Stupidity and Resilience

[BigMoneyJim]

Or perhaps stubbornness or selfishness and resilience.

I moved away from family and friends 3 1/3 years ago for a secure job, a good paycheck and the resulting opportunity to get out of debt quickly.

Now that I'm out of debt I find myself with no compelling reason to stay here. Sure it's good money and a secure job, but it isn't my life, and things are happening back at home that I'd like to be there for.

No problem, right? The smart way to do this would seem to be to job hunt from here, then move for the job. (My current company doesn't appear to have any suitable positions openening back home, so moving with my company is currently unlikely.)

However I've been dragging my feet about job hunting (I hate it, especially from a 900 mile distance), and I now find myself with a very strong desire to move back before Christmas. Part of me would just love to give notice in late November, move back mid December and enjoy the holidays while looking for a job for January.

I did something similar in 2000 except I was $20+k in debt, didn't cut my spending and waited a few months before looking for a job. Naturally it was a short term financial stupidity, but I really think my experiences resulting from that put me in a better position now than if I had done it the "smart way" then.

I'm 34, clear of all debt, will have a couple thousand in cash plus $10k of credit available if I bail in December and I'm in the IT profession. I have retirement savings in a 401(k) and IRA that I could live off for a year or two if I had to, but I don't have anywhere near enough to retire. (I don't want to spend the retirement money, but it's there if the sky falls.)

Am I fighting a battle of stupidity versus wisdom or of freedom versus golden handcuffs?

[retire@40]

Quote:

...and I now find myself with a very strong desire to move back before Christmas. Part of me would just love to give notice in late November, move back mid December and enjoy the holidays while looking for a job for January. I'm 34, clear of all debt, will have a couple thousand in cash plus $10k of credit available if I bail in December and I'm in the IT profession.

If you believe the actuaries, you only have about 40 more Christmases. If you can spend them with family that you love and that loves you, do it.

It makes me sick when I hear people tell me they can't spend a holiday or birthday with their family, especially their own children because their "boss" told them to work.

[G_Mack]

What's your vacation status? Can you opt to not quit right away, go spend time with your family at Christmas, then think about your longer term situation in January? Just a thought.

[panhead]

BMJ:

Sounds like your single as well eh ? So, single, young (relatively, you're my age, so I'll call it young), and no debt. If you're unhappy, just quit and move, you only have yourself to worry about (assuming you are single). Taking a long vacation to think about it is probably a better idea, but you will get another job no matter what, but be prepared for less pay, and maybe even working outside your field.
Just don't piss off you're company, just in case. Tell them about how much you would love to continue working for them, but you really need to return home (for personal reasons). If there were an opening in your home town, you would take it.

Just my humble advice.

-Pan-

BMJ,

Take a Vacation for Thanksgiving and Christmas. My guess is after a week or two at home, you'll think a little more clearly.

If you decide to quit your job then, you will be better prepared for a job search. January is usually a better time to find a job as new budgets are approved.

Take a vacation and contact some head-hunters in the area where you want to move. It's not easy to find a tech job (like it was in the mid-late 90s). Start an aggressive job hunt now. In my experience it's usually easier to find a job when you have a job. Good luck. JB

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Are you well regarded at work and do they have a facility near where you used to live? Sounds like they have a facility there, just no current openings?

Several times a company I worked for "made" a job or allowed me to work remotely to keep me on-board.

Its worth a shot.

My recollections of hiring a whole zook of people is that we did very, very little from november on, and picked up pretty sharply by January 2nd. I'd second the advice to take some time off, spend it at home with the family, get your resume out in December and hit the phones right after the new year. You might consider keeping the current job until you have at least a couple of firm interviews lined up. No sense in creating a stressful situation of moving with no job and trying to get one.