Barrybran - [Insert Original Thread Title Here]

[Barrybran]

Journaling:

Things could be about to get crazy in my world. My wife has been job hunting the past couple of months to no avail. A large local employer was trying to get her in and after some time without response, and being turned down for some excellent opportunities within a couple of hours from home, my wife expanded her search several hours away from home.

Last week, the local employer got in touch and informed my wife that the person responsible for handling my wife's resume had not forwarded it to the appropriate people, that that person had been removed and that the store manager had the green light to get my wife in for an interview. A couple of days later, my wife received a call from another large employer whom my wife had applied for three jobs for. That discussion led to a confirmed interview for Thursday this week.

The local job isn't what my wife wants but it's stable work that keeps us in town. Ever since we moved to the town we live in, my wife has planted roots and I've been skeptical about opportunities, particularly if the companies we worked for were dissolved (which happened to my wife) or we were unhappy in our roles (which has happened previously to my wife). There is no contingency if things go wrong. In the past year, however, I've come to realise just how important staying is to my wife and I've adopted an attitude to make things work here while taking up a university degree to cover my tracks if things didn't work out between my wife and I or either of us professionally. Funnily enough, my wife has started to see my point of view, particularly in light of what she wants to do professionally.

The local job puts her a few rungs down the ladder and there is no guarantee how long it will take her to work her way back up or whether she can do so within a single store. Each of the previous store and assistant store managers came from outside of town and have/will move on when their terms are done. My wife has been told that the company will ask her to move up and around if she is doing an exceptional job, something my wife has achieved in each of her management roles to date. The job my wife interviews for on Thursday is for a store management role that is somewhere in our state. The prospective employer is so impressed with my wife's resume that they have asked to interview her for consideration for several store management positions. In other words, my wife is being sought after and we have no idea where.

The job she interviews for will start with an attractive income though after taking increases in rent and childcare into consideration, we would probably be in a similar position to what we're in now. Financially, we would be no better off initially. Where my wife and I will benefit is from future opportunities. If my wife does well, she would move onto a bigger store, more responsibility and a greater income. For me, I have only one company I could potentially work for in our town. Outside of town, I have several options in each town plus, whilst I would like to work, it would not be necessary and I could choose between working, studying or applying for an internship in my chosen field, though I have been told I won't be taken seriously until I am at least half way through my degree, something I won't achieve for at least another 16 months.

It's been difficult to contain my excitement at potentially moving. Granted, if my wife did get a job away from home, she would work away from home until at least January as my son will be in school until December and we have previously discussed my wife clearing her probation period before committing to a big move. I've been burned in a previous job that I have banked on only to be dismissed prior to my probation expiring. Moving though brings a lot of positives: greater opportunities and security, greater access to facilities, closer to major centres, more entertainment options and greater career prospects.

The big downsides are moving away from my wife's friends and family and uprooting the kids for a potentially short term move. Now that I've finally got my head around staying it had been strange trying to play devil's advocate; supporting my wife's desire to stay, her desire for a career and being realistic about our long term prospects where we live. The tables have turned with her getting excited about potentially moving and me playing it down somewhat. I've told my wife that I support whatever she chooses to do and that if she chose not to pursue the opportunity outside of town that she had a job lined up in town and that she would still progress to where she wanted to go. We would still face a potential move in a few years but we would be financially well off while staying close to family and friends until that opportunity presents itself.

If my wife does receive and offer and accept it there will be a turbulent period through the remainder of the year. She will work several hours from home while I remain behind with the kids. I'll still have my work commitments and my wife has lined up her friend to move in to help with the house and kids. I don't know how I feel about that but I will cross that bridge when I get to it. With my work schedule, it will be very handy to have someone on hand to get the kids ready for school or put them to bed so I can continue to work and provide. As much as I won't need the money, my younger workmates are becoming increasingly unreliable and with a potential move looming, it will be good to remain flexible to my boss, who won't take the news of me potentially leaving very well.

Other than that, all is well. I am on break from uni, having just finished my first round of exams. Soccer resumes next week and I have medical tests coming up in the next couple of weeks. I have found a new hobby in updating my wardrobe and I'm looking forward to finding some time to go shopping when I have the chance.