Ethos83

I am currently in what can be described as 'preliminary' talks for a position in London. It's not a job I formally applied for but have been approached by friends of friends.

All you need to know are the following three issues:

1. Salary (no such thing as a package here) is more than what I currently make, but after the dust settles the post-tax income will be slightly less than what I earn in Dubai. No matter what I tell myself I won't compromise on my standard of living and in London that means nothing less than a flat in Islington or Fulham or other places of that ilk. My net end of year savings will be significantly smaller than it currently is.

2. Career development is awkward because despite many similarities between my current position and this job, accepting it would be a large (no, make that very significant) shift away from what I thought I wanted to do. I would no longer be a landscape architect in any real sense. This job is all about management. Not even project management but corporate management. The long term possibilities could be interesting from a financial perspective but boring from a professional perspective.

3. Moving back to the UK. Being home at Christmas made me realise how much I missed being near the family and friends. London is a glorious city. But the UK is not without its issues. Too many old people. Too many chavs. London was brilliant when I was a visitor but living there on a daily basis presents a different reality. Crowded tube. Shockingly expensive rents. Cold.

So - any thoughts? Would you take the position?

Blue Cat

No

Millhouse

Unlikely, but never say never.

The bit I don't understand is that you say you would never compromise your standard of living if you lived in London, yet you are prepared to do that in Dubai and live in the Greens?!

Blue Cat

valid point, missed that

Ethos83

Well, silly me. I chose the Greens as opposed to a random Barratt housing estate in the middle of the desert because it came closer to a London neighbourhood than any place in Dubai. Walkable. Trees and bits of grass. But if not the Greens, where should one live?

Millhouse

The Marina.

Blue Cat

Jumeirah?

Millhouse

Anyway, back to the subject ...

My firm belief with work is that you should never chase money - but should do the right thing and the money will come. So, although by moving back to the UK your short term savings will be lower, long term you are entering better prospects. Every job move I have ever done has been in preparation the for longer term rather than short term gains.

Ethos83

The Marina can be nice, but a lot of crap apartments. The street interface level is mediocre.

The best overall high quality area is downtown.

Ethos83

As painful as it may be to admit, I've come to realise that I am a more than decent manager. This job move puts me firmly on track to be a company director of some type. But do I want to be a company director? Of a landscape firm, sure. This outfit is one of those anonymous head offices that owns a bunch of subsidiary companies. Just what one needs - a lifetime of powerpoint presentations and business lunches at hotel ballrooms.

Millhouse

that does sound tedious.

Meow

It sounds as if you talking yourself out of it.

Seriously though. We all spend too much of our lives at work to do something that we don't enjoy. If this role is not what you want then don't take it, as something else will come along another time. You're still pretty young (I think) so what's the rush? London will wait for you and it's only a few hours away.

Millhouse

That is very good advice Meow.

I was fully expecting you to tell him to **** off back to london!

Meow

He's annoying, but at least he isn't a chav and he posts in decent English!

Bahtatboy

Agreed, but I believe you've got to add an element of gut feel. You can analyse any situation to the nth degree, but if something dosn't feel right then you shouldn't do it.