I have a job decision to make by tomorrow, and I'm having a hell of a hard time with it. Honestly it's one of the hardest decisions in my life, so far. I do feel really lucky for having to make such a decision, but that's part of why it's hard... Anyway, sorry for the long explanation:
I graduated in 2008 with a graphic design major and marketing minor, and I sat at a deli for a few years after, not finding any sort of job in my field, like most graduates nowadays. A very good friend from college, though, got some money from a friend and together they started a business. Since 2010 I was working with them on a freelance basis. I created their logo and a brochure and stuff. But, they were a very small business, and so things went slowly.
In July of this year he finally offered me a full time job doing design work and marketing for his business (My official title is Art and Marketing Director). I could work from home for the most part, but I had to go in to help with random stuff once in a while. He could only afford to pay me 20,000 a year salaried, which was less than my deli job, but I took it in a heartbeat because I believe in his business and I needed to get some non-freelance experience in my field. I also get 3 weeks paid vacation per year, so that was nice, and I already took one. I know it was pretty quick, but we had it planned already, since it was for my wife and my anniversary.
Since getting the job with my friend things have been pretty great. The first few weeks I did a bit over 40 hours per week. I have been creating promotional materials, helping with advertising ideas, and I'm in charge of their social media and website. I've completely redone their website, and update it when it needs updating. After those first few weeks, though things slowed down a bit. Worried a bit about how much he could realistically give me each week, and just still in the habit of doing it from before, I was still applying for other jobs. And, hey, it's always good to see what's out there anyway. Might find something awesome. And I always had it in my mind that I could probably tell him I'd work part time for him on my off time if I got another job. I could basically do all my marketing and design stuff with part time hours. I just wouldn't be able to do the random helping out stuff.
On top of this, my wife had been bugging me for a while about moving. She hates our apartment. It's way too cramped, and she found her dream place in her dream town just north of here. So, we bit the bullet and paid the fee to get out of our lease at this apartment and signed a lease at the new place for October 1st.
Well, it's like I've always told her, I didn't want to move until I got a really permanent job, because I knew once we moved I'd get something. I had applied to one job a while back, before the decision to move. I interviewed there while we were still deciding on moving, and then we signed the lease before I had my 2nd interview there. The job was for an art coordinator position at a company apparel place. I wasn't sure on the pay, but I was pretty sure it'd be higher than 20,000 per year, and it'd be with a bigger company. Anyway, they called me Friday and said I didn't get the art coordinator position, but they were thinking about expanding their art department and they wanted me to join as an artist at 11.50 an hour. And they said that their art department lead would be retiring next year so that's something I could apply for when the time came. I told them I'd have to talk to my wife and get back to them Monday about it.
Great! I was pretty happy as hell, since my plan was coming true, and this could potentially mean a part time job at my friend's place, and a nice secure decent paying job WITH WEEKENDS OFF!!!!! (Seriously that would be insane for me). BUT, we just signed a lease and are moving in just a week. And the new place is 58 miles, or 1 hour and 14 minutes away according to google maps. I could probably make it there in about an hour without snow, but Wisconsin winters can really be hell. And there's absolutely no way to get out of the new lease for at the least 6 months. My wife definitely doesn't want to move and then move again in 6 months anyway, so realistically it'll be a year before we could move closer to this new job.
So, I'm having an insane time with this decision. The new job will get me a lot of experience, and if I could pull off working both jobs I could be finally pulling in enough money that my wife and I could think about children in the future. And my resume would look pretty awesome. That's all great and all, but I'd be giving up a dream job of working at home for one of my best friends. And, he really helped me out beyond what's reasonable. Before putting his job on my resume I wasn't getting many responses at all. With his job there, I got an offer. And, I feel a bit bad already taking advantage of the vacation thing, and leaving so soon after starting with him, since I'm sure he still has big plans for this business, since it's pretty much his life right now. No matter what I don't want to stop working for him and doing that stuff. I've essentially created the entire branding for his business from the ground up, and so it's kind of my baby too at this point.
So, I've talked with my wife and my parents and some friends and got a lot of viewpoints, but I'm still really struggling with this decision. I don't want to look back on it a year from now and think I've fucked up my future by not taking the job. I also don't want to work like crazy for a year if it really isn't worth it. So, I turn to you gaf. Do I risk the relationship with my friend and the crazy awesome job I have now to try and work my ass off and drive 2-3 hours every day to/from a full time job, but have my resume look great afterwards? Or do I tell them no and stick by my friend for a while longer and hope something closer comes along (or that the job with my friend gets me more money quicker)? Is working an hour+ away really as big of a drag as I'm thinking it might be?
tl;dr Can't decide between risking things and possibly working my ass off for a year to have my cake and eat it too, or whether I should just sit on easy street for a while, even though there isn't much money on easy street.
