Fuuuuuuuuck

[Chica]

I just got a job offer for a job that I wasnt even looking for yet (I was planiing on skiing all winter and looking for a job in the spring)

Anyways, the problem is that this job would pay 1.5X as much as any other job offer for some one with my degree right out of college. The catch is that it is in Redmond wich is a two hour comute, and would drastically reduce my skiing to the weekends and a few mornings a week.

Do I take the job and make some serious cash 65K plus benies, or be broke, and shoot all winter and hopefully make enough from pics to get by.

Commute, take the $.

[Bzzzt]

Do it!

Get your career started, earn $$$, ski a few mornings and weekends. In addition you might be able to take long weekends and travel to new places to spend your $$$.

Your resume will look a lot better if you quit a good job to do something you are (even more) passionate about, than if you "just relaxed for a while" before you started working. Plus: If you get 65k now, it will be handy in coming salary negotiations: "Hello? I quit a 65k job to go skiing!"

If you don't like it: Quit.

It's better to regret with than without

[smiTTy]

Two years ago I was in a similar position. Just got the ME degree and could have taken a cushy CATIA job in Connecticut. Instead I packed up my Jeep and drove to Utah. This will be my 3rd winter skiing Alta/Snowbird almost every day, and I have never regretted my decision. I would say 90% of the older people I talk to applaud my choice. Most people tell me that if they had to go back, they would do the same thing and pursue some passion for a few years before selling out to the corporate world. How long you should take before cashing in is another matter entirely...

My situation is different from yours though because I will never work in my field, so I don't have a resume to worry about. I am lucky enough to have financial backing for my business that will hopefully be up in running by this time next year.

You are young and are blessed to have recognized talent in an area of your life that you are passionate about. How many people would kill to be in your position right now? How much difference could 6 months make when you interview in the spring? Make this winter count and see where the photography takes you. There will be plenty of time next summer to sit behind a desk dreaming about the best winter of your life.

DON'T TAKE THE JOB

[ulty_guy]

there's 2 gorgeous prints hanging in my apartment that say you should delay the real world for 6 months. it's not like it's running anywhere.

[bklyn]

...The thing is that while this job requires in engineering degree it isnt really an engineering job. Its more along the lines of providing support for Catia. I.E. an engineer running Catia runs into a problem, they would call us and we would than try to figure it out for them, so its more of a custumer support / problem solving deal.... but it has a lot of potential for moving up and managing a engnineering consultation service.

Are you really passionate about providing systems support? There are 1000 people with less talent who would trade places with you right now. They will be working hard to fill the void you open up for them.

Ahh shit - I'll just let the case die, since all your buddies are telling you to take the money and run. You can make good money doing the thing you love. I guess you need to decide what you love more. It's still better than having no interests at all.

Further reading for you:

Bullshit or Fertilizer - Tough love for Artists on the fence

The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream

[BakerBoy]

Sounds like you could have a lot of days where you aren't there......The other plus by moving to Redmond you'd get away from your Psycho girlfriend!

Yeah fucking right. Now that he'd be getting some real money, she'd latch on tighter than before. I think she's got another row of teeth, much like a great white shark! And Grant's too much of a pussy to get rid of her. Besides, she's buying him a dog. Just what he needs. A dog.

[bossass]

I'd have to say do it Gunder. Even if you do for one year and quit, it will play in your favor when you are looking at other jobs down the road (like building me free skis). I, like many others, can tell you how much looking for jobs sucks right now. I have two, barely making full time, not saving any money and I have no benifits. Some of us have to face sacrifices at some point. I skied 20 days last season (most not that good) because I choose to live in a city.

Besides, you're what, 26? Taking a year off to ski at 28 or 29 is better than most of us will ever do.

My advice, take the job. Move: commuting will slowly drain the life out of you. It will be way easier to commute to Baker for the weekends and have a place to stay in Bellingham friday, saturday nights. Think about it. 4 hours of driving a week, versus 20.

If you think about it, engineers for ski companies don't necessarily ski very much. It's still a 9-5 job. Even though that's your dream job, it would still cut heavily into your photography, for less money probably too.

