Stay or go?????

LegacyUser

I’m a regular poster but going unregistered for this one. I guess that my problem isn’t too bad compared to some of the other personal issues in P.I. but thanks for reading anyway.

Basically my problem is that I’m finishing up college soon and have an opportunity to go to the U.K. to work, I haven’t been offered a job but have a good chance of getting a job in my particular industry. Without going into specifics, I am in a decent position to get a job in a VERY competitive industry.

Its not a case of I couldn’t get a job here, I could and make a decent career out of it here. But the money that could be earned abroad is far superior…think of it in football terms as the difference between the Eircom League and the Premiership. I could get a well paying job here but could earn 10, 20 or even 30 times more in the U.K. in my particular industry.

I’m very focused and ambitious career wise and am motivated mainly by money. But I just don’t know if I should / could leave home and start a new life. My family and friends are here, I don’t have a girlfriend so I think is mainly my family that I don’t want to leave. I’ve got friends who are set on going over next summer, some already have contracts signed. I’ve spoken to my parents and they don’t want me to leave. After a lot of thought, its them who are holding me back. If I wasn’t so close to them I think that I’d probably go.

If I applied to several firms and didn’t get any job offers, well then fair enough. But I just feel that I could regret this in later life, if I don’t do quite as well as I think that I should if I stay.

One of my mates (who has a contract signed) put it like this “you have to put a monetary value on living here and being here with your family and friends and if they’re worth more than the salary rise then stay here” I don’t think is a very fair way of looking at things.

Anyone ever been in this situation before? Or can anyone offer any advice?

Tippex

my personal advice on this is to go for it.
You are young enough that if it does not work out you can come back.
If you decide not to do it you will most likely regret it in the future.

I had an oportunity years ago to work abroad and didnt take it, while I don't regret not taking it when other opportunities arrived since I have taken them as I knew I could not pass them up as I would regret not at least giving it a go.

Girrrrseach

I concur.

Absolutely go. Its only a flight back if it all goes pear shaped. Grab life by the balls and live it.

baztard

Sounds like your still young and your not tied down. Go for it, or you'll regret it.

muppetkiller

I'm thinking about doing the same thing myself actually..and to be honest it's an hour away if you like coming home for the weekend
Go for it..

bill_ashmount

Go for it, I think it's actually important to live away from where you were born at least once in your life. There is to much out there to stay rooted in one place forever.

Even if it goes wrong, it's only a short distance away.

rs

Absolutely agree. As time goes on the chances for you to take opportunities like this will probably decrease. (think relationships, kids, etc)

Also, the experience you will gain working in a more competitive industry will make you much more employable in the future, both here and in the UK. I can't stress how important this is, especially early in your career.

As people have said, if you don't like it you can always come home. No job will ever own you. Give it a go. You have so much to gain and so little to lose!

I've lived 15 hours travel away from my parents for most of my adult life. It's easier to deal with than you might think.

r3nu4l

I moved to the UK three years ago. I'd say 'go for it'. You don't need to stay in the UK for the rest of your life! Also, having a few years experience abroad is almost always good for the CV

Now depending on your job you may find yourself getting very lonely over here (the UK). If you have a long train commute you may find that between your commute and job you have no time for a social life. There are ways around this but I'm raising it as something to be aware of for now.

If you are seriously thinking of moving sign up with boards.org.uk and if you have any questions just ask because there's a load of us there that have made the Ireland to England move

Have a chat with your folks and remind them that they can visit you, you can visit them etc. If you went home 6 weekends a year and they came over 6 weekends in the year, that's 12 visits, not to mention any holidays you may spend at home, the odd week here and there.

Also, several phone providers provide free calls to Ireland so you can chat with your friends and family every night if you want to. My combined phone and broadband bill is never more than £30 per month including line rental

How Strange

OP, its a no brainer. Go! You are young, starting out in your career. I bet lots of people are very envious reading your post.

It's not right that your parents are making you feel guilty. They will miss you of course but its only the UK for f*ck sake. You can go home every weekend if you want.

Also, remember if you move away you're parents will treat you so much better. They will fuss over you every time you come home. The mammy will go into overdrive trying to look after you for the precious little time she has with you

Take a chance. As everyone else has said, its only a cheap plane flight away

LegacyUser

Thanks for all the replies and advice guys! I nearly had my mind made up to stay until I read this! The major problem is that I'm in final year in college of a tough course, which requires a lot of study. If I was to apply to these firms, I'd have to spend hours filling out application forms and doing apptitude tests. And then if I was to get any interviews, I'd have to take days off to fly over for interviews. I'd be risking making a balls of my final year in college for something that isnt definate!

