posted
Nothing super-amazing certainly... Which is why I'm sort of not entirely sure whether I should take it or not.
The story:
I work at a movie theatre that belongs to a chain that until a few years ago (when my theatre opened) was based entirely in a state other than my own. Its still very centralized in that state, so somebody interested in staying and growing with the company should probably move to that state.
I am interested in moving up, and so I planned on working at my current theatre until I was promoted to senior manager at another theatre; this was what my previous GM (I'll call him "M") suggested since the company would then pay all the moving expenses.
That was the idea, but then M announced he was going back to the Home State and was wondering if anyone wanted to go and open the new theatre with him. Since I've never lived away from home I'd rather have some form of familiarity, even if it is my boss, so I said I was interested, but only on the small chance the higher-ups decided to promote me to senior manager.
That didn't happen, no way, but M really wanted me to go (he thinks I'm awesome, just not ready to be SM) and so he kept asking, but I always said, "I can't afford to move or live on my own at $9.50/hour [which is what I make], sorry."
So, a month or so has passed and the new theatre is about to open in a month or so, but they're having trouble getting experienced AMs. So, today M called my theatre and told me that if I would move to this new theatre they would:
1) Promote me to AM4 (not SM; the fact I'm an AM3 and not a 4 was large factor in the fast and flat-out "NO" in promoting me to SM)
2) And then give me a 50 cent raise on top of that.
So, considering that AMs make more in the Home State, plus the promotion, plus the raise, I would jump up nearly a dollar an hour to $10.45/hour. Its still not a lot, but then I'd also be getting automatic 25 cent raises every 960 hours worked (which would be about 6 months or so for me)...
He also made it clear that this would only apply to this specific new theatre. So, if for some reason I turned this down and then wanted to move to some different theatre, I wouldn't get this deal.
Should I take it? I know its not some massive thing, but its the second-largest raise I've gotten all at once, and I will be getting more frequent raises, and once in the Home State there should be lots of opportunities to rise further....
posted
Are you going to be financially secure with $10.45 an hour?
That'd be the biggest thing for me. If you really think you can get somewhere with this and that opportunities are there, then give it a shot, but if you crunch all the numbers and can't live somewhat comfortably off that hourly wage, then I'd say it just wasn't mean to be. Is the 95 cents an hour raise really going to make an impossible move/living situation that much more possible?
Just off the top of my head, your take home pay would be, under the new wage, something like $1,300 a month, yes? Is that enough for rent, utilities, the move costs, transportation, food, and fun money so you don't go nuts in a new location?
It sounds like a really good opportunity, and obvously your GM thinks very highly of you, which I can only imagine will serve you well in the future, especially once you get to the higher AM spot, it'd put you in a great position to go up to GM, maybe even back in the state you're from. But I'm the type of person who worries about the next step I have to take, rather than be excited about the possibility of something six steps down the road.
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posted
It depends on the state. It's possible to live on your own at that wage if you're working full-time, have a cheap place and have the most minimal of bills. But if familiarity is what you want most, then, I wouldn't recommend it, because that wage is definitely not a good enough reason to move.
But, say you were moving to a highly cultural, happening city to open up this theater where the living experience would be awesome, then it could be a possibility.
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posted
Even if that were true, wouldn't a highly cultural, happening city also generally indicate a more expensive city?
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posted
I'd have some help, certainly. I still currently live with my mom, and she has said she would continue to pay for some things that she currently pays for; we'd slowly wean me off that, as it were.
My girlfriend would be coming, as well. She would probably get at least a part-time job to help out, and we could definitely get by for a while with her and my saving combined.
So, while it'll be harder than the relatively leisurely life I've led so far in terms of bills and such, I could do it. I just want to make sure "future possibility" and a $1 raise is worth it...
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posted
Not necessarily. It could indicate the possibility for better public transportation, and those kinds of cities tend to have a wider range of apartment costs. My town isn't a highly cultural and happening city, but I plan on moving to Seattle, which actually has both better transportation and cheaper living.
There's the possibility of higher utilities, which I concede. But pulling in $1300 is doable with his only expenses being rent, utilities, food and gas.
Okay, so I'm a bit late. You should have mentioned the other things. One, if you and the girl are serious, it's a decent idea. But if you break up you're both essentially alone in a different state. That wouldn't be fun.
But if you've got faith in the relationship, you don't mind the maternal help, and an advancement in this business is what you want to do with your life is all good, then go for it.
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quote:Originally posted by EmpSquared: Okay, so I'm a bit late. You should have mentioned the other things. One, if you and the girl are serious, it's a decent idea. But if you break up you're both essentially alone in a different state. That wouldn't be fun.
We've been together >3 years and we were mostly just waiting on having the finances to live together to get married, so...
posted
Given what you've said...I'd think about it, but I'd still be pretty hesitant unless you're really, really sure that this is going to lead somewhat decent, and for that matter, you really just feel the need to get away for awhile or forever.
If you feel like all your ducks are in a row, then really it's whatever you feel is best for you, just make sure you plan for as many contingencies as you can think up.
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posted
$10.50 an hour is, frankly, a pittance. In and of itself, it's a poor reason to move. If you were wanting to move anyway, and if the state you'd be moving to is okay, that's great. But keep in mind that the cost of moving is going to eat up your entire "raise" in that first year; that they'd be paying you more isn't really a factor. You still won't be able to live on your own.
posted
As Tom pointed out, and I can tell you from experience, $10.50 an hour is relatively difficult to live on. I'm not saying you can't survive on it, but you won't be saving much and you won't be having much fun.
(Unless you've got an arrangement for free room and food, cheap insurance, or other hidden benefits.)
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Boon
unregistered
posted
I think it seriously depends on where he's going and what his priorities are.
