I got a job offer at Montreal, 3 hours away from where I live. The pay is around 64k, there is health insurance and it's a big american industrial company and the job is as cool as you hope for in a big company with security clearances, layers of bureaucracy and... cubicles.

Without the relocation part, it'd be an easy call. But I spent so much time building a network of friends in my current city and I've been enjoying myself so much working with them and networking in the past weeks. I left my job 3 weeks ago to focus on myself and find out how I can leverage my time much better than being a nobody in a 9 to 5 job with very little opportunity of personal growth and I've been doing great. During these weeks, I hustle around (and loved it), I built new connections, dove into stand-up comedy to great success, shot a few videos (a hobby of mine) with people invested into the filmmaking community and got involved in the development of a political campaign with a crowd that is bright, fun and loving. They respect my work, my point of my view and should I stick with them, I'm certain I could find a job that fits me.

In the meantime of finding that position, I very seriously contemplated waiting tables at a high end restaurant next to my place. I'm friends with most of the staff (I get offered tap beer at the staff price when I come in late before closure). I'm pretty sure they make more than the 64k I'm gonna be offered through their tips. And it would offer a social lifestyle and easy access to good food (my main weakness for bulking is eating enough). It would also fuel my creative needs (I recently dove into stand up and I got invites for doing it again).

So on the plus sides :

  • Montreal is a more vibrant city with more opportunities in general

  • The tasks for the job are good enough and right my alley and that can lead to more opportunities in industry down the road

On the down sides :

  • 35h a week in a cubicle

  • Weak salary (but better than my previous job)

  • Social circle to be rebuilt

  • The moving logistics

  • Montreal is a more difficult market, creatively speaking. Lots of artists, lots of personas

Final thing is they are asking me to be there around mid september and I would have preferred beginning of october since I'm participating in various activities all the way to the end of september. I hate being the sort of lifeless fuck that they are able to just pluck out of whatever the fuck I was doing with no regards to anything. I will try to negotiate this point should I accept. It's a 5 year long mission, just give me the extra weeks I need to get ready without having to break engagements I care about. If they don't grant that, it speaks volumes about the soulless work environment I would be stepping into.

I'm so torn between both options.