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Do take the sure thing or take the chance?
Since moving back to Michigan after a short stay in Indianapolis things have not gone so good for us. But it looks like that may finally be changing. The company I worked for ( as press operator ) in Indy is asking if I would want to come back down to be a supervisor. It's a job in the industry I have worked at for 20 years and is a sure thing. The problem. Moving would mean my wife needs to find another school to finish her nursing and may have to start alllll over to build a grade point with the new school. Most likely her and my son would stay in Michigan until she can transfer. It will also be a pain in the ass coming back and forth for legal issues regarding my house and then selling and closing on it. The chance- My currents bosses son in law owns his own machine shop. He told me the other day if I wanted to come on working and training weekends to see how I do he would train me and hire me if I caught on and worked out. Although my machine in Indy was a CNC flexo, I have no idea how to run a CNC machine. I have a knack of learning shit like this fast but at the same time I'm a little leery of taking that chance. If I worked out the payoff would be amazing. $18 an hour to start, 57 hours a week. Full benefits. 1st shift ( although long hours). I hear he is a good guy to work for but to be honest. Watching his guys work it looked as boring as my current maintenance job is with no snow on the ground. Set the machine, put in a block and it start and blow off the scrap metal for 1/2 hour. I'm not asking what to do or even what you would do. I'm just wondering are you a risk taker or the person who always takes the sure thing? Dec 19 14 03:35 pm Link Since being diagnosed with a tumor in my spinal cord in ''97, and living with the resultant nerve damage, I simply do what I can. Dec 19 14 03:52 pm Link Whenever I come to that fork in the road, I write down the "pros and cons" then discuss with those who will be affected by the decision. Good luck with whatever path you take. Dec 19 14 04:14 pm Link Sounds like the safe bet is a no win situation. When faced with that I always take the risk. Given the alternative the risk is no risk at all. Dec 19 14 04:48 pm Link You said you've been going through rough times, and from what I've read in past posts your situation has been dire. I don't know what I'd do in your case, the chance is always the most tempting option. You have an opportunity to bring your family back to a position of some stability and lay down a new foundation you can build upon to make things better. And, as you say, it's a sure bet. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush? On the other hand, me being me I'd probably go for the gambit. I've won big and lost big, always chasing the dream. Dec 20 14 05:37 am Link In cases like this, I''m often reminded of a comedian who discussed the "starving people in Africa". His comment- Move where the food is! I know that''s satirical, however there ARE places in the country where jobs are more available that others. Michigan doesn''t seem to be one of them. Combine that with a good economy and a good cost of living, I''m amazed that more people don''t take the risk to move to a state where the economy is better. My wife watches some of these "love it or list it" home shows where a couple is buying a $750,000 1800 sq ft "fixer upper" house in Maryland or California. It makes me glad we purchased our 3600 sq ft home in a great neighborhood in TX for 220k. Good luck whatever you do. I agree with writing the pros and cons on paper. Most times an objective view can be had that way. Dec 20 14 05:48 am Link FlirtynFun Photography wrote: Sam Kinison. http://youtu.be/P0q4o58pKwA Dec 20 14 06:45 am Link Nice to have some options. Congratulations! I know you''ve been through a wringer this year so it''s good to see you finally getting some breaks. As for me, you can put me in the risk-taking corner. Sold all my worldly goods, moved to Japan with four hundred dollars in my pocket that sort of thing. But now that I am married and have a mortgage the risks taken are much smaller. Have to consider the effect on other people. Dec 20 14 07:02 pm Link Sure things bore me. I have always been a risk taker. Most of the time I miss the mark, but sometimes it pans out. All in all, its been pretty worth while to take risks. Life would not be very interesting to me without the freedom to experiment and try new things. It seems to me that the people with the most regrets and least amount of happiness later in life are those who always bet on the sure thing. Dec 20 14 07:38 pm Link Congratulations on the offers! Evaluate the risks vs the rewards. You are talking about three people. If the rewards with the risk are high enough, then go with the risk. Otherwise take the sure route. What does your wife say? Definitely know what she will loose by changing schools before she does it. I would also recommend that she has a seat arranged in a new