Idiotic to turn down postgrad job? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm a 3L at a T14 with an offer from a state AG (though not NY/CA) in my preferred (niche) field of PI. The problem is that this state is very much not where I or my partner want to end up, and my partner is stuck in Boston, where we do want to end up, for at least another year. (It's about a day's travel between Boston and where I'd be.) This job would be great for career development--really the type of work I want--but the idea of living a very different lifestyle (suburban, from being in cities forever), in a state I don't intend to stay in, without the person I want to be with sounds terrible, even if it is only for two years. I'm considering turning down this offer in favor of holding out for *anything* in Boston, with the aim of later moving into my niche field. If I were in my 20s, I'd be more inclined to take the two years of pain for the job, but I'm 30 now and thinking very carefully about how I actually want to spend my time, rather than just where I want my resume to end up.

I realize this is ultimately a personal decision, but I'd appreciate any perspective you all can bring: would it be idiotic to turn down this job?

[Anonymous User]

I'm a 3L at a T14 with an offer from a state AG (though not NY/CA) in my preferred (niche) field of PI. The problem is that this state is very much not where I or my partner want to end up, and my partner is stuck in Boston, where we do want to end up, for at least another year. (It's about a day's travel between Boston and where I'd be.) This job would be great for career development--really the type of work I want--but the idea of living a very different lifestyle (suburban, from being in cities forever), in a state I don't intend to stay in, without the person I want to be with sounds terrible, even if it is only for two years. I'm considering turning down this offer in favor of holding out for *anything* in Boston, with the aim of later moving into my niche field. If I were in my 20s, I'd be more inclined to take the two years of pain for the job, but I'm 30 now and thinking very carefully about how I actually want to spend my time, rather than just where I want my resume to end up.

I realize this is ultimately a personal decision, but I'd appreciate any perspective you all can bring: would it be idiotic to turn down this job?

Are there jobs in this niche area in Boston? Would the job you're considering set you up well for moving into the field there or would it be a non-factor? If so, taking the job might work to your long-term goal of being in Boston. Would you be holding out for another PI job in Boston or would you be considering firms as well? PI is much more competitive and difficult to get than regular firm jobs. If it was just a job at an out-of-state firm, it would be a no-brainer to keep looking, but the niche PI angle makes the calculus different. Is your partner in school still? Would their schedule allow for flexibility to spend time with you where you are? Can you negotiate a partly-remote schedule? I don't think it's *stupid* to turn it down, but it could also make good sense to take it.

[existentialcrisis]

Very personal decision, but I think it makes sense to turn it down.

I assume your T14 offers fellowships for PI people to work in unpaid jobs for a year?

[clorox]

This depends a lot on the specific niche you're talking about (what it is, how big it is, where the jobs in it are, what skills are transferable to it, and how hard it is to crack from outside) and what your appetite for the null outcomes is. Would you be okay not ending up in this niche? Would you be okay taking the long way to this niche (and can you articulate what that might look like)?

Your reasons for possibly turning it down are completely valid, but you're asking us to make a value judgment for you that we can't really make without the level of detail you (for good reason) are not posting here. But those questions are the ones I'd be asking.

[CanadianWolf]

This depends a lot on the specific niche you're talking about (what it is, how big it is, where the jobs in it are, what skills are transferable to it, and how hard it is to crack from outside) and what your appetite for the null outcomes is. Would you be okay not ending up in this niche? Would you be okay taking the long way to this niche (and can you articulate what that might look like)?

Your reasons for possibly turning it down are completely valid, but you're asking us to make a value judgment for you that we can't really make without the level of detail you (for good reason) are not posting here. But those questions are the ones I'd be asking.

This is a very solid response.