Rant: My boss offered me a promotion that would mean moving to the Chicago office

Last Thursday, my manager called me into his office and laid it out. The company wants me to take a team lead role, but it's based out of the main office in Chicago. I live in Cincinnati, and my whole life is here. The pay bump is $15,000 a year, which is real money. But my partner has a good job here, and our kid just started at a school she loves. The new job would mean longer hours for sure, plus the stress of selling our house and uprooting everything. On one hand, it's the kind of career jump you work for. On the other, it feels like trading our settled life for a bigger number on a paycheck. Has anyone turned down a promotion because of location and not regretted it?

3 comments

3 Comments

west.richard21h ago

That 15k raise gets eaten fast by Chicago cost of living. Your partner's job and your kid's school are way more important than a title change. I turned down a move to Dallas last year and my family life is better for it.

sandra_bennett5917h ago

Actually Dallas cost of living is pretty close to Chicago now. The gap isn't what it used to be, especially with housing. The raise might go further than you'd think.

robin59117h ago

You ever actually live in Dallas? Sandra_bennett59 is right about housing costs being close now, but the property taxes down there are brutal. We moved for my wife's job and ended up paying way more than we planned just to keep our kid in a decent school district. That raise disappeared fast.