My parents are aging and I have been feeling a deep urge to be closer to them while they are still around. I'm also interested in being closer to the rest of my family-- most of them live in the same area As a result, since January I have been looking for jobs within a 2-3 hour drive from where they live. I work in a very specialized profession, and I am growing increasingly frustrated with how few openings there have been for which to even apply (even stretching and applying for jobs that are not a perfect match for my experience). I have been networking my butt off-- starting with people I know and then reaching out to people I have never met. I'm amazed at how helpful people have been, and I think I have cultivated some interest but it has not yet led to any concrete job offers. I have no way of knowing how long it may take to get a job offer within my preferred distance.
Meanwhile, on Friday I met with a company I used to work for. They have a new office that is about a 5.5 hour drive from my parents and they might have a job opening in the near future. My impression is that it is likely I will get a job offer for that office before I get one within my preferred distance. Should I get an offer, I am trying to weigh whether it would make sense to take it. The quality of life in that city would be fabulous. Cost of living would be lower than where I am now but not as low as some of the other places closer to my family (which would not have the correspondingly high quality of life). The job would entail longer hours than my current job.
Another consideration is that most of the places with 2-3 hours of my parents would require that I buy a car. I have never owned one. Meanwhile, it is possible I could live without one in the city that is the longer drive (I could potentially rent a car for those trips).
Do you have any thoughts on any of this? Wisdom gained from your personal experience? Please share.
