|
montreal_at_heart
|
 |
« on: June 14, 2008, 06:42:10 PM » |
|
it looks as if i have scored a position at a Montreal university, just awaiting a contract. The only problem is the pay... it's terrible. Taking it would mean my take-home pay would decrease by over 15K as compared to my current position, and what with debts, student loans to pay etc, I am wondering if it's worth it.
But it's Montreal...
I am wondering what forumites might think about the choice between more money in a lousy city, or less money in Montreal. The rational thing would be not to do it. I know this really boils down to one's personal situation and desires, but I'm still interested in hearing the thoughts of others.
|
|
|
|
« Last Edit: June 14, 2008, 06:43:52 PM by montreal_at_heart »
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
octoprof
Member-Moderator
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 32,747
Dérailleur-in-Chief (nominee)
|
|
« Reply #1 on: June 14, 2008, 06:58:18 PM » |
|
What really matters is what your options are. You don't say exactly what your current situation is. If you are in a TT job or other job with an on-going contract, you must really want to be in Montreal to take a huge paycut.
Presumably, you must consider many more factors than you have mentioned here.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Let us consider that we are all partially insane. It will explain us to each other; it will unriddle many riddles; it will make clear and simple many things... Mark Twain
It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. Professor Dumbledore
|
|
|
llanfair
Village idiot and Very
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 23,199
Whither Canada?
|
|
« Reply #2 on: June 14, 2008, 07:00:53 PM » |
|
Well, I'm Canadian, so I'm biased ... Montréal is quite simply the best for big cities in this country. My SO went to McGill and still talks affectionately of his time there. And there are a lot of perks to living in la belle province, especially if you have children of day-care age.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
This place stinks like a pair of armoured trousers after the Hundred Years' War.
|
|
|
|
see_wolf
|
|
« Reply #3 on: June 14, 2008, 07:04:59 PM » |
|
I love Montreal, but I lived in a big (US) city on low pay, and was miserable. I needed a second job to make the bills and have a little savings. Before I got that second job, I lived paycheck to paycheck, and rarely had money to socialize.
Octoprof is right though - there are other options you need to add into the equation.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
anon99
|
|
« Reply #4 on: June 14, 2008, 07:41:16 PM » |
|
You don't say what your current pay is. Is it $15K less than $50k or $90K? The other question is, is it enough to live on? Starting salaries for most Canadian univerisities, is usually pretty decent.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
stapler
|
|
« Reply #5 on: June 14, 2008, 07:43:36 PM » |
|
As anon99 and others say, it depends on what the pay is. On the plus side, when it comes to large North American cities, Montreal is fairly inexpensive (relatively low rent, reasonably good public transportation).
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
TT Prof in the sciences at an RU/H
|
|
|
|
montreal_at_heart
|
|
« Reply #6 on: June 14, 2008, 07:44:35 PM » |
|
I have to be a bit vague, as Canada is small!
In brief, it boils down to the jobs being equal in terms of possibilities, professional opportunities and resources. The only significant differences are the cities and the pay. Montreal pays 15K less in terms of the net take-home salary. It's enough to live on, but not by much.
|
|
|
|
« Last Edit: June 14, 2008, 07:45:31 PM by montreal_at_heart »
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
larryc
Hu hatin'
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 18,285
Eschew the hu.
|
|
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2008, 07:51:32 PM » |
|
Are you in a field where you could do it for few years and then find a job somewhere else?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
montreal_at_heart
|
|
« Reply #8 on: June 14, 2008, 07:54:13 PM » |
|
Are you in a field where you could do it for few years and then find a job somewhere else?
yes. Sorry to be so vague. the essential conflict for me here is whether to be 'responsible' and take the money that will pay off debts (current), or be 'happy' and take the job that will inspire both my work and my personal life (Montreal). Of course this is my decision, but I am interested about how others would approach this. |
|
|
|
« Last Edit: June 14, 2008, 07:59:26 PM by montreal_at_heart »
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
prytania3
|
|
« Reply #9 on: June 14, 2008, 08:04:40 PM » |
|
Are you in a field where you could do it for few years and then find a job somewhere else?
yes. Sorry to be so vague. the essential conflict for me here is whether to be 'responsible' and take the money that will pay off debts (current), or be 'happy' and take the job that will inspire both my work and my personal life (Montreal). Of course this is my decision, but I am interested about how others would approach this. I'm not sure how inspirational being broke is. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Clowns, I tell you. Clowns.
|
|
|
larryc
Hu hatin'
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 18,285
Eschew the hu.
|
|
« Reply #10 on: June 14, 2008, 08:07:37 PM » |
|
If you do this may regret it.
If you don't, you will always wish you had.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
montreal_at_heart
|
|
« Reply #11 on: June 14, 2008, 08:11:06 PM » |
|
If you do this may regret it.
If you don't, you will always wish you had.
yep. That's pretty much it. Prytania, Montreal is still inspirational on a basic wage! |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
prytania3
|
|
« Reply #12 on: June 14, 2008, 08:14:23 PM » |
|
If you do this may regret it.
If you don't, you will always wish you had.
yep. That's pretty much it. Prytania, Montreal is still inspirational on a basic wage! Then by all means go, and let the muses feed you. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Clowns, I tell you. Clowns.
|
|
|
octoprof
Member-Moderator
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 32,747
Dérailleur-in-Chief (nominee)
|
|
« Reply #13 on: June 14, 2008, 08:18:47 PM » |
|
Given you have student loans and other debts, I suggest you do the math on how much longer it'll take you to get out of debt if you take this job.
The calculations will probably scare you into sensibility.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Let us consider that we are all partially insane. It will explain us to each other; it will unriddle many riddles; it will make clear and simple many things... Mark Twain
It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. Professor Dumbledore
|
|
|
|
montreal_at_heart
|
|
« Reply #14 on: June 14, 2008, 08:41:52 PM » |
|
Given you have student loans and other debts, I suggest you do the math on how much longer it'll take you to get out of debt if you take this job.
The calculations will probably scare you into sensibility.
I've done that already, and if I stay where I am I will be quickly out of debt. Goign to MOntreal only prolongs the debt. By chance, I'm listening to the Nina Simone cover of Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne". It occurs to me that it was written in Montreal. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
