Ever did something that was just a bad idea? Well, I'm fixin' it...

[ViperMan]

I did it for several reasons.  Mostly it was desperation, but also it was a glimmer of opportunity, of expansion, growth, and development...  It was also partly greed - not the evil kind of greed, but just that "Yeah I could do cool stuff with that..."

And that's why I moved my family down to Hagerstown, Maryland, and began working for the US Department of Justice in Washington "Crazy-Town" D.C...

It really only took a few months - nay, DAYS - to feel discouraged.  It started with two days of 3.5 hours of commuting ONE WAY to/from the city.  That's improved to 2-hours, one way... ...if you call that "improvement."  It also quickly became an exercise in futility - constantly dealing with laziness and apathy.  What appeared an excellent way to develop my career and get an "in" with Government contracting has become nothing more than an effort to stay awake during the full 8-hour day.  What little time I actually spend "working" is spent chasing around team members trying to get information that was due days ago and even then often coming back empty-handed.  I have certainly proven my age-old adage - "if you make something idiot-proof, someone will make a better idiot."  The wife too isn't happy with her job or long commute - and in the end, we're both just miserable.

Anyhoo, that may all be coming to an end.  This past Monday I had a significant interview with a significant company (to for-now remain nameless) outside of Pittsburgh, PA.  I was contacted several weeks ago by a head-hunter who put me together with the company in record time, and I am expecting a definitive response by week's end.

If approved for the position, I will take on a high-level supervisory role, responsible for establishing a new system of Project Control Management in the main office of a Global company.  This is, in a word (or two,) a BIG deal...  I will of course be relocating BACK to PA (or as I'm prepared to call it, "home")  where I hope to finally be able to settle down, buy a house (with a garage) and fill it with cars. 

So, in closing, I'm fixing the bad decision of moving down here.  It won't be fun - I just finished registering the last car down here in Maryland.  But in the end, it's definitely the best thing to do for myself and my family.  Wish me luck - pray to your Gods and/or Goddesses, Mopar-Deities or otherwise...

...and I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks.

Jeff

[shadango]

Good luck in your move....I couldnt handle a 3+ hr commute....that would just be insane!

 

No amount of money could get me to live the life style some are living.....3 hr commute, work 10 hrs and then 3 hrs back.....

No way.

Life is too damn short.

[usraptr]

Good luck!! Hope it all works out for you!! 

[moparclown]

Keep your head high Jeff and push on.I won't go into it but I have a job that I dislike(makes me feel like a crumb on the floor just waiting to be swept up)But I get up every morning and push on
Doug

[Challenger III]

Good Luck and Best Wishes Jeff!  I've been in a similar situation before. Never regretted the move and the fresh start! 

[Topcat]

Good Luck Jeff.

Finding a job that's a keeper is hard.

My previous one's both were filled with issues on their pricing, samples, and leadtimes preventing me to get to buyer's target pricing. I couldn't even get close to negotiating range.

[Street_Challenged73]

Best of luck with any future endeavors, Jeff!

[ViperMan]

And of course the company decides to take Friday as a Holiday (even the GOVERNMENT wasn't closed on Friday...) so I didn't get any news.  But it certainly seems like my headhunter/agent is on my side, and he promised me definitive news by Tuesday, no later.  So I just gotta keep waiting...

[Chryco Psycho]

I knew you were unhappy were you were ,so I am glad you have found a better way to make a living , 2+ hrs commutes get old fast

[ChallengerHK]

You should have asked me about DC. I would have explained in great detail that it's Hell 

I live 24 miles from my job. My commute is also 2 hours, each way. I live 5 miles from Potomac Mills, a huge shopping complex. Average round trip time: 45 minutes.

My first week at my new job, it was explained to me that we have 8 standing meetings a week, and that they are not considered company time. I have to work 5 extra hours a week, for which I am not paid, and out of which I get diddly squat.

Add those two together and I'm away from my home 13 hours every weekday...assuming that there's no traffic accidents. Took me 4 hours to make the 24 mile drive home on Friday. I have no idea why.

Wanna take me with you? 

[DAYTONA]

I work at home and my wife has a 2 minute commute...I knew Indiana had to have some sort of advantage, in something...hope you guys the best in your jobs and relocation

[Bullitt-]

You should have asked me about DC. I would have explained in great detail that it's Hell 

I live 24 miles from my job. My commute is also 2 hours, each way. I live 5 miles from Potomac Mills, a huge shopping complex. Average round trip time: 45 minutes.

My first week at my new job, it was explained to me that we have 8 standing meetings a week, and that they are not considered company time. I have to work 5 extra hours a week, for which I am not paid, and out of which I get diddly squat.

Get with the US Dept. of Labor.... Think they have a remedy for this...No one needs to know who reported.

[ChallengerGary]

I am struggling right now with how to remedy my "bad decision" as well.  Taking the job I did out here in TX and up-rooting from our home in Florida was supposed to be good financially for us between the "raises and bonuses" that have never materialized and the "lower cost of living" that was also b.s. Now, I am seriously considering heading back the FLA.  Wish a headhunter would contact me...

Good luck and hope it works out for you.

[ChallengerHK]

Get with the US Dept. of Labor.... Think they have a remedy for this...No one needs to know who reported.

Thanks for the thought, Wade, but I don't think it applies to me. I'm salaried, which pretty much means they can work me 80 hours a week if they want. I'm used to having to put in extra time, but I'm not used to a) having extra time scheduled every week, and b) having it be in pointless meetings where everybody is slapping themselves on the back for churning out mediocrity.

[Bullitt-]

We had a bunch of well compensated salaried employees, but were shocked to find out that 40 hours applied to them as well in our retail & service business.  Seems that only supervisors with over 3 supervised workers are exempt in our case. There are different rules for different classes, for instance if we were a car dealer rather than appliance the rules would be different.
    Costs you nothing to inquire.