Reddick won't forget about you in a year. And didn't you get most your shots this season in like two weeks anyway.

Lastly, make sure you set a week aside for Valhalla.

Double lastly, now you could afford that "season pass" at Cascade Powder Cats.

[Skier10322]

Its more along the lines of providing support for Catia. I.E. an engineer running Catia runs into a problem, they would call us and we would than try to figure it out for them, so its more of a custumer support / problem solving deal, but it has a lot of potential for moving up and managing a engnineering consultation service.

So wait.. you would be helping people solve problems in Catia? I remember having to help you on your homework in Catia... uh oh

[road trip]

That's life baby.

Ain't that the truth.

[girlski0912]

So wait.. you would be helping people solve problems in Catia? I remember having to help you on your homework in Catia... uh oh

Did you happen to proofread his resume for spelling and grammatical errors before he submitted it too?

Gunder- Having a real job doesn't mean that you will NEVER get to ski or shoot. It just means that you have to be more productive on the weekends, long weekends, or "sick" days (other people call in sick when they aren't really, why shouldn't you when it DUMPS?) And to reiterate what everyone else in the "take the job and see how it goes" camp is saying, you are not signing your first born over to this company (though maybe working out a trade for your psychotic gf would be a nice touch). Not to mention that I don't know how many people who are advising you to pass this opportunity up in favor of shooting really understand what is going on in the Seattle job market. THIS IS NOT AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE! Entry level positions for people fresh out of college/grad school are nearly impossible to find, especially ones that start you off at 65K and year plus benefits. When was the last time that you had health insurance (that your parents didn't pay for)? Do you know how expensive that is independantly?????

Think long and hard before you pass this chance up.

[Blatant]

shit dude....I'm you in 3 yrs, minus the photo talent, of course. I'm a corp whore being paid alright and I swear, an Hour doesn't go by that I don't think aobut quiting, selling the big shit, loading the subie, visiting with family for a few mths then taking my savings and rolling back to Vail or JH. I'm paid well but it sucks, I'm an outdoors junkie and I love change and the unknown. All this job has done is fatten my bank account at an expense i'm not sure was worth it. I managed fine before....the job has allowed me to be more comfortable when i reintegrate into the ski lifestyle. I however, after graduation bounced directly to vail with my tent and 900bucks. I then left, secured the "good job" and have been missing it ever since...once you get in...it's harder than one may think to bail...8.80 to 65k back to 8.80(as mentioned before) inherently poses a pretty big internal conflict, for me anyway. I'm almost ashamed at myself for whoring this long.......

Only you can prevent forest fires....

BUT...with the pics taking off now may not be the time to bail on that...that is much more choice, keeps you in the industry, keeps the connections growing, moves your name around more and should eventually land you in a fat spot. I would follow the photAGrafie....I think you'll regret it if you don't...you've never had 60G's so you don't know what it's like to not have it.

werd....fwiw

[avacadotoast]

Seems to me the real issue is the bullshit distances and traffic up there in the PNW - if this job were in SLC or Reno you'd be golden (assuming you could stand living in either city). Sounds like a good job but why don't you do a quick search of jobs in a better locale and see if there are opportunities where you could do both. Might make you not so tempted to jump on the first opporunity. Many corporate whores ski a ton of days but it's all about location and flexibility.

[cloudpeak]

This won't be the last job offer you'll ever get. Don't let money lure you away from something you seem to love doing.

Follow the road less traveled, keep taking pictures, and never look back.

By the way, if you decide to take the job, definitely move. The commute from BH to Redmond will destroy your soul.

[comish]

I'm not going to tell you to take it or don't take it. Just want to chime in on this theory that working means you can't be active and that you have to give up everything we all enjoy. (skiing, outdoors, etc)

As one that is returning to the working world after 2 great years of grad school, my life has not ended. I surf, bike, or run every afternoon or worst case scenario head to the bar for happy hour. Ya, skiing will be more like 30-40 days this year instead of the 70-75 from last year. Its ultimately about living near where you work/play so that immediately after work you can be doing one of those activities that makes us all stoked for life. ie, definitely move if you take the job. Its also about motivating. I have had plenty of fun during the week after work, but there are definitely days when all I want to do is retire to the couch and do 12 ounce curls like the majority of inactive America. Work doesn't equal life over.

