FUCK YEA! I got a new job!
For the past 17 months, I've been underemployed, falling back on my commercial drivers license to earn a fair living driving a large truck for a friendly packaging company. I earned $42k last year. I live 1.5 miles from my job, and 2.5 miles from hers. It's super convenient and we like the area where we live. Are commutes are fantastic. This has been a discerning factor during my job search. I live 25 miles north of Seattle, where the majority of higher paying jobs are to be found. The problem is that those 25 miles regularly require 45-90 minutes to drive during rush hour traffic, and I wasn't committed to make the jump to a 2hr daily commute when I'm currently riding my bike 5 minutes each way.
I've been applying for account management positions in the greater Seattle area for about 6 months. It's what most closely represented my previous employment before this current driving position. I've written and rewritten my resume several times, with no success. Just before Thanksgiving I got in touch with a recruiting company that specializes in corporate placements. Things were slow for the first couple months, but got busier after the holidays.
Long story short, I got a call from the recruiter on Wednesday the 11th about an outside sales position that had a relatively low base, was phone screened by the general manager on Monday the 16th, spoke with their sales training consultant at noon on Wednesday the 18th, got a surprise call at 9:30pm from the owner of the company that same night, and then had a face to face on Friday the 20th. I negotiated an offer on Monday the 23rd, signed the offer letter on Wednesday the 25th, and gave two week notice the same day.
My new job starts with a declining base salary that will pay $3k/mo for the first 6 months, $2k/mo for the second 6 months, and $1k/mo for the months thereafter. Thus $30k in the first year. Expected sales is $500k in the first year, paid at 10% commission. If I hit that number, my 1st year earnings will be $80k. If I sell $250k in the first 6 months, I'll earn a $2500 bonus. Second year expected sales will be $1m, bringing 2nd year earnings to $112k with base.
The business sold nearly 12m last year, with 8 sales reps. Average earnings per sales rep is just shy of $140k, none earn less than 100k, some closer to $200k.
I'm going to have to bust my ass, hit their metrics, schedule meetings, and close sales. It's going to be a slog for the first 6+ months. I'M STOKED. I will dominate this job, sell way above quota, and make everyone a shit load of money.
When I hit quota this year, it will increase our family earnings by $40k, and we'll save the entirety of the new increased income. It will catapult our current savings rate from just over 50% to roughly 65%. 2nd year savings rate could jump to 70% depending on tax liability.
Either way, provided everything goes as planned, it could push our intended FIRE date from 2030 down to 2026. I'm currently 30, wifey is 28. The original goal was age 44 and 42. This could push us back to 40 and 38. Even more so if earnings increase to the higher limit of the spectrum. You can be damn sure I'm going to ace this job.
Edited to add: The position is 100% remote, work from home. I'll be driving more, to visit clients and makes sales, but it'll be part of the job, and that will be a lot easier to stomach. Plus, it's reimbursed.