Our cost of living here is admittedly pretty darn low, and we make it on my husband's $13/hour. It's not easy and we don't have the latest and greatest of anything, but there's also SIX of us and we're doing okay.
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posted
My gut says to take a pass. While at your current level, that raise is a huge percentage, it's still a relative pittance. Certainly not enough to make the difference between barely scraping and relative comfort. I saw nothing about them paying for your moving expenses, and they certainly would not knowingly pay your girlfriend's moving expenses. Plus you're thinking of moving to a location with no known job availability for her.
If this is about independence from Mom, I'd recommend getting a place that's not too terribly far away from the support system you have in place, just in case something does go wrong and you need backup.
AMs probably make more in the home state because the cost of living is higher. So that dollar raise doesn't go nearly as far. I'm curious why you aren't already getting the duration-of-service raises you mentioned. Is that an AM4 benefit only? And why is your promotion to AM4 contingent on you taking the position in the other state?
Talk to the GM. If he really wants you that badly, he should be willing to negotiate on your behalf.
Also, have you done any research yet into living expenses in the home state? The more concrete data you can provide in support of your position, the better. For example, "rent will be 800-900 a month with a 2 month security, electric averages 30/month, water and cooking gas are included, grocery costs will average $100, transportation will cost $75". Or whatever the actual numbers are.
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quote:Originally posted by Goody Scrivener: I'm curious why you aren't already getting the duration-of-service raises you mentioned. Is that an AM4 benefit only? And why is your promotion to AM4 contingent on you taking the position in the other state?
Yeah, the automatic raises are for AM4s only. Going from AM1 to AM2 to AM3, etc. is less of a "promotion" and more of an acknowledgement of further experience with a raise, so going up that ladder doesn't take very long. The next step above AM4 is senior manager which would take longer to achieve, generally, so AM4s get raises every 960 hours.
And regarding the promotion being dependant on my moving... That was mostly to do with different philosophies of my old GM in the home state, and the GM who took over here. Honestly, though, when I'd be promoted would come down to only a few weeks.
quote:Talk to the GM. If he really wants you that badly, he should be willing to negotiate on your behalf.
He has. This is what he was able to get.
quote:Also, have you done any research yet into living expenses in the home state? The more concrete data you can provide in support of your position, the better. For example, "rent will be 800-900 a month with a 2 month security, electric averages 30/month, water and cooking gas are included, grocery costs will average $100, transportation will cost $75". Or whatever the actual numbers are.
We're still figuring this out (I only just found out about the whole thing last night, so...). but I have looked online to get an idea for apartments and such. Studios and/or one bedrooms from about $400 to around $550. I found one I like at first glance for $450.
And I've done some very early math. I took my hourly wage, multiplied by 45 (which would be a little less than what I'd work a week), multiplied by 4 (for weeks in a month), subtracted 25% (to account for tax, insurance, and such; is that enough, yeah?), and then took that number and started subtracting all the known expenses, plus and extra $300 and I was able to just barely do it. Even if my girlfriend has a minimum wage, entry level job we should be fine.
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posted
Another thing to think about is how much your raises would be. At Starbucks, I was guaranteed a raise every six months, but it was maybe 1%-2% raise each time. That worked out to be about $0.18 on average. Now if your eventual promotion to SM is more than just a vague possibility, in other words they're talking about a number of months until you're ready, this job is worth considering.
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posted
Personally, I would not put much weight on the expectation of additional future advancement with the company. You need a bird in the hand, or other reasons to move. If you're banking on further promotion or raises, I would not recommend that you take the risk. You can lose the job or fail to get additional promotions - through no fault of your own or the GM's - and you'll be in a new city with a lease on an apartment and a relatively diminished support structure.
If you want to move to a new place and get out on your own, it changes the calculation, of course. This sounds like it'd be a relatively convenient & safe way to achieve those goals, if those are your goals.
PS, I highly recommend moving out and supporting yourself even if it means living with roommates. I think it's highly rewarding both in a personal independence vague sort of way as well as bringing clarity to questions about what you want to do career wise, and for what reasons.
PPS, I would not generally recommend combining the stressful experiences of supporting yourself for the (sounds like) first time, increased responsibility at work, and living with a SO for the (sounds like) first time.
Posts: 4287 | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
I think this plan certainly beats the film school idea (which made me nervous since you'd be taking on a lot of debt), and I know a lot of what drove that was your desire to be in a more exciting place.
If there really are apartments under $500, I think it's probably doable, if you don't go crazy, if you are able to do public transport and that sort of thing. Life can get incredibly expensive really fast.
Does your girlfriend have reasonable skills? If I'd realized what this legal secretary gig paid, I'd have been into it long ago. Bookkeeping is another area that pays better than general clerical, and it's mostly computer skills. That is, you don't have to really know math.
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posted
To the best of my knowledge, you have to have special training to do bookkeeping. I don't think it's extremely time consuming to get the training (but then I don't really know), but you can't just have basic computer skills and expect to get the job.
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posted
I'm thinking I'm going to do it. It won't be easy, necessarily, but I definitely think its do-able.
Part of why I want to do it is because my life has become somewhat stagnant. I've basically been following the same routine for the past two years (wake up, work, hang out with my girlfriend, wait for a promotion, think about how I should be saving money for goal of the moment, etc.), so I definitely need something that at least resembles "forward movement," as it were.
I also think that this is probably as good of an oppurtunity as I'm going to get regarding advancing in the company. I know I can't depend on a promotion at any point, but its more likely to happen more quickly in the Home State, than where I'm at.
So, I'm going to do it. My parents, my girlfriend, and I are going to have a little meeting on Wednesday to talk about things in a little more detail than we have. My GM's going to call me on Thursday for my decision.
Alright.
Thanks for the advice, everyone.
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