Just Got a Job Offer in Coeur d'Alene ID

CapnSev · #1 09-07-2011, 03:16 PM

... and I have no idea what I'm going to do next. I've been working part-time here in SLC as a juvenile probation officer, and got a call today that the city of Coeur d'Alene Idaho wants me as an adult probation/parole officer.

I've been stuck here as a part-timer because of the crappy state budget, but had an interview to go full-time just a couple weeks ago. I haven't heard anything since, which doesn't surprise me because the bureaucracy in the administration where I work is a huge mess. In the meantime, a job that I interviewed for up in Idaho some time ago called me today and asked if I'd work in a different location (Coeur d'Alene) and I said I'd talk it over with my wife and get back at them tomorrow.

The pay and benefits are pretty good, but I've never relocated anywhere before, and moving is going to be a real financial stress. My wife's not thrilled about moving either, but then again, she's not thrilled about anything that involves any sort of a change.

Ugh. And I thought not having a job was stressful.

jaywa · #2 09-07-2011, 03:20 PM

Couer d'Alene is a stunningly beautiful place... or at least it was 20-ish years ago when I was there on short term business. A taxi driver told me it wasn't uncommon for people to come into town on a visit and like it there so much that they just stayed. I believed him cause I was tempted to do the same thing myself.

Put it this way, if you had to re-locate threre you could do worse. A lot worse.

bongomania · #3 09-07-2011, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaywa

Put it this way, if you had to re-locate threre you could do worse. A lot worse.

+1 I'd go for it.

MJ5150 · #4 09-07-2011, 03:25 PM

They have a great golf course, one of the best in the USA.

We are contemplating a move across the country ourselves, so I know what you mean about the stress. I say go for it. Maybe the new job will assist with relocation expenses since they asked you to move?

-Mike

StyleOverShow · #5 09-07-2011, 04:12 PM

Capn' you've got to be kidding. Go! Professionally, it is the right path. The town isn't so large that it will be hard to handle. The wife unit will feel secure about the move if you are, so start making plans to move.

As I recall from my road days, its on a beautiful lake with mountains nearby with resorts that need bands to play for the growing tourists population. GO!

vbsurfer3001 · #6 09-07-2011, 04:13 PM

I spent some summers with my grandfather up there and have family all over the state, plus Montana & Wyoming it's beautiful beyond words. Reasonable cost of living too Good Luck!

jaywa · #7 09-07-2011, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StyleOverShow

Capn' you've got to be kidding. Go! Professionally, it is the right path. The town isn't so large that it will be hard to handle. The wife unit will feel secure about the move if you are, so start making plans to move.

As I recall from my road days, its on a beautiful lake with mountains nearby with resorts that need bands to play for the growing tourists population. GO!

Yeah, the impression I got is that it's pretty much a tourist destination year round. Boating, fishing and golf in the summer and in the winter there's skiing etc. that can be enjoyed because the winter climate doesn't get so brutally cold like it does in Montana and points east. I would suspect that because of this, it's not the cheapest place to live but hopefully your new job would take that into account in terms of pay. I can't say anything about the CDL music scene cause I wasn't actively playing when I was there so I didn't bother to check it out.

MJ5150 · #8 09-07-2011, 05:05 PM

I go over there just to play golf on the worlds only floating green, hole #14...

-Mike

Pilgrim · #9 09-07-2011, 06:00 PM

I grew up in the area - CDA is a fantastic place, but a small town, and driven by tourist industry. There is a large Native American population with all the cultural issues that come with that. Your wife can probably find work in Spokane, 30 miles west...and a very reasonable commute.

Go for it!!!

sneha1965 · #10 09-07-2011, 06:15 PM

Go for it. I moved across country in 99 from NoCA to NoVA so I understand the pressure you're under right now. I had a week to move before I was sitting with clients breathing down my back. I had lived in CA for 34 years. I left town leaving a studio behind and friends I had no time to communicate with. Definitely ask for moving expenses. I received 5K and that was to move just myself 12 years ago.

MakiSupaStar · #11 09-07-2011, 06:18 PM

Go for it. Welcome change, don't fear it.

Atoz · #12 09-08-2011, 07:37 AM

You'll be able to get Ute games on TV there. Go for it.

Kawai-chang · #13 09-08-2011, 07:56 AM

It's a beautiful place, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

rhett · #14 09-09-2011, 10:13 AM

beautiful? very. beautiful enough to move there from SLC against the wife's wishes? absolutely not, unless the potential marital strife is worth it to you to move to a vacation destination with not much else going for it, from my limited perspective.

mind you, if I were entirely supporting my wife and she had no career of her own to speak of and felt I *had* to go to do what was best for us both, I'd do it and so would she, very begrudgingly and with lots of anguish delivered. however, we move on a trial basis for a few months without taking the full plunge and selling our home (which doesn't sound like an obstacle for you.)

I'm guessing the difference in the cost of living would be quite substantial, also - many similar towns have the very overpriced vacation style homes and the very basic service worker salary affordable housing, and not a lot in between without a relatively long and costly commute. Surely there are still multiple cost of living indexes available online so that you can compare apples to apples.

The brutal ID winters would be a deal breaker for me - but I'm from FL so ...

regardless: good luck! a move like that could be very exciting and stressful in both good and bad ways, so weigh your options carefully!

rhett · #15 09-09-2011, 10:18 AM

a one time taxable relocation check usually sounds much better initially than a non-taxable per diem for 90 days +/- but rarely is!

perhaps you could inform your current employer of your dilemna and they'll either decide to take you on full time or tell ya bye!

Pilgrim · #16 09-09-2011, 10:40 AM

You need to take your wife there and visit. If she isn't won over by the setting, she has a real problem.

Quite honestly, the CDA area is one of the most beautiful in the US.

Change WILL happen in life. You need to help her understand and accept it.

CapnSev · #17 09-09-2011, 01:08 PM

As an update here:

My wife is not totally against the idea of moving, actually she agrees that it would probably be best in the long term. Its just the change that she melts down over, can't say that I blame her. What kills me is the expense of moving, renting etc.

My wife also informed her job yesterday, and they are working on having her work from home, which would be killer. The CEO just needs some convincing. If that worked out, I'll be gone tomorrow.

We've decided to take a trip up there next weekend to check out houses to rent. Cost of living is actually much, much cheaper than it is here. We can rent a single family home for what it costs for a 2 bedroom apartment here.

It looks really likely that I'm outta here.

Quote:

You'll be able to get Ute games on TV there. Go for it.

This helps. Glad they're PAC 12 now.

jaywa · #18 09-09-2011, 02:09 PM

The work-from-home thing would be a huge plus and honestly, any company that doesn't allow a valued employee to do this at least some of the time, with gas at nearly $4 a gallon, is out-of-touch with reality and deserves to lose that employee.

Re the moving expenses... it's only from Salt Lake City. It's a long day's trip but it's not like you're moving cross-country.

superfunk47 · #19 09-09-2011, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhett

The brutal ID winters

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Ahem. Sorry.

Passinwind · #20 09-09-2011, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapnSev

We've decided to take a trip up there next weekend to check out houses to rent. Cost of living is actually much, much cheaper than it is here. We can rent a single family home for what it costs for a 2 bedroom apartment here.

A close friend of mine moved there from the Gorge last year. The fact that he was willing to do that says a lot about CDA. My wife and I were talking "what-if" ourselves as soon as we drove through there a few years ago, although we love it where we are. For me, CDA > SLC would be very likely, and I really liked living in SLC during my brief time there.

Best of luck!