HI everyone. I apologize in advance for the long thread.
We are in a unique situation. Before I get started, I really do not want to come across as ungrateful, because I fully recognize the privilege and sheer luck we have had over the last few months. I don't mean to sound like I am bragging- if It comes across that way, please accept my apology!
Some backstory: my now-husband (B) and I moved from outside of Charlotte, NC to middle Georgia after we graduated in 2016 due to him getting an awesome job pretty much as soon as we graduated. We have been here since. The issue is that I have not been able to find any sort of work that pays above minimum wage (this just isn't a good area for my field...we found that out the hard way). This led to a lot of issues with depression with me, which I know really affected my husband, although his nature is to be stoic and "just be happy and you'll feel better!" (
)
I wound up doing a program that focused on wildlife and fisheries management, loved every second of it, and decided that that was a career path I would like to pursue- specifically, water quality and its effects on stream and river biota and habitats. Since I hadn't had any luck in the past three years of living here, we talked it over and decided that we would start applying to jobs in areas that we would like to live.
B found a job in Virginia that is doing exactly what he does now (it's a niche field). He had a phone interview and it went well. They have invited him to apply for an in-person interview.
Sounds great, right?
On a whim, I applied to literally the ONLY job I have ever seen in our area that pertains to water quality, not expecting much. Damned if they didn't offer me the job. Complete with benefits, the pay is great, it's close by the house...the whole nine yards. I was blown away. I cried.
So now- the advice part.
Obviously, with the additional income I will be generating, our household income has increased quite a bit. We live in a relative low-cost area, so that money goes quite further than it would pretty much anywhere else. Virginia is notoriously expensive and his starting salary would not be anywhere close to what he and I now make (this wasn't an issue when I didn't have a job, obviously).
So, here's my question: Should B go in for the in-person interview anyway, if anything, just to put a name to his application? He and I are brainstorming, trying to figure out the best way to professionally handle that situation. I think that him working for the Virginia company is something that we could definitely revisit in the future (I told him, "that position will eventually reopen again"), and having some experience under my belt will help for future job endeavors. B and I are both scared to death that if we did move, it would be a repeat of me not finding work for years and years, although some preliminary searches in that area suggest that I would find something much faster than I did in middle Georgia.
The smart decision would be to stay and let me gain some experience while B works at his current job. We would put some more equity in the house and not have to deal with packing, moving, etc. But...we really don't like it here. It's constantly hot (it's going to be 70 degrees on Christmas day, which is just awful) and there are no real seasons. Something blooms here 10/12 months of the year that makes B miserable. Neither of us have really been able to make consistent friends, so it's been a lonely 3 years. The area of Virginia that the job is, is in the mountains and an area that we both want to be and ultimately stay. We don't have kids yet but definitely want them. Moving would be easier now than trying to wrangle a kiddo or two and move.
I know there isn't a magic answer. I suppose I'm just writing all of this down to vent. It's been stressful in general, but also because B's dad is battling cancer and he is....stubborn, to say the least. Thanks for reading and any insight would be appreciated.
We are in a unique situation. Before I get started, I really do not want to come across as ungrateful, because I fully recognize the privilege and sheer luck we have had over the last few months. I don't mean to sound like I am bragging- if It comes across that way, please accept my apology!
Some backstory: my now-husband (B) and I moved from outside of Charlotte, NC to middle Georgia after we graduated in 2016 due to him getting an awesome job pretty much as soon as we graduated. We have been here since. The issue is that I have not been able to find any sort of work that pays above minimum wage (this just isn't a good area for my field...we found that out the hard way). This led to a lot of issues with depression with me, which I know really affected my husband, although his nature is to be stoic and "just be happy and you'll feel better!" (
)I wound up doing a program that focused on wildlife and fisheries management, loved every second of it, and decided that that was a career path I would like to pursue- specifically, water quality and its effects on stream and river biota and habitats. Since I hadn't had any luck in the past three years of living here, we talked it over and decided that we would start applying to jobs in areas that we would like to live.
B found a job in Virginia that is doing exactly what he does now (it's a niche field). He had a phone interview and it went well. They have invited him to apply for an in-person interview.
Sounds great, right?
On a whim, I applied to literally the ONLY job I have ever seen in our area that pertains to water quality, not expecting much. Damned if they didn't offer me the job. Complete with benefits, the pay is great, it's close by the house...the whole nine yards. I was blown away. I cried.
So now- the advice part.
Obviously, with the additional income I will be generating, our household income has increased quite a bit. We live in a relative low-cost area, so that money goes quite further than it would pretty much anywhere else. Virginia is notoriously expensive and his starting salary would not be anywhere close to what he and I now make (this wasn't an issue when I didn't have a job, obviously).
So, here's my question: Should B go in for the in-person interview anyway, if anything, just to put a name to his application? He and I are brainstorming, trying to figure out the best way to professionally handle that situation. I think that him working for the Virginia company is something that we could definitely revisit in the future (I told him, "that position will eventually reopen again"), and having some experience under my belt will help for future job endeavors. B and I are both scared to death that if we did move, it would be a repeat of me not finding work for years and years, although some preliminary searches in that area suggest that I would find something much faster than I did in middle Georgia.
The smart decision would be to stay and let me gain some experience while B works at his current job. We would put some more equity in the house and not have to deal with packing, moving, etc. But...we really don't like it here. It's constantly hot (it's going to be 70 degrees on Christmas day, which is just awful) and there are no real seasons. Something blooms here 10/12 months of the year that makes B miserable. Neither of us have really been able to make consistent friends, so it's been a lonely 3 years. The area of Virginia that the job is, is in the mountains and an area that we both want to be and ultimately stay. We don't have kids yet but definitely want them. Moving would be easier now than trying to wrangle a kiddo or two and move.
I know there isn't a magic answer. I suppose I'm just writing all of this down to vent. It's been stressful in general, but also because B's dad is battling cancer and he is....stubborn, to say the least. Thanks for reading and any insight would be appreciated.
