I forgot to mention another I had last month. Luckily this one didn’t involve my life, just my livelihood. Four years ago, just before I accepted the job I have now, I accepted a job with IndyMac Bank. I knew I wanted the job I have now; I just wasn’t sure it was going to be offered to me. The job at IndyMac paid more but the commute was going to be 90 minutes on a good day. The mortgage industry was flying high back then and they were expanding rapidly. Much of the office space I toured was still empty or under utilized.
Luckily a few days before the IndyMac start date my current employer called me back and offered. I probably could have used the IndyMac offer as leverage but I didn’t want to push my luck. I really wanted the job.
Fast forward to last month - the mortgage industry is in total meltdown. IndyMac Bank announced layoffs of 3,400 people….and that’s BEFORE the federal government took them over! It’s possible I would have had enough seniority by now to survive the cuts but I’m glad I don’t have to worry about that. With the raises and profit sharing I’ve gotten I probably make more now than I would be at IndyMac anyway. I guess I do make the right choice sometimes. 