Author Topic: Job Decision Help  (Read 1706 times)

ninjasrock723

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Job Decision Help
« on: April 23, 2020, 12:04:33 AM »
Hi I am hoping to get some help on a decision between a new job and my current one.

Current job:

Senior Aerospace Engineer, 29 M, Single
Location:  desert of Palmdale CA (a terrible place in the middle of nowhere but cheap)
Salary: $108k + 10% 401k match and 3% bonus
PTO: 3 weeks on 4/10 schedule (every Friday off) + 1 week sick time, flex time to make up time off
Rent: $530 renting a room (5 roommates)
Commute: 15 min to work and 1 hour to LA

New Job: Principal Systems Engineer (same level)
Location: El Segundo, CA (by the beach)
Salary: $107k, 3% 401k match 3 +4% bonus, 10k signing bonus, 15k moving bonus
PTO: 3 weeks on 9/80 schedule (every other Friday off)
Rent: $1150 total (2 roommates)
Commute: 5min/15 min by bicycle on beach in LA

Genuinely concerned what is the best choice. I like what I do; I am a design engineer working on cool stuff, but the location is killing me.  I can live in LA and commute an hour (60 miles) each way, but it pains me as a mustachian and an engineer. I have worked here for 2 years, single and expect that to continue on the current trajectory. Dating pool is not exactly great here.

The pay cut is a big blow to my ego even though the moving benefits and location make up for it. It would certainly be a downgrade in terms of career and salary, but the location is amazing. I could bicycle or even walk to work easily every day and sell my car or park it. While I can easily swallow the pay difference, I have several recruiters interested with other companies in  the same location (beach) that would most likely pay in the $115-120k range. These jobs should open up after the lockdown has passed. Should I take a job that I know is a lower salary when I know there are other possibilities on the horizon or stay at my current job and wait it out being miserable?

To further complicate this, I do not enjoy my career as an aerospace engineer and would like to transition to tech or product management. While I have been applying for these positions nothing has been successful yet.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks

JustTrying

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Re: Job Decision Help
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2020, 01:06:18 AM »
Based on what you're saying, it sounds to me like you 100% want to move to LA. It also sounds like you're pretty confident you can get a better offer. I'd recommend trying to negotiate more with the current offer, and if it's a no-go, keep applying and wait for a better offer in LA. I also don't think a commute from LA to Palmdale is going to work out well. That sounds terrible!

Good luck!

chemistk

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Re: Job Decision Help
« Reply #2 on: April 23, 2020, 06:09:48 AM »
I mean, the numbers you've posted are all fine. The LA job would absolutely put you at a lower savings rate simply because of the higher cost of living.

This is your first post on the forum, but looks like you're pretty familiar with the general concepts of of the site, so the real answer does not lie in the decision between job "A" or "B" or "C" -> "X". Instead, this is the question you need to both ask and answer: what is most important to you?

Do you know what you're aiming for? FI? FU money? ER?.

What's your timeline? Do you want one or all of those things in 5, 8, 10, 15 years?

Do you want to be married? Kids? Travel? Own property?

What's your current savings rate?

Maybe you've already gathered this. but a lot of people miss this nuance - MMM and frugality are not actually about trying to retire as fast as possible. It's all about building the life that brings you, personally, the most happiness/fulfillment/contentment/excitement (in a morally, socially, and environmentally friendly way).

Are you TRULY miserable where you are right now? Do you know for a FACT that you'll be happier living in LA & shifting careers? If you don't then the first thing you really should do is try and find happiness/etc. where you currently are. I'm not trying to tell you that your current situation is the best you can do, but the grass is always greener until you get to the other side. Maybe you'll find that you hate living and working in LA, or that your new career plan sucks. By trying to see all the good things in your current setup, you get to learn exactly what brings you whatever it is you need.

If you have these questions answered, then you should know exactly what to do. The forum can tell you what's the most frugal thing to do but the forum will never be able to tell you the most fulfilling thing to do.


Beach_Stache

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Re: Job Decision Help
« Reply #3 on: April 26, 2020, 05:50:31 AM »
+1 for both comments.  You need to enjoy your job and your environment.  Not enjoying either one should raise to red flags to make a change.  If you're focused on the numbers that's great, but it sounds like you do very well and can move up wherever you move and will be able to save a lot based on wherever you are.  If you know LA is right for you and you already save a ton and don't mind working (if you think this career move is the right one for you) then I'd go for it and not think twice.  Staying in a career or location you're not happy in is just delaying the inevitable.

LightStache

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Re: Job Decision Help
« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2020, 04:42:25 PM »
I assume because of the locations you mention and 9/80, you're working for a defense industry megacorp. Given your two options I'd tell you to either renegotiate your current offer or wait for one ~$125K in El Segundo. But I'd also recommend looking for engineering jobs outside of defense. There's a lot not to like about the government contractor space and it could be that you don't like the business, but would enjoy engineering in another sector. If you're willing to work long hours, also consider SpaceX in Hawthorne -- they're a government contractor but haven't absorbed the unfortunate cultural elements yet.

LWYRUP

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Re: Job Decision Help
« Reply #5 on: April 28, 2020, 08:58:11 PM »
If you are confident you'll get a $115k - $120k, then knowing nothing about your industry I'd say try to negotiate the current offer up and if it doesn't work then unless you are miserable just wait it out and keep applying until you land something in that range. 

Mrs. Sloth

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Re: Job Decision Help
« Reply #6 on: April 28, 2020, 11:49:35 PM »
I mean, the numbers you've posted are all fine. The LA job would absolutely put you at a lower savings rate simply because of the higher cost of living.

This is your first post on the forum, but looks like you're pretty familiar with the general concepts of of the site, so the real answer does not lie in the decision between job "A" or "B" or "C" -> "X". Instead, this is the question you need to both ask and answer: what is most important to you?

Do you know what you're aiming for? FI? FU money? ER?.

What's your timeline? Do you want one or all of those things in 5, 8, 10, 15 years?

Do you want to be married? Kids? Travel? Own property?

What's your current savings rate?

Maybe you've already gathered this. but a lot of people miss this nuance - MMM and frugality are not actually about trying to retire as fast as possible. It's all about building the life that brings you, personally, the most happiness/fulfillment/contentment/excitement (in a morally, socially, and environmentally friendly way).

Are you TRULY miserable where you are right now? Do you know for a FACT that you'll be happier living in LA & shifting careers? If you don't then the first thing you really should do is try and find happiness/etc. where you currently are. I'm not trying to tell you that your current situation is the best you can do, but the grass is always greener until you get to the other side. Maybe you'll find that you hate living and working in LA, or that your new career plan sucks. By trying to see all the good things in your current setup, you get to learn exactly what brings you whatever it is you need.

If you have these questions answered, then you should know exactly what to do. The forum can tell you what's the most frugal thing to do but the forum will never be able to tell you the most fulfilling thing to do.

Well said! I needed to hear this today. I think I have been caught up in the retire asap game.

LightStache

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Re: Job Decision Help
« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2020, 07:13:18 AM »
OP won't know "for a FACT" that he will be happier in El Segundo than Palmdale until he tries it. We should be encouraging him to make the jump and at least take it for a test drive.

LWYRUP

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Re: Job Decision Help
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2020, 08:09:56 AM »
OP won't know "for a FACT" that he will be happier in El Segundo than Palmdale until he tries it. We should be encouraging him to make the jump and at least take it for a test drive.

My fear is he takes the new job and then is dissatisfied that he's underpaid but is hesitant to move again cuz then it will look like too much job hopping on his resume.  But this is the view of an east coast lawyer not a west coast engineer so please discount it accordingly.