Moving is hard.

[SagaLore]

I've been tearing my hair out over this. I've posted about this in threads before.

To further my career in IT Security, I have to move. I keep starting threads about certain areas/states, getting people's opinions. Finally have it narrowed down - Harrisburg area is probably my best opportunity. There is a growing IT security industry there, and there are a lot of other cities close by also with a growing IT industry. My wife would finally be able to work in a large print shop and get paid what she's worth.

But the cost of living / real estate is also double than where I live now.

So there I go. I finally figured out where I'm headed.

Now I'm having trouble figuring out when I should head there.

See I'm in a situation at my current job - I have a lot of security training lined up. CISSP, CISM, and CCSP. Maybe even some GIAC certs. Also I'm working on my bachelor's degree in Technology Management at my local college (but I'm in the distance program, so I can take these classes anywhere, but not as many at one time). I still have at least a year to go, but probably 1 1/2 comfortably.

There are a few jobs postd on DICE that are exactly what I'm good at, my resume strongly matches the requirements. But it's a contract position for 8 months. $50k with benefits. Would be good direct security experience, would look good on my resume. But then I'm passing up all this (free) training at my current job, and possibly lengthening how long it takes me to earn by degree (I do have an associates now). But, my wife would be able to find work.

My boss sure has me leashed. 🙁 He knew I wasn't happy with my pay, and deserved more. So at review he told me he wanted to spend a bunch of training on me so next pay raise he could tell HR they have to pay me more because now I'm certified, but I have a feeling that won't happen. But at least I will have the certs. But then again, certs and a degree don't make up for real experience.

Such a tough call... wait it out, or do it now...

 

[mcvickj]

Nothing is free. If they provide the training are they expecting a X year requirement out of you?

 

[BAMAVOO]

Let your wife decide. She is the Boss and should easily be able to tell you what to do.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: mcvickj
Nothing is free. If they provide the training are they expecting a X year requirement out of you?

No. They don't have any policies or signed contracts that would allow them to legally force someone to pay back the training, even if they ditched the firm the day after. Not that I would do that. If I stay for the training, then I'd be sticking around for another year.

Originally posted by: BAMAVOO
Let your wife decide. She is the Boss and should easily be able to tell you what to do.

I tried that. She is more uncertain than I am, so she is defaulting back to the "do nothing" alternative of the managerial decision making process. 😕

 

[arcenite]

🙁

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: arcenite
😕

Fixed. 😉

 

[Wizkid]

Take the training... get the experience after the training. I'm assuming you are already gaining experience since they are paying for these certs, so you can't be doing something totally unrelated right now. School will be easier/faster if you stay.

 

[FoBoT]

cost of living here is fairly low, one of our security eng.'s just quit. maybe the posting is still open

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: Wizkid
Take the training... get the experience after the training. I'm assuming you are already gaining experience since they are paying for these certs, so you can't be doing something totally unrelated right now. School will be easier/faster if you stay.

The security experience I am getting is only a fraction of my job, most of what I do is Helpdesk (supporting offices in this part of the state). All of the experience I have had thus far is from initiatives, policies, and projects I have headed and managed to force through all this red tape and politics. I'm finally reaching a point where I've saturated that kind of experience and now I'm back to the daily grind of making sure people's accounting software works...