If you follow me on twitter you may have already seen the news.
They offered me the job. In Switzerland.
Now I have the unenviable task of making a decision on what to do. I have three options.
1. Don’t go (not really an option since I want to go)
2. Go on a short term assignment – maximum placement: 1 year
3. Emigrate to Switzerland
Wow. What a decision. I don’t even know where to start.
Now, forgive me, I’m going to write a list.
Pros of STA (short term assignment)
- Accommodation paid for
- Flights back to the UK every 2 months or so
- All the experience, none of the commitment
- Job guaranteed on arrival back in UK
Cons of STA
- What if I love it out there?
- Will I be coming back to the same position and therefore be bored?
- Will it mean no other opportunities for travel?
- Easy option?
Pros of emigration
- Fresh start in a new country
- Opportunity for more travel and progression (job wise)
- The experience of travel and meeting new people
Cons of emigration
- What if I hate it out there?
- Will I find new friends?
- Will I miss my rugby too much?
That’s the starting list. Feel free to add more pros and cons please. You all know me well enough by now.
Would there not be an opportunity to extend if you wanted to after the initial one year term?
I don’t know. That would be ideal, wouldn’t it?
At the moment I think I just have to take it as no, it’s either/or.
I would go for the STA option. It’s a big upheaval, and you have no idea how it’s going to go. In practice, if you love it out there, there’s every chance you’ll be able to get a full-time job at the end of your placement – but if you don’t like it, you’re not tied in.
In the meantime, you get flights back to ease the whole “setting up in a new country” bit; you get accomodation paid for, which saves you a huge hassle; and you have a guaranteed job if you don’t like it.
Pros of STA (a) outweigh the cons and (b) outweigh the pros of emigration.
Just my view.
If you emigrate and hate it, how easy would it be to come back? If the answer is not that hard then i say go for it. A year isn’t a long time to know if you’re not going to want to settle there.
First off, combgratylations, high five, etc
Now, to speak about something I have next to no knowledge of:
- You need to assess if the role is too big an opportunity to miss career wise. If so, it may be you need to take it, and either tough it out for a couple of years (it never looks bad if you leave somewhere after 18 months or so – that’s long enough), knowing that it’ll open bigger doors back home, or alternatively you’ll love it so that won’t be an issue.
- As for the short term option, as both Kirses & Rage have touched on, a year is a good length of time to make an impact somewhere. If you go there, kick enough ass, and – if it is the case – let it be known you could be talked into staying, someone may well try and see what can be done about it.
I agree with LizSara … Is there any rule that if you emigrate there you can’t come back if it doesn’t work out well? I can see you doing the STA option and then falling in love and not wanting to come back.
Whatever you do, congratulations and good luck making your decision!
How exciting and well done! Where in Switz? I spent 6 months on a project in Geneva a while back – beautiful. It is expensive though, so don’t under estimate the benefits of a fully paid for STA – you can always opt to emigrate after that!
Congrats on the offer Moo. But you’ve got to go. The question is how long do you go for, not do you go?
Of course, the precise location is a factor, but you’ve got to go.
I know I’ve got to go. I am going to go. That bit’s decided!
Congrats! As someone who just moved across the country for a job, I say do it.
Give yourself a year. If it’s not a fit, you can always go home. Life is an adventure. Enjoy the journey! … and then send me a post card
I’d go for the STA. If you hate it, it’s only a year, you get free flights home every so often and a guaranteed job back in the UK. If you love it, you may be able to extend and if not you might be able to apply for something else out there. Or you could marry a blonde ski instructor and sing Climb Every Mountain!
There are always a million reasons why not to go.
So go. Don’t overanalyse. Don’t make a list. Don’t even analyse. Go.
If it’s a mistake then come back. It’s big and it’s scary but these things are much simpler than you think they are. Take it from me…
Also the Tories are probably going to get in…
Wow, that’s so great, congrats!
I know I would most likely go for the STA option, because I fear committing to things long term, and also it seems like it leaves you with more options. Hopefully if you did that and fell in love with the place there would be the possibility of staying on after your year was up.
Either way, it sounds amazing.
Congrats! That’s so awesome!
The pros of the STA option just seem so perfect, that I would lean towards that. I think you can always fight to stay if you love it.
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