Opportunities

I’ve made mention of this a few times in comments, but our lives are a bit upside down at the moment.  While I accepted the position at the company that bought out mine, I have been looking.  And I found a position that sounds perfect for me.  It’s in Pittsburgh, at my alma mater of Carnegie Mellon University.

I’ve applied, and based on conversations, it’s practically mine.  I have a formal in-person interview on Monday with the other departments I’d be working with to make sure personalities mesh.  I gave them a salary number and they didn’t blink, and they’re putting together a relocation package for me to look over.  And they offered to send Dad’s resume to the campus HR group to help him find a position in Pittsburgh as well (at the university or nearby).

There’s a lot to think about.

It’s one thing to uproot yourself and move when you’re single.  There’s a lot more to consider when you’d be uprooting your entire family.

I wouldn’t start work until mid-August, so there’s time to consider it and get our house ready to sell, and do all the other stuff that’s needed to move – like find a house/rental in Pittsburgh.  We’d also have to work around a few (local DC) concerts we already have tickets for, and our trip to New York to see The Last Ship.  And our big 2-week vacation in October – we’ll just have to take leave without pay for both of us in new positions.  But all those things are down here in DC or start from here.  It’s a 4 hour drive to get here and we’ll have a place to stay (with Dad’s Dad), so it’s not unreasonable to come back.

This job sounds almost exactly what I was looking for – of course, I’ll find out more at the interview, but you never really know until you’re there.  I’m guessing that the environment is casual (it is a university!), and they have great benefits (8% into Vanguard – I don’t need to contribute to get it, it’s just there with a vesting schedule). 17 days vacation plus holidays – to start with.  Sounds great!

Dad would have to find another job – we’d lose about $17,000 in our retirement accounts as we lose Dad’s unvested balance.  Not the end of the world, and we can make it up with contributions, but still a “cost”.  The cost-of-living isn’t as high in Pittsburgh (it’s about 80% of DC), so we don’t expect the salaries to be as high either – I asked for under my current salary, which is “more” relatively.

Until we make a decision, we’re not paying off the mortgage any earlier, or spending a lot of money on anything.  I don’t particularly like being so unsettled.  The other option is to remain where I am and hope for the best…

4 thoughts on “Opportunities

  1. plantingourpennies

    Unsettled, but with some very good options in front of you! We have friends in the Pittsburgh area, and even one that has worked at CMU since we got out of college. Does Dad work in an industry where he’d be able to pick something up in the area?

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    1. Mom Post author

      Dad’s a software developer, so he should be able to find a position almost anywhere. He applied for a position Thursday night, and has an interview on Monday as well.
      I know at least three full-time staff that we’re working at CMU when I was there that are still there, so they must be doing something right!

      Reply
    1. Mom Post author

      I think the interview went well actually. The job sounds really awesome, but I’m not sure if I want to take it if they give me an offer. It’s an interesting position, but I’m not sure I’m ready to leave the DC area…

      Reply

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