Post-retail job options?

[Stachsquatch]

I hope this is the proper area to post this. I am currently working as an executive manager for a Fortune 500 company (I promise you anyone in the USA would immediately recognize it). This position is similar to a department head, or a store lead in a less enormous retailer. I lead a team of about 40, with 4 assistant managers who report to me. I have been in this position for about 3 years now. I entered it immediately upon graduation from a well reputed state university with a Business Administration degree. I make $57,500 (plus a little extra here soon for a cost of living adjustment.)

I am now nearly 23 and am wonder what opportunity is out there. The nature of this position has me working about 45-55 hours per week depending on the season, and the schedule is regularly irregular. It involves working some weekends and a good handful of closing shifts, which is not terribly helpful for attempting to do more with my time or learn some mustachian hobbies, not to mention spend time with my new wife and pup. Since reading MMM's latest post I am even more motivated to raise my income to up my savings.

I don't mind the amount of hours or the irregularity TOO much, but I figure I could probably find work with better pay and better hours if I look for it hard enough. I do "owe-n" a house in this area so that is a consideration in terms of relocation. I am fairly close to Microsoft and they do pay handsomely I hear, so perhaps it is worth pursuing work with them.

What sort of work would you persue in my shoes? If you want more info ask here and I will do my best to profile myself. :)

Thanks in advance for the input!

 

[StarswirlTheMustached]

I just wanted to say that " executive manager" really does not sound like a retail position. Title inflation?

First off, though: what are you looking for in a job? More money, and more steady/fewer hours, anything else? It sounds like you want to get out of retail, but do you actually have something you want to be doing?

[Self-employed-swami]

That sounds like a very good salary for a 2-year diploma course.  I don't have any recommendations though.

[Dynasty]

Microsoft pays very well. Not easy to get on there. Supposedly you need to be a MS contract employee before they hire you on permanent.

Also Redmond is a looooong commute from "Kitsap".   Ages ago I commuted to Redmond from the Kitsap area and it was a good hour and half each way. I can only imagine it would be much much worse now. 

Housing near Microsoft in Kirkland, Bellevue, and Redmond is about eight or ten times more expensive than housing in the Kitsap area. 

I'd keep working at the Gap if I were you for at least awhile. And bank the housing savings of affordable housing in Silverdale.

[Stachsquatch]

I apologize for the confusion on a couple points. First, I actually hold a bachelor's degree from UW. I graduated early thanks to hating the monotony of high school and starting college early. Second, I have many interests and am very open minded as to what I do for a career. I got a business degree for a reason, and I love the business cycle and enjoy leading and developing people. In terms of industries, I have always enjoyed anything tech related and most of my co-workers make fun of me for not having been a programmer or something involving more data analysis. I love anything tech / quality product related. I've been considering teaching myself more Java or C# or an equivalent to open some new doors, I just don't have the time in this season of life to learn it as fast as I'd like.

As for title inflation, there is a little but not nearly as much as one would think. Most of my day to day work involves payroll, forecasting, data analysis, and developing my assistant managers. It has presented some very interesting and challenging work in this position, but any more the schedule is wearing me thin for the amount I am paid. Maybe I am looking for too much too soon, but I have always been rewarded for being overly ambitious in the past.

And yes, Redmond area is terribly expensive, I do love my very affordable kitsap.

[Self-employed-swami]

When I first graduated from uni, I worked 50 hours a week for 34,000/year (5 years ago), so even with inflation, you are making a good paycheque.

[Stachsquatch]

Yes, I am definitely thankful for my current position and feel very blessed to have such provision, I am just exploring ideas of what else out may be out there for a gent with my experience.:)

[tooqk4u22]

$60k for store manager not to far out of schoold and only working 45-55 hours a week sounds like a good deal - most store managers I know work a lot more than that. 

But if it is not your thing then explore options, your degree and skills/experience on the job is transferrable to other industries - but also understand that your next step may or may not involve a pay reduction.

[sheepstache]

So you oversee a particular store or all the stores in a particular zone or something like that?  Could you job hop laterally to a different company that might pay better?  Is there further opportunity to move up, more into the corporate part of things?  It sounds like maybe you could get involved more in the data analysis side of things, or a go-between between the heavy-duty analysts and the executive managers who are supposed to make use of their results, since you understand both sides of things.