Chicago or Seattle?

The latest on the job dilemma. I talked to the guy from Halcrow Yolles and he did a very good job of convincing me that I would get what I was looking for working for his company plus some. Basically this big British civil engineering firm (Halcrow) acquired a just as big Canadian structural engineering firm (Yolles) in 2004. Part of the purpose of doing this was to have a good entering point for the US market. They have since opened a New York office which acts as the US headquarters, they are now in the process of opening a Chicago office. This office is being headed by an acquaintance of mine who I had contacted about a position in his old office when I had started looking for work, only to find that he had changed jobs. Quited possible to my benefit. All of this looks great. He wants to hire me, I need a job, etc... The only thing I am concerned about is the level of mentoring available to me in a new, and still small office. But I have been reassured that I would be sent to the main office in Toronto for any training that I might need and that there are many benefits which balance this. Not the least of which is more $$ in the future. The idea is that if I get in on the ground floor of a new office that there is much better potential for upward movement.

Aaron and I like the idea of being in Chicago. Not so far from family - Alan's family and ours can go on those camping trips we have talked about, people can visit us easily, we could host holidays at our house, friends and family can just shoot down for weekend shopping trips and lots of weekends at Grandma's.

I'm just nervous. I don't have an offer in hand from them, although Terry says they want to hire me - I will still have to interview in Toronto and settle all the details. Right now I have an offer of an offer from KPFF. They have told me that they would like to give me an offer but not until I am ready to accept. Once they give me an offer they would like to hear back in about a week. She is calling me on Monday to give me this offer. I have decided that I am going to ask for an extension to the middle of January, which I am willing to bet I won't get. But I can't get to Toronto before then - I have finals coming up and then the holidays. So essentially I will be turning down KPFF without having anything definite on the table from another company. I am just having faith that even if Halcrow Yolles doesn't work out there are still lots of other firms out there I can work for. ARUP (another British firm, I interviewed with in Seattle) says they won't be making any decisions until January either. I think that this is the more typical time frame for companies. In many ways I feel rushed by KPFF.

I don't know if I am doing the right thing but I am not 100% sure I want to work for KPFF so I am going to take the risk. I guess I didn't marry the first guy I ever dated and everything worked out so I don't have to take the first job offer I get either - and I will probably still get a good job.

I am really not good with all of this not knowing. I want to have everything settled so that we can begin to get on with our lives. Will we be spending spring break in Seattle or Chicago looking for a place to live?

Tim, Deb - I hope we get to see you.