I graduated in 2008 with a graphic design major and marketing minor, and I sat at a deli for a few years after, not finding any sort of job in my field, like most graduates nowadays. A very good friend from college, though, got some money from a friend and together they started a business. Since 2010 I was working with them on a freelance basis. I created their logo and a brochure and stuff. But, they were a very small business, and so things went slowly.
In July of this year he finally offered me a full time job doing design work and marketing for his business (My official title is Art and Marketing Director). I could work from home for the most part, but I had to go in to help with random stuff once in a while. He could only afford to pay me 20,000 a year salaried, which was less than my deli job, but I took it in a heartbeat because I believe in his business and I needed to get some non-freelance experience in my field. I also get 3 weeks paid vacation per year, so that was nice, and I already took one. I know it was pretty quick, but we had it planned already, since it was for my wife and my anniversary.
Since getting the job with my friend things have been pretty great. The first few weeks I did a bit over 40 hours per week. I have been creating promotional materials, helping with advertising ideas, and I'm in charge of their social media and website. I've completely redone their website, and update it when it needs updating. After those first few weeks, though things slowed down a bit. Worried a bit about how much he could realistically give me each week, and just still in the habit of doing it from before, I was still applying for other jobs. And, hey, it's always good to see what's out there anyway. Might find something awesome. And I always had it in my mind that I could probably tell him I'd work part time for him on my off time if I got another job. I could basically do all my marketing and design stuff with part time hours. I just wouldn't be able to do the random helping out stuff.
On top of this, my wife had been bugging me for a while about moving. She hates our apartment. It's way too cramped, and she found her dream place in her dream town just north of here. So, we bit the bullet and paid the fee to get out of our lease at this apartment and signed a lease at the new place for October 1st.
Well, it's like I've always told her, I didn't want to move until I got a really permanent job, because I knew once we moved I'd get something. I had applied to one job a while back, before the decision to move. I interviewed there while we were still deciding on moving, and then we signed the lease before I had my 2nd interview there. The job was for an art coordinator position at a company apparel place. I wasn't sure on the pay, but I was pretty sure it'd be higher than 20,000 per year, and it'd be with a bigger company. Anyway, they called me Friday and said I didn't get the art coordinator position, but they were thinking about expanding their art department and they wanted me to join as an artist at 11.50 an hour. And they said that their art department lead would be retiring next year so that's something I could apply for when the time came. I told them I'd have to talk to my wife and get back to them Monday about it.
Great! I was pretty happy as hell, since my plan was coming true, and this could potentially mean a part time job at my friend's place, and a nice secure decent paying job WITH WEEKENDS OFF!!!!! (Seriously that would be insane for me). BUT, we just signed a lease and are moving in just a week. And the new place is 58 miles, or 1 hour and 14 minutes away according to google maps. I could probably make it there in about an hour without snow, but Wisconsin winters can really be hell. And there's absolutely no way to get out of the new lease for at the least 6 months. My wife definitely doesn't want to move and then move again in 6 months anyway, so realistically it'll be a year before we could move closer to this new job.
So, I'm having an insane time with this decision. The new job will get me a lot of experience, and if I could pull off working both jobs I could be finally pulling in enough money that my wife and I could think about children in the future. And my resume would look pretty awesome. That's all great and all, but I'd be giving up a dream job of working at home for one of my best friends. And, he really helped me out beyond what's reasonable. Before putting his job on my resume I wasn't getting many responses at all. With his job there, I got an offer. And, I feel a bit bad already taking advantage of the vacation thing, and leaving so soon after starting with him, since I'm sure he still has big plans for this business, since it's pretty much his life right now. No matter what I don't want to stop working for him and doing that stuff. I've essentially created the entire branding for his business from the ground up, and so it's kind of my baby too at this point.
So, I've talked with my wife and my parents and some friends and got a lot of viewpoints, but I'm still really struggling with this decision. I don't want to look back on it a year from now and think I've fucked up my future by not taking the job. I also don't want to work like crazy for a year if it really isn't worth it. So, I turn to you gaf. Do I risk the relationship with my friend and the crazy awesome job I have now to try and work my ass off and drive 2-3 hours every day to/from a full time job, but have my resume look great afterwards? Or do I tell them no and stick by my friend for a while longer and hope something closer comes along (or that the job with my friend gets me more money quicker)? Is working an hour+ away really as big of a drag as I'm thinking it might be?
tl;dr Can't decide between risking things and possibly working my ass off for a year to have my cake and eat it too, or whether I should just sit on easy street for a while, even though there isn't much money on easy street.
