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[Farmwithjunk]

Well, I started off as a simple nail-bending carpenter. A few years back, a position opened up as the companies estimator. That seemed like a fine job, and it payed well. I took it. It pays well but it isn't always such a fine job. (One man doing the job of 4 or 5) A couple months back, the owner finally relented and hired me some help. Now there's someone else to dump all my burden upon.

Fast forward to today. Another position within the company has opened up. I'm being recruited to take the job. It's being labeled as "Job Coordinator". It's essentially a construction managment position. (We're a general contractor. but also serve as construction managment for several clients who hire thir own subs.

My greatest disapointment with the estimators job was not being out in the field anymore. This new job offering will see me in the field about 75% of the time. DOWN SIDE? Yep, there's ALWAYS at least one. SOME of our work is out of town. I'd be on the road again too. In the last year, I've been trying to simplify my life. (Kids are grown and gone, wife is about to retire, and we just bought a new (smaller) place) This will complicate things. I'm about 5 years from retiring myself. The extra income before retiring will buy a little more financial security.

I'm having a hard time making up my mind. I've got until 3 PM friday to give answer.

I've come to respect and value the opinions of the good folks on this site. Many of you have been in simular positions. How did you settle on your course of action?

Opinions please.

Thanks.

 

[riptides]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( simplify my life )</font>

Why mess with a goal that was established before a new "unknown" opportunity came along? You seem to have a plan, and even a date to meet that plan.

I relish my time at home, with my wife and kids. I can make money, I cannot make time.

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[JazzDad]

Tough call. I've seen a good number of folks who retired, then had to go back to work because their investments didn't perform as they had hoped. Hopefully, you will have many more years with your wife, and the little bit more on the road will be forgotten once you retire. That's my 1 1/2 cents worth. (Spoken by one who has to work for many more years before he can retire.)

 

[scott_vt]

Farmwithjunk,
I say stay with the old job, 5 years from retirement and on the road again /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif No thanks!
Unless that new position payed a huge amount of money and you really needed that money why throw a monkey wrench into all of that. Stay on the farm and enjoy your family and property /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif IMHO

scotty

 

[midlf]

It's a balance question. The first question is how much will you be on the road? Two days a month is a lot different than 15 days a month. For me 15 days would be a deal breaker, two days would not be a problem. What's it worth to YOU. That you have to think about it says to me that it is not what you want.

 

[Bird]

First, that's a pretty personal decision, so I'm not sure anyone can really help you with it except your wife. However . . . we're usually not bashful about offering opinions. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I never turned down a promotion and think that would be hard to do. And I also much prefer being outdoors to doing office work. But like Midlf, it would depend on how much time on the road for me. I wouldn't want to be gone overnight very often or for very many nights in a row. So I guess the next consideration would be . . . how much extra income? /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[BB_TX]

The amount of time on the road would also be the deciding factor for me. I am out of town on average 3-4 days a month. I can handle that with no problem. However, I would not take a position where I was gone much more than that no matter the money. Certainly a personal decision, that should take into consideration your wife's feelings/concerns also.
I guess another question would be whether declining the promotion might affect the security of your present job.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Let me address a few of the questions.

There would be no "set amount" of days out of town. It'd vary according to the number of jobs we'd be handling. As the estimator now, I know we've bid on a BUNCH of stuff that'd keep me away from home.

In all likelyhood, the out of town trips would be 3 or 4 days at a stretch.

Additional income would be approx. $15,000 a year. (yet to be determined)

I'm never going to change one aspect of my life. Dangle that carrot in front of me and I go after it. I'd rather just keep life simple and enjoy my "senior years", but opportunities don't come knocking every day.

My wife seems indifferent about the idea. That's HER way of telling me she'd rather I DIDN'T take the job. She is always supportive of whatever I do, and lets me know what she wants. She won't say anything negative if she suspects I want this job.

Bottom line is, I'm more inclined to pass on it, but have a problem with passing on the extra income. Not my nature to leave anything on the table.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

FWJ,
I am in sales with a aerospace machining company and travel away from home 2-3 nights a month. Sometime when I have to fly to a company I may be gone a week at a time 2-3 times a year. I get really stressed before I leave on a trip because I don't like leaving my family and I really enjoy working outside and I start thinking about all the projects I have and getting behind because I am out of town.

We recently had a salesman leave the company and I am taking over his accounts which may equal more travel since he will not be replaced, they just hired someone to work under me to handel my paper work.

I am trying to simplify my life also and my wife and I have decided that as soon as my son gets out of college (two more years of high school and 4-6 years of college) I am out-of-here.

So I kinda see where you are comming from. Except your situation is a little different. Seems the money is really the deciding factor since you said you really don't want to travel and kinda get the feeling the wife would rather you not take it but will support you if you do...Great Wife.

You have an opportunity to make about $15,000 more a year. That is around $10,000 after taxes. Talk to someone and see if you keep your current job and pay, how much would you have to invest to make somewhere close to 10k a year...Roth IRA, CD's, etc. If you weigh in the stress and the unhappiness you may experience from traveling and being away from home you might even settle for 5k a year in investments.

If as you say you are more "inclined to pass on it". Then I'd pass.

Good luck.
David

 

[billbill1]

To me, the away from home would depend on how I was away from home. Meaning-airports or driving. I hate waiting in airports and the delays that always come with it. If driving several hundred miles, I would look at it differently. $75,000 extra income could be a big help in retirement if you put the money in your 401K. If you spend it, I'd opt to stay where I was. You do sound like you are bored with the current position so the new job could be exciting for the next 5 years. It's totally up to what you and the Mrs. think would be best for the two of you. She might like it less if she's left home alone after she retires, can she travel with you? She might like that.