heart and I like the warmth and humidity. If Cairns doesn't work out then we'll cross that bridge if and when we get to it.

I don't think it would work for me flying to our 'dream location' - I get 4 weeks annual leave a year and every second year that's consumed with driving up north back home to visit the inlaws.

 

[Oscar]

You sound like a switched on kid Kesse. All the best with your decision and hope you enjoy a new stage of life in Cairns.

 

[Kinnon Bell]

You sound like a switched on kid Kesse. All the best with your decision and hope you enjoy a new stage of life in Cairns.

Thanks Oscar, appreciate it.

 

[Player]

Kesse, I often refer to the following when in doubt over some decisions.

"Try each path closely and deliberately. Try it as many times as you think necessary. Then ask yourself, and yourself alone one question, Does this path have a heart? If it does, the path is good. If it doesn't it is of no use" Carlos Castenada

 

[Player]

You're already an angel. You don't expect to go to Heaven as well?

Agree with Geoff.

Angel, forget Cairns, you need to come down south a little:

http://somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1098894#post1098894

A little shameless spruiking for our next dinner

 

[lizzie]

Changes in life happen as they are meant to - don't stress or over analyse and go with your gut feeling.

Sounds like you're already in Cairns - just need your body to follow. I say, go for it. What's the worst that could happen?

Hubby was retrenched just under two years ago - we knew it was coming and didn't stress - what was the worst that could happen if he didn't get another job? We'd have to sell the ridge top ppor and move down to the flats for something half the price (being walking distance to the beach that's still pretty good) - I'd have to go back to work after 13 years out of the workforce (Comm bank had some inbound call centre shift job's paying pretty darn good at that time) - and life would still be good.

Instead - hubby walked into a new job 4 days after getting a payout from his old - we took a tree change - and life is still pretty darn good.

Different - and a path we wouldn't have otherwise chosen - but good.

Read the quote below ...