Ambivalent interviewing

I have a job interview tomorrow afternoon, that kind of came out of the blue. I'd applied for several positions at M+ (an organization very similar to ours about 10 minutes closer to home) a few months back when I was really unhappy at the direction my current organization (disorganization) was taking. We have since gotten a new team lead, and things are looking WAY up.

So, of course, the Fates see fit to have M+ call me for an interview, and for them to sound VERY interested in talking to me.

I'm not really interested in leaving my current position. However, exploring other possibilities is always a good thing. Keeps you sharp, and gives you a chance to think about what else you might be doing career-wise.

M+ sent over an actual job application. I filled out the very minimum amount of information. They want job descriptions and salary for past jobs. I don't really remember what I made fifteen years ago, for crying out loud. And, I've already thoroughly described my past jobs on my resume. Maybe I'll print out a couple of copies and table the descriptions into the job application. It'd certainly be easier to read than my chicken scratch.

Career dilemma

I think that I'm destined to be one of those people who is never really content with their lot in anything, at least not when it comes to my job. I always seem to have something to whine about.

I've had very few managers who really did, what I considered to be, their jobs. In my opinion a manager's job is to play to your strengths, coach you on your weaknesses, respect your experience, and to help you do your job. I had managers at NASD (two), AARP (one), and one (temporary) at my current organization who got that. Other than that, the rest of them have been varying levels of dysfunctional, psychotic, and/or sycophantic.

On to my current dilemma. I have been pursuing a career in Information Security steadily for about eight years now. I'm don't have my CISSP yet, but I could probably pull it off with a little concerted effort. Doing IT Security and Compliance has been in my cross hairs for nearly a decade, and I really have come along way up the ladder in the field.

However, right now, my current team lead and IT management overall are making me extremely bonkers. While I really enjoy the actual work I do, I'm getting pulled more-and-more into pointless and meaningless bull, and finding myself having to argue and fight for things that are obvious to lots of people in the trenches, but not to 'the powers that be'.

Recently, a contact in another part of my large organization encouraged me to apply for a position doing Linux administration and Perl coding. I'm pretty rusty on the coding end of things, but I could probably pull it off if I had to. Plus, coding can be a lot of fun for me.

So, do I jump off the career train I've been on to save my sanity, or do I grit my teeth an hope that something changes in my current situation? (Oh, BTW, I am again starting to apply for security positions outside of my current organization ... a really cool opportunity within 25 minutes of my house opened up. If they bite, I'll relate more later.)