As I alluded to, I've had a post in my drafts that's actually related to work. And not just related to my job, but PJO's as well. I didn't want to say anything until it was all finalized, but now everything is pretty firm and we have to make some decisions. And fast. We probably will come to some sort of conclusion tonight or tomorrow.
PJO has an offer at a great firm in suburbia (50 miles away). More prestigious firm, slightly more money, about equal benefits, but maybe a little less big fish in a small pond and more of a small fish in a big pond. The good news is my whole family lives in suburbia and we could buy a fairly nice house there where good schools for Timmy abound. I have actually wanted to move back for awhile, but PJO has been adamantly opposed. Until now.
I tried to transfer to the office of my firm in suburbia, but right now, the office is "full" so I'll be in LA for a year or two more. The question now is whether we move to suburbia anyway. I could commute to the LA office pretty easily by train. It's not ideal, but there are definite benefits (doing work or relaxing on the way to work instead of letting road rage consume me). I could drive when I feel like it or when I know I have a late night ahead. I was told that I could probably transfer to the suburbia office in a year or two, so the longer commute wouldn't be forever. Of course, the benefit to staying in the LA office is that it's bigger and has a great variety of work across practice areas. But I worry about being a junior associate and having to leave at a specific time every night to catch the train.
Our choices basically come down to 1) staying in LA, PJO stays at his current job, I keep my current job offer, or 2) We move to suburbia, PJO takes the new job and I commute until I transfer offices (unless I love the train so much that I want to stay at the LA office). So, with that extremely vague overview and lack of important facts, what would you do? Any insight is appreciated. I'll keep you all updated.
8 comments:
I don't know about how people will react in your firm but because I commute by ferry I have been pretty clear about the fact that I have to leave at 5 to catch my ferry unless there is an absolute need for me to stay late. People have been very understanding and great about it. I'm the ONLY associate that leaves at 5 every day but so far it has worked and I get some work done on the ferry.
I say if you really want to live in suburbia- go for it! But it's hard to say without being in your shoes :)
Do you have the money to buy a house now? What about kiddo number 2? I can't see commuting from burbs to LA, and being a first year, and having a toddler, and being pregnant. That's too much. The firm is not letting you transfer? After you've been such a good sport and deferred? Can you have lunch with some partners in the suburbia office?
I say stay in LA. Seems like a hassle otherwise!
Schools are important for kiddo, plus family abounds in suburbia making emergency pick ups easier. Pro suburbia if hubby is willing to go and it won't cause marriage strain for him to switch jobs.
thanks everyone for the quick replies!
Cee, I'm thinking that strict train schedule could be good for avoiding the unnecessary late hours in the office too.
Anon - we would be able to buy a house down there now, but not up in LA (at least not anywhere we would want to live) for a while. We don't plan on having another kid for about two years, so I wouldn't be doing that commute pregnant any time soon. Even going by what the HR person told me, ("I could transfer you in a year or two from now"), I wouldn't do the commute for long. But I also know people who know people in that office and I could potentially switch sooner. I just think I might want to see how long the commute is doable for, since the LA office is better suited to the kind of work I want.
I personally would take the opportunity to move closer to family, buy a house and for my spouse to have a more fulfilling job. However, I also commute about an hour to work everyday and I can tell you that it SUCKS. Sometimes I have to work late and just can't pick up and take things home with me. It sucks to work and then have an hour commute just to get home on top of it.
I think it's a personal choice, but if you can deal with a long commute for a few years and then transfer to another office I would say it's a pretty good option.
Any chance you could rent somewhere in between for a year, until they could transfer you?
Personally, I'd do #2 -- sounds like that's what you want long term, as long as you can live with the commute.
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