Without going into detail, I just got offered a dream job with Microsoft. I live in D.C., it is in CA. My husband holds a top secret clearance and works for the State Department so there is no way we can move without him giving up a very good, not to mention secure, job. I can’t believe how bummed I am right now.
So, tomorrow I will get up at the buttcrack of dawn and drive 45 minutes so I can sit in my cube at the USDA (the home of the great corn syrup conspiracy) and figure out how to deploy 2700 SQL servers to 2700 field offices so farmers can push a button and see which field they planted the corn in → your tax dollars at work.
I’ve been looking for a new job for over a year, but almost everything is for cleared positions which I can’t get without a sponsor, which I can’t get without a clearance, which I can’t get without a sponsor - and round and round we go…
I guess this should really be a pit thread, but my heart really isn’t into it.
(My free trial ends tomorrow so I figured I’d get in at least one pity party. How many additional ones do I get if I join?)
Would you both want to move if you could?
If your husband has high security clearence, that is a very marketable item on his CV, could he find work in CA based on his experience and security clearence? You seem unhappy with your current job, could you both be happy if you both changed job?
As for pitty, sorry but you have to pay up first
Absolutely, what Bippy said. NASA is in Mountain View, so are half the hi tech government contracts. C’mon out. I promise, you won’t want to ever go back to shovelling snow.
Oh, everyone thinks it’s a joke. I thought it was a joke when they hired me to do it. I mean, who would deploy 2700 SQL servers - on W2K domain controllers no less - when you could have a web based SQL application access a centralized web farm? Oh, and that’s not a typo up there, they really do have 2700 W2K domain controllers - one for each field office, some of which employ a whopping 3 people.
There’s no chance of us moving though, so I just have to keep looking for something better around here. I don’t want to do SQL anymore though. Gimme a good ol’ sys admin job anyday.
Or could you just elaborate more on all that mess you said. SQL? W2K? WTF?
Anyway, do you have kids right now? I’m sure you have a strong loving relationship. One that can survive a temporary long distance separation. Why don’t you head out there and pursue your dream. Try it out. Then your husband can start working on getting a transfer to something out there. Is he positive there is no oppurtunity to transfer? No field office or something out in California?
If not, does he actually LOVE his job? Or does he love that it’s well paying and secure? If you move out there now, you can start looking around for other great jobs out there. Maybe even find one he loves to do.
You might be apart a year or so. But nowadays there’s webcams with audio, picture phones, and pleanty of flights between LA and DC. You both might end up happier in the long run.
No one is saying he should just give up what he already has. But why can’t you go get what you want. If, after a year or so, he can’t find a satisfactory career out there (how doubtful, right?) and you are really missing each other… then you can move back to DC. What’s the worse that happens? You’re back to fucking around with 2700 SQL thingies and hating your job? You’re already in that boat.
I can’t stress enough how I think you should do it. If it doesn’t work out, you wont be any worse off. But if it does work out, how happy will you two be. He’ll find some awesome equally good, equally secure job and you will have the job of your dreams.
So here’s a vote for DO IT. Take the job. Then spend the time you’re apart to start looking into his employment options out there.
Also, I’m just a little curious. I’m sure Microsoft didn’t just call you up over there at Farm Computers, Inc. You must have been actively pursuing this job. You knew the job would require relocating - maybe not to the other side of the country, but you knew you’d have to relocate. Why did you even bother going through all that trouble to be offered your dream job if you’re just going to give up in the end. You’re getting what you want. All you have to do is accept it.
Some people who work at Microsoft find they don’t like the culture or the long hours or whatever and end up quitting after a few years. Why not take the job for a year and see how you feel about it after that? A year apart sucks big time, but it’s not the end of the world.
Plus, California rules. I played basketball at lunchtime in shorts yesterday and I’ll probably play again today.
Sorry you never really had a chance to find out, although I have to admit the idea of at least a 6 month “trial-seperation” from spouse and taking the job would have been my choice.
Now you will simply never know, and regret is a horrible thing to drag around as baggage for a lifetime.
I didn’t. They found me in their database since I’d been applying for D.C. area jobs. I guess I shouldn’t have said offered as opposed to really, really interested in me. I didn’t get as far as an offer letter because I didn’t let it, but it was one of those perfect fit jobs - the kind I could do in my sleep. I just want to tell Bill Gates, “I’ve used your products since the beginning. I had a bunch of solid, no hassle Netware servers that worked fine, but oh no, I was given NT 3.5 and told to make it work. Windows 2000 = nice product. NT 3.5 = crap. MS SQL server 2000 = not bad (kinda unsecure). MS SQL 6.5 server = trainwreck. Hell, I even use IE even though Firefox works just as good with the added bonus that it doesn’t dump adware on my PC everyday. You owe me a job, you wankers.”
Microsoft SQL Server, Windows 2000, What The Fuck.
I’m not in the AD group so I don’t know all the ins and outs, but it’s basically separated into several geological domains. I can’t remember how big the AD database is offhand, but I know that it’s huge.
Anyway, I’m over it. I just needed to vent a little. Something else will come up, but I was pretty bummed out last night over why I can’t seem to find that kind of job here. All anyone wants to interview me for is SQL. I hate being pigeonholed into being a DBA. I do like this area though, even with all the traffic. I’ve never lived anywhere else. Thus ends the pity party - but notice I’ve paid up so I guess I can be as whiny as I like now.
Thanks for the party invitation Ginger, unfortunately I have a Christmas party that night.
I promise, you won’t want to ever go back to shovelling snow.