school before she does it. Do you want the aggravation of being a supervisor? Watching the metal spin will be boring. Can you run multiple machines at once? Let us know what you decide and update us on the house. Good luck. Dec 20 14 07:43 pm Link Gianantonio wrote: My own personal experience was that I always liked the results better if I took the chance... Dec 20 14 08:15 pm Link I sold my soul to the devil (gubment) for job security and benefits (single parent raising two daughters). I got drunk for a very long time, but I have no regrets. I did what I needed to do for my kids. Dec 20 14 09:25 pm Link I think you really need to sit down and talk to the wife. Do the pro''s and cons from both of your perspectives because it seems to me the "sure thing" in your view is the "risky" option from your wifes viewpoint (you go back to the old secure job, while she has to find a school sell the house and do the moving) while the "risky" option from your view (different job- and new learning curve) is the secure one from your wifes! When you are a family you all need to make the decision and take risks together as a unit. My husband has just joined the Army at 50, after 30 years doing the same boring shit in the same boring place. We made the decision together that a move across the country would be good and he can''t wait to learn an entirely new job (from supermarket manager to avaiation crewman). Not risk takers as a rule but sometimes you need to jump out of the rut and hope to shit it works out. Dec 21 14 02:16 am Link Jay2G Photography wrote: I''m a risk taker by most people''s standards. I find that most people are afraid of their own shadow in comparison. For instance, I know a man who wanted to build his CD collection. I said he should buy them in bulk so he can get them cheaper. He asked what he''d do with all the CDs he didn''t want and I said resell them. He might even make a few bucks out of the deal, thus getting paid to build his collection. He opted not to do that, instead buying CDs one or two at a time at a local flea market ($2-3 each) or on eBay (often less than $1 but with $3 or more for shipping, depending on how big the order was). Dec 21 14 04:17 am Link Hunter GWPB wrote: The machine shop is very small and family owned and operated. He is about to expand the building and buy a larger machine to be able to do more work. Currently he has 4 machines and a person to run each. So there are not multiple machines to run. Dec 21 14 06:07 am Link If you haven''t done so already, make a spread sheet with all of your monthly expenses. Make sure to have categories for personal spending AKA allowances. Save every receipt (even for a soda). Look at where your money is going. For me, I was able to cuts my expenses considerably (especially in the food dept). My Ex was spending 600/mo on junk food, well, because the kids liked it. Cut out the junk! I did try to accommodate my kids up to a point, but, at heart, I''m an asshole who was desperately trying to make ends meet with an eye to the future. This is what''s for dinner tonight girls. Don''t like it? Oh well, it''s all there is. Not to worry. It''ll keep in the fridge and you can eat it tomorrow. Sooner or later, they get hungry enough to eat anything. Yeah, it can be hard (and heartbreaking) at first, but the up side is that you get kids that are willing to try damn near whatever you put in font of them, even sushi (which my girls love - and they used to HATE fish of any kind). Go figure.  Look at recipes from other countries. Ask yourself how large immigrant families making minimum wage can even afford to breath let alone eat. Try them. There''s some really good eats from around the world that can be made for next to nothing (start with Mexican and Asian stuff). Do you really **need** the latest "in" shoes, or do you need functional footwear? Bottom line: You probably have a lot more money than you think. The trick is to know where it is going and why. A good spreadsheet will greatly clarify things (and probably shock the crap outta you). If you want to PM me a real email address, I''ll be happy to send you my spreadsheet with all of the numbers to clarify what I''m rambling about. Good luck to you and Merry Christmas. Dec 21 14 08:36 am Link There is no such thing as a sure thing, everything has a risk, some are smaller than others. Which looks like the best opportunity and which has the highest risk? You can relocate and the company can go broke or get bought out by a competitor. you can work for a family business and family stuff can cause them to close or higher a relative. Sometimes we are in better positions to take higher risk, sometimes not. Roll the dice Dec 21 14 12:46 pm Link The only thing I can suggest is to look at your career 3 to 5 years down the road. What skills do you have to market yourself and be hired if both of opportunities you have today at some time do not work (less than 2 years). At Michigan you can be trained in a machine shop and at Indy with CNC (as I understood). What is the expected