I got offered two jobs

[Hansmeister]

I got offered two very different jobs from buddies of mine within the last month.

The first is with a retired buddy from Combined Action Group (aka Delta Force) who has opened his own company in Las vegas with a few colleagues offering security consulting.  Their clients are most various US gov't agencies, though they've branched out into advising some foreign countries un unstable parts of the world.  It would be a very interesting and high-paying job, but with a very irregular schedule (spend several months abroad, followed by several months vacation).  I have a peculiar set of skills that would make me a very useful addition to the company, since they're lacking personnel in the field I've been trained and experienced in.

The second job would be with an old ex-PSYOP friend who will be promoted soon to VP in the company he works for, overseeing all their investment portfolios.  He wants me to take over his old job running a $750 million investment portfolio in Dallas.  I'm not really qualified for the job, though I've studied a lot in that field, so I would've to spend a lot of time OJT.  My buddy would train me up on how to do it and I would have a lot of free time to work on an MBA, but I would mainly get the job because of my friend, not any qualification I currently possess.

Since I'm still a few years from retirement I will probably hold off on accepting any offer before then, though my buddy in Dallas is talking about offering a sweetener to get me to quit early.  I'm conflicted about how to proceed so I turn to the collective wisdom (don't snicker) of languish for advise.

[derspiess]

First one sounds like a lot more fun; second one sounds like it might be better for the family.  Flip a coin

[Alcibiades]

I thought CAG was Combat Applications Group.   

[Faeelin]

How would your wife feel about you picking yet another career that could put you in harm's way?

[Jacob]

Hmmm... so three options:

Stay put, earn your pension (which is nice, I suppose?  I don't really know what you're sacrificing by leaving early).  Most likely, whatever awesome qualifications and connections you seem to have will still be valid in a few years when you're done.  Is there really much of a risk than you won't have those or similar options once you're out?  If you're respected and have qualifications I wouldn't think so, though only you can really assess it.  This is the safest option, obviously, and probably the one I would take in your place unless I was bored or otherwise had reasons to want to move on.  What's a few more years, really?

Security consulting - the question is, how attractive is the work and how big are the risks?  It seems like it would be harder on your family, and there'd be more of a risk to you as well.  Also, it seems to me that as long as you're doing security/military things for the government you are on solid ground ethically speaking as to what and why you do things; doing the same type of things and solving similar problems in a private capacity for various private interest runs a much higher risk of ending up in murky grey ethical territory.  Causing the death of someone, even indirectly, because you are carrying out the orders of your duly elected C-in-C who is ultimately responsible to the American people is different than doing so because you're trying to fulfil the terms of a contract which is ultimately rooted in... well, something else that could vary, but most likely is profit driven.  You strike me as a guy with a solid ethical foundation, so I think it's worth considering to some extent.  Ultimately, this is the job to take (now or later) if you feel there's not enough adventure in your life, though from where I'm sitting with a wife and young child seeking adventure shouldn't be the priority.

Finally, there's the portfolio management job.  It sounds like you'll make money and work with people you respect.  There's a bit of the whiff of nepotism about getting the job to begin with (and are there any strings or quid pro quos? how easily can he take the job away from you if you piss him off?), but I'm sure you're competent enough to learn enough to pull your weight in the end.  Perhaps it might get a bit boring in the long run, compared to the more vital job you're doing in the army - is this something you're concerned about?

So yeah, unless one of these jobs really calls out to you strongly (or unless there's something that makes leaving a good idea) I'd stay put.  As for the two jobs, if they're both still available, I'd say the choice is between prioritizing adventure and family; which is more important to you?

[Viking]

does this have anything to do with siege getting fired?

[Caliga]

Hans, never take a job you're not qualified for, no matter how good it sounds.

[derspiess]

Hans, never take a job you're not qualified for, no matter how good it sounds.

Works for some people.  I've seen it happen, time & time again.

[Ed Anger]

The second job would be with an old ex-PSYOP friend who will be promoted soon to VP in the company he works for, overseeing all their investment portfolios.  He wants me to take over his old job running a $750 million investment portfolio in Dallas.  I'm not really qualified for the job, though I've studied a lot in that field, so I would've to spend a lot of time OJT.  My buddy would train me up on how to do it and I would have a lot of free time to work on an MBA, but I would mainly get the job because of my friend, not any qualification I currently possess.

Way too dependent on your patron. He gets the ax, you'll likely get it too.

[Barrister]

Hans, never take a job you're not qualified for, no matter how good it sounds.

I dunno about that.

First people have to grow their qualifications somehow.  When I was hired as a Crown Prosecutor, I was only qualified in the loosest sense (i.e. I had a law degree).  But I learned on the job and did very well.

I suppose the question is how quickly can you learn on the job, and when will you be up to full speed.

[katmai]

Yeah Cal's advice sucks.

[DGuller]

This dilemma is a sad commentary on the financial world.  You've got someone willing to put an unqualified friend in charge of $750 million.  I don't know whether this says something about the ethics, or the actual skills required for skimming the investment funds.

[Caliga]

Works for some people.  I've seen it happen, time & time again.

The issue is the consequences for Hans if he screws it up, since he'd have to uproot and all that.

[Caliga]

This dilemma is a sad commentary on the financial world.  You've got someone willing to put an unqualified friend in charge of $750 million.  I don't know whether this says something about the ethics, or the actual skills required for skimming the investment funds.

This sort of thing is hardly unique to finance.

[Strix]

This dilemma is a sad commentary on the financial world.  You've got someone willing to put an unqualified friend in charge of $750 million.  I don't know whether this says something about the ethics, or the actual skills required for skimming the investment funds.

It sounds like a plot for a movie. Friend X gets Hans the job than a couple months after Friend X leaves the business to Hans the Feds come looking for the missing $250 million that Friend X has taken leaving Hans holding the bag. Meanwhile, Hans swears revenge on Friend X who has fled to some South American country populated by hot scantily clad girls.