I had a conversation there with my parents and they made it perfectly clear that they dont want me to go. My dad spent time telling me how I wouldnt like it and trying to guilt me. I'm an only child and we are quite close so I guess that I can understand where they are coming from.

Anyway, I guess that I've got some serious thinking to do!

dudara

emigrate? wrote:

If I was to apply to these firms, I'd have to spend hours filling out application forms and doing apptitude tests. And then if I was to get any interviews, I'd have to take days off to fly over for interviews. I'd be risking making a balls of my final year in college for something that isnt definate!

TBH this sounds like a little bit of a cop out to me. If you want these jobs then you will make the time and you will make it work. Applying for these jobs will only take a few hours each in reality, not weeks.

I had a conversation there with my parents and they made it perfectly clear that they dont want me to go. My dad spent time telling me how I wouldnt like it and trying to guilt me. I'm an only child and we are quite close so I guess that I can understand where they are coming from.

I can understand where your parents are coming from, but they will have to learn to cut the apron strings at some stage. Regular flights home from the UK can be booked well in advance at good rates. Fundamentally, your parents do not want to potentially jeopardise a good career for you.

LegacyUser

Of course your parents wouldn't want you to leave!!! But *DO NOT* let that be the only reason holding you back, that would be foolish. There is nothing better than getting out of the nest, and straight into one of the greatest cities in the world? Go for it!

My uncle stayed around his mother all his life and he's demented, not right in the head like! He wears his slippers up town and he never had a wife or children! You can't be worrying about your parents enough to let it have control over major decisions in life like this one. This is your classic fork in the path, pick the less traveled route (london duh!).

If you choose to stay in Ireland, well, the fork in the path might as well have been a u-turn. best of luck!

bostonian

the real question is: will you regret it if you don't go? if the answer is "yes", then go.

Dummy

Do companies come into your college on the "milk-round"?

At the time, I got involved in the milkround and got offers from both UK and Irish companies. Well worth while sitting down and having a chat with them. Ok a cost / benefit analysis is fine to do, but learning about what experience and exposure you get is better. It differs with industries. You need to get on the league table in your industry and you have to examine where you'll achieve that faster - UK or Ireland?

Check out the milkround in your college first.

DirtyDog

bostonian wrote:

the real question is: will you regret it if you don't go? if the answer is "yes", then go.

Exactly!!!!

I just moved to the states and have to say i am so happy i did, your young, no real ties and most important u have a yearn to do this - dont spend your life thinking you should have, spend it saying you tried everything once - its not as if you cant go home if you dont like it!

BaZmO*

emigrate? wrote:

I could get a well paying job here but could earn 10, 20 or even 30 times more in the U.K. in my particular industry.?

What is your particular industry? Exaggeration?

I'm a bit confused here. Are you saying that you could get a job here for say 20K a year but if you were to go to the UK you could get the same job for 200K, 400K or even 600K a year? What is this industry?

Pyjamarama

Seriously it's only an hour flight, it could take you longer to get home if you moved the other side of Ireland. You can get flights for cheaper than the train from Dublin to Cork so realistically you can visit loads.

It's completely unfair of your parents to guilt you like this also. You say that lots of your friends from college plan to move over so you'll have friends over there so you won't get lonely. Give it a try and if you don't like it come home.

Glacier

What do you do?

mikemac

It must be investment banking. I think I saw a thread the very same as this one in Work forum a few weeks back. May have been the OP but probably someone else.

LegacyUser

'Thanks for all the great replies guys...much appreciated. Yeh, I was thinking that it is unfair of my parents to guilt me like that aswell, If anything they should be encouraging me to "follow my dreams"! At the end of the day, I'll be looking to leave home in a few years anyway and will see my parents way less then.

Maybe 30 times salary is a bit of an exaduration, but 10 to 15 times more wouldnt be uncommom...but probably the norm. I dont think the industry is relative to my problem, but yeh its a particular area of investment banking. I've seen a contract that one of my mates signed and I know that the money is MASSIVE! But at the end of the day it'd be the only reason that I'd be leaving.

I dont know if I'm mature enough to leave home yet, let alone live in a foreign country! But sure I'll do some more investigating and see what happens. I guess that I could always start out here and if I'm unhappy move over in a couple of years.'

LegacyUser

'

micmclo wrote:

It must be investment banking. I think I saw a thread the very same as this one in Work forum a few weeks back. May have been the OP but probably someone else.

Yeh, I saw that thread too, it wasn't me. I think that he was worried about the hours to be worked more than the move itself. I think that he was a corporate finance intern as far as I can remember.'