Decisions

We have a new store opening, probably early next year. It's opening in Alexandria, about four to five hours from here. Our district manager asked for anyone who was interested in the store director position to put their name in a few months ago. What she does than is goes through this list and whittles it down and than interviews whoever is left. I put my name in. I wasn't really sure if I wanted to move but I figured I wanted to at least throw my name in the hat. I would love to just stay here and take over the store, but I think I'd have to hire a hitman on Darryl, he doesn't have any plans on going anywhere anytime soon. Well Darryl told me that there's only three names left on the list, a guy from Baton Rouge, me and Steve. Steve is another manger from the store I work in now. Steve is a good guy and I think would make a great store director also. I wouldn't feel bad if he got it over me. Today he told me he's pretty much taken his name out of the running. His wife is pregnant and he'd end up having to spend the months just before she is due traveling and training at the other stores and than when the baby is born he'd be setting up the store and getting it ready for opening. He decided he'd rather wait for another store, and spend this time with his wife and baby.

So it's going to be down to me and this other guy. Unless someone else puts their name in. The problem is that I'm not sure how bad I want this store. I really don't want to move. I like it here in Slidell. My parents and brother are fairly close, my friends are here. And I just don't want to move. Alexandria is in the middle of nowhere. It's a small town, which I don't mind. I like the fact that Slidell is a small town, but it's within an hours drive of New Orleans, so when I want to go to a big city I can without a long drive.

I'm not sure what the pay increase would be either. I really don't want to take on the added pressure of running a store without a good pay bump. From what I've heard it's not that big a raise. I can't see uprooting my life and moving and taking on all the extra work and pressure for a small raise.

I like where I'm at now. I am in a position where I work all days with every Saturday off. I've never worked a schedule like this as long as I've been in retail, which is all my working life. I enjoy what I'm doing and I love the hours.

Now I wouldn't mind running my own store again. I liked being a store manger when I was with Service Merchandise. I actually do like the pressure of "having" my own store. I like taking ownership of my own store.

I'm jumping the gun here of course. I might not even be offered the store. But this is all things I need to thing about and decide before it gets down to the wire. I don't want to get offered the store and than say no thanks. If I go that far I should be ready to take it if it's offered me. The district manager wants to make a decision by the middle of the summer so she can get the new store director training with all the other store directors in the district.

I guess I'm thinking more about it right now cause Steve told me about his decision today. I just have to do some heavy thinking. (Another factor is my Father is going to the doctor next week, he's been having some problems and will have to have surgery soon, but they're not sure on all the final details yet. That could help make my mind up, depending on how sick he is.)

Well at least I have some more time to decide....