How much more than New York's minimum wage do you get paid?

[Imran Siddiqui]

If I could not find another job, I would consider the other end of the train line, Newark DE.

Just looked up Newark, DE - that's a great suggestion. It's also basically midway between Philly and Baltimore, so you likely have folks from both cities coming to town for applicants (esp being a college town). Probably be able to get some decent contacts as well.

[Garth Vader]

I find it ironic that you were a marine, trained to survive in the toughest conditions but yet there are so many parts of the US that are too scary for you.

I don't blame you, I wouldn't want to live there either, but I wasn't a marine!

[pchang]

I'm sure he doesn't get to wear his combat armor at home.

[Al B. Sure!]

Christ. I am not moving to stay at a ****ty job. The point is to get a better job, not shorten a commute!

[Dinner]

Given your past history of completely ****ing things up, and your current situation of having a horribly inefficient commute leading to a wildly underpaid job, perhaps its time you started listening to people again instead of assuming you know it all already?

That would be helpful.

[BlackCat]

Christ. I am not moving to stay at a ****ty job. The point is to get a better job, not shorten a commute!

This makes some kind of sense - though reducing that kind of commuting is also a point considering). If you can get a better job local, so fine, but if moving closer to your current job also moves you closer to better opportunities, then move your ass.

[Al B. Sure!]

I will move to a job. Not move then figure out a job. Why would I do the latter?

There's also the factor of committing to a lease.

FYI, I have been applying to positions in Manhattan.

But I don't know what people think. Philadelphia has far more opportunities than Wilmington DE. Philly is a major city with a robust downtown and a financial district. People work here. I do a reverse commute to Delaware.

[Imran Siddiqui]

A 6-12 month lease is nothing. Especially considering that Wilmington is like 35 miles away from Philly. Signing a short term lease and applying all over the place in Philly or NYC seems to be ideal.

What are you so connected to in Philly? Do you do anything much in the city that you are so loath to give it up for 6 months?

(Delaware also has no sales tax, so that may be nice in terms of saving money)

[Al B. Sure!]

Why are you so insistent on me moving? For what benefit? I don't give a crap about the commute. It gives me time to read, work on resumes, and do my reserve work. It's at the bottom of the list of reasons I want a better job, primarily challenge, meaningful work, better pay, and actually doing what interests me.

The commute only came up because of my offhand comment that factoring in my commute, I make little more than $11/hr. I never said the commute was a problem. That was Cockney.

So stop with this nonsense of me moving for no reason. I get a job I want, I move there. I'm not going to restrict myself further for the sake of this job. I pay $320 a month rent with utilities paid for. I give that up for what? A shorter commute to a job I hate?

If it was up to apolyton and your unanimous agreement, I wouldn't have joined the military which catapulted my experience forward. You saw my fitness reports. You saw my colonel's letter of recommendation. You think everyone gets those? Show me a second lieutenant with a Navy Commendation Medal! Show me someone who saved the government millions of dollars by discovering that a major contractor associated with our former vice president was defrauding us, something auditors failed to identify! I don't rest on my laurels but I use that to demonstrate what I am capable of.

It sounds insane to say this but I am an exceptional individual. I grew up in a ghetto in a single parent home to an abusive alcoholic mother who kicked me out the house at 16 years old. I earned a free ride at university, graduated magna *** laude, became a god damn Marine Corps officer and absolutely excelled as a logistician.

I'm going to get to Wall Street. I will work for a bulge bracket IB. I've never met a challenge I didn't surmount through work ethic and perseverance.

The problem is whereas other challenges had a clear path where performance is all that matters, the private sector is a different beast. It requires relationships and connections. The way the message is presented matters more than the content. I am still evaluating how to tackle this challenge.

And government work? The government is a mess and civilian employees are largely grossly incompetent. I know. The accounting overcharges were the tip of the iceberg of what I saw. Government employment would restrict my potential and creativity and leave me angry and frustrated.

I had the opportunity to switch to active duty and still can, but I want to advance my finance career.

[Al B. Sure!]

My plan is to work as an analyst in New York for 1-2 years to add some direct experience to my resume and save enough to pay my living expenses for when i will attend business school (I have just under $100K unobligated now which might be enough depending on lifestyle). By that time, I'll be a Captain in the reserves and can either attend career level education for a year or volunteer for another deployment. Those may be options if I have a savings shortfall or want to add new experiences to my resume.

From there I'll study for the GMAT, score 700+, and attend Columbia.

[giblets]

I think switching to active duty might be a better plan...

[Imran Siddiqui]

my offhand comment that factoring in my commute, I make little more than $11/hr. I never said the commute was a problem.

Considering your I basically only make $11 an hour comment, you apparently do think its a problem. Otherwise that's the most bitter I don't have a problem with my commute comment ever.

I wouldn't have joined the military which catapulted my experience forward. You saw my fitness reports. You saw my colonel's letter of recommendation. You think everyone gets those? Show me a second lieutenant with a Navy Commendation Medal! Show me someone who saved the government millions of dollars by discovering that a major contractor associated with our former vice president was defrauding us, something auditors failed to identify! I don't rest on my laurels but I use that to demonstrate what I am capable of.

It sounds insane to say this but I am an exceptional individual. I grew up in a ghetto in a single parent home to an abusive alcoholic mother who kicked me out the house at 16 years old. I earned a free ride at university, graduated magna *** laude, became a god damn Marine Corps officer and absolutely excelled as a logistician.

Which, apparently got you $11 an hour .

[ricketyclik]

You gotta hand it to him, he's done well and will no doubt go on to bigger and better things.

[kentonio]

The problem is whereas other challenges had a clear path where performance is all that matters, the private sector is a different beast. It requires relationships and connections. The way the message is presented matters more than the content. I am still evaluating how to tackle this challenge.

You could start by realizing that this is only partly true. It's what pretty much everyone thinks until they get to the management level positions and realize how critical very subtle and seemingly small decisions and ideas can be on a large scale. Sure there's plenty (and I mean plenty) of people who climb to a certain level based on little more than networking and bull****, but you're (hopefully) not going to pull that off because you have your marine honour code drilled into you now.

Just present your ideas in a clear and easy to understand way (because at least 50% of people are idiots), show loyalty to your bosses without tying yourself to them too tightly, and take any opportunity you get to meet senior people in your field (without being that ass kissing ***** everyone has contempt for). Just being the smart, driven, likable guy who people know they can rely on but everyone knows will probably move on upward soon can get you a very long way.

Oh and if you can possible avoid it, don't make enemies. You can pretty much guarantee you'll run into them again, and people have very, very long memories. Calling peers out because you think they're not performing is about the best possible way to become hated. Let other people fail if they want to, and just let your own quality show through.

[Al B. Sure!]

Considering your I basically only make $11 an hour comment, you apparently do think its a problem. Otherwise that's the most bitter I don't have a problem with my commute comment ever.



Which, apparently got you $11 an hour .

I've had this job for 3 years. I'm on my ninth total month working there however. I am confident my resume has now exceeded the position.