should I stay or should I go (updated)

[Hedge_87]

So I have been really contemplating making a change in. I feel absolutely crazy for even thinking this but I am so here's the deal.

Current job

Pros
great pay in a LCOL area (you can buy a lot of house and not even notice a dip in the stash)

I pretty much set my day myself and just go do what is needed as long as everything gets done they leave me alone (this is mainly due to the fact that nobody else knows how to do the things I do at least not in my branch)

I have worked here since I was 19 years old.

Cons
I do not think there are enough curse words in the english language to describe what I think of my supervisor and it is truly demoralizing just knowing that he is allowed to continue working for this company let alone be in charge of other humans.

We live in a LCOL area but it is in the middle of ag land. I have lived in ag land my whole life and I am just about sick of this environment. I  don't know how to describe how I feel it just seems like everybody here is just stuck going through the motions trying to survive from one day to the next  instead of living life. Oh and anytime the wind blows (and it blows this is frickin KS) the whole town is surrounded by a huge cloud of red dust which makes me really happy. I am also worried about our rural community. The average age of citizens has to be close to 60. I don't see any jobs being created to bring new people into town and agriculture is on the verge of being pretty much automated in the next 15 years (tractors, trucks, and combines driving themselves).

Opportunity for advancement is pretty small. I work in one of the "Satellite Districts" so most of the upper level jobs are at our main office and would require me to move to an even less desirable place.

Possible Job 1

Pros

Located in CO with the frickin rockies in my back yard so lots of kick ass stuff to do. It is also not near as hot out there.

One centrally located office so any possible advancement doesn't require uprooting my family and making my wife also change her place of work too

Fast growing company so exciting new work

Cons

HCOL a house there comparable to ours would cost 3x as much (I am assuming wages are adjusted for this though)

Farther away from our family. We are close enough now it is possible to do a one day trip but it doesn't happen all the time. this will put us 8 hours away

just a little unknown quantity. I have done my homework but will it really be better?

Possible Job 2

pros

A pretty substantial pay increase right off the bat.

a larger town with more opportunity and diversity

about the same distance from family just in a different direction

cons

company is a little more of a corporation and although that means there may be more opportunity it also means that I would be a number and probably more politics involved

HCOL not as high as CO but still higher than what I'm used too.

again just unknown quantity.


What do you all think? Should I just say screw and plow through to FIRE, or should I jump ship and start new?

[plog]

Right now you only given us 2 things to compare:  'Working there' vs. 'not working there'.  You didn't give us what comes after 'not working there'.  Ostensibly it involves a physical as well as career move. 

So, given just those 2 options you should stay.  Take a deep breath, hold your tongue and continue to work there until you decide what happens next.

[Hedge_87]

Sorry plog,

I was in the middle of typing and my son need attention NOW so I just posted what I had with the intent of updating later.

[Laura33]

How long until FIRE on your current plan?  Sucking it up for one year is way different from sucking it up for 5 or 10 or 20. 

Generally, if you're ready to try something other than KS, then go for it.  OTOH, you should also expect to run into giant flaming assholes who have no business holding down a job (much less being in a boss-type role) everywhere you go.  So adjust expectations accordingly.

Will either other option offer a trip to check it out, see what kind of house you can afford, etc?

And I love CO - all things being equal, that is 100% where I would chose to live.

[Hedge_87]

How long until FIRE on your current plan?  Sucking it up for one year is way different from sucking it up for 5 or 10 or 20. 

Generally, if you're ready to try something other than KS, then go for it.  OTOH, you should also expect to run into giant flaming assholes who have no business holding down a job (much less being in a boss-type role) everywhere you go.  So adjust expectations accordingly.

Will either other option offer a trip to check it out, see what kind of house you can afford, etc?

And I love CO - all things being equal, that is 100% where I would chose to live.

FIRE is probably quite a ways off. I would say 10+ years to get a to a level my wife and I would be comfortable

I understand assholes are everywhere. this guy seems to go out of his way to be one though and in general has zero integrity. He is pretty good at tooting his own horn when the brass is around though.

I know the area pretty well for new job number two however moving to CO would be a whole new area. If I get called for an interview I would spend a few days checking things out. We've been looking online but thats not the same as being there.

I am leaning towards CO precisely because it is an awesome place to live and I would love to have my son's childhood spent hiking in the mountains and exploring. Not saying I had a bad childhood or anything in KS. Mom and dad took us places all the time but it would be awesome to have the rockies close enough for a day trip on a random Saturday or Sunday.