So you're telling me there's a chance!

"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein) 06/01/2015 at 18:56 • Filed to: None

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I need to get out of my job, for many reasons. I started looking at jobs here in Madison, but since then have decided to focus more on moving back to DC. I grew up there, came to WI for school, stuck around because of career and low cost of living. But it might be time to move back.

Anyway, before I started applying for jobs in DC, I went through the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! for a particular job here in Madison. It has continued to be a long process. I found out today that I am 1 of at least 9 people who passed the “exam” I had to do to clear the initial bar, and that they should be reaching out in the next couple weeks to schedule an interview.

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Everyone who passed the test gets offered an interview. All I know is I’m 1 of at least 9 people who will get an interview.

I just started applying to jobs in DC last week. I’ve been networking with senior people in my field on Linkedin making as many connections as I can. I should be able to line some stuff up there.

There’s also stuff going on with my gf who is also looking for a job and that’s also more complicated. I don’t even want to go there, the post will be too long.

So here’s the thing: if after this ridiculous interview process for Job A they offer it to me, there’s a good chance I’ll take it and stay in Madison for a couple years. Because it’s cheap to live here in Madison, the pay could be up to $30k more than I make now, and Job A will look awesome on my resume when I decide to move to DC, and I will be able to get into that much better of a job there, and afford the insane cost of living there.

Life’s complicated, man.

GeorgeyBoy > Textured Soy Protein 06/01/2015 at 19:55

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Reminds me of the crap I’ve had to deal with.

Please take 4 personality tests. Now an IQ test. Now a job specific test. Then don’t forget the drug test.

Or the equally annoying, only the highest GPAs get the interview.

AM3R shamefully returns > Textured Soy Protein 06/01/2015 at 20:17

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Move out to fairfax county if your back in DC. Sure, cost of living is still high, but it’s cheaper than DC and it’s only a 30 minute commute (I do it in 20).

Downside: $400k townhouse

Upside: Bought when it was only $270k ;)

Rico > Textured Soy Protein 06/01/2015 at 20:45

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Before I read through your entire post I was going to say DC cost of living is astronomical compared to WI. Best of luck man I hope you get the job to bolster your resume and hope you and your girl work out whatever you're dealing with.

random001 > Textured Soy Protein 06/01/2015 at 20:49

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I lived in DC. There is NEVER a reason to move there on purpose.

Textured Soy Protein > random001 06/02/2015 at 00:10

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My family’s there, and I’m at the point in my career progression where I could potentially make enough to afford it. Plus I actually like it, except for the soul-crushing traffic and suburban sprawl.

Textured Soy Protein > Rico 06/02/2015 at 00:12

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Oh there’s no problems between us. Her issue is she’s been out of work for 6 months because she left her job to take care of her dad who had lung cancer then died. She just was offered 2 jobs here in Madison, 1 in her field with good pay but late hours and she’s an early riser, 1 not in her field just to have some kind of income to help with the bills. So it’s trying to juggle those 2 job offers plus my search which is basically at this point 1 job here that hasn’t been offered to me yet but will, and the one where I’m 1 of at least 9 people who will be interviewed. Plus whatever shakes loose from all the stuff I’m applying to in DC. If we were both working right now it’d be a different story.

Textured Soy Protein > GeorgeyBoy 06/02/2015 at 00:20

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I work in staffing. I’m very familiar with all the hurdles that companies put up for candidates. Every company is different, but all companies suck at hiring people in their own way. I just carpet bomb as many applications out there as I can and see what shakes loose.

Textured Soy Protein > AM3R shamefully returns 06/02/2015 at 00:25

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Honestly, having grown up in Montgomery county, I dunno how much appeal Fairfax holds for me. I’d prefer not to live out in suburban sprawl if I can help it. But where I get a job will dictate where I end up living. Probably 2/3 of the jobs I’ve seen so far are in VA, maybe 1/4 in DC, and the rest in MD. I’d really like to have a Metro commute rather than a Beltway, 270 or 66 commute.

I’m talking to a company in Bethesda right now where the job they have in mind for me isn’t quite as senior as I’d like, but a possibility. If I worked in Bethesda I’d probably live somewhere in DC near the red line and do the reverse commute out of the city.

random001 > Textured Soy Protein 06/02/2015 at 06:23

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Affording it with money is one thing, affording it with the stress and toll it'll take on your quality of life is another. It was the most miserable place I've ever lived, and I've lived a lot of places.

AM3R shamefully returns > Textured Soy Protein 06/02/2015 at 07:34

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Not a bad plan, and you'd be going against traffic both ways so the commute should be nice and easy.

Textured Soy Protein > random001 06/02/2015 at 10:21

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Honestly, I know exactly why you’d say that. There are so many people from lots of other places who live in DC for a while, hate it, and leave.

It would be very easy for me to stay here in Madison where it’s cheap, the traffic is minimal, people are generally halfway decent, and I’d be fine. But DC is home, and I’m feeling the pull back there.

random001 > Textured Soy Protein 06/02/2015 at 10:29

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I do understand that. I’m in a different field than you. I’m a physicist, so naturally socially awkward. That many people around me makes me VERY uncomfortable. Just part of being me, though. There is something about home, though, for sure.

Textured Soy Protein > random001 06/02/2015 at 11:21

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I thrive in that kind of environment. I feel like Madison is sleepy in comparison. The downside is here people are very outwardly friendly and interact with random passersby throughout their day. Whereas in DC you need to create a bubble around you to block out all the people. You have to be good at ignoring people in your immediate vicinity. When I moved here it took me a while to adjust to making eye contact with and acknowledging the existence of random people who found their way into my bubble.

One time a few years ago I was visiting my parents and my dad and I took the dog for a walk in their suburban neighborhood toward the park between their and a couple other subdivisions. This other lady came in the opposite direction walking her dog. Since I was in Wisconsin mode, I automatically said GOOD AFTERNOON! to her. She looked at me like I had two heads. Like she was genuinely baffled why this person who she doesn’t know would initiate contact with her.