Choice Between Money and Creativity

Why does it always come to this?

Understand that I am not actively searching for a new position, I am still 90% happy at Auvik, but I watch to see if there is a role out there that is even closer to being my perfect dream job. So far there isn’t but there’s been one that might have been close.

Beamdog had/has a role for a senior writer. Amazing right? Creating characters for video games. For a technical writer whose hobbies are roleplaying games (creating new characters is always fun) and video games – that would be next level dream job. I even had a creative project that I did to put on the ol’ resume. The problem … I’m the sole breadwinner for my family and I can’t take a $5500 drop in my pay over the course of a year, especially when the new-for-me van that I bought less than 4 months ago just cost me another $600 because it’s warranty didn’t cover the issue that it developed.

Another role that caught my attention was one with IBM. Technical writer – check. Familiar with Unix – check (My linux skills are actually developed on the fact that when I went to school I was using unix). Top end salary of 130k a year – double check. I applied for this one on a whim but was warned by a friend they are a ‘chew you up and spit you out kind of company’. So the likelihood is I wouldn’t take this job if it was offered anyway.

Now given that I am happy at Auvik why am I looking? Really I’m not. It’s more a see something interesting and go look. Out of the more than dozen I have looked at there’s always something that doesn’t work for me. Expect me to move. Not offering enough money (normally under my current salary with no space to go up). Expect me to come into the office. Or in Alberta the big one is always it’s a short term contract rather than full time. Which means other than the IBM one I haven’t applied to any and I’ve told recruiters No in no uncertain terms.

Oddly enough if I could choose one and not have money be an issue, I would have chosen the Beamdog position.

Your mileage may vary…