Opportunity knocks

lefs

Member
Hello all. I was hoping to get someone's opinion on my situation. I have an oppurtunity to work at a very big company as a prepress tech. Which is also what I do now. They are offering $20 an hour, with great benefits. Now im currently making $15 , been here 2 years.. never got a raise. The problem is I will have to relocate which is 5 hours away. The only real thing that would keep me here is my son, which I wont be able to spend as much time with him. Maybe summer months im thinking. Anyone ever been in this situation, Id love to here about it. Also the cost of living is a bit higher where I may be going, but not to much.
 
Re: Opportunity knocks

Wow, that's quite a dilemma.

For me, I would find a way to make do with less so that I could see my child all of the time. My daughter is the most important thing to me in this world, and not being there for her would not be worth a few thousand a year more.

Not matter what you choose, I wish you the best of luck.
 
Re: Opportunity knocks

Your doing good where your at. I've been here over 13 years and do not make much more than you, (I never tell anybody what I make) but I am in Arkansas and what I make is considered really well for around here. I'm not a manager so that's the only way I'm making more money in these parts.

I've left once and although I did enjoy the job, it wasn't worth the money. This job gives me more all around experience, small shop, and jack of all trades master of none kind of work.

That's what I've learned about higher payin jobs. I guess.
 
Re: Opportunity knocks

Hey, thanks for the input guys. The worse part is that I would probably feel like a horrible father to go and leave the state like that. But It was my x-wife who decide to leave me and move an hour away and to not be fair about my visiting rights. So between taxes and child support, I feel like I need more money so I dont have to starve myself half the time. Also the truth is, Im not sure where this company is going, where im at now. Our imposer just left after 20 years here. No upgrading software equipment, just a miserable place to be. I bet we are the only ones left using Rampage 8.6. LOL
 
Re: Opportunity knocks

i understand and empathize with your situation, being similarly removed from my own sons

to consider your time with children is always extremely important when weighing career choices. the quantity of time spent (as a divorced parent without primary custody) is not nearly as important as the quality of the time spent with them. we are lucky as non-primaries, in that we have much time between visits to reflect on events and consider how to improve upon our skills, while not being in the hot-house day-in and day-out.

also consider that a more stable and/or upwardly mobile career path will be able to provide some benefit for your children. a workplace can suck you down, no matter how strong you are.
 
Re: Opportunity knocks

Matt,

Take this from an old guy. If you get a couple of hours overtime there, stay. Especially if you have a closeness to your son. I moved 5 hours away. I would visit them every two weeks, talk to them nearly every day. It's not the same. As time went on, I ended up working too many hours and we drifted apart. They all ended up moving in with me, but I was lucky. Their mother just didn't want them and things got bad...because a strong father figure was not there.

All in all, it worked out great. If I could do it again, I wouldn't leave.

Frank
 
Re: Opportunity knocks

Frank, I have thought about that, overtime and all. To equal it out. I would need 2 hours over a day, and thats if I am allowed to. Overtime here is kinda random. But as it stands now, I only see my son every other weekend, (thanks to his mother). I just spent all kinds of money (that I had to borrow) on a lawyer for more visitation. So with that being in the works,, here comes this opportunity. I will take what you said into consideration. But I think what Rich in Arkansas said previously really hit home for me. My career is all i have and the only real thing I can control, and If I can improve that then, I think I can work around other situations. Just the whole moving thing is really scary and really stressing me out.
 
Re: Opportunity knocks

Single father of two here, both kids live with me and visit their mother relatively frequently. My divorce was enormously expensive. Like almost six digits.... I've got several opportunities to relocate out of state. The question is what would the quality of life be for the kids if you moved five hours away? Forget the income, that's just money. If you have the kids as much as you say you do then you could get a part time job. I'm in the same boat, it's a question I wrestle with myself.
 
Well, here I am 10 months later and the company is shutting down.. about 200 people losing their jobs.. guess I should've stayed where I was at. Oh well, live and learn, huh?
 
Sorry to hear that and good luck with your new job search.
It's all around us.
We were lucky that a local printer went under and we snagged a lot of their clients, so it can be bad for some and good for others.
See if you can find out who ended up with the client list and see if they may be hiring.
 
my 2 cents

my 2 cents

just because it's a bigger company doesn't mean you won't get laid off in 6 months from now when you have no seniority and you are more of a number. Write out the pros..write out the cons and ponder it for a few days...follow your gut.
 
A couple of things come to mind. First of all, you're obviously a caring, concerned parent or you'd have moved without second thought. The relationship you have with your son will continue as long as both you and your son are committed to each other! My father in law has lived in England for more than 20 years and he and my husband have a great relationship! There were divorced when my husband was only 10 and things worked out. Now we chat on Skype a few times a month and it's great.

The other thing I wondered is, if you like the company where you're working, have you asked for more responsibility? Now is probably NOT the time to ask for a raise :D but maybe you could gain more expertise and then get promoted where you are.

Lastly, you weight the pros and cons, but in the end it's a crap shoot! Two companies posted open positions on our linkedin group last week. You just never know what's around the corner, especially these days. Best of luck and keep me (and IPA?) in mind if there's anything we can do for you.
 

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