I hate to interrupt the fun

"BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather" (bugeyedacura)
09/26/2013 at 12:31 • Filed to: None

But I need some real life advice:

So I'm a salesman at a software company in a city that causes me to have a 45 minute commute to and from in stop and go traffic. And it's for peanuts, compared to the cost of living. It's a salary job and I don't get commission until I get to a certain level. And I know with my skill level that is probably close to 2 years off.

Now I want to move back to my little hick town with my wife and try to make a go of it there sellin cars (which I'm pretty familiar with and would do much better with than phone sales of software).

And tht was the plan. Get out of the city, where the cost of living won't be as much as it is here, and make a go of it.

But I've discovered tht there's a couple spots open in my company for a tech product specialist. I have confidence I could do this job much better than my current one. It pays a couple grand more a year and would provide some solid résumé fodder, but wouldn't alleviate the other issues I have such as my commute or the overinflated economy up here.

So opinions? Thoughts? Thanks guys.

DISCUSSION (25)

desertdog5051 > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
09/26/2013 at 12:36

Follow your heart.

PS9 > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
09/26/2013 at 12:37

Fuck everything. Divorce wife, sell everything you got, get an LFA and road trip across the country.

...my advice is bad. And I should feel bad.

deekster_caddy > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
09/26/2013 at 12:38

How viable is "selling cars" - are you opening your own used car dealer or becoming a (hated) car salesman at an established dealership? If (b), then will you be able to sell anything, keep your job, and be able to sleep at night? (thinking about the sleazy add-ons the stealership will force you to push)

Deal Killer - Powered by Focus > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
09/26/2013 at 12:38

Car sales, unless you have prior experience in that field, typically pay fairly low, with minimal benefits. You also on the right track as far as future plans and resume'. I'd explore the options at your company and see where it leads. Sales, in general, have little future.

Nibbles > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
09/26/2013 at 12:39

As someone who moved back to their hometown to try and simplify things, my experience is that it is a poor idea. YMMV of course.

After living in the Denver for about 6 years and growing my skills and reputation in the IT field, I decided it was time for a change. Denver was too expensive, the commute was too long, and I was feeling kinda homesick. So I packed my things and headed back home.

I wasn't there long before I got a job doing data crunching for an oilfield cleanup company. Hours were good, pay was good ($74k/yr salary), family was good. But I quickly found that I missed the city way too much. The whole county shut down at 9:30 save a couple of shitty dive bars and crappy diners. All of my old "friends" had A: moved themselves, B: died or C: couldn't care less about getting together. I tried to make new friends but found that my style just didn't match theirs. The county didn't change - I did. I became restless. Bored. Unhappy again. In less than a year I resigned my position, moved back to Denver, and happily lived in my car/on friends couches until I had another stable position. It was better than living back in my quiet, humble, home town.

deekster_caddy > deekster_caddy
09/26/2013 at 12:40

And if (a) - do you have any openings and is there any chance you will be close to where I currently live/work? (Boston MA area)

Party-vi > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
09/26/2013 at 12:40

Do you have a budget or loose knowledge of how much you spend each month? I'm going to guess a couple grand a year is only $2-4k more than where you're at now, which (at least for me) is only about an extra $27-54 a week in your pocket. I don't know if that's enough to make you stay.

Now that we know how much more you'd be getting, is it something you would genuinely like to do? What does the advancement look like in that position? The last thing you need is to take a new job that's a dead-end.

Personally working for a company longer always looks better on a resume, as it shows you were valuable enough to them to be promoted and for them to invest additional time and training into you.

Party-vi > desertdog5051
09/26/2013 at 12:43

Kinja'd!!!

PS9 > desertdog5051
09/26/2013 at 12:46

Jayhawk Jake > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
09/26/2013 at 12:46

My question would be why do you want to change your job. Would you rather do one job or another? Forget the money for my sake, what do you want to do for work, where do you want to be in a few years, and what's the best way to go about doing that?

I would say that for you, personally, enjoying your job to the point where it's more than just a paycheck is the most important thing. How that comes into play with the wife, I don't know.

Jayhawk Jake > PS9
09/26/2013 at 12:49

I like this plan, except that sadly even doing all of that wouldn't get me remotely close to an LFA. I could maybe cover the gas for crossing the country in one. Maybe.

PS9 > Jayhawk Jake
09/26/2013 at 12:52

Kinja'd!!!

Steal it then. You have nothing but money now, and there isn't anything waiting for you at the other end of the country anyway. See how far you can get.

Worst case, you get an awesome national news worthy death, or free meals and no rent for a few decades.

Jayhawk Jake > PS9
09/26/2013 at 12:55

Good idea. BRB gonna steal LFA...

desertdog5051 > Party-vi
09/26/2013 at 12:55

What you mean Gay? Have you never just done what something inside told you?

Party-vi > desertdog5051
09/26/2013 at 13:04

No the voices in my head aren't that strong anymore.

I mean, what?

Tom McParland > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
09/26/2013 at 13:06

I can tell you from my experience talking with a lot of car salespeople, sales is a grind...and not an easy one especially if you are new. You are the lowest man on the totem poll which means you get the worst picks, and are the most likely to get the worst hours and get let go. And did I mention the hours suck, so if you and the wife plan on starting a family soon it's gonna be tough. I say try to get another tech job, you won't have to learn a whole new industry. But best of luck either way.

desertdog5051 > Party-vi
09/26/2013 at 13:08

Thoreau:

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Sound like this applies to you. Live, take chances.

Sorry about the bold.

Party-vi > desertdog5051
09/26/2013 at 13:15

I'm buying a house with my girlfriend. Chances are being taken.

bourgeoisie > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
09/26/2013 at 13:49

Unless you're a slickster, car sales is a pretty shitty way to make a living, in terms of quality of life (not necessarily income). And "home" in many cases doesn't feel like home once you've been somewhere else.

desertdog5051 > Party-vi
09/26/2013 at 13:51

As an example. When I lost my job in the Midwest 20+ years ago, I decided to move to the Southwest. That is where I figured I would get to when I retired. So, I packed my stuff and savings and 3 credit cards and set off. I knew it might be rough at first. But I was doing what I wanted. I knew it would work out OK. In other words I was not going to be like the people Thoreau spoke of. And I was following my heart.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > bourgeoisie
09/26/2013 at 18:26

I mean I'm doing over the phone sales now. So it can't be any worse. And I still go back there regularly. I still love my hometown.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > deekster_caddy
09/26/2013 at 18:28

I worked there for years. And it's no more sleazy than the sales tricks I use now.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Nibbles
09/26/2013 at 18:29

I know what I'm gettin back into. And I much prefer it to Nova traffic.

bourgeoisie > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
09/30/2013 at 08:48

Oh I get it, so you were just looking for "opinions" and "thoughts" that you could shoot down since you've already made up your mind how you feel about the question you posed.

Moving on.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > desertdog5051
09/30/2013 at 10:21

Thank you so much for this. I can't thank you enough.