Would you apply?

Someone else was asking a job question, and it reminded me of my own…

There is an opening that I am qualified for at a company that sounds awesome.

Problem is, I have made long term plans in my mind that don’t involve a company in their industry, and intend to start executing them soon.

I could commit maybe 6 months to a year to the job, but in this industry, it can take 3–6 months to get situated, and then you are responsible for projects that take years to finish so you can never exit at a good time.

I am bleeding my savings account in the hiatus. It would be nice to have an income again short-term and the time I spend w/ a company like this will help me in the future. I can make ~3 times what I’d make taking any temporary job (maybe more).

I guess you never know, it is not impossible that I end up liking the company and hang around longer.

Would I be crossing some kind of ethical line by submitting an application without including a warning about my intentions? Would you give them the impression that you’re in it for the long haul so they hire you, or be upfront about your lack of commitment and risk making a bad impression?