career advice up in here?

[spankys]

so im 31 and i work at a 40k daily in the midwest. i cover a major division I team without the pressure of beating the major metro on news. i have a great boss who puts family first..ive never missed a thanksgiving or a christmas with my family because of work. the pay is good for a paper of the size.

now, i was just offered a job covering a major division I team at a much bigger paper for a much larger salary. professionally, it is without question the right move. it will presumably open more doors in the future. but it is in a city where i have no family. i would leave my girlfriend behind, inevitably ending the relationship. and i would quickly be swept back into the high-pressure grind.

so, is it bad that i am even hesitating taking this job? should i just suck it up and move away and hope that the benefits in the future will make nonstop plane flights and hotel stays and time away from family worth it? or is it ok to be comfortable with what you have?

my worry is that im currently settling, and that that is a sign of laziness. but in the end, isnt being comfortable and happy the most important thing, rather than trying to find a larger circulation paper just to say you work for a larger circulation paper?

i realize a lot of this is case-by-case, but any thoughts/advice would be appreciated!!

-spanky

 

[Moderator1]

If you are happy and see no reason you won't be happy in the future, don't even consider leaving. You are correct - comfortable and happy outweigh most everything else.
That you have these questions, to me, gives you the answer.
Stay put.

 

[imjustagirl]

I was working at a small paper, got a massive job offer from a paper nearly 20X larger at nearly double my salary. I jumped all over it.

There hasn't been a day past about the first month when I haven't given thought to how much happier I'd be if I hadn't gone.

Don't underestimate happiness, my friend. If you're making enough to live on, you've got the love of a good woman, and you don't think you'll kick yourself for taking a pass...take a pass.

 

[fishwrapper]

Finding balance between your life and work is the hardest thing you will ever do in this business. Moddy will tell you. I will tell you.
There are days -- like today -- I feel like I'm being quartered.
If you have found that peace at age 31, keep it.

 

[pressmurphy]

My gut instinct is that there's nothing wrong with staying put, but weigh some of the personal factors carefully:

1) Does your relationship with your girlfriend have the potential to go the whole nine innings if you stay? Soul mates are tougher to find than good jobs.

2) What happens to your comfortable work environment if/when the sweetheart of a boss moves on? Is the whole management structure that good, or are you putting all your eggs in one basket. So many of us have been in the the position of seeing Lou Grant replaced by Donald Trump.

 

[spankys]

wow my post's been up 11 minutes and i've already received a week's worth of good advice!

you all make great points......i appreciate it

 

[WaylonJennings]

How much larger is a "much larger" salary?

 

[fishwrapper]

How much larger is a "much larger" salary?

$1 million.

 

[jgmacg]

Not to contradict the spirit of the thread so far, but an honest question: When did happiness and ambition become mutually exclusive?

 

[Wonderlic]

Would she consider moving with you?

 

[Joe Williams]

In this day and age, it's worth knowing how your current shop would approach layoffs/buyouts vs. how the new place might do it. If it's last-in, first-out, then you might want to stay put.

But then, you might want to stay put for all those other reasons, too. Some of us live to work, some of us work to live.

I'll avoid anything snide, like how moving up to a bigger paper these days is like going to work for the bigger blacksmith.

 

[imjustagirl]

Not to contradict the spirit of the thread so far, but an honest question: When did happiness and ambition become mutually exclusive?

They aren't, at all. But if you have one, and are not sure how much the second part affects you...why throw the first one possibly away?

 

[fishwrapper]

Not to contradict the spirit of the thread so far, but an honest question: When did happiness and ambition become mutually exclusive?

I thought of that when I was typing my answer. I'm one of the few in this profession that still can provide for a family. I know I am an exception. I'm lucky.
But, we all sensed reservation in the initial post.
He was looking for affirmation. And, I think, after a long look, it's admirable to be comfortable with who you are. It's something I've struggled with.
He's good. He's happy. Change for the sake of change?

 

[buckweaver]

Not to contradict the spirit of the thread so far, but an honest question: When did happiness and ambition become mutually exclusive?

They're not, of course. But if you have a decision before you and you think following your ambition might decrease you happiness, then you've got to choose one or the other, don't you?

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

You getting married to that girl? She willing to move there with you? Your paper firm? No layoffs on the horizon? How much more is the pay? How much time do you spend with your family besides holidays?

 

[hankschu]

My only question is this: Are you sure that this wonderful employer you have now will be around five years from now? We all know what is happening in the business. Your paper could be Singletoned and your boss neutered, if he is kept around at all. Just something to consider before you give up on the better job.

 

[PHINJ]

I would take the bigger job. You can always go back to a smaller job at a smaller paper later. The opportunity to move up might not always be there.

 

[imjustagirl]

I would take the bigger job. You can always go back to a smaller job at a smaller paper later. The opportunity to move up might not always be there.

No, you can't. I've applied at probably four 40-50K papers in the past two years. None would even call me. Assuming they were thinking I wouldn't want to work there after being at a bigger paper, or they didn't think they could pay me or whatever, regardless of what assurances I put in my cover letter.

 

[captzulu]

I made a move kind of like that a few years back under somewhat similar circumstances, though no girlfriend was involved. I was about 4 years out of school, all of which was spent on the sports desk of my hometown paper (about 50k), where I also worked throughout college. I was happy, liked the people (both my peers and my bosses), things seemed stable, my family and friends were all in town. Then a paper 2-3 times bigger comes calling with much more money and an opportunity to work in an environment where I would have more time and resources than what would ever be possible at my starter paper. I took the job because I knew that at 24, I wasn't going to stay at my starter paper forever, and this seemed like a good opportunity. I moved to a city about 4-5 hours away. I wasn't that enamored with the town, but thought it would grow on me. It never did. More than anything else, I missed my family and friends badly. I did some good work at my job, but didn't like the atmosphere that much, and it just didn't feel like it was worth the sacrifices in my personal life. Less than a year later, I moved back to my old paper and I've never regretted it.

Moral of the story: If you are in a situation where you're happy both professionally and in your personal life, don't make a move just for the job. It's fine to go from a job you love to another job you might love, but just make sure there is something in it for your personal life as well, or at least that you're not making huge sacrifices in that aspect. The job may not always turn out as you expect or can change in the blink of an eye (especially in this day and age), and if you don't have a happy personal life to come home to, you'll be doubly miserable.

As for gauging whether your current paper is stable or not, I don't even think that's possible any more in this business. The downsizing bug is sweeping across the entire industry and there is no place to hide. If a place has had recent layoffs, it shows they're in trouble and there is no guarantee that more layoffs aren't on the way (look at San Jose). If a place hasn't had layoffs in a decade, it just means they're likely due for some. Toward the end of my time in the biz, I talked with a couple papers about potential jobs, and they told me "We don't lay off people" (this is circa 2005). Within a year after that, one announced layoffs, the other had job freezes, was sold to another chain, then announced buyouts.

 

[forever_town]

From the sounds of it, you do have a tough decision. I was once in a similar position you're in now. My advice: If you have any hesitation, stay where you are. You have what many of us envy: A great SITUATION, including a great boss and a job you enjoy.

I'm living proof of the adage that money doesn't buy happiness.