job market in 3-5 years for a trained machine shop skills versus CNC skills? Looking forward, are the machine shop skills up or down in demand in the market? What about CNC skills? What are the changes of career progress in both opportunities - money and promotions? What are the risks you do not learn CNC but learn machine shop skills or do not learn any of them? How long it will take for you to "relocate" - maybe get to Indy by yourself and your family later - would it be doable - acceptable by your family? These are questions you can post yourself and get a broader picture on what makes sense for you, based on what you are looking for - short term change or long term career. These are not the only factors, but I some of them. Hope this helps. Dec 21 14 01:46 pm Link Jay2G Photography wrote: I always prefer to explore and take risks. I find it to be invigorating. What I accomplish by taking chances makes me whole, and propels me to seek new opportunities. Dec 21 14 04:35 pm Link Marco R wrote: You make a lot of good points and I appreciate your insight. I'm pushing 50 and I personally feel the supervisor job may be the best choice. Even if I learn the CNC job I question how many people will jump at the chance to hire a 50 year old machine operator. I think the title and the experience of being a supervisor and the 20+ years under my belt would go further if I left for another position in the future. I also feel I would be a little more marketable as a supervisor at my age than as a everyday worker. I have a few friends my age and older who were bought out from GM and other companies and have had a hell of a time finding a decent job. Feb 01 15 08:24 am Link the only certain things in life are death and taxes. the rest is a crapshoot. where will you be happiest? what's the best decision overall for your family? to me there's some peace of mind in knowing that your wife will have a career she can fall back on if something happens to you (unless you have a lot of life insurance). my wife's dad worked in a remote location in alaska much of the time while his family lived here in Salem, OR. but the money was good and he kept them fed. good luck with your decision. i think you just make the best one you can and try not to second-guess yourself after that. just keep moving forward toward the finish line. Feb 01 15 08:32 am Link Me? Risk Taker. Feb 01 15 09:02 am Link Am I a risk taker? Not really. I mean, yes, sort of. When I take risks it is unbeknownst to me. Not conscious at all. Traveling all over the world modeling for 10 years was a risk but I didn't look at it that way. When you look at something as a risk, it puts you in a different mindset. We're just sacks of meat on a rock in the universe, why not take a "risk"? Pros and Cons are good and help you understand the logic of the situation but honestly, with all of your financial troubles it sounds like you have a break. You should probably go for it. It isn't like Indianapolis is far from where you currently are anyway. A four hour drive isn't that big of a deal. Feb 01 15 09:31 am Link I would work for an established larger company over a small family owned one. Look at how many business go belly up. It's not a matter of ME being a risk taker because I have children to take care of. You do what is best for them and not necessarily what you want. If your wife cannot afford to go to school then she simply can't. Get out of the hole you are in first. Indianapolis is a pretty good place to live. There are places to get a nursing degree everywhere as well. Feb 01 15 01:50 pm Link Now the question I ask myself is quality time vs quantity of time with my family. I am 50 and have been a cautious person all my life. I have 2 younger kids (9 & 12) and a 21 year old and have been married for 25 years, my family went through a very traumatic event 4 years ago that changed us forever. I have a stable well paying job and am on the verge of making a huge career change. With many long talks with my wife WE feel that if you FEEL it.... go for it, life is too short to NOT do what you want. At the end of the day YOU have to do what's best for YOU and YOUR family, enjoy life to the fullest Feb 01 15 02:52 pm Link I'm a risk taker -- hands down. I reap the rewards - and the problems - that come with it. However, having been someone that has read your previous posts you are currently not in a good spot, legally or financially. What you need is not a risk (of something falling though), but stability so you and your family can get back on your feet. Go with the safe; rebuild so you're no longer stressed and no longer with destructive people, then retake the risk. Get an apartment in Indy and an apartment for your wife and family in MI while they finish what they need to do. You will have a steady (better) paycheck in the supervisor position, which will allow you to go after (through a lawyer) the people causing you problems and taking advantage with the house. JMHO Feb 01 15 03:28 pm Link Warren Leimbach wrote: +1 Feb 02 15 02:49 am Link |