Will I be bummed reading some TR from an epic Wednesday pow day, ya. I will hopefully just get out for some waves that morning to make it a little easier on me. Life is a long term balancing act of everything that is important and we love (pow, family, finances, long term health)

I will definitely be a lot more bummed come Sunday after the time changes. That is when the 9-5 work life gets a little tougher.

Now the debate between photography and enginerd is tougher. I think you ultimately have to do something you are truly passionate about. If you do that you will more than likely be successful. If you just get a job doing something you aren't passionate about then you will hate it and be miserable.

[LIP]

How many pics ya gotta sell to make 65K?
I believe the answer is.................a freaking shitload. Most of the photogs I know that do skiing don't really make that much cash at it. Most of them make their most of their cash shooting golf, baseball, NASCAR or whatever in the summer. Skiing pics, while maybe their passion, don't pay the bills for most.

[BakerBoy]

How many pics ya gotta sell to make 65K?
I believe the answer is.................a freaking shitload. Most of the photogs I know that do skiing don't really make that much cash at it. Most of them make their most of their cash shooting golf, baseball, NASCAR or whatever in the summer. Skiing pics, while maybe their passion, don't pay the bills for most.

Skiing pics won't pay the bills, but a love of photograhpy is different. Someone who loves it must cover multiple sports to make it profitable. If you love it, you can make 65k in photography. Just look at Chase Jarvis - he makes enough off stock to live in London, own and operate an office in Seattle. It's called business sense. On the other hand, the engineering job is easy, pretty much guaranteed work, 12 months of the year, and you don't need to worry about spelling, bullshitting with people too much, or having any idea how to run a business. You won't have to work extra to get anywhere.

No matter what, there's no fucking possible way to commute to Redmond, and living in the Seattle area would actually give you more opportunities to shoot, which wouldn't matter, because you won't have the time. Weekend warriors run the industry -- ready to be a contributor?

[AKturnanburn]

^^^ Your to smart to be an engineer, Try some other, more profitable (self endevours) dimensions of the photo world. Tracys right, it can afford an amazingly flexible schedule, and enough income to support fun on your DAYS off.

"I work by appointment" =

[AH]

I just got a job offer for a job that I wasnt even looking for yet (I was planiing on skiing all winter and looking for a job in the spring)

Anyways, the problem is that this job would pay 1.5X as much as any other job offer for some one with my degree right out of college. The catch is that it is in Redmond wich is a two hour comute, and would drastically reduce my skiing to the weekends and a few mornings a week.

Do I take the job and make some serious cash 65K plus benies, or be broke, and shoot all winter and hopefully make enough from pics to get by.

Good advice already being given. My .02 cents, being in a similar situation myself.

1. Make a 5 & 10 year 'masterplan'. If opportunities present themselves, take em if they get you closer to your goals and fit in the plan and reject them if they don't.

2. Do you have to start right away? I have a x month resignation period during the winter . People will prolly understand if you've committed (let's say: a couple of weeks of shooting) to something and will try to work around that.

3. Would you be able to take time off without being paid?

4. Money = some interesting trips to shoot photos.

ah

[BakerBunny]

From 1960:

"Mr. Dylan, you seem to have some proficiency with the English Language. We would like to hire you for $23,000 a year to teach English Comp here at Hibbling JC"

"Gee, I dunno. I was going to go to New York and be a folksinger. But I guess folk singers don't make that kind of money, and I can always folksing on weekends, right?"

How different our world would be!!

Grant, people don't choose to be artists. They do it because they can't not do it. If you even have the question, art or real life, then there is no question. Take the money, shoot when you can. Art is a great mistress but a terrible wife.

BTW -- I manage 100 days a year on skis while doing a full-time job. Wise vacation day